Best of Italy
$3495
ROME - VATICAN CITY - FLORENCE - VENICE
October 19 - 28, 2025 (10 Days)
**dates subject to change by 2 days
Cost: $3495 total (based on double occupancy)
Includes: all international flights, nightly 3-star accommodations, shuttle service from West Michigan to the Chicago airport (if Grand Rapids flights are not available for the group), all ground transportation in Italy (bullet trains & private coaches), 2 full-time travel directors, all listed admissions & tours, & all applicable taxes & fees. Other expenses not included are: most meals, checked baggage, optional excursions, optional Rome Metro Passes, and travel insurance.
Sign up deadline is May 19, 2025
THIS TRIP IS SOLD OUT!
Travel Insurance available through our affiliate program at World Nomads.
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Signup Deadline: May 19, 2025 - checks made payable to Percussive, LLC – Cash, Venmo & Credit Card also accepted. 3.95% processing fee added to all credit card transactions
ITINERARY
DAY ONE>
Fly to Italy
Fly from Grand Rapids airport OR transfer via provided shuttle from West Michigan area to Chicago O’Hare International Airport to take your flight to the Eternal City of Rome!
Enjoy a comfortable flight on a full-service airline where you will have full meal service, complimentary alcoholic beverages, in-flight personal entertainment, and premium comfort.
View outside Italy-bound flight
DAY TWO>
Rome, Italy
This morning, you will arrive in Rome! Our private coach will meet us and transfer us to our centrally-located hotel to relax and unwind.
Later, we will walk to the Spanish Steps, where we will join our local guide for a walking tour of central Rome including sights such as:
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Trajans Column
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Piazza Venezia
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Trevi Fountain
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Church of Sant’Ignazio
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Pantheon
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Piazza Navona
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Spanish Steps
Afterwards, enjoy free time in the area.
OPTIONAL EXCURSION:
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Roman Catacombs Tour
Uncover the mysteries of the unknown Catacombs of San Callisto, also referred to as the Cemetery of Callixtus. This tour takes you around the intriguing grounds containing the tombs of several different popes from the 2nd to 4th centuries.
Catacombs of San Callisto
Castel Sant'Angelo along Tiber River
Trevi Fountain
Inside of the Pantheon
Spanish Steps
Piazza Navona
DAY THREE>
Rome, Italy
Today, enjoy a skip-the-line ticket to visit to the iconic Colosseum, which has been a symbol of ancient Rome since it was completed in 80 AD. Tour the outside and inside.
Later, enjoy a visit to the massive Roman Forum & Palatine Hill, which holds some of Rome’s best ancient ruins. Here you will be able to see what life was really like 2000 years ago!
OPTIONAL EXCURSION:
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Private Gourmet Food Tour
Sample the unique flavors of the Eternal City with this private 3-hour food tour of Rome. Join a local guide for a delicious tour of Rome with 10 stops to taste 10 different gourmet dishes. Come hungry!!
The Colosseum
Roman Forum
Inside Colosseum
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Roman Forum
DAY FOUR>
Vatican City
This morning, head over to Vatican City, which is the world’s smallest country located inside of the city of Rome.
Enjoy a visit to the most renowned work of renaissance architecture: St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest church in the world!
After some gelato and pizza at St. Peter’s Square, enjoy a skip-the-line visit to the famous Vatican Museum; home to Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel.
Afterwards, have some free time to explore on your own.
OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS
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Private Pasta & Tiramisu Cooking Class with Local Chefs
Join your local Roman chef for an amazing cooking class where they will teach you many techniques of making homemade pastas and tiramisu from scratch! Afterwards, you will enjoy the fruits of your labor as you will enjoy your freshly made pasta & tiramisu for dinner!
St. Peter's Square
Sistine Chapel
Interior of St Peter's Basilica
Vatican City
DAY FIVE>
Florence, Italy
Today, we will transfer to Termini Train Station for our high-speed bullet train to Florence!
After arriving in Florence, we will walk just a few minutes to our centrally-located hotel. After settling in, enjoy a stroll through central Florence and enjoy beautiful sights such as the Ponte Vecchio and Old Palace.
Later, stop by Vivoli, for the world’s best gelato and admire the stunning Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral, or “Duomo” as it is referred to.
City Skyline of Florence
Iconic Ponte Vecchio Bridge
Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral - (Duomo Cathedral)
Palazzo Vecchio (Old Palace)
Piazza Della Signora
DAY SIX>
Florence, Italy
Today, enjoy a free day in Florence, or opt for one of our amazing optional tours!
OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS:
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Gems of Tuscany Full-Day
See all that Tuscany has to offer on this day trip to Pisa, Siena, and San Gimignano, led by an expert guide. Explore the main square and Gothic cathedral in Siena, followed by a traditional 3- course lunch with wine. Afterwards, enjoy free time to stroll the medieval streets of San Gimignano independently, as well as the city of Pisa, famous for its Leaning Tower.
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Taste of Chianti: Half-Day Tuscan Wine Tour
Treat your taste buds to the flavors of Italy’s famous Chianti wine region on a half-day tour through the Tuscan countryside from Florence. Visit 2 local wineries and vineyards to learn about traditional production methods, and taste different regional varietals along with Tuscan specialties like salami and cheese.
Gems of Tuscany Tour: San Gimignano
Taste of Chianti: Half-Day Tuscan Wine Tour
Gems of Tuscany Tour: Leaning Tower of Pisa
Gems of Tuscany Tour: San Gimignano
Gems of Tuscany Tour: Siena
DAY SEVEN>
Venice, Italy
This morning, transfer back to the train station for another high-speed train—this time to Venice!
After arriving in Venice, we will have free time to enjoy walking through this beautiful area of canals.
Later, you will have the chance to take an optional gondola ride through the Grand Canal (at an extra cost)
Grand Canal in Venice
Iconic Gondola Ride in Venice
Grand Canal in Venice
DAY EIGHT>
Venice, Italy
Today, enjoy a skip-the-line visit to the impressive San Marcos Bell Tower for the best panoramic viewpoint of Venice! The VIP elevators will save you many hundreds of grueling stairs and you will be rewarded with a stunning 360-degree view of the Mediterranean Sea and all of Venice’s stunning islands.
Next, admire the exterior of the 9th century San Marcos (St Mark's) Basilica and the many great shops around.
Enjoy free time afterwards.
OPTIONAL EXCURSION:
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St Mark’s Cathedral Skip-the-Line Tour
St. Mark's Cathedral, or Basilica di San Marco, in Venice is a stunning example of Byzantine architecture with Venetian flair. Built in the 11th century to house the relics of St. Mark the Evangelist, the basilica is famous for its lavishly decorated façade, adorned with intricate mosaics, marble columns, and gilded sculptures. The interior is equally impressive, with golden mosaics covering the ceilings and domes, depicting biblical scenes and Christian iconography. Known as the "Church of Gold," it reflects Venice's historic wealth and artistic influence as a major trade hub between East and West. Enjoy a guided VIP tour through this impressive interior with a local historian.
San Marco's Basilica & Square
Viewpoint from top of Bell Tower
Doge's Palace and San Marco's Basilica
Venice Canal
Inside of San Marcos Basilica
St Mark's Square
DAY NINE>
Venice, Italy
Today is a completely free day in Venice to shop for souvenirs, explore the maze of canals, and visit amazing galleries throughout the city at your own pace.
OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS:
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Murano Glass Experience
Hop on a ferry to the island of Murano for a glass blowing demonstration at the world-famous Murano glass factory! Afterwards, enjoy shopping in their premier showroom for one-of-a-kind souvenirs.
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Doges Palace and Gondola Ride
The Doge’s Palace is an iconic landmark in Venice. Meet your local guide and learn about the gilded building’s historic and cultural significance. Afterwards, enjoy a relaxing 30-minute gondola ride through the canal.
Venice City Street
Murano Glass Experience
Interior of the Doges Palace
DAY TEN>
Fly Home
Transfer to the Marco Polo airport for our flight back to the USA.
*Percussive Tours reserves the right to modify this itinerary if certain activities become unavailable
Download PDF Itinerary
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