Rome: We stayed at the 3-star deluxe Hotel Nord. It is perfectly located and has a great rooftop area for seeing the great sites of Rome. On our day of arrival we took it easy and did an afternoon walking tour of the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and Spanish Steps. We were able to sneak in a visit to San Luigi dei Francesi and see the famous Carvaggio paintings. Our welcome dinner was at la Rampa near the Spanish Steps.
The next day we had a professionally guided tour of the Baths of Diocletian, St. Peter's in Chains, the Colosseum and Roman Forum. Phew! What a day! A relaxing dinner in the Trestavere section of Rome was authentic as one can get.
Our last full day in Rome featured a guided tour of the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica. Afterwards, we arranged for a tour of the Borghese Gallery and I also did a private tour of some of the most important religious sites in Rome including Santa Scala.
Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast: We loved the Palazzo Jannuzzi. Large rooms. Comfortable. Right in the center of town. Big breakfast. Patios and terraces overlooking the town. First class all the way. On this part of the tour we visited Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast (Ravello and Positano) and Capri. We had two of the best all-time lunches on the side of Mt. Vesuvius and another in Positano. Wow!
Florence: Upon arrival in Florence via high-speed luxury train, we did a short walking tour with our expert guide. We reviewed the political, religious, and financial sites as well as tour of David at the Accademia with a celebrity sighting of Jay-Z and Beyonce, who toured right by our side.
In the next days we took a full-day tour into the Chianti countryside to taste wine and experience the small village of Castellina. It was a big hit with our travelers. We also did private tours of the Uffizzi Gallery and visited artisans. Our travelers were SO IMPRESSED that we were able to privately visit some of the most talented artists in Florence. I think our tourists enjoyed the VIP, no-waiting-in-line admission that helped them skip the lines that other waited hours in. Travelers had plenty of time to do their own thing like shopping and visiting sites (with VIP admission) not even on the itinerary.
Venice: It was like a dream. We got away from the touristy St. Mark's area and spent our 3 nights at the American Dinesen Hotel, where our water taxi delivered us right to the door of the hotel with an eager and courteous staff welcoming us. We loved the hotel located in between the Guggenheim Collection and Accademia. We had a professional tour of the St. Mark's area and travelers took advantage of free time to visit the Jewish Ghetto and Murano. Our last dinner together was on a breezy canal with a piano player playing our favorite tunes. What a way to end the tour.