"Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears..." Perhaps you’re heard this famous Shakespearean line. We’re not entirely sure, but we suspect he was about to say, "Monograms has made it easy for visitors to come to Rome-as well as Florence and Venice." In fact, on this Italy trip, we've arranged your hotel reservations, sightseeing, daily breakfast, transportation between cities, and transfers from/to your hotels to/from the train station. Plus, a one-of-a-kind feature is the Monograms Local Host®, someone who is there throughout your stay to help you feel comfortable, answer questions, offer suggestions, and help make sure your Italy vacation runs smoothly. You’ll have a Local Host in Venice, Florence, and Rome.

Your Italy vacation begins in Venice, where we can pick you up at the airport and take you to your selected hotel. Here, your Local Host will greet you with a warm benvenuto and a set of materials to help familiarize you with the city. The next morning, after included breakfast, we’ll pick you up at your hotel for guided sightseeing with a local expert. We’ll show you St. Mark's Square and Basilica, as well as Doges' Palace, the very symbol of Venice, and the Bridge of Sighs. We've also arranged for you to watch skilled glassblowers as they work on their creations, and we've included entrances to the Marciana Library, and the Correr and Archaeological Museums. In Florence, your walking tour with a local expert includes the must-see attractions, such as Michelangelo’s David and the Ponte Vecchio, the arched, stone merchant bridge that has housed stores since the 13th century. In Rome, your guided tour with a local expert includes the attractions you must see in Rome, including the Vatican Museums; the Sistine Chapel, where you’ll see Michelangelo's The Last Judgment; St. Peter's Square and Basilica, built in 313 AD; the Colosseum, opened in 80 AD and famous for the gladiator fights; and the Roman Forum, where you’ll see the oldest structures of the ancient city.

In each city, you’ll have time to explore on your own. In Venice, perhaps enjoy a Vivaldi concert performance; take a ghost walking tour; enjoy a ride in a traditional gondola serenaded by live music; shop for a Venetian carnival mask; grab a drink at Harry's Bar, one of Hemingway's favorite haunts; or visit one of the many churches. In Florence, perhaps take an excursion to Sam Gimignano, Italy's most famous medieval town, and Verrazzano Castle, where you'll taste Tuscan wine; learn to make gelato; or shop for some Florentine gold jewelry. Rome offers endless possibilities. Perhaps visit one of the many museums, shop at the Italian fashion boutiques along the Via Condotti, take a ghost or walking tour, and enjoy Italian cuisine at one of the many local restaurants.

And don’t forget…your Italy trip includes transportation on the high-speed train (first-class) between the cities. We've even included the transfers so we’ll pick you up at your hotel, take you to the train station, get you on the correct train, pick you up at the next train station, and bring you to your hotel in the next city. Plus, sightseeing includes VIP access, which means you get to skip the lines at the attractions, such as the Vatican Museums, the Colosseum, and the Roman Forum. That saves over four hours of time just in Rome. That doesn’t include all the time we've saved you by handling your vacation details-not to mention the time saved by having a Local Host there to assist you rather than reading guidebooks and trying to figure it out on your own. This trip to Italy is a vacation of a lifetime!

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