Northern Italy Family Holiday
8 days
From
$ 1977
Duration8 days
Treat your family to an enriching adventure through Northern Italy. A place of love, history and exquisite flavours, the northern part of the former Roman Empire is a cultural heartland full of hidden treasures. Hear the song of the lapping waterways echo through the streets of Venice, dip your toes in the ocean by the beautiful Ligurian coast, make and taste authentic Italian pesto, savour delicious Tuscan cuisine, scale the leaning tower of Pisa and fight like a gladiator in Rome as you whisk through Northern Italy on this fantastic family holiday.
This tour is operated by
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Duration: 8 daysService level: Upgraded
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Physical Grading: Light
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Ages: 5+
Tour Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1: Venice
Welcome to Venice, Italy. This watery wonderland of bridges, towers, piazzas, canals, churches and gondolas – practically unchanged for 600 years – is literally sinking under the weight of its iconic sights. Your Italian adventure will begin with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight – check with reception to confirm the time and place. We'll be collecting insurance details at this meeting so please have these on hand. If you're going to be late, please inform hotel reception. If you can't arrange a flight that will arrive in time, you may wish to arrive a day early so you're able to attend. We'll be happy to book additional accommodation for you (subject to availability).
There are no activities planned before the meeting, so if you arrive early there are plenty of things to keep you and the family busy. Take a walk around the maze of streets behind San Marco Square and begin to understand the complex canal system of Venice. The Grand Canal is a great place to start, as you can stroll over the Rialto Bridge and browse the endless amounts of boutique shops that sell Venetian masks and handmade Murano glassware. After the meeting, enjoy dinner with the other families at a local restaurant.
There are no activities planned before the meeting, so if you arrive early there are plenty of things to keep you and the family busy. Take a walk around the maze of streets behind San Marco Square and begin to understand the complex canal system of Venice. The Grand Canal is a great place to start, as you can stroll over the Rialto Bridge and browse the endless amounts of boutique shops that sell Venetian masks and handmade Murano glassware. After the meeting, enjoy dinner with the other families at a local restaurant.
Day 2: Venice
After breakfast, venture out and explore Venice on an orientation walk. There are only two ways to get around this city – on foot or by boat. Wander around popular locations such as the Doge’s Palace, the Piazza and Basilica di San Marco and the Bridge of Sighs, taking in the views of the lively waterways and stony streets as you go. Once the walk comes to an end, take a quick gondola ride over to Rialto, the heart of the city.
Take some free time to explore the city. Consider taking the vaporetto (water bus) to San Giorgio to climb the bell tower for a panoramic view of Venice. Travelling down the Grand Canal via Venetian gondola is a great way to immerse yourself in the canal culture of the town, while relaxing in the busy San Marco square grants an excellent view of the Chiesa di San Giorgio Maggiore and the bustling harbour. The Palazzo Ducale overflows with paintings from Italian masters making it well worth a visit, or if you’d rather get lost in between the countless restaurants and cafes in the narrow streets, a good day can be spent doing that too.
Meet up again in the afternoon at the private workshop of a professional mask maker on a visit to a local Venetian Atelier. Here, you’ll learn to make your own mask using traditional working methods treasured by the people of the city.
Take some free time to explore the city. Consider taking the vaporetto (water bus) to San Giorgio to climb the bell tower for a panoramic view of Venice. Travelling down the Grand Canal via Venetian gondola is a great way to immerse yourself in the canal culture of the town, while relaxing in the busy San Marco square grants an excellent view of the Chiesa di San Giorgio Maggiore and the bustling harbour. The Palazzo Ducale overflows with paintings from Italian masters making it well worth a visit, or if you’d rather get lost in between the countless restaurants and cafes in the narrow streets, a good day can be spent doing that too.
Meet up again in the afternoon at the private workshop of a professional mask maker on a visit to a local Venetian Atelier. Here, you’ll learn to make your own mask using traditional working methods treasured by the people of the city.
Meals: B
Day 3: Cinque Terre
Take a morning trip to the Ligurian coast, a region studded with tree-coated mountainsides and colourful townships sitting in the background of the tranquil Ligurian sea. The first stop on this trip through is Levanto, nestled between a thickly wooded valley and the ocean. During your stay here, chop and blend up basil, olive oil and other ingredients as you enjoy an authentic pesto making class with a local family. Once you’ve got a grasp of these traditional Italian culinary techniques, cooking at home will no doubt become that much better.
Meals: B, D
Day 4: Cinque Terre
Venture out on the footpaths of Cinque Terre (Five Lands), a region of Italy famed for its coastline and pastel villages on sharp cliff faces. These paths weave between the villages past olive groves, vineyards and onwards to idyllic, breathtaking vistas. You can choose to walk just a few sections if you like – all of the available paths offer excellent views of the majestic scenery. You’re also more than welcome to take a train from village to village if you’d prefer to put your feet up and relax.
Please note: Remember to bring comfortable footwear such as trainers or light hiking shoes. The walking distance is approximately 9 kilometres (5.6 miles) and takes you across uneven surfaces, narrow passages without shade from the Italian sun and over many staircases – both up and down. A good level of fitness is recommended should you choose to walk.
Due to recent landslides in the area, it is currently not possible to walk the Via del'Amore from Riomaggiore to Manarola and the coastal section between Manarola and Corniglia. These sections will be passed by train instead. Please also note that due to safety reasons some sections of any path can be closed at short notice.
Please note: Remember to bring comfortable footwear such as trainers or light hiking shoes. The walking distance is approximately 9 kilometres (5.6 miles) and takes you across uneven surfaces, narrow passages without shade from the Italian sun and over many staircases – both up and down. A good level of fitness is recommended should you choose to walk.
Due to recent landslides in the area, it is currently not possible to walk the Via del'Amore from Riomaggiore to Manarola and the coastal section between Manarola and Corniglia. These sections will be passed by train instead. Please also note that due to safety reasons some sections of any path can be closed at short notice.
Meals: B
Day 5: Pisa
Spend some time relaxing on the beautiful Cinque Terre coastline – perhaps go for a dip in the waters or source out some fresh local seafood for breakfast. Afterwards, travel on an early afternoon train to Pisa (2.5 hours). Once you arrive, take a bit of time to explore the Field of Miracles while taking in the intricately structured architecture of Duomo Cathedral, Piazza Del Duomo and of course, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Leaning Tower of Pisa. Snap up some family photos with this iconic building, or, if you’re daring enough, scale up the 300 spiralling stairs to get a better view of the field below. As the evening rolls in, settle down to a traditional Tuscan dinner in a Trattoria – known to be simple yet flavourful.
Meals: B, D
Day 6: Rome
Take a train towards Rome (3 hours). After arriving in Italy’s history soaked capital city, play gladiator for a day at an afternoon training class that teaches the basics of this historical method of combat. Relive Roman history during a hands-on session while donning on armour, fighting with training weapons and cooling down with a drink afterwards.
Meals: B
Day 7: Rome
Take part in an exhilarating art safari as you rummage through the heart of Roman Baroque. Travelling with a group leader, explore the Villa Borghese while keeping an eye out for clues and hotspots as you navigate the grounds with your map. Begin at the Borghese Gallery, immersing yourself in the woods and gardens of this historically rich area as you learn more about the stories of the past. Avoid the gaze of Medusa, keep an eye out for other mythological beasts and discover why the villa is littered with exotically carved fountains on this art adventure the whole family can enjoy – especially the kids!
Meals: B
Day 8: Rome
This family adventure comes to a close today and there are no further activities planned. However – speak with your leader if you're considering extending your stay in exciting Rome and they may be able to set up additional accommodation (subject to availability).
Meals: B
Inclusions
Included
- Venice Traghetto Boat Ride
- Venice - Venetian Mask Activity
- 'Il Laboratorio del Pesto' Making & Demonstration
- Cinque Terre Day Trip, including Cinque Terre Pass
- Rome - Gladiator School
- Rome - Art Safari
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Transport
Train, taxi -
Accommodation
Hotels (7 nights)