Insight Vacations
Road to Rome - Start Paris, Small Group
Road To Rome – Start Paris, Small Group
Take the road to Rome through the cobbled streets of Paris and across the Alps of Innsbruck. Journey through the vineyards of Burgundy and slip across the Swiss border for an indulgent Dine Around meal in Lucerne. Enjoy a feast of local delicacies at a selection of hand-picked restaurants, set along the beautiful lakeside vistas. Voyage across the Dolomites to Venice and bear witness to the ancient skill of glassblowing. Practiced by precious few, this almost extinct artform is led by local craftsmen, intent on keeping the 15th-century tradition alive. In ancient Rome, enjoy fast-track access to the Vatican Museums and see Michelangelo’s masterpiece in the Sistine Chapel.
Dining Summary
- 4 Dinner (D)
- 11 Breakfast (B)
- 1 Lunch (L)
Additional Included Highlights
- Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert’s fascinating commentary.
- Hotel and restaurant tips are included – you’ll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
- We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
- From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
- Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
- If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.
Authentic Dining
- Paris: Join your Travel Director and fellow guests at a local restaurant in the heart of the city for a delightful dinner served with wine.
- Paris: Join an avid local food lover on a walk through the streets of Paris. Visit a variety of patisseries, boulangeries and chocolatiers and sample local treats and delicacies along the way.
- Lucerne: Choose from a selection of restaurants on your Dine-Around Evening and hand-pick your preferred ambience, cuisine and drinks for an intimate culinary experience.
- Veneto: Visit a local winery and delight in a tasting of their magnificent prosecco. Meet the vignerons and learn how this local drink has come to rival its well-known counterpart in France.
- Tuscany: Visit Il Poggio and discover Tuscany’s organic olive and grape farming traditions when you sit down to enjoy lunch complimented by stunning views.
- Rome: Savor a four-course dinner complete with wine, to the rich tremolo of some of Italy’s best-loved opera.
Insight Experiences
- Vatican City: Visit the Vatican Museums, witness the genius of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel and see St. Peter’s Basilica.
- Rome: Due to increased demand during the Jubilee year, access to the Vatican Museums may be limited. If tickets are unavailable during your visit, your sightseeing will instead explore the Capitoline Museums, home to the iconic Capitoline Wolf, ancient Roman bronzes and Renaissance art, set atop Michelangelo’s Piazza del Campidoglio with sweeping views of the Roman Forum.
- Rome: Enjoy exclusive access to the Basilica of Saint Praxedes during an after-hours visit. This 9th-century basilica’s simple facade guards the world’s best-preserved Byzantine mosaics. The history of the church springs to life as you admire the interior’s treasured collection, including Bernini’s first sculpture and the renowned mosaics, illuminated for your visit. This once-in-a-lifetime experience is a rare and unforgettable insight into Rome and its religious history.
Make Travel Matter
- Stanserhorn: Journey to the top of Mount Stanserhorn on a panoramic, open-top cable car powered by solar energy, and enjoy spectacular views from the summit. Walk along beautiful scenic pathways, keeping an eye out for marmots and other native animals, with the chance to hear a conservation talk by a Swiss ranger, to learn about local wildlife and flora. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 7 & 15: Affordable and Clean Energy & Life on Land.
- Venice: Witness the ancient skill of glassblowing, now practised by precious few masters. Watch artisans create delicate works of art using rare traditional practices. The workshop’s master craftsmen teach visitors about the traditional craft of glassblowing and its history which dates back to the 15th century. Every visit helps to support the workshop and the survival of this traditional craft. This workshop directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
Summary
- Visit the Basilica of St. Francis with a Local Expert in Assisi.
Top Rated Highlights
- Stanserhorn: Journey to the top of Mount Stanserhorn on a panoramic, open-top cable car powered by solar energy, and enjoy spectacular views from the summit.
- Lucerne: See the emotive Lion Monument, Jesuit Church and Chapel Bridge.
- Vaduz: Admire the Royal family’s residence, Vaduz Castle, which overlooks the capital and is surrounded by year-round snow peaked mountains.
- Innsbruck: Nestled amidst majestic mountains, Innsbruck is a beautiful city offering a unique combination of nature, history, and culture. Stroll the streets of the picturesque Old Town, with your Travel Director, learn about its history and admire the Baroque and Gothic architecture.
- Venice: Join your Travel Director for an introduction to Venice, exploring its canals, lively squares, and historic landmarks. Discover the city’s unique charm as you navigate its maze of streets and take in iconic sights like St Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge.
- Pisa: Your Local Expert will show you the baptistery bristling with marble spines, and the colonnaded bell tower lurching behind the 11th-century cathedral – the famous Leaning Tower in the Square of Miracles.
- Florence: Join a Local Expert to view the multi-colored marble cathedral, bell tower and baptistery, adorned by Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise. Visit the political heart of the city, Signoria Square. See the Santa Croce Basilica, the final resting place of great Florentines like Michelangelo.
- Assisi: With a Local Expert, find out why the Basilica of St. Francis is considered one of the crowning achievements of Europe.
- Rome: During your orientation with your Travel Director see the medieval buildings, including Renaissance palaces and Baroque churches, scattered throughout the city.
Well-being
- Enjoy the comfort of Insight’s luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
- Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.
Booking Dates
05/16/2025 through 08/15/2025
Travel Dates
05/16/2025 through 08/30/2025
| Day 1 |
France's capital and most populated city, Paris is an alluring destination and an essential stop for any global traveler. A center of fashion, gastronomy, arts and finance, Paris is also a major transportation hub, and will host the 2024 Olympics.
Major tourist attractions in the City of Lights include the Eiffel Tower (such great heights!), the Louvre (home of the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo), the Arc de Triomphe, and Grand Palais. (The famous Notre Dame Cathedral is currently closed indefinitely for renovation due to a 2019 fire.) Marquee annual events in this world-renowned city include Bastille Day (July 14 each year, including flyovers, a military parade and fireworks) and Paris-Plages (mid-July to mid-August), where a temporary beach — complete with sand, chairs and palm trees — is created on the Right bank of the Seine River. Cobblestone walkways, beautiful bridges, breathtaking architecture, radiant streetlamps... Paris has ambiance to spare. Whether sitting at a cafe or actively exploring timeless landmarks and art, millions of visitors have discovered that Paris contains multitudes. |
| Day 2 |
France's capital and most populated city, Paris is an alluring destination and an essential stop for any global traveler. A center of fashion, gastronomy, arts and finance, Paris is also a major transportation hub, and will host the 2024 Olympics.
Major tourist attractions in the City of Lights include the Eiffel Tower (such great heights!), the Louvre (home of the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo), the Arc de Triomphe, and Grand Palais. (The famous Notre Dame Cathedral is currently closed indefinitely for renovation due to a 2019 fire.) Marquee annual events in this world-renowned city include Bastille Day (July 14 each year, including flyovers, a military parade and fireworks) and Paris-Plages (mid-July to mid-August), where a temporary beach — complete with sand, chairs and palm trees — is created on the Right bank of the Seine River. Cobblestone walkways, beautiful bridges, breathtaking architecture, radiant streetlamps... Paris has ambiance to spare. Whether sitting at a cafe or actively exploring timeless landmarks and art, millions of visitors have discovered that Paris contains multitudes. |
| Day 3 |
France's capital and most populated city, Paris is an alluring destination and an essential stop for any global traveler. A center of fashion, gastronomy, arts and finance, Paris is also a major transportation hub, and will host the 2024 Olympics.
Major tourist attractions in the City of Lights include the Eiffel Tower (such great heights!), the Louvre (home of the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo), the Arc de Triomphe, and Grand Palais. (The famous Notre Dame Cathedral is currently closed indefinitely for renovation due to a 2019 fire.) Marquee annual events in this world-renowned city include Bastille Day (July 14 each year, including flyovers, a military parade and fireworks) and Paris-Plages (mid-July to mid-August), where a temporary beach — complete with sand, chairs and palm trees — is created on the Right bank of the Seine River. Cobblestone walkways, beautiful bridges, breathtaking architecture, radiant streetlamps... Paris has ambiance to spare. Whether sitting at a cafe or actively exploring timeless landmarks and art, millions of visitors have discovered that Paris contains multitudes. |
| Day 4 |
Behold beautiful Lucerne! This German-speaking area of central Switzerland on Lake Lucerne is a truly spectacular locale. Surrounded by mountains and notable for its famous Chapel Bridge, this idyllic and musical Swiss locale is wonderful any time of year.
Attractions in Lucerne besides the Chapel Bridge include the striking, rock-carved Lion Monument, the Swiss Museum of Transport (featuring a cinema, museum and planetarium) and the Jesuit Church, Lucerne which dates back to the 1600s and is adorned with murals. |
| Day 5 |
Behold beautiful Lucerne! This German-speaking area of central Switzerland on Lake Lucerne is a truly spectacular locale. Surrounded by mountains and notable for its famous Chapel Bridge, this idyllic and musical Swiss locale is wonderful any time of year.
Attractions in Lucerne besides the Chapel Bridge include the striking, rock-carved Lion Monument, the Swiss Museum of Transport (featuring a cinema, museum and planetarium) and the Jesuit Church, Lucerne which dates back to the 1600s and is adorned with murals. |
| Day 6 |
The Dolomites, a spectacular mountain range in northern Italy, offer a captivating blend of dramatic landscapes and outdoor adventure. Renowned for their unique jagged peaks and stunning natural beauty, the Dolomites are part of the Southern Limestone Alps and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The range stretches across the regions of Trentino-Alto Adige, Veneto, and Friuli Venezia Giulia, providing a diverse array of experiences from exhilarating hikes to serene mountain lakes. The iconic pale limestone peaks, especially the distinctive Tre Cime di Lavaredo, offer breathtaking vistas and are perfect for photography and hiking enthusiasts. Winter transforms the Dolomites into a premier ski destination, attracting enthusiasts with its world-class resorts such as Cortina d'Ampezzo and Val Gardena. With over 1,200 kilometers of ski slopes and a well-connected network of lifts, the Dolomites cater to both beginners and seasoned skiers. Beyond skiing, the region offers snowboarding, snowshoeing, and après-ski activities that highlight local cuisine and culture. In the summer, the Dolomites become a paradise for hikers and climbers. The range features over 1,200 kilometers of marked trails, including the famous Alta Via routes which traverse some of the most scenic parts of the mountains. The stunning scenery includes emerald green meadows, alpine lakes, and charming mountain villages such as Ortisei and Canazei, where visitors can experience traditional Ladin culture and cuisine. A fun fact about the Dolomites is that the range's distinctive light-colored rock is composed of a unique mineral called dolomite, named after the French geologist Déodat Gratet de Dolomieu who first described it. This mineral gives the peaks their characteristic pale hue and contributes to the region's stunning, ever-changing colors at sunrise and sunset. The Dolomites promise an unforgettable experience, blending natural beauty with a wealth of activities across all seasons. |
| Day 7 |
Roads? Where you're going you don't need roads... but don't rule out a romantic gondola ride or a water taxi. Welcome to Venice, with its network of canals, rich history and composition of over 100 small islands in the Adriatic Sea.
One of the most popular features of this Northern Italy capital is the Grand Canal, once a major center of the Renaissance. Be sure to see the central square Piazza San Marco, where all can marvel at Byzantine mosaics, the Campanile bell and St. Mark’s Basilica. Fine art, stunning architecture, white limestone bridges, moving about via watercraft... Venice is a singular experience and an astonishing masterpiece of civilization. Summer is the busiest time to visit, so plan accordingly. If you're looking for an unforgettable costume party, visit during Venice Carnival from the end of February to the beginning of March. |
| Day 8 |
Tuscany, Italy, is a region where the essence of Italy's beauty, history, and culture is captured in its rolling hills, timeless villages, and world-class art. Famous for its postcard-perfect landscapes, Tuscany is where cypress-lined roads lead to centuries-old hilltop towns like Montepulciano and Montalcino, which are steeped in history and offer some of Italy's finest wines, including the renowned Brunello di Montalcino. Tuscany is a treasure trove for lovers of art and architecture, boasting some of the most important works from the Renaissance period. The city of Florence, Tuscany’s capital, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the Uffizi Gallery, where you can witness masterpieces by Michelangelo, Botticelli, and Leonardo da Vinci. A visit to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore with its iconic terracotta dome is essential, offering breathtaking views of the city and its surrounding countryside. For those drawn to medieval charm, the walled city of Siena is a must-see. Famous for the Palio, a thrilling horse race held twice a year in its central Piazza del Campo, Siena's medieval streets unfold into a captivating blend of Gothic architecture and Tuscan culture. Visit the Siena Cathedral, a black-and-white striped marvel of Romanesque-Gothic architecture, which houses works by Donatello and Michelangelo. Siena also offers an authentic Tuscan culinary experience with local dishes such as pici pasta and ribollita soup, paired with robust local wines like Chianti Classico. No trip to Tuscany would be complete without exploring its breathtaking countryside, especially the Val d'Orcia, another UNESCO World Heritage site. Known for its undulating hills, vineyards, and olive groves, the Val d'Orcia offers picture-perfect scenery that has inspired painters for centuries. Towns like Pienza, designed by Pope Pius II as the “ideal Renaissance city,” offer intimate experiences of Tuscan life. Wander through charming cobblestone streets, sample pecorino cheese, and gaze at the landscapes that stretch as far as the eye can see. Fun fact: Tuscany is not just about history and art; it's also the birthplace of one of Italy's most iconic cultural treasures—the gelato. The first gelato is believed to have been created in the 16th century by Bernardo Buontalenti, a native of Florence, who impressed the Medici court with his delicious, creamy invention. Today, Tuscany continues to be a fantastic place to savor artisanal gelato, making it a perfect stop for food lovers looking to indulge in authentic Italian flavors. |
| Day 9 |
Florence (Firenze) is a compact city, but densely packed with spectacular art and architecture everywhere you look. The city center itself is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Birthplace of the Renaissance as well as Italy's fashion industry, Florence is imbued with an air of history and sophistication. Visitors are sure to be enchanted with the Florentine way of life, from the sensational Tuscan cuisine to the Michelangelo masterpieces. Art and food lovers will find much to embrace here. Looming over Florence is the Duomo, a red terracotta dome that is part of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Bellissima! |
| Day 10 |
Florence (Firenze) is a compact city, but densely packed with spectacular art and architecture everywhere you look. The city center itself is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Birthplace of the Renaissance as well as Italy's fashion industry, Florence is imbued with an air of history and sophistication. Visitors are sure to be enchanted with the Florentine way of life, from the sensational Tuscan cuisine to the Michelangelo masterpieces. Art and food lovers will find much to embrace here. Looming over Florence is the Duomo, a red terracotta dome that is part of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Bellissima! |
| Day 11 |
Often called the Eternal City, Rome stands alone as Italy's most visited destination. The third most populated city in the European Union, Rome boasts ancient sites, yet has a modern flair — an exhilarating mix of the Old World and the new.
Rome's must-see attractions include the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, and St. Peter's Basilica. Of course, within the city limits of Rome lies an independent country: Vatican City, the Roman Catholic Church headquarters and the only current example of a country inside a city. With its Renaissance architecture, ancient ruins, and works by Michelangelo, Rome is a vibrant destination offering spectacular examples of human achievement. Visitors wandering through this glorious city have so much to discover! |
| Day 12 |
Often called the Eternal City, Rome stands alone as Italy's most visited destination. The third most populated city in the European Union, Rome boasts ancient sites, yet has a modern flair — an exhilarating mix of the Old World and the new.
Rome's must-see attractions include the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, and St. Peter's Basilica. Of course, within the city limits of Rome lies an independent country: Vatican City, the Roman Catholic Church headquarters and the only current example of a country inside a city. With its Renaissance architecture, ancient ruins, and works by Michelangelo, Rome is a vibrant destination offering spectacular examples of human achievement. Visitors wandering through this glorious city have so much to discover! |
| Travel Dates | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
08/19/25 - 08/30/25 |
Starting At $6,570 |
Get A Quote |
Trip prices are per person, land only, based on double occupancy and reflect applicable discounts. Trip prices and discounts are subject to change.
Airfare is additional. Tour prices, dates and itineraries are correct at the time of the website going live, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking. Other restrictions may apply.
