Tour of Italy: Rome, Florence, Milan, and Cinque Terre

There are few places in the world where modern cities and centuries-old ruins cohabitate as peacefully as they do in Italy. Coffee shops and paved highways brush up next to colossal arches that date back to the Roman Empire. Intricate fountains sculpted by renowned Renaissance artists gush water next to gelato stands. It's a heady blend of history and modernity in Italy, the setting for this nine-day, seven-night adventure. View the full itinerary here.

Day 1–2: On the first day, travelers arrive in Rome and settle in either the Hotel California or Casa San Giuseppe. The following afternoon, tour the ruins of one of history's greatest civilizations at the Roman Forum. Once the bustling epicenter of Rome, the Forum is littered with soaring pillars, crumbling building foundations, and grand arches. Just around the corner are the iconic tiered arches of the Coliseum, where Roman countrymen once cheered as gladiators battled to the death.

Day 3: The tour group crosses the Tiber River to the smallest city-state in the world, Vatican City. Here, St. Peter's Basilica—one of the largest churches in Christendom—impresses with its intricate interior sculptures, several by legendary artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini. A walk up to the dome reveals an aerial view of the key-shaped church. The day culminates with a stop in the Sistine Chapel, which contains Michelangelo's most famous frescoes, The Last Judgment and The Creation of Adam.

Day 4: The caravan rumbles through the Tuscan countryside to Florence, the city of the Renaissance. The first stop is the Florentine cathedral known as Il Duomo, located alongside Giotto's Bell Tower. The pair of ornate structures is awash in bright greens and pinks. Nearby, the Accademia Gallery houses Michelangelo's David, the iconic sculpture finished in 1504. In Florence, visitors stay at the Bijou Hotel.

Day 5: As Florence was a hub for Renaissance art, any tour of the city requires a visit to the world-famous Uffizi Gallery, which displays artwork from Leonardo da Vinci, Sandro Botticelli, Raphael, and more of the era's greatest masters. The museum is followed by a shopping trip along Florence's famous Ponte Vecchio, a bridge that spans the Arno River. The day ends at the Boboli Gardens, an extravagant urban garden owned by the Medici family.

Day 6–7: The tour continues to Genoa via Pisa with a pit stop at the Leaning Tower of Pisa, where tourists can take pictures pretending to hold up the tower with telekinetic powers. Afterward, head to Milan to shop in the flagship stores of Armani, Versace, and Missoni. During this segment of the trip, lodgers stay at the Hotel Astoria Genova.

Day 8–9: Visitors depart Milan for the idyllic seaside towns of Cinque Terre, which means "five lands" in Italian. The five pastel-hued towns cling to cliffs along the undulating Mediterranean coastline, which most traveling to each by train, ferry, or hiking trail. Visitors can spend the day sunning on the beach or trekking between the scenic villages. That evening, the tour heads back to Rome for a stop at the ancient temple of the Pantheon, tucked behind Corinthian columns. The tour culminates with farewell gelato on the Spanish Steps.