Luxury Tour of Italy's Finest: Lake Como, Venice, Florence, Rome Itinerary

The aroma of a simple, thin pancake emanates from the dining room at breakfast, accompanied by a rich, fragrant espresso. The semi-sweet flavor of the pastry balances the delicate bitterness of the morning coffee. After the meal, your guide greets you in the hotel lobby eager to lead you on an excursion across the waters of Lake Como to explore the stunning towns along the shore. The orange-tiled roofs of town glint in the returning light against the backdrop of emerald trees.

A narrow trail travels to the top of Monte Bisbino’s nearly 4,300-foot tall peak and contains sporadic chapels along the historic pilgrimage route. The cool air along the water rushes against your cheeks and carries the scent of pine from the woods. The dramatic granite peaks shimmer like silver above the emerald canopy. You reach Bellagio, one of the prettiest towns on the lake, and nestled into the point where the three branches of the water converge. You ascend the stone stairs connecting the boat landing to the upper reaches of town.

Boutique shops line the cobbled walkways with glamorous window displays. You can see the hedges of a private regal garden running along the edges of the lake while another stretches above the town on a prominent ridge. Green shutters stand out from the brightly painted facades. Rhododendrons bloom in the lush gardens. You traverse the labyrinth of stone steps around the cypress groves to reach Villa Serbelloni, from which visible gardens of the upper ridges dazzle with 19th-century Italianate majesty.

The palatial beauty of your accommodation returns with the morning light, spreading across the blue and white petals of the hydrangeas in the garden. The scent of espresso returns to the dining room, accompanied by the sweet aroma of freshly baked brioche. Your private transfer greets you in the hotel lobby and escorts you down the mountainside, leaving the brilliance of Lake Como to fade behind the cypress and pine trees. The scenic drive leads you to the shores of the famous Venetian Lagoon. You board a private boat and cruise down the legendary waterway of the Grand Canal.

The body continues to act as the main highway connecting the city of Venice to the Italian mainland. Smaller, narrow canals spread away from the two-mile-long stretch of water, separating the single island into 118 different islets connected by stone bridges. Wooden plinths rise out of the water and continue to support the gorgeous palazzos and churches along the canal’s edge. Old women dressed in black enjoy the view from their open window as barges, traditional gondoliers, and vaporettos pass. The three-storied façade of Palazzo Grassi represents a mixture of baroque and classical features, along with the last measure of opulence erected before the collapse of the Venetian Republic in the late 18th century.

The city of Venice returns to life in the early morning teeming with eager vendors and keen shoppers at the Rialto Market. A marble plaque over the Pescaria explains the traditional rules and regulations for the marketplace for both vendors and shoppers. The scent of peaches and oranges drifts from the mounds of produce while the fish market glows with ruby red prawns and giant marlins. Your guide leads you through the vibrant marketplace to reach the heart of the Venetian Republic at St. Mark’s Square. The onion domes of the basilica shimmer and glint above the recessed and mosaicked façade. The Doge’s Palace offers the perfect image of Venetian gothic design.

The Istrian marble arcades support latticework in the façade of the second story, leading to the pink Verona marble framing the arch windows. Pass beneath figures of St. Mark and the iconic Venetian lion before entering the palace of the former sovereign of the Republic. The secret tour leads you into the hidden chambers of the Council of Ten, a secret court that controlled private and public life. The elegant wood paneling and gilding offer an aristocratic ambiance. Your guide points to the beauty of the 16th-century fresco Juno offering the Ducal Crown to Venice, which depicts a legend in which the Doge could contest a divine right to imperial power.

The movement along the Rialto Market returns in the early morning with farmers and fishermen hauling crates from the floating barges along the canal to the marketplace. Bakeries around the city fill their display cases with elegant pan del doge, a pastry erupting with flavors from the dried figs, nuts, and honey. After breakfast, your guide meets you on the private dock of your hotel and escorts you across the lagoon to visit the islands of Murano, Burano, and Torcello.

The doge moved all the glassmakers to the legendary island of Murano in the 13th century to prevent fires on the main island. The tradition of glassblowing continues to bring prominence to the artisans on the island. A small canal rushes through the center of the island. Several boats moor against the banks and glide beneath the sporadic arching bridges. The 19th-century clock tower in Campo Santo Stefano was erected over the 12th-century foundations of the original parish church.

You visit a glassblowing studio to learn about the timeless art form that allowed craftsmen to climb the social ladder to near noble status. The heat bursts from the furnace and fills the air. The artisan swirls the glass at the edge of a long iron bar. The orb glows deep orange when pulled from the forge. The craftsman uses a thick rag to shape the glass while at its hottest point before sticking the glass back into the fire. You watch in awe of the concentration of each movement until the artisan has created an elegant vase out of simple, repeated motions.

The golden weathervane atop the St. Mark’s Campanile depicts an intricate image of the archangel Gabriel atop the more than 320-foot tall tower. The sunlight shimmers over the gilded figure as the gondoliers return to the rippling water along the canal. Your private transfer greets you at the private dock of your hotel and escorts you to the shore of the Grand Canal to step into your luxury vehicle bound for Florence. The floodplains and flatlands around the lagoon lead to the woodlands and mountains of Emilia-Romagna.

You stop in Bologna, the capital of the region, to find insight into the city’s nickname as “The Fat One.”  A bronze Neptune crowns the 16th-century fountain in the piazza named after the godly figure. Meringue shells fill the windows of pastry shops wrapped around whipped cream or delectable chocolate. The scent of frothy cappuccino drifts out of the corner bars across town with students from one of the oldest universities in Europe studying at the tables.

While on your stop in Bologna, leave your bags with your driver, and prepare for your unique private Food Tasting Bike Tour with BIKEinBO. The tour allows you to truly experiment with the delicate flavors and enticing aromas that drift in and out of the innumerable restaurants and cafes of the city, beginning with learning the art of traditional Bolognese meals. As you bike through the city you will have the opportunity to visit famous landmarks like Piazza Maggiore, San Petronio Basilica, the Fountain of Neptune, a special Bolognese grocery shop where you will relish in spectacular local food and wine, and much more. After your wonderful bike tour through Bologna, you will return to your driver to make your way to your next destination.

The merchants in San Lorenzo Market open their stalls along the cobblestone streets in the shade cast by the dome of San Lorenzo Church and showcase leather purses, coats, ties, and shoes. The scent of rich cheeses and ripe pears drifts through the doors of the Central Market. Your guide leads you on a remarkable tour of Florence to uncover the visible and hidden charms of the preserved Renaissance. The layers of the city’s history are visible in the distinct but sporadic city walls around the historical city center.

The Uffizi Gallery was erected in the 16th century to house the office of the magistrates. The galleries once contained the private collection of a single-family, the Medici family, before being bequeathed to the city in the mid-18th century. You climb the stone stairwell to reach the polished marble floors of the second story. The galleries showcase art spanning the 14th to the 17th centuries, encompassing the movements leading to the Renaissance and those that the enlightenment inspired.

The Portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Urbino by Piero della Francesca are prized for the artist’s belief in beauty in truth, capturing the true features of the noble pair in their aquiline noses and wrinkles. The background offers a rare glimpse of a landscape painting from the early Renaissance. After viewing breathtaking works of Botticelli, da Vinci, and Michelangelo, you follow your guide through the hidden walkway of the Vasari Corridor, which was erected as an emergency escape for the Medici family, which leads to the Pitti Palace across the Arno River.

The bronze replica of Michelangelo’s David shines in the morning line at the center of Piazza Michelangelo, which overlooks the cityscape. The panorama provides a sensational view of the skyline soaring above the historic city center, showcasing the dramatic dome of the cathedral and the radiant spire of the bell tower of Palazzo Vecchio. After breakfast, you venture to the doors of the Galleria dell’Accademia. The museum remains attached to a functioning art school that encourages artists in the manner of Michelangelo. The whitewashed walls and neutral tones of the museum allow the artwork to burst into life.

The unfinished figures of slaves Michelangelo was crafting for a tomb in Rome allow you to watch as though the characters were emerging from the stone. The unfinished works illustrate the difficulty of sculpting and the genius of the artist as the slaves look like they’re struggling to free themselves from the marble. Your guide points to the intimate details of figures as they strain their muscles in classical poses to create motion. You walk farther down the hall to find the David. Replicas decorate the city, but nothing compares to the majesty of the statue in its purest form, reaching 14 feet tall and posing in the stance of an epic hero. Continue to the Oltrarno to meet with artisan craftsmen who continue to work in their family trades as bookbinders, jewelers, or creating intricate mosaics out of semi-precious stones.

The hills of Tuscany roll across the horizon with cypress trees and thriving vineyards. Country roads lead to hidden villas shaded with oak trees and olive groves dropping the fruit from the branches. You travel south to Rome after breakfast, stopping to discover the treasures of Tuscany along the way, beginning in San Gimignano. The small hilltop town floats above the countryside with views to the idyllic peaks and valleys. The medieval wall continues to wrap around the cobbled lanes along the base of the knoll. Just 13 of the original 70 towers remain standing scattered around the city center. The town gained prominence and power in the Middle Ages as pilgrims and traders utilized Via Francigena, the road connecting France to Rome.

Rival families built the towers as a sign of prestige; the twin Salvucci Towers were erected to bypass a mid-13th-century ordinance stating no one could build a new tower larger than the Podestà Tower. You continue to Siena to find a town that once rivaled Florence for dominance in the arts and power of Tuscany. The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta shines white and black from the marble façade, with pink highlights on the columns supporting the recessed tripartite portal. Statues and reliefs speak to the town’s past dedication to grace, opulence, and the arts. The interior ceiling glistens with starlight, imitating the night sky above a series of 56 mosaics lining the floor.

The beauty of Rome radiates from the preserved baroque palaces and boulders representing the ancient foundations of the Roman Republic. The scent of egg and flour embodies the tradition of the trattoria crafting fresh pasta for the day’s lunch menu. Your guide greets you in the lobby of your lavish hotel and leads you into the shadows cast by the dramatic outer wall of the Colosseum. Archways support the four levels, which reach a height of nearly 160 feet tall. The Arch of Constantine stands between the epic arena and the main boulevard of the Roman Forum, the heart of the former empire.

You continue through the historic grounds, past the remnants of former shops and temples, to reach Palatine Hill, located 165 feet above the banks of the Tiber River. The earliest foundations date back to the 9th century BC, located near the entrance to the Temple of Cybele. The House of Livia was home to Emperor Augustus’ wife. The interior offers insight into the comforts of imperial life with an atrium and four rooms showing central heating and ceramic pipes. Elegant paintings styled after the trend of Pompeii date back to the 1st century BC. The Baths of Septimius Severus contain a collection of arches that have survived the ages.

Artists claim space on the cobblestones of Piazza Navona in the morning to watch the light wash over the baroque fountains and palaces. Water trickles down from the rocks supporting allegories of the four major rivers around the world on the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, representing the Nile, Ganges, Danube, and Rio de la Plata. You make your way to the Vatican, following your guide for a private tour of the sensational museum and stunning features of St. Peter’s Basilica. A golden cross crowns the dome at nearly 450 feet tall. Before entering the museum galleries, your guide leads you into the nave to experience one of the most fascinating churches in the world.

The current iteration of the basilica was established in the 17th century after more than 120 years of work. The scent of frankincense and myrrh add to the historical and religious ambiance. Natural light pours through the windows and spreads over the marble floors and pillars, guiding you to Michelangelo’s Pieta, set beneath the dome crafted by the vision of the same master artist. The gallery reaches a length of almost 615 feet long and encompassing more than 161,400 square feet. Michelangelo crafted the Pieta when he was 25 years old and depicts a young Mary cradling Jesus after the crucifixion. The elegant and intricate details attribute human characteristics to the divine figures.

The morning light washes over the city and pierces the large, central hole in the dome of the Pantheon. The former temple was converted into a church in the early 7th century. Slivers of the brick arches used to absorb some of the weight from the concrete dome are visible around the outside of the rotunda. Elegant boutique paper shops and bookbinders open their doors on the quiet lanes around the edges of the ancient structure. The scents of leather and fine papyrus blend into the vibrant activity of the morning. Rome continues to showcase its opulence along the streets, in the public piazzas, and along the gardens of the lavish Villa Borghese. After breakfast, your private transfer greets you at the hotel and escorts you through the city to reach Fiumicino Airport for your flight home.