Secret Italy

¡Buongiorno! Fly to Venice and join this tour through Italy with Unitrips.

This first day, depending on the time of your arrival in Venice, you will be able to have a walk through the city and get to know the streets and squares.

Venice had the honor of being crowned one of the most powerful, rich and populated cities over a period of many years in the past. It dominated trading routes in both the Mediterranean and the Orient. What´s more the art that was fostered here is one of a kind which can clearly be exemplified in the works of Marco Polo.

Did you know…

• The last bridge built in Venice was designed by a Spanish architect: Calatrava.
• Sometimes in Venice there occurs a phenomenon called “Acqua Alta”. This causes a huge rise in water level in the Venice lagoon, which usually lasts about 3–4 hours. Depending on the intensity with which it occurs, most of the old town can flood, with half a meter of water.
• Cars are forbidden in Venice, as well as bicycles. If used, you are fined. The only way to get around the city is on foot or by water.
• Although when strolling through Venice you get the impression that there are many canals, there are only two- the Canal Grande and the Giudecca Canal. The rest of the small canals that flow between the narrow streets are called rivers.

We will carry on falling in love with this city. Venice is one of the most photographed places in the world. Don’t waste time, grab your camera and find your inner photographer; bridges, Vaporettos and Gondolas are all waiting to be snapped!

In the afternoon we give you the option to keep enjoying Venice on your own, or come on the excursion to the 2 islands of Murano and Burano with us! You decide?

*Included Activity

Excursion to Murano and Burano (the two islands located in the Venetian Lagoon) 

Today we say goodbye to Venice and head directly to Florence.

Florence is a city that has a lot of life, above all at night! Here you can enjoy the university party in the Santa Croce zone. You will be able to  visit many artworks in the Uffizi museum, or if you don´t fancy being in a museum, you can walk through the hills of Florence. From there you can observe the mythical Arch of Brunelleschi, which dominates the whole city.

After admiring this small city with more than 3000 years of history, we will continue on our route through Europe and head to another Italian charm, Pisa.

Good Morning from Pisa!

Today we will have an activity for those that want to discover the charms of Portofino and the natural park of 5 Terre. 5 little villages with houses of all colors, which are among green mountains and bluest sea you have ever seen!! A place where pollution has hardly made a dent. There are hardly any cars and the way to go from one village to another is by walking or on a spectacular little train that passes by the sea.

Later in the evening we will head back to Pisa were we will spend the night.

Included Activity:

• 5 Terre 

Did you know…

• These are five small towns on the Italian coast over ten kilometers of rocky coast enclosed by two cliffs, Punta di Mesco and Punta di Montenero.
• They were declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1997.
• It consists of Monterosso Al Mare, Vernazza, Manarola, Riomaggiore and Corniglia.
• It is a natural park with a blue sea that will not leave you indifferent.
• The most remarkable thing about Pisa is its leaning tower. Millions of tourists flock to her and the typical “holding it” photo every year.
• The Tower of Pisa, is considered, next to the cathedral of which it is part, one of the jewels of Romanesque art, and the government has requested help on several occasions to prevent it from collapsing.

Today we will start our day from Pisa, but we will head straight the the walled city of Volterra, where we will walk through the historic streets and see the Cathedral, the Roman Theatre and the 4 Gates. Maybe you have heard of Volterra with the name Vulturi, ancient capital of Etruria. After, we will continue our trip through Italy and the region of Tuscany and head to our next destination – San Gimignano.

Often referred to as the “town of the towers” because of the medeival towers that dominate the city. Here you will have some free time to discover the central squares, the towers, and eat. Don´t forget to taste the ice cream!

After a full day discovering the old streets of Tuscany, we will head to Siena, where we will spend the night.

Did you know:

• Volterra began to bring a lot of tourism through the Twilight series, although the series was filmed in Montepulciano
• San Gimignano is considered the Manhattan of the Middle Ages medioevo, there are 74 towers within the walls!

Today we will leave Siena early to take advantage of the day… because today we will visit 4 place! With our visit of Siena we will see the Piazza del Campo and the Piazza del Duomo -the 2 most important squares of the city.

Late morning we will head to Chiusdino to visit They Abbey of San Galgano and The Chapel of Montesiepi. We will have a little but of time to eat before jumping back on our bus to head to Montalcino. The city is famous for its wine “Brunello di Montalcino”.

In the evening we will say goodbye to Montalcino and its wine to head to our final stop of the day – Pienza. 

Did you know:

• Pienza is considered the prettiest town of the val D’orcia, the most instagrammable valley in all of Tuscany. Here it is difficult to get lost walking, or on a bike, or horse, and find the typical Tuscan houses.
• You have to try the typical sweets of Siena: panforte and  Ricciarelli

Today will be a nice relaxed day, enjoy the landscapes and the good food of Tuscany. We will visit Montepulciano, another Italian city of the Siena provines in Tuscany that has medieval origins. We will find the Piazza Grande – the heart of the city with the highest point, the cathedral, and the Palazzo Comunale with its gothic facade.

Here is where they actually filmed Twilight, so don´t be scared if you find a vampire!

After this visit we will arrive in Pienza, where we will spend the night.

Today we say goodbye to Pienza and head direcrtly to another zone in the south of Tuscany, specifically the town that is on top of a cliff: Pitigliano, famous for its caves. The Tuscan town is carved into volcanic rock.

After a day discovering this small towns, we will head to Naples, where we will spend the night.

Did you know…

• The warm sulphurous waters of Saturnia were well-known by first the Etruscans and later the Romans. In fact, they believed them to be a gift from the gods, and made good use of the waters and its healing powers.

• The legend regarding the birth of Saturnia tells that the god Saturn found refuge there, driven away from Olympus because of his misdeeds. Angry with the people who were always at war with each other, he sent a thunderbolt to earth, giving life to a magic spring of warm sulphur water to annihilate them. In the Middle Ages the hot vapors of the thermal waters were associated with sin and voluptuousness, and the sources were identified with the gates of Hell.

Welcome to Neapolis, the “new city” that really isn´t that young. Naples is a city that has to be on your bucket list, even if it´s only to try the famous Napoletana pizza.

As well as this you will be able to try many typical dishes, especially the sweets… the famous Sfogliatella is extremely tasty.

Walking through the city is like being in a movie, from the lively Spanish quarter, to the historic centre with its hundreds of churches, where 2 gods come from: San Gennaro and Maradona, the creative footballer that turned the cities team into the champions of the Italian league in the 90s.

Don´t forget about underground Naples – a long drive below the historic centre… discouraged if you suffer from claustrophobia.

With a new day you have to make new decisions.

To enjoy the day in Naples or discover 2 other Italian pearls with us – The Amalfi Coast and Capri.

We will arrive in the port of Salerno, where we will get on a little boat that will take us to the coast to be able to admire the beauty of the Sorrento peninsula and its towns that hang from the cliffs, painting a unique picture.

Amalfi, old fishing republic, will impressive you with its cathedral, Positano with its vertical houses, and Capri… is Capri.

The Amalfi Coast is one of the most beautiful routes in Italy. Around every corner awaits a panormaic view towards the deep blu sea, bays which lift up small houses, picturesque alleys that form the cities of which the Amalfi Coast is composed of.

We will then catch the ferry to Capri. A small island where celebrities like to spend their summer, and where they film many perfume adverts, like the Dolce and Gabanna adverts ?

In the morning we will have an activity that without a doubt you will remember forever: entrance the archeological site of Pompeii. Ancient Roman city destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuviusa in 79 A.D, without a doubt on eof the biggest natural disasters in all of history. Nowadays, you can visit the “almost intact” city, representing a snapshot of the past, through its houses, workshops, theatres, allowing us to imagine how life was almost 2000 years ago.

Today on our route through Italy we will continure to the capital: Rome. But before we will make a stop at Reggia Caserta – one of the biggest palaces in all of Europe! The Baroque palace is siutated in Caserta.

After a visit to the palace, we are going to Rome. Rome is known as the “Eternal City”, and you will understand why once we arrive. Time appears to have ceased here hundreds of years back due to the large number of remaining monuments and ruins of  buildings, which turns strolling through the narrow streets of Rome into a trip back in time to the capital’s golden age. During our first afternoon in the city we will see some of the monuments and corners that you can´t escape. Will you throw your money in the Trevi Fountain?

Before going to bed, walk through the streets, try some Italian food and enjoy the city when it it lit up at night.

After having spent 14 days on this route through Italy, the moment to say goodbye has arrived, but we are sure you´ll be back soon.