Italian Explorer

Depart by Eurostar to Paris and join the onward train to Mulhouse where you stay for one night. On Day 2 continue to Rome.

• Day 1 - Dinner
• Day 2 - Breakfast, Dinner

Discover the wonders of ancient Rome on a guided walking tour, starting at the mighty Colosseum. Truly one of the icons of the ancient and modern world, the Roman Colosseum is one of the jewels in the crown of Italy's vast array of famous monuments. Just as popular today as it ever was in antiquity, the magnificent structure is an incredible sight to see up close, and still contains original pathways, corridors and entrance ways used by gladiators to enter the arena.

Continue to the Roman Forum, a former civic centre of Roman public life which is now one of the focal points of Roman tourism. You also see the masterful Trevi Fountain, a favourite among tourists and Romans alike. Your tour ends at Piazza Navonna, and you spend the rest of the day at leisure.

• Breakfast

Make the most of a free day to continue discovering Rome today. Perhaps pay a visit to the Pantheon, the world's largest reinforced concrete dome, which still holds this title 2,000 years after it was built. Alternatively, you could visit Vatican City, the smallest recognised independent state in the world and the home of the Pope. Breathe in magnificent St Paul's Square and admire the basilica - one of the largest churches in the world. You may also like to visit the Sistine Chapel, home to Michelangelo's world-famous fresco and truly a special place to step foot in. The Borgia apartments are also a highlight of any visit to the Vatican. Designed for Pope Alexander VI, the rooms are exquisitely decorated and fascinating to stroll through.

• Breakfast

Travel by high-speed train to Florence. Its stunning narrow streets and squares, including the Piazza della Signoria - the people-watching centre of Florence - are only part of the city's charm. Venture indoors and you will find one fifth of the world's Renaissance art, which is kept and displayed is museums, galleries and churches around the city.

Here you enjoy a guided walking tour of the city's main sights, including the 14th-century Ponte Vecchio Bridge, and the magnificent Duomo with its distinctive red-tiled dome. Later, transfer to picturesque Montecatini Terme and check into your hotel for 3 nights.

On Day 6, explore this elegant Tuscan spa town famous for its natural spa waters at leisure. Tourists flock to Montecatini Terme to visit these thermal baths that offer a range of spa treatments - massages, mud baths, saunas, and beauty treatments. There are 9 thermal centres in the extensive thermal park. The architecture of the spas are open-air Art Nouveau style. On a hill atop the town is the medieval village of Montecatini Alto. It is accessible by funicular railway which has been operating since the end of 19th century.

• Day 5 - Breakfast, Dinner
• Day 6 - Breakfast

Today's full-day excursion by rail heads firstly to Pisa. Here stands the world famous Leaning Tower, which began to lean as soon as it was built and was used by Galileo to study gravity. You can also see the marvellous white marble Duomo. The cathedral is a superb example of Romanesque architecture, often overlooked by tourists who flock to see the tower.

This afternoon, continue to the delightful walled city of Lucca, where you can discover a range of ancient ruins and pretty medieval buildings. Within its impressive city walls, Lucca's narrow cobbled streets and handsome tree-lined avenues lead to a succession of historic buildings dating from all periods since the city's origins as a Roman colony, around 180 BC.

• Breakfast

Travel by high-speed train to Venice on Day 8, where you stay for two nights. Enjoy a tour of the sights including St Mark's Square and the Basilica. Spend a free day discovering the Floating City of Venice on Day 9. Perhaps take a gondola ride along the Grand Canal, the main artery of crystal blue that runs through the heart of this refined city. Alternatively, you might enjoy a stroll around the grand city, where local bars and restaurants offer delicious 'cicchetti', a Venetian form of tapas, the perfect snack to enjoy with a bubbly glass of Prosecco.

• Day 8 - Breakfast, Dinner
• Day 9 - Breakfast

Today you travel by high speed rail to Turin, for an overnight stay. On Day 11 you bid a fond farewell to the glories of Italy, beginning your journey home by rail to Paris and on to London St Pancras by Eurostar, where your tour ends.

• Day 10 - Breakfast, Dinner
• Day 11 - Breakfast