Day 1 Istanbul – Bergamo – Milan – (Verona Tour) – Venice
We’ll meet at the International Terminal of Sabiha Gökçen Airport three hours before the flight. After checking in our luggage and passing through ticket and passport control, we’ll depart for Bergamo at 9:30 a.m. on Pegasus Airlines’ direct scheduled flight PC1211. We land at Bergamo Airport at 10:20 a.m. local time and transfer to downtown Milan via our waiting private bus.
Milan City Tour: Milan, one of Europe’s fashion capitals, is also renowned for its cuisine, opera, churches, and works of art such as Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” fresco. As Italy’s business and financial hub, the city offers a wealth of shopping, nightlife, and dining options. On our tour, we’ll visit the world-famous La Scala opera house, Duomo Square and the Duomo Cathedral, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping arcade with its famous brand stores, and Porta Romana.
After Milan, we’ll head toward Venice. Along the way, guests who wish to do so can join the optional Verona Tour (50 €). Verona, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to the Arena—Italy’s second-largest amphitheater after the Colosseum—and the house featured in Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, *Romeo and Juliet*. We’ll take a stroll along Via Mazzini—lined with shops and cafes—and through Erbe Square, and after a panoramic tour that includes a visit to Verona Cathedral, we’ll head to our hotel in the Venice area. Free time to settle into your rooms and relax.
Day 2 Venice – (Venice Masterpieces & Hidden Venice Walking Tour) – Pisa – Florence
We’ll check out of the hotel and head toward Pisa. Along the way, guests who wish to do so can join the optional “Venice Masterpieces and Hidden Venice Walking Tour” (85 €; includes vaporetto and city entrance fees).
In Venice, we see St. Mark’s Square and St. Mark’s Basilica—built of stone and marble, with some of its columns brought from Istanbul—as well as the Doge’s Palace, designed as a symbol of splendor and power, the Clock Tower, the (Sighs) Bridge, and the historic Campanile Bell Tower. We then take a pleasant stroll through the streets of Venice, which stretch along narrow canals and are connected by bridges. At the end of the tour, we provide free time.
Upon our arrival in Pisa, we’ll visit the Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles) to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Pisa Cathedral, and the Baptistery. After a short free time for photos, we proceed to our hotel in the Florence area. Free time to settle into our rooms and rest.
Day 3 Florence – (Florence Masterpieces Tour) – (San Gimignano & Siena Tour) – Rome
We check out of the hotel and set off toward Rome. Along the way, guests who wish to do so can join the optional Florence Masterpieces Tour (55 €). In Florence—the capital of the Renaissance and the hometown of Pinocchio—we’ll first see the exterior of the Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral, Europe’s fourth-largest church, which stands out with its orange dome. One of the cathedral’s most striking features is its bronze door—known as the “Gate of Paradise”—which depicts scenes from the stories of the prophets. Next, we’ll see Giotto’s Bell Tower—once used to summon the people to the town hall—and Signoria Square, which has served as Florence’s political and social center for centuries, Piazza della Signoria, home to a replica of Michelangelo’s statue of David, and the Old Bridge (Ponte Vecchio), famous for its antique and jewelry shops.
As we continue our journey, guests who wish to do so can join the optional San Gimignano & Siena Tour (80 €). Our first stop is San Gimignano, a town listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for having preserved its medieval character to this day. In this town, known as the “Town of Beautiful Towers” for its 14 remaining towers out of the original 76 that survived wars and natural disasters, we experience the feeling that time has stood still as we wander through the narrow streets leading to the town square. Next, we’ll explore Siena, famous for its medieval streets and the Campo, considered one of Europe’s largest squares. We’ll arrive at our hotel in the Rome area, check into our rooms, and have some free time.
Day 4 Rome – (Rome Icons & Nemi Strawberry Village Tour) – (Vatican and Rome Neighborhoods Tour)
Full day at leisure. Guests who wish to do so may join the optional Rome Icons & Nemi Strawberry Village Tour (85 €). Our first stop is Nemi, a village known for its mountain strawberries and host to an annual strawberry festival; it is a charming village with narrow streets leading to the town squares and views of the lake and valley.
Next, we head to Rome, known as “the city at the center of the world,” which has witnessed 23 centuries of history through its diverse architectural styles spanning from antiquity to the Renaissance. We’ll see the Colosseum, which hosted gladiator fights throughout the Roman Empire; the Roman Forum, the ceremonial center of the imperial era; the Trevi Fountain, where it’s believed that throwing a coin into it ensures a return to Rome; the Spanish Steps, famous for its street performers, as well as Piazza di Pietra and Piazza del Popolo. At the end of the tour, you’ll have free time around the Pantheon.
During this free time, guests who wish to do so can join the optional Vatican and Rome Neighborhoods Tour (65 €). Starting at Castel Sant’Angelo and Piazza Navona, the tour takes us to the Vatican—the center of the Catholic world and the world’s smallest country by area. We’ll provide free time at St. Peter’s Square—surrounded by 140 statues of saints, where the Pope greets the public on special occasions—and in front of St. Peter’s Basilica, the world’s largest church. Then, mingling with the locals, we’ll stroll through the labyrinthine narrow streets of Trastevere—with its cafes, small family-run restaurants, boutiques, and charming shops—as well as Piazza Trilussa, Ponte Sisto, the Ghetto district, and the ancient Tiber Island, connected to the city by two bridges. After the tour, we return to our hotel in the Rome area.
Day 5 Rome – (Outlet Tour) – Istanbul
After checking out of the hotel, we’ll head to Rome Fiumicino Airport for our return flight. Along the way, guests who wish to do so can join an optional Outlet Tour (35 €); we’ll provide free time for shopping at the outlet center, which features stores, cafes, and restaurants from Italy’s most prestigious brands.
After baggage drop-off, check-in, and passport control at the airport, we’ll depart for Istanbul at 3:45 p.m. on Pegasus Airlines’ direct scheduled flight PC1226. We arrive at Sabiha Gökçen Airport at 8:15 p.m. Turkish time, marking the end of our tour.
