23 Days in Italy 2011

7 nights in Rome

Apartment: Rondanini

1. Wednesday, May 4:

· Metropolitano train to Trastevere Station, Trolley to Piazza Argentina, Bus to Piazza delle Cinque Terre

· Pantheon

· Galleria Doria Pamphilj

· Santa Maria sopra Minerva

· Piazza della Minerva Obelisk

· Piazza Navonna – Bernini fountains – Four Rivers and Fontana del Moro

2. Thursday, May 5:

· Colosseum Upper and Lower levels tour

· Palatine Hill and Museum

· Roman Forum

3. Friday, May 6:

· Baths of Diocletian

· Santa Maria degli Angeli

· Palazzo Barbarini

· Church of Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini

· Capitoline Museums

4. Saturday, May 7:

· Galleria Borghese

· National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia

· Church of Santa Maria del Popolo

· Dolce Vita stroll from Piazza del Popolo to Victor Emmanuel Monument

· Mausoleum of Augustus – 28BC landmark, no entry

· Ara Pacis

5. Sunday, May 8:

· Catacombs of San Callisto

· Appian Way – lunch at the Appia Antica Caffe

· Catacombs of San Domitilla

6. Monday, May 9:

· Church of San Luigi dei Francesi

· Church of Sant’Agostino

· St. Peter’s Basilica

· Trastevere walk from Santa Maria in Trastevere to the Jewish Ghetto

· Jewish Ghetto walk

· Ponte Sant’Angelo at night

7. Tuesday, May 10:

· The Vatican museum and Sistine Chapel

5 nights in Sorrento

Hotel: Palazzo Guardati

8. Wednesday, May 11:

· Trenitalia from Rome to Naples

· Circumvesuviana from Naples to Sorrento

· Walking tour around Sorrento

9. Thursday, May 12:

· Pompeii

10. Friday, May 13:

· Naples Archeology museum

11. Saturday, May 14:

· Herculaneum

12. Sunday, May 15:

· Bus ride from Sorrento to Amalfi

· Bus from Amalfi to Ravello

· Tourist Bus from Ravello back to Amalfi

· Ferry from Amalfi to Sorrento

2 nights in Orvieto

Hotel: Hotel Duomo

13. Monday, May 16:

· Drive from Sorrento to Tivoli

· Hadrian’s Villa

· Drive to Orvieto

14. Tuesday, May 17:

· Orvieto Underground Tour

· Il Duomo – Cappella di San Brizio

· Pozzo di San Patrizio

· Pozzo della Cava

· Musei Archeologici Faina e Civico

2 nights in Montepulciano

Hotel: Il Marzocco

15. Wednesday, May 18:

· Drive from Orvieto to Montepulciano

· Walking tour

· La Foce garden tour

· Bagno Vignano

16. Thursday, May 19:

· Driving tour around Val d’Orcia

· San Biagio

· San Q’uerico

· St. Antimo Abbey

· Pienza – tour Pope Pius II’s palace

1 night in San Gimignano

Hotel: B&B Palazzo Al Torrione

17. Friday, May 20:

· Drive to San Gimignano

· Museo Civico & climb the Torre Grossa

1 night in Lucca

Hotel: Hotel Diana

18. Saturday, May 21:

· Drive to Pisa

· See the leaning tower, tour the Duomo and Baptistry

· Drive to Lucca

· Rent bikes

4 nights in Venice

Hotel: Palazzo Guardi

19. Sunday, May 22:

· drive to Venice

· Vaporetto on Grand Canal

· Correr & National Archeology Museum

20. Monday, May 23:

· Doge’s Palace Secret Itineraries Tour

21. Tuesday, May 24:

· Basilica San Marco

· Free guided tour 11:00am

22. Wednesday, May 25:

· Rialto Markets – sightseeing and shopping

· Guggenheim Museum

1 night at Milan Malpensa

Hotel: First Hotel

23. Thursday, May 26:

· Venice Campanile

· Scuolo San Rocco

· Vaporetto down Grand Canal

· Train to Milan, bus to Malpensa, shuttle to hotel