The Central Italy Tour offered by A La Carte™ Italy Tours is a suggested itinerary with departure in Florence and arrival in Rome, which has a duration of 10 days. If you prefer the itinerary to be run from Rome, it is possible too.
This tour explores central and western Italy, with escorted guided excursions in the Florence, Rome, and Naples areas. The Amalfi Coast, Mt. Vesuvius, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa are all visited on this tour, and a private local guide provides insightful commentary in Naples. Tuscany, Lazio and Campania are the Italian regions crossed on this tour.
As all our tours, this privately guided and chauffeured tour in Italy can be redesigned to suit your specific interests, needs or timeframe. Unless you wish otherwise, your guide will take you to:
Suggested itinerary with departure from Florence and arrival in Rome
1
Florence:
Your very own chauffeur picks you up from Florence airport (pick up from Rome, and transfer to Florence, are also possible). The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore is our departure point for the city of Florence walking tour. It is Florence's cathedral. It is made of marble of various colors. Its building started in 1296. Nearby, the 14th century Palazzo Vecchio is a fortress-shaped town hall. It is located on the Piazza della Signoria square. The Loggia della Signoria is located on the same square. It features allegorical figures, a statuary and wide arches that were admired by Michelangelo. Next door, there is also a copy of Michelangelo's David. The original can be seen at the Accademia Gallery. We'll also have a look at the Basilica di Santa Croce (Basilica of the Holy Cross) with the with tomb of Michelangelo. 3 nights in Florence / Fiesole / Chianti area.
2
San Gimignano:
Travel to the famous Tuscan hills and Chianti wine birthplace. Your A La Carte Italy Tours chauffeur takes you on a private discovery of this heritage area. Greve is a town in the Chianti area. It has an "out the beaten track" feel, although it is only 20 miles away from Florence. There is a Franciscan monastery, and a square that is actually... triangular in shape (not a very common occurrence on the Old Continent). Nearby, the tiny hilltop village of Montefioralle dates back to 931 AD. It is famous for its wines. After a typical lunch, travel to San Gimignano. The cathedral was built in 1148 and has breathtaking frescoes in the Siena style. The village had 70 odd tower-houses (some as high as 150 feet) as symbols of the wealth and power of their ancestral owners. In the past, other towns of Italy also had their towers, but they have mostly been destroyed; San Gimignano has preserved 14 of its towers. The village in its current form dates back to the 10th century AD, although it has much older origins dating back to pre-historic times. Your A La Carte Italy Tours guide will take you on a walk that includes the Piazza della Cisterna. It is the historic and commercial center of town. The Torre del Diavolo and Torri Ardinghelli towers, the octagonal cistern, and the torture museum are all within that square. Relax in a café, walk to catch more sights, or learn the infinite stories of the area. 2nd night in Florence / Fiesole / Chianti area.
3
Pisa:
Traveling to Pisa and its Leaning Tower, yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your private A La Carte™ Italy Tour guide will point out the wonders of the Piazza del Duomo (Cathedral Square), baptistery and cemetery. The Leaning Tower is in fact a bell tower next to the church. It began leaning early after the construction in 1173, because the foundations had been improperly prepared. Your A La Carte Italy Tours minivan takes you then to Lucca, a city dating back to the Etruscan times. Lucca is famous for its walls that surround the historic part of the city. You will have the opportunity to explore the Cathedral, the Church of San Michele in Foro, the Guinigi Tower. This tower was built for the Guinigi family in 14th century. It has gothic style windows. A distinct feature are the oak trees growing on the roof. It was a tradition to plant oak tres on rooftops, but few of these roofs (understandably!) survived so many centuries. 3rd night in Florence / Fiesole / Chianti area.
4
Tarquinia:
Short trip to Siena with your A La Carte Italy Tours private minivan. See the famous medieval Piazza del Campo. The famous Palio is held here twice a year (2 July and 16 August). Admire the Palazzo Pubblico (public palace) built in 1297, and its unusual secular frescoes. Learn the history of Siena Cathedral, with its interesting horizontal lines of light and dark marble. Comfortable drive to Tarquinia. Visit Museo Nazionale Tarquiniam, Necropolis and Ara della Regina. The Etruscan necropolises and their tombs allow us to learn about this ancient civilisation older than the Romans. Transfer to Rome and 3 nights in Rome area.
5
Rome:
Enjoy a full day in Rome with the expert guide of A La Carte™ Italy Tour. The Roman Coliseum (also called Colosseum or, in Italian, Colosseo) was built in 70 AD. It is an amphitheater. It could originally seat 80,000 people. It was used for gladiatorial games and other large scale shows in Roman times. Nearby, the Fori Imperiali (Roman Forum) is a group of contemporary temples' and basilicas' ruins. The Arch of Constantine is younger: built in 315 AD. Your A La Carte Italy Tours private guide will talk at length about its artwork and relief panels. The Palatine Hill is the next stop on our walk. The legend says that the Lupercal was located here. The Lupercal is the cave where Romulus and Remus, the mythological founders of Rome, were found by the female wolf that nursed them. See the Bocca della Verita ("Mouth of Truth"). According to popular belief, if you place your hand in the mouth of this face carving and say a lie at that time, your fingers will be chopped off! Your walk takes you later to the Capitol Square (Campidoglio). It is a group of Museums on top of the Capitoline Hill. It is said that the first Romans settled the city from here in prehistoric times. The current Renaissance style buildings were mostly designed by Michelangelo. Your travel in time continues as we walk to the Trevi Fountain. This baroque construction dates back to 1732, but is fed by a much older canal, which is over 2,000 years old. Climb the Spanish Steps, so named because they led a small Spanish enclave in Rome. In the evening, enjoy some typical Roman foods in one of the gourmet restaurants hand-picked by A La Carte Italy Tours. 2nd night in Rome.
6
Vatican:
A visit to Rome would not be complete without traveling to the Vatican. The world's smallest state is a Roman enclave. St Peter's Square had been designed by Bernini. It took 120 years to build the Basilica. It is now one of the holiest sites in the world. According to tradition, St Peter (one of the twelve apostles of Jesus) is buried here. Michelangelo's Pieta, a sculpture showing the body of Jesus held his mother Mary after the crucifixion, is displayed here. Your A La Carte™ Italy Tour guide takes you on a private visit to the Vatican Museums where pieces of art accumulated by popes over the ages are on display. The Sistine Chapel, with its ceiling painted Michelangelo, is the most famous part of these Museums. Your personal A La Carte Italy Tours minivan takes you to the Villa d'Este in Tivoli. It was built in the 16th century and remains exemplary of Italian building and garden design. Over a hundred fountains, balconies, terraces and a grotto are some of the features of these heritage gardens. A short trip away is the Villa Adriana - Hadrian's Villa. Built in the 2nd century AD it is, in fact, a group of 30 houses. Hadrian, who was very well traveled, used designs spotted during his travels to Greece or Egypt. Many sculptures had been found on site. One of them is the famous Discobolus, a discus thrower. 3rd night in Rome area.
7
Naples:
On the way to Naples, let's stop at Montecassino and visit the Abbey and National Archaeological Museum. This is where the Benedictine order started. In 1944, the Battle of Monte Cassino took place here, and 74,000 soldiers died. Reach Naples in time for lunch. This is the city where pizza originates from; so lunch may be in an authentic pizzeria. The Castel Nuovo is a fortress by the Mediterranean Sea. It was built in 1282. The Teatro di San Carlo is the oldest opera house in Europe (1737). The Piazza del Plebiscito offers interesting views of the church of San Francesco di Paola and the Royal Palace (18th century). Ascend the Hill of Posillipo with view over the Bay of Naples and Parco Virgiliano with splendid views and a cascading fountain. Finally, your A La Carte™ Italy Tour guide will talk about the Amphitheatre of Flavius (one of the largest in Italy). 3 nights in Positano.
8
Capri:
Catch a boat to Capri island. From the Marina Piccola, your personal A La Carte Italy Tours guide will lead you to the Belvedere of Tragara. The beauty of this island is so intense, that many novelists were inspired to include it into their stories. Weather and tide permitting, we'll boat to the Blue Cave. Also, a visit to the Villa San Michele is scheduled; it offers panoramic views of the Bay of Naples. Afternoon ferry back to Positano. 2nd night in Positano.
9
Amalfi:
The Amalfi Coast is mainly made of rocky cliffs. Travel on the Amalfi Coast. Your guide will show the Duomo Sant' Andrea (11th century). A stroll through the narrow streets of Amalfi will lead us to the Diocesan Museum. See also Vettica Maggiore village. Let A La Carte Italy Tours surprise you with a fantastic lunch. Drive to the Vallone di Furore Gorge and enjoy the local limoncello, a lemon liqueur made with lemons grown on the Amalfi Coast. 3rd night in Positano.
10
Herculaneum:
Travel to ancient Greek settlement Herculaneum founded by Hercules. It was destroyed at the same time as Pompeii, but offers more compact sightseeing, with less crowds. A pyroclastic flow killed most of the residents, but preserved houses for us to understand the life in 79 AD. In your A La Carte Italy Tours minivan, let your driver show you the views from the slopes of Mt Vesuvius, before heading back to Rome airport. This is the end of your "Central Italy Tour".
Tour departures: on request - please book at least 3-6 months ahead
Central Italy tour in 10 days - prices
Type of Accommodation
If your party has 2-3 passengers price per person is
If your party has 4-6 passengers price per person is
Boutique
US$ 11,450
US$ 9,700
Luxury
(best available)
US$ 16,700
US$ 14,980
All
prices are per person in a twin / double room, and the currency is US dollars
private driver-guide all along during your travel in Italy
minivan (limousine) with A/C
luggage handling
domestic flights in Italy (if mentioned in the itinerary)
train rides 1st class (if mentioned in the itinerary)
all entrance fees
accommodation (2 categories to choose from: Boutique or Luxury)
if you select Luxury accommodation, you will also have the best available "room" in that establishment ("suites" or "apartments" upon request)
continental breakfasts
light lunches (lunch is usually kept light and short so we can sightsee more)
dinners in gourmet restaurants (for a Boutique tour); or in best overall restaurants (for a Luxury tour); in all cases, dinner is a la carte (you choose any three items)
1/2 bottle per person of best local wine at dinner
all taxes and tolls
or, if you prefer, please fill out the enquiry form
once you are satisfied with the suggested custom tour that we will design for you, we will ask you to pay a 20% deposit (usually between 3-12 months in advance)
the balance of the tour price is payable 60 days before the start of the tour
A La Carte Italy Tours accepts and MasterCard
Please do not send us your credit card details by email. In our correspondence, we will point you to a secure form.
Cancellations:
the 20% booking deposit is non-refundable
cancellations until 30 days before departure: 50% refund
cancellations until 3 days before departure: 20% refund
cancellations after 3 days before the tour: no refund
We will be happy to answer all your questions. There is no particular charge for a custom tour; if you wish a travel itinerary to suit a particular need, timeframe or interest, just ask us, and we will suggest a tour priced similarly to our advertised tours. Send us an email to private.tours@alcitalytours.com .
A La Carte Italy Tours offers exclusively private driver-guide tours. All our tours are custom-made to suit your needs, tastes and dates. On our tours, we never mix passengers who do not know each other. All our tours are run on an exclusive basis.
The Central Italy Tour offered by A La Carte™ Italy Tours is a suggested itinerary with departure in Florence and arrival in Rome, which has a duration of 10 days. If you prefer the itinerary to be run from Rome, it is possible too.
and MasterCard 
