Italian Expresso
COACH TOUR: Perfect for those short on time, this 5-day express tour takes in all the main highlights of Italy. Starting and ending in Rome, you will visit UNESCO-listed Siena and tour the 'Cradle of the Renaissance' in Florence. Enjoy a wander around Bologna, visit Padua, and take a guided sightseeing tour of Venice. Drive through Tuscany's beautiful wine region, tuck into lunch in medieval Montepulciano, and then return to the Italian capital.
For a detailed itinerary and information about visas, money, weather and more download our Trip Notes
Tour overview
Itinerary
Day 1 Assisi, Siena & Florence
Day 1 Assisi, Siena & Florence
Rome - Assisi - Siena - Florence. Welcome to Italy! It's an early start as we depart Rome at 07:15 and journey to the medieval walled town of Assisi. There's time to visit the picturesque Basilica of St Francis independently if you choose.
Then we continue to Siena, a UNESCO-protected town known for its incredibly narrow streets, medieval brick buildings and fan-shaped main square: Piazza del Campo. After a short visit, we continue to our hotel in Florence, where dinner is included.
Please note: The tour departs at 07:15 on Day 1 from the Hotel St Martin in Rome. Please arrive in Rome the day before your tour to ensure you don't miss the coach.
Day 2 Florence sightseeing
Day 2 Florence sightseeing
Today we enjoy a half-day sightseeing tour of Florence, 'Cradle of the Renaissance' and home of Michelangelo. Take in the beautiful Duomo, formally known as the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Other highlights of the city include the town hall - Palazzo Vecchio and the Basilica of Santa Croce, burial place for illustrious Italians including Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli. We tuck into lunch at a typical Tuscan restaurant in Piazza Santa Croce, and the rest of the day is at leisure.
Spend the afternoon strolling the cobblestone streets of Florence on your own or take a short trip to Pisa (optional), for a tour of the Piazza dei Miracoli with the Duomo, Pisa’s symbol “the Leaning Tower” and the Baptistery.
Day 3 Bologna, Padua & Venice
Day 3 Bologna, Padua & Venice
Florence - Bologna - Padua - Venice. Departing Florence, we drive to beautiful Bologna, capital of the Emilia-Romagna region. Stroll through the elegant city centre to see some of the beautiful porticos and shopping streets. Stroll from Piazza Malpighi to Piazza del Nettuno and Piazza Maggiore in the heart of the city, and see the Basilica of San Petronio. There's free time to find a good restaurant for lunch.
In the afternoon we pay a short visit to Padua, a riverside city west of Venice. We'll see the Basilica of Saint Anthony, which is one of the most visited churches by pilgrims in the Catholic world. Then it's on to Venice, where we check into our hotel for the next two nights.
Please note: For tours departing in April 2025 onwards, there will no longer be a stop in Padua. Instead, more time will be spent exploring Bologna, and you will enjoy an included street food experience with a light lunch.
Day 4 Venice
Day 4 Venice
After breakfast, it's time to explore perhaps Italy's most famous and romantic destination. The floating city is a photographer's dream, and we'll be taking in the main highlights. Our tour begins in Piazza San Marco, in English known as St Mark's Square. It's the focal point of the city, dominated by St Mark's Basilica. We also see the Gothic Doge's Palace and the legendary Bridge of Sighs.
After our tour, we enjoy some cicchetti (Italian tapas) and a glass of prosecco in our beautiful setting and there is free time for you to explore further - we strongly recommend a gondola ride on Venice's famous canals!
Day 5 Tuscany & return to Rome
Day 5 Tuscany & return to Rome
Venice - Tuscany wine region - Rome. Leaving Venice, we head into Tuscany, one of Italy's most idyllic regions. A land known for its beautiful scenery, historic castles, and some of Italy's finest wines. We enjoy a stop in the medieval town of Montepulciano for lunch, where you can try a glass or two of the region's vino. Then we have a short amount of free time to explore the town further, before returning to Rome. Our tour arrangements ends when we get back to the city.
Please note: We will not arrive back in Rome until late afternoon or early evening, so please be aware of this when arranging your flights. We would encourage you to stay in Rome for an extra night, and book your onward flight for the day after our tour concludes.
Tour Highlights
Included
Not Included
Prices & Dates
Hotels
The recently renovated Raffaello Hotel is located in an atmospheric residential area, just a 10-minute tram ride from the city centre. When in the hotel guests can relax in the Raffaello Garden with a drink, or tuck into delectable Tuscan cuisine at Restaurant La Fornarina. A buffet breakfast is included and served daily and there is free Wi-Fi throughout. Rooms come with Sky television, minibar, safe and ensuite bathrooms and are tastefully decorated, as they should be in the city of the Renaissance!
Hotel Delfino Venezia Mestre is located in the lively Corso del Popolo in the heart of Mestre, the mainland section of Venice. The hotel is just 10 minutes by bus from Venice itself, with a stop across the road - reception can arrange bus tickets for guests if needed. Rooms at this 4-star hotel are well appointed and spacious, equipped with ensuite bathrooms, air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi and television. Buffet breakfast is served onsite and there is a bar and lounge area where guests can enjoy cocktails and apertifs.
Tour Reviews
I had an amazing time. This was an action packed tour which was perfect for the short time I had available. I was able to see so many highlights of Italy. The tour guide, Niki was lots of fun. She was very knowledgeable and kept us all organsied and safe. I was travelling on my own for this trip.
The tour was fast as expected due to it being only 5 days. Hotels were not 4 star as indicated. The first hotel the bathroom wasn't cleaned. No kettles or hot bevareage facilties as indicated on website. The food was DISGUSTING when it was apart of group meals. To be in italy you would expect good food. The only good food we had with the group was the friday lunch in Montepulcino. No indication of how much mobility was needed as some the group couldn't walk far. The stops in towns were great. Tour group size was too big. It should be limited down a bit more. Bus clean.
Carlos was a very informative guide. He spoke good english and had a good sense of humor. He kept us all safe when moving about. For the itinerary it would have been nice to have a bit longer in the tuscan wine country and maybe even out on a vineyard to get a real authentic experience of the wine tasting. Possibly an extra half day. When in Venice the organised boat ride back and pick up was appreciated. The hotels we stayed in were lovely but no tea and coffee making facilities in the rooms.
Our tour guide and driver were fabulous. The tour info suggested our bus would have toilets, I think this should not be advertised, as we didn't on any of the on the go tours we booked. The food at our first hotel and the hotel weren't that great to be honest. The meat was so tough we couldn't eat it. Our second hotel and food were 10x better.
Stefano was great. The walking tours with the guides were extremely boring. The hotels we stayed in were definitely not four star hotels so was not very impressed with that. The food included in the tour was terrible.
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