Iconic Adriatic Antiquities

Arrive in Milan and transfer to beautiful Lake Como, where you will check in to your hotel for a two-night stay. Located in the picturesque Lombardy region, Como paints a stunning canvas anchored by its shimmering namesake lake encircled by soaring alpine peaks and elegant villas. Your Viking Tour Director is available to help you plan your time at Lake Como so you can make the most of your visit. (D)

Board your private boat for a scenic cruise on Lake Como, long a draw for poets, artists and actors; George Clooney keeps a summer residence on its shores. Pass historic Villa Carlotta, renowned for its botanical gardens, and stop for free time in Bellagio, the “Pearl of Lake Como.” Return to Como for lunch on your own and free time to shop. Later, admire the Gothic Como Cathedral during a guided walk. This evening, take a cooking class, then enjoy the delicious dishes you have prepared. (B, D)

Travel to romantic Verona, the famed setting of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Savor traditional Veronese recipes at lunch. During a guided walk of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, you will see the balcony of Juliet’s House, the legendary home of the Capulets. View the Verona Arena, an ancient Roman amphitheater. Stroll through Piazza delle Erbe and the open air Piazza dei Signori, then contemplate the monumental Scaliger Tombs. This evening, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. (B, L, D)

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and travel to the 16th-century Villa Giusti outside of Verona, temporary residence of King Victor Emmanuel III during World War I. Its lush palace gardens are considered one of the finest examples from the Italian Renaissance. Stroll among the age-old trees, gargoyles, fountains and echoing grottoes of this tranquil setting. After, you will depart for Venice and your awaiting ship. (B)

Discover the former capital of the mighty Venetian Republic, the beautiful city of Venice. Famous for the canals that crisscross this “floating” city, Venice is ideal to explore on foot or by one of the excellent local water buses, or vaporetti. You will be met at the airport for a short transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day and evening are at your leisure. A Viking Host is available to help you plan your time in Venice so you can make the most of your visit.

Today will afford you ample time to explore this storied city at your own pace. Discover the myriad hidden passageways and courtyards of Venice, and watch the ancient and modern worlds unfold over the perfect cup of cappuccino. Be sure to visit the magnificent Doge’s Palace and its works of art and elegant St. Mark’s Square, or take a boat over to Murano to glimpse the work of its legendary glassmakers. (B)

On your final day, check out of your hotel and transfer by motor coach to your awaiting ship. (B)

Arrive in Milan and transfer to your hotel on Lake Maggiore. After check in, spend the rest of the day at your leisure before enjoying dinner this evening with your fellow guests. Your Viking Tour Director is available to help you plan your time so you can make the most of your visit. (D)

Take a private boat ride across the lake to the Borromean Islands, owned by the Borromeo family for centuries. On Isola Bella, visit the Palazzo Borromeo to admire its collection of period furniture and decor, then stroll through the botanical garden full of rare plants from across the world. Enjoy free time for lunch on Isola dei Pescatori and visit the baroque-style summer palace on Isola Madre. Walk its grand halls and view exquisite collections of paintings, armor and silk tapestries. (B)

Transfer to Como, long a draw for poets, artists and actors; George Clooney has a summer residence, Villa Oleandra, on its shores. Admire the beauty of your surroundings during a scenic cruise on the city’s eponymous lake. Disembark at the village of Bellagio, the “Pearl of Lake Como,” and enjoy free time to independently explore its stone lanes and cobblestone stairways lined with graceful, century-old buildings and inviting shops. Return to Lake Maggiore for dinner. (B, D)

This morning, check out of your hotel and board your motor coach for a scenic drive to Venice, where your Viking ship awaits you. (B)

After a leisurely breakfast on board, transfer by motor coach to your hotel. After checking in, enjoy the rest of your day at leisure. You may consider a visit to one of the city’s many fine museums as well as a dinner of local specialties. A Viking Host is available to help you plan your time in Rome so you can make the most of your visit.

After a leisurely breakfast, you have a full day to explore on your own. Learn more about the city’s rich history by visiting iconic landmarks such as the Trevi Fountain, the Arch of Constantine, the Pantheon or the Spanish Steps. You may also choose to join an optional excursion; perhaps venture to the Roman Forum for a glimpse of the Colosseum or visit Castel Sant’Angelo to uncover its storied past. (B)

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and transfer to the airport for your flight home. (B)

Disembark your ship for a scenic drive to Orvieto, perched atop a volcanic plateau and surrounded by scenic vineyards and olive and cypress groves. Take a walking tour of the town, producer of Umbria’s finest wine and home to a magnificent Gothic cathedral. Uncover its exquisite details during a tour, then enjoy traditional Umbrian flavors during lunch before heading to your hotel in Perugia. This evening, enjoy a wine tasting and dinner at a picturesque vineyard in the Umbrian hills. (L, D)

Journey to the medieval city of Spoleto, located at the foot of a scenic valley. Surrounded by ancient walls, Spoleto is brimming with Roman and Lombard remnants such as the amphitheater dating to the 1st century AD and the Romanesque cathedral. After lunch, return to the medieval town of Perugia, Umbria’s charming capital. Set out on foot to discover the city’s rich history and view its important landmarks, including the elegant Maggiore Fountain and a 15th-century cathedral. (B, L, D)

Discover the city of Assisi, birthplace of St. Francis of Assisi and a grand repository of UNESCO-listed Franciscan structures. At the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, see the chapel where St. Francis started the Franciscan movement before visiting the Basilica of St. Francis, one of Italy’s most important sites of Christian pilgrimage. At the Basilica of St. Clare, view the remains of St. Clare of Assisi. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure and a delicious dinner of Umbrian cuisine. (B, D)

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and transfer to the airport for your return flight home. A Viking Representative will be available to assist you with the check-in process. (B)

Today, arrive at the airport and transfer to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, you may choose to relax or begin exploring the city on your own. Your Viking Tour Director is available to help you plan your time in Venice so you can make the most of your visit.

After breakfast, set out for a guided stroll through the historic city center. At the bustling Rialto Market, browse stalls displaying the day’s catch and observe locals as they shop, followed by a cicchetti lunch at a typical bacaro, or tavern. This afternoon, you may partake in an optional excursion with your fellow travelers. This evening, take a cruise on the Grand Canal by water taxi, admiring the palaces that line its banks and overarching bridges along this famous waterway. (B, L)

This morning, you may choose to partake in an optional excursion with your fellow travelers. Later today, follow your guide on a walk through the city, stopping to visit St. Mark’s Square. Admire its famous Campanile and the grand interior of the basilica, then continue to view the 14th-century Doge’s Palace, once the seat of government for the Venetian Republic and Courts of Justice. Tonight, head out to enjoy an evening of bellinis and Italian cuisine. (B, D)

This morning, check out of your hotel, then set out on an early stroll through Venice. Your excursion will include a walk along the winding cobblestone lanes of the vibrant Cannaregio neighborhood, once home to the city’s Jewish population. Afterward, you will transfer to your ship to begin your cruise. (B)

Disembark your ship in Civitavecchia and head to one of Rome’s exquisite Renaissance gardens. The Italian Renaissance style began during the 15th century and its trademark look expressed symmetry through orderly and manicured landscaping. Learn more about this style during a guided walk around the grounds of one of Rome’s best-kept examples. Afterward, transfer to your hotel and check in. This evening, enjoy a traditional evening meal. (D)

This morning, enjoy time at your leisure to explore your surroundings on your own, or join an optional excursion. After lunch, set off to Vatican City for a guided tour of the world-renowned Vatican Museums. Stroll through the galleries to admire pieces from Raphael and Caravaggio, and view Michelangelo’s spectacular ceiling in the Sistine Chapel. After, return to your hotel for an evening at your leisure. (B)

After breakfast, set out to discover Rome during a morning excursion. This historic city is home to many of the great sights of ancient Rome. By small motorized vehicle and on foot, view the mighty Colosseum—the most important amphitheater in the Roman world—and the Circus Maximus; you will also see Venice Square and Capitoline Hill. Enjoy an afternoon at your leisure before joining a culinary workshop where you will learn to make pasta. (B, D)

This morning, check out of your hotel and transfer to the airport for your flight home. (B)

At the conclusion of your cruise, disembark your ship and transfer by motor coach to Tuscany. Stop for lunch at a farmhouse, then continue through the Chianti region’s scenic countryside. Upon your arrival, check in and enjoy dinner at your historic villa. Your Viking Tour Director is available to help you plan your time in Tuscany so you can make the most of your visit. (L, D)

This morning, drive to Florence for a walking tour of the city center, a UNESCO Site. See the Duomo as well as Giotto’s Bell Tower and the Baptistery, with its beautiful doors that Michelangelo called the “Gates of Paradise,” and more. After lunch, you will have free time to enjoy a gelato or espresso, shop, or explore the birthplace of the Renaissance. Then, proceed to a Tuscan winery, where you can tour the cellar and taste local wines before sitting down to a typical Tuscan dinner. (B, L, D)

After breakfast, travel to the walled city of Siena, located in the heart of the Chianti wine region. On your walking tour, see the exterior of the exquisite marble cathedral, the beautiful Mangia Tower, the Town Hall, the Piazza del Campo and other historic sites. Then you will drive to the charming medieval village of San Gimignano and have lunch at a typical farm. Walk back in time as you explore the village’s ancient squares, narrow streets and elegant cistern built in 1273. (B, L, D)

Enjoy breakfast at your villa before you check out. Then, board your motor coach and transfer to the airport in Florence for your flight home. (B)