Romantic Escape to Italy: Amalfi Coast, Rome, and Venice Tour

In the morning, the aroma of espresso invites you into the cafes that line the cobblestones around Piazza Vescovado. Umbrellas shade patrons from the warmth of the sunlight as the breeze rustle through the fabric. Your driver will greet you in the hotel lobby after breakfast, eager to introduce you to the fabulous towns of the Amalfi Coast at your preferred pace, lingering on the quiet streets and passing through the more crowded piazzas. You will begin in the north, stopping at Positano as lemon and orange groves texture the terraced hills, complimenting the seaside air with citrus aromas. Olive orchards and vineyards accompany the rugged mountain ridges leading inland into the Campania countryside.

Narrow cobblestone lanes wind along the hills leading upwards into the mountains. Art galleries glow with radiant color hidden inside the cavernous alleyways, offering you a chance to sneak a warm embrace or enjoy the boutique shops and ceramic studios as you wander together. A sandal maker on Viale Pasitea lines the shop with leather soles and can craft you a pair of handmade sandals while you walk around town. Your driver will then lead you to the eponymous town of Amalfi, the once maritime powerhouse that traded with the Far East and Byzantine Empire.

In the morning, you will be captivated by the view over the cliffs of Ravello that lead down to the coastline. The breeze carries the scent of jasmine, and sporadic orange groves are scattered across the mountain ridges. After breakfast, you will make your way to your ferry bound for the island of Capri. Water splashes from the hull of the boat and spread across the windows, and you can enjoy a secluded spot on the upper deck where the wind blows through your hair. You can see the cliffs of the island rising upwards of 200 feet out of the water before the ferry docks at Marina Grande.

A funicular ferries people into the heart of Capri Town at Piazza Umberto I. Cafes fill with people enjoying frothy cappuccinos and buttery brioche while looking out to the water. The remainder of the day is yours to indulge in the beauty that inspired Hollywood starlets and captivated Roman emperors. The two of you will easily find passion and romance around the undulating landscape away from the chic boutique shops and bustling cafes in town. The lesser-visited cobbled lanes of Anacapri offers a dreamscape set atop a plateau more than 500 steps above the more prominent Capri Town.

You continue to Villa Jovis, which was once the most lavish of the island’s 12 Roman villas and home to emperor Tiberius. The complex included extensive baths and dense gardens that appealed to the Emperor’s rich tastes. The remaining canal system and storage tanks offer insight to how the engineers managed to store enough water to feed the more than 32,000 square feet of gardens. You will make your way to the top of the nearly 1,100-foot plateau known as Tiberius’s Leap, for a marvelous view down to the sea stacks

Set out early in the morning after the sun has returned the elaborate colors of the coastline and your private transfer will escort you along around the Bay of Naples to reach to the sensational Caserta Palace.  The palace encompasses more than 2.5 million square feet spread across five floors and is a picture of opulence. The 18th-century edifice was designed for Charles VII of Naples and was modeled after Versailles in Paris with 1,200 rooms, including a theater and two dozen state apartments.

The Grand Staircase of Honor provides an ambiance of grandeur and grace beneath the domed ceiling. You will feel like royalty just walking through the lavish halls and under the gilded ceiling inside the Throne Room. The wide, long windows allow the light to pour over the marble floors and shine off of the golden statue crowning the seat of Neapolitan sovereignty. The gardens are as equally elaborate, spanning nearly 300 acres as fountains trickle in the calm air leading to hidden cascades that rush into waiting pools.

Continue to Rome in the afternoon, stopping in the Gardens of Ninfa that overtake more than 250 acres on the outskirts of the Eternal City. You will feel as though you have stepped into a Romantic pastoral painting with cypress trees, oaks, grassy meadows, and medieval ruins adorning the edges of the lake. The scent of lemons drifts from the citrus grove and traces of frescoes continue to decorate the open walls of the former Church of Santa Maria Maggiore.

Wake early for a morning wander to find the market at Campo de’ Fiori filling with vendors before the sun rises over the Eternal City. Your guide will greet you in the lobby in the early morning darkness before the crowds return to the cobbled streets and grand piazzas of the fabled antique center. Begin in front of the Trevi Fountain, marveling at the quiet grandeur of Oceanus centered between four rambunctious horses. The marble edifice reaches more than 85 feet tall and 160 feet wide, and you can stroll the length of it to appreciate every angle. Continue to the Colosseum, an icon of Roman ingenuity and the city’s thirst for entertainment. The outer walls create a captivating spectacle, reaching nearly 160 feet tall while the sunlight peeks over the eastern hills. The absence of a crowd provides a unique opportunity to enjoy the marvelous architecture and history with unparalleled views and access.

In the afternoon, you will make your way to Vatican City to meet your guide during the more secluded visiting hours of the Vatican Museums after dark, to continue your intimate discovery of the Eternal City.  As the sun sets, your guide will lead you to a hidden terrace to watch the orange and blue hues of the setting sun against the historical domes, church spires, and fascinating marble structures that make Rome an enchanting city to visit at all hours of the day.

At breakfast, you will enjoy sharing your favorite moments of the previous day’s adventure and think back to the radiant colors and intricate details of the Sistine Chapel, encapsulating the mastery of one of Michelangelo’s famous works. After the meal, your private transfer will escort you north towards Venice, stopping in the fair city of Verona, in which Shakespeare placed his star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet. Upon arrival, the historical city center maintains a romantic ambiance while the Roman amphitheater adorns Piazza Brá and continues to hold up to 22,000 spectators during the annual summer opera festival.

The scent of chocolate and marzipan filters out of the confectionaries that line the main street that leads to Piazza delle Erbe. A marble figure adorns the Fountain of Madonna as patrons of the local cafes sip their espresso beneath the soft morning light. The statue atop the fountain was a Roman art piece reconstituted in the 13th century as an image of the Madonna, and you can pass through the piazza to reach the home of Juliet Capulet, an embodiment of passion, love, and resistance.

A contemporary red mailbox decorated with adoration to the heroine of an endless love story adorns the brick wall. Visitors from around the world place their letters to Juliet in the mailbox or adorn the walls of the tunnel that lead into the courtyard. A balcony hovers above the garden near the bronze statue of Juliet, and you can stand on the balcony to bask in the aroma of jasmine while leaning in for a kiss in imitation of Romeo and Juliet.  After you have taken it all in, the two of you will continue to Venice.

The perfect day in Venice will begin before dawn as the cool air drifts over the waters of the Grand Canal. Gondolas moored to the edges of the walkways wade in the gentle current while the Rialto Market stirs with the first sounds of vendors arriving with boats filled with produce, fish, and flowers. The labyrinth of cobbled streets is empty, leading to a quiet ambiance on the bridges that connect the 118 different islands that make Greater Venice. The air nips at your cheeks as you arrive in iconic St. Mark’s Square, the most notable public piazza in the city and the center of the former republic.

The sunlight bursts over the marble palaces and spreads across the water while the golden light shimmers against the gilded mosaics of St. Mark’s Basilica. The outer dome reaches more than 140 feet tall with the bulbous design prominent in religious Byzantine architecture. The fascinating Basilica was completed at the end of the 11th century and consecrated more than a century later. For a unique experience, you can enter into the captivating Basilica for the morning mass as the galleries erupt with ethereal voices.

The angelic sounds of the choir reach into the domes and accentuate the remarkable gilded mosaics that fill the more than 86,000 square feet. In the afternoon, you can step onto a gondola on the waterfront near St. Mark’s Square. The gondolier wears the iconic striped shirt and will help you to board the embodiment of Venetian romance. He will push the narrow vessel through the secluded canals of the city, traveling beneath the arching bridges and alongside charming cafes, leading you to a private table for two in a quiet restaurant featuring delectable Venetian cuisine.

You have entered into a love affair with Italy and will savor the final day of your romantic getaway. You could always stay longer, adding to the passionate memories with time in Tuscany or along the luxurious towns of the Italian Riviera. Your transfer will meet you on the private dock of your hotel and escort you across the Grand Canal to meet your driver. You will continue to Marco Polo Airport with plenty of time to check in for your flight home.