Thriving Centers of Italy and France: Best of Rome and Paris Tour

After breakfast, you can take in the highlights of Paris, beginning with the Eiffel Tower. The structure stands 1,050 feet tall and contains approximately 8,000 metallic parts. You take the elevator to the top level for views of the entire city. The towers of Notre-Dame de Paris look small when viewed from this vantage point. You will complete your highlights tour of Paris in Montmartre, which is the epicenter of the Belle Époque in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Here, you will have views that rival the one from the top of the Eiffel Tower.

After breakfast, you will meet your private guide at the entrance to the Louvre Museum. The museum was originally the palace for the French monarchs and opened as a public gallery in 1792. Your guide will lead you on an impeccable tour of the museum’s most prized pieces of art. You will then continue to the Musee d’Orsay, which hosts a fascinating collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art. The renowned museum is situated inside the former Gare d’Orsay railway station and represents the beauty of Belle Époque architectural style and displays works by master artists, such as Degas, Manet, and Renoir.

The Palace of Versailles remains a symbol of the French monarch’s opulence and disconnection between the royal family and the citizens. The remarkable complex encompasses more than 721,180 square feet and became the center for monarchical politics in 1682. You will have the luxury of touring this vast complex with an expert guide. Afterward, you will return to Paris and partake in one of the most celebrated aspects of Parisian life: the cuisine. Your cooking class will begin with learning about the proper techniques of French gastronomy.

After breakfast, you will travel to the airport for your flight to Rome. Your private transfer will greet you at Fiumicino Airport and escort you to the historic center of what is known as the Eternal City. You will have time to relax in the comforts of your luxury accommodation before a private guide greets you in the lobby for a tour of the ancient wonders of Rome. As the sun sets over the Seven Hills of Rome, you will wander through the Forum, which was the center of ancient social, political, and commercial life. After sunset, you continue into the depths of the Colosseum for an exclusive after-hours tour of the 1st century AD amphitheater.

In the morning, the bars around Rome will fill with locals who sip espresso and enjoy the sweet, flakiness of a cornetto, which is an Italian croissant. You will make your way to St. Peter’s Square and meet your guide near the central obelisk. Your guide will lead you on a comprehensive tour of the grounds. The impressive dome of St. Peter’s Basilica adds to the sensational skyline of the city’s church spires, bell towers, and tiled rooftops. You will then have a pasta-making class in the afternoon, which will teach you the difference between the types of pasta, including the specific noodles that are eaten in Rome and the greater Lazio region versus other areas of Italy.

In the morning, you will venture to the Spanish Steps during your private monuments tour of Rome. After you climb the Spanish Steps and take in the views, you will walk to the nearby Trevi Fountain and continue your tour of the open-air museum of Rome’s monuments.  After discovering the indelible wonder of the fountains, piazzas, and the Pantheon, you will reach the gates of Villa Farnesina in the neighborhood of Trastevere. The complex retains some of the most elaborate frescoes of master artist Raphael, who crafted delicate and bold works that depicted classical and secular myths.

The morning light will wash over the Baroque and Renaissance palaces as you reluctantly get out of bed. The scent of espresso will return to the streets and be accompanied by the aroma of freshly baked cornetti. Your private transfer will greet you at your hotel after breakfast and escort you to Fiumicino Airport for your flight home.