İSTANBUL – BOLOGNA – (Evening Dinner Lucca Tour) – FLORENCE
We fly to Bologna at 11:35 on Pegasus Airlines scheduled flight PC1217 after completing ticketing, baggage drop-off, and passport procedures by arriving at Sabiha Gökçen Airport International Terminal 3 hours before the flight. Upon our arrival in Bologna at 12:20 local time, we head to the city center with our private bus waiting for us to organize our panoramic city tour. Located in the Emilia-Romagna region, the birthplace of Parmesan and balsamic vinegar, Bologna is home to Europe’s oldest and most established university. After our tour, where you will also have the chance to experience Bologna’s local street flavors, famous for some of Italy’s best delicatessen products, and which stands out with its medieval architecture, long porticoed walkways, and lively squares, we depart for our hotel in the Florence region. En route, guests who wish may join our extra Evening Dinner Lucca Tour program (45 Euro). In this tour, we first begin with dinner at a local restaurant, featuring Tordelli Lucchesi, Tuscany’s most famous ravioli/pasta dish unique to Lucca. After dinner, in Lucca, one of the best-preserved medieval towns in the Tuscany region, which fascinates visitors with its historic walls surrounding the city, narrow stone streets, and elegant squares, we enjoy a walking tour and free time around Piazza dell’Anfiteatro, which has become the city’s symbol with its distinctive oval shape and lively evening atmosphere of Tuscany, after which we transfer to our hotel in the Florence region.
FLORENCE – (Florence Masterpieces Tour with Lunch) – ROME – (Rome Night Tour)
After breakfast and hotel check-out, we depart for Rome. En route, guests who wish may join our extra Florence Masterpieces Tour with Lunch program (65 Euro). In Florence, the great center of the Renaissance, the birthplace of art, aesthetics, and world-famous artists (Michelangelo, Da Vinci), an open-air museum-like artistic city, we first view from the outside the Santa Maria Del Fiore Cathedral, which immediately stands out with its orange dome and is the 4th largest church in Europe. One of the cathedral’s most striking features is the bronze door known as the “Gate of Paradise,” where some scenes depict the stories of prophets mentioned in the Qur’an as well. Then, Giotto’s Bell Tower, once used to summon the people to parliament, Piazza della Signoria, which was Florence’s political and social center for centuries and where Michelangelo’s famous David statue is located, and Ponte Vecchio, Florence’s oldest bridge famous for its antique and jewelry shops, are among the sights to be seen. Afterwards, following lunch at a local restaurant with Tuscan-style Roast Beef (roasted beef), we complete our tour and continue our journey to our hotel in the Rome region. En route, guests who wish may join our extra Rome Night Tour program (35 Euro). In this tour, which we begin panoramically and where we will explore Rome’s streets at any hour of the day in the aesthetic beauty created by the evening lights, we will offer free time at the world-famous Piazza Navona and the Pantheon. During this free time, in many nearby cafés, you can taste the finest examples of traditional Italian pasta, especially Cacio e Pepe (the famous Roman pasta prepared with Pecorino Romano cheese and freshly ground black pepper), which is considered one of Rome’s symbols. For guests who prefer a light snack, we recommend Supplì filled with mozzarella, and for dessert lovers, we recommend trying the Roman creamy Maritozzo, a Rome-specific pastry into which Romans traditionally placed a ring when proposing marriage. At the end of the tour, we arrive at our hotel in the Rome region.
ROME – (Rome Icons & Nemi Strawberry Village Tour) – (Vatican and Rome Local Neighborhoods Tour with Dinner)
After breakfast, we offer a full day at leisure. Guests who wish may join our extra Rome Icons & Nemi Strawberry Village Tour program (85 Euro). Our first stop is Nemi, a favorite filming location in Italy for Turkish and international cinema. Known for its wild strawberries and therefore called the “Strawberry Village,” Nemi hosts an annual strawberry festival. During our sightseeing walk and free time in Nemi, where narrow streets open onto squares and the enchanting lake and valley view blends with the scent of strawberries in the air, you can try strawberry pie/ice cream made with Italy’s most famous wild strawberries at many small local shops around. After our visit to Nemi Strawberry Village, we take you on a historical journey through Rome and its icons, a city described as Urbs caput mundi, meaning “the city at the center of the world,” offering art, history, music, shopping, sunshine, and cuisine, with buildings in different styles ranging from antiquity to the Renaissance. As architects’ competing works attract thousands of tourists to the city in every season, Rome carries even these crowds with all its beauty and aesthetics without overwhelming the visitor. On our tour of Rome, the imperial city that shaped European civilization and bears witness to 23 centuries of history, we first see panoramically the Colosseum, the city’s symbol and the largest ancient theater, which hosted gladiator fights throughout the Roman Empire, the Roman Forum, the ceremonial center of the city in imperial times, the Trevi Fountain, where legend says those who throw in a coin will return to Rome, the Spanish Steps famous for street artists, Piazza Pietra, and Piazza Popolo. At the end of the tour, we offer free time in the center of Rome. During the free time offered for guests joining the Rome Icons and Nemi Strawberry Village Tour, guests who wish may join our extra Vatican and Rome Local Neighborhoods Tour with Dinner program (75 Euro). In our tour, which begins with a view of Castel Sant’Angelo, we visit Vatican City / San Pietro, the center of the Catholic branch of Christianity and the smallest country in the world by area. We offer free time at St. Peter’s Square, home to St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest cathedral in the world with 140 statues of saints, where thousands of Catholics come each year to worship and gather, and where the Pope greets the public from his office on special occasions. After the free time offered, we begin our Vatican and Rome Local Neighborhoods Tour with Dinner. We will experience Pizza Romana Tonda, the traditional Roman pizza unique to Rome, with thin crispy dough and crunchy edges. After dinner, in our tour where we mingle with the people of Rome and feel like residents of the city, Trastevere, Piazza Trilussa, Ponte Sisto, and the Ghetto districts, along with the Ancient Tiber Island connected to the city by 2 bridges, are among the panoramic sights, where we will experience the true Italian atmosphere with its cafés, small family restaurants, boutiques, greengrocers, butchers, and many more small and charming shops, in addition to its authenticity and simplicity. After our walking tour through the narrow, maze-like back streets with small tables set out, we complete our tour and return to our hotel in the Rome region.
ROME – (Orvieto Tour) – (Siena & San Gimignano Tour) – FLORENCE
After breakfast and hotel check-out, we set off for our hotel in the Florence region, where we will stay overnight. En route, guests who wish may join our extra Orvieto Tour program (50 Euro). In our tour, we first visit the medieval town of Orvieto, famous for its gothic and baroque works, cathedral, and wine cellars. We go up to Orvieto, also called “Falcon Hill,” and enjoy the view. During the free time offered, you may taste or buy region-specific Tozzetti cookies, black truffles, and handmade pasta in the many cafés and shops in the city center. At the end of the Orvieto tour, we continue our journey to Florence. En route, guests who wish may join our extra Siena & San Gimignano Tour program (80 Euro). Our first stop is Siena. Siena is famous for its narrow medieval streets, small avenues, and Campo Square, considered the largest square in Europe. In Siena, after our pleasant walk through Campo Square and the narrow, historic streets leading to it, during the short free time offered, you can taste truffle cheeses and Ricciarelli, Italy’s best hard almond biscuit, as well as Panforte dessert at nearby cafés and restaurants. After our visit to Siena, we arrive at San Gimignano, the second stop on our tour. San Gimignano has earned its place on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List because it has preserved its medieval architecture and appearance to the present day; as a result of wars and natural disasters, it is also known as the “Town of Beautiful Towers” thanks to the 14 architectural marvels that survived from 76 towers. In San Gimignano, where time seems to stand still and visitors feel as if they are on a journey back to the Middle Ages, and in its narrow streets opening onto the town square, where we can panoramically see the 14 magnificent towers, we will take an ice cream break at the award-winning Gelateria Dondoli, which holds the title of the world’s best ice cream shop during the free time offered (its saffron and pine nut varieties are especially famous). At the end of the tour, transfer to our hotel in the Florence region.
FLORENCE – (Pisa Tour) – (Portofino Tour by Boat) – MILAN OUTLET – MILAN
After breakfast and hotel check-out, we depart for Milan. En route, guests who wish may join our extra Pisa Tour program (50 Euro). In our tour, which we will carry out upon arrival in Pisa, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Cathedral, Baptistery, and Miracoli Square are among the places to be visited. After a short free time for a photo break, we continue our journey to Milan. En route, guests who wish may join our extra Portofino Tour by Boat program (65 Euro). Surrounded by colorful houses and inspiring songs with its beauty, Portofino fascinates visitors with its narrow streets, colorful houses, green hills, and turquoise Mediterranean sea, creating a view worth seeing. During the free time offered, you may have the chance to taste the region-specific and world-famous bread called “Focaccia Genovese,” prepared with plenty of olive oil and sea salt. After our Portofino visit, we continue our journey to Milan. Along the way, we will visit Milan Outlet Center, one of Europe’s largest outlet centers, home to stylish shops of world-famous prestigious brands, cafés and restaurants, and personal activity areas. After the free time we will offer for affordable and quality shopping, transfer to our hotel in the Milan region.
MILAN – (Como Tour) – VENICE
After breakfast and hotel check-out, we depart to organize our Milan city tour. En route, guests who wish may join our extra Como Tour program (50 Euro). Upon arrival in Como, we will visit Lake Como, famous for its luxurious lifestyle and natural beauty, home to summer houses of Hollywood celebrities, European wealthy people, and the world jet set, and we will take a photo break with the lake’s unique view. During the free time offered in Como, you can enjoy the view with Espresso and Cappuccino service at many cafés around the lake and in the city center. After the tour, we continue our journey to Milan city center. Milan, one of Europe’s fashion capitals, also stands out with its cuisine, opera, and churches. Although known as Italy’s business and financial capital, Milan is also the right address for shopping and dining. During our tour in Milan, the famous opera house La Scala, Duomo Square and Cathedral, and Porta Romano are among the main sights. During the free time offered at the end of the tour, you may spend time at Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Italy’s oldest shopping center: the historic arcade where the heart of fashion beats in Milan, with the world’s most luxurious and stylish storefronts in its giant glass-domed architecture, or you may visit Via Montenapoleone and Della Spiga for brand shopping. In many local cafés and restaurants in the city center, you can enjoy Milan, which has become a gastronomic paradise, by tasting region-specific and famous Risotto alla Milanese (risotto prepared with saffron and symbolized by its golden yellow color), Panettone (the region’s famous sweet bread), and Panzerotto (fried on the outside, filled with mozzarella and tomato on the inside). After the Milan city tour, transfer to our hotel in the Venice region, where we will stay overnight.
VENICE – (Venice & Verona Masterpieces and Venice Grand Canal Tour by Private Boat)
After breakfast, we offer a full day at leisure. During this free time, guests who wish may join our extra Venice & Verona Masterpieces and Venice Grand Canal Tour by Private Boat program (125 Euro – including Vaporetto transportation fees). Verona, which is on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List, is also home to Italy’s second-largest amphitheater after the Colosseum and to the home of the famous work Romeo and Juliet, written by the famous English writer Shakespeare, which tells the world’s largest-known love story. After our panoramic walking tour, during which we will see Verona Cathedral as well, through Via Mazzini (main square) and Erbe Square, surrounded by many shops, cafés, and stores, during the free time offered you can try Baci di Giulietta dessert, inspired by the love of Romeo and Juliet. We then move on to Venice, the world’s most unique city of waters. Upon arrival, we reach the center of the island by vaporetto. We will see major iconic structures such as St. Mark’s Square, built of stone and marble and whose columns were brought from Istanbul, St. Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace designed and used as a symbol of magnificence and power, the Clock Tower, the Bridge of Sighs, and the historic Campanile Bell Tower, after which we will take a pleasant walk through the streets of Venice, connected by bridges and stretching along narrow canals. During the free time offered, you may visit the famous hand-crafted Venetian Carnival masks and Murano glass art workshops. In the many cafés and restaurants around, you may experience snacks served on small slices of bread with cheese and seafood, known as Cichetti (Tapas), the Tiramisu dessert whose origins lie in the Veneto region and whose fame has spread worldwide, or Risotto al Nero di Seppia, the most special seafood dish of the Venice islands. After this free time, in the final section of our tour, we will embark on an unforgettable ride by private boats through Venice’s side waterways to reach the Grand Canal. At the end of the tour, we return to our hotel in the Venice region and offer free time to rest.
VENICE – BOLOGNA – ISTANBUL
After breakfast and hotel check-out, we head to Bologna Airport for our flight back to Istanbul. Upon arrival at the airport, after completing baggage drop-off, ticket, and passport control procedures, we fly to Istanbul at 13:30 on Pegasus Airlines scheduled flight PC1218. Arrival at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport at 18:00 Turkish time and the end of our tour.