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15 Day Italy Highlights & Mediterranean Cruise

A portion of this tour runs as a group tour where you will be escorted by an expert tour leader. Another portion is self-guided, whether conducted by rail, cruise or land, and you will travel between destinations on your own, with free time to explore at your own pace.

Escorted Type
Partially Escorted

This tour is conducted at a medium-fast pace. Some long travel days may be required to complete this itinerary and you will typically spend two nights at each destination, with some one night stays required. This trip includes a mix of sightseeing and free time to explore at your own pace. You will be required to move about unassisted, including getting on and off vehicles, walking up and down stairs and some activities will be conducted on uneven or steep terrain. You will be required to handle your own luggage.

Pace
Moderate Pace

These tours allow you to experience the destination with a comfortable sized group. You will travel with between a maximum of 26-30 other guests depending on your selected tour. Please see the Important Information on your selected tour for exact group size. Enjoy features such as a wide range of included sightseeing, comfortable accommodation and a range of optional activities to choose from to best suit your travel style.

Group Size
Comfortable

Make the most of your cruise and travel independently, with everything organised for you. Your international flights, pre-cruise stay, and cruise are organised so all you have to do is relax and enjoy your time at sea. Of course, there is the option of extending your tour if you don’t want to head straight to the airport upon disembarkation.

Cruise Style
Ocean
479 people have travelled to this destination

✓ Add return international airfares from $999
✓ Incredible sightseeing including  St. Peter’s Square, Colosseum, Leaning Tower, 13th Century Palazzo Vecchio, Ancient Roman Arenas, St Marks Square, Piraeus Port, Diocletian buildings & the famous white Windmills of Mykonos. 
✓ 7 nights in central 3-star accommodation
✓ Breakfast daily, 7 lunch, 9 dinner
✓ Cruise with MSC Cruises for 7 nights including all meals
✓ Fully escorted by a professional English-speaking tour guide
✓ Comfortable, dedicated transportation throughout
✓ In-depth sightseeing and entrance fees as per the itinerary

What we love about this tour

Travel with the experts for a carefully curated, value-packed discovery of the world's most iconic destinations. Our tours are bursting with must-see sights, rich experiences and quality inclusions, all at an unbeatable price. Bucket list dreams are ticked off on these all-encompassing journeys.

Itinerary

Hotel
Centrally Located Hotel or Similar

Welcome to Rome! After arriving in Rome, make your own way to your hotel where you can check in and spend the afternoon at leisure. If you wish, you can easily see some sights and explore the ancient capital. 

Tonight, meet your guide and tour group. 

Hotel
Centrally Located Hotel or Similar
Meals
Breakfast

After breakfast this morning at your hotel, enjoy a day exploring this wonderful city. Famous Landmarks scatter the city, see St. Peter's Square with a Local Guide. Enjoy a drive along the iconic landmarks of the city: the Tiber River, the Caius Cestius Pyramid, the Aurelian Walls, and the Caracalla Baths.

Complete the experience with a walk back in time from the Circus Maximus to the Arch of Constantine and to the fascinating Colosseum, with its magnificent stadia structure and the brutal history that unfolded within its confines. Don't miss out on the opportunity to visit the treasures of the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel on our optional excursion.

Hotel
Centrally Located Hotel or Similar
Meals
Breakfast

Today, embark on the famous drive through vistas of rolling hills, cypress trees, terraced vineyards, olive groves, and charming villages form the backdrop as you journey into the heart of Tuscany.

Stop in Pisa to enjoy a mini- train ride to the Square of Miracles and see the legendary Leaning Tower. Then, head east to magnificent Florence, the capital of Italy’s Tuscany region, is home to many masterpieces of Renaissance art and architecture.

Hotel
Centrally Located Hotel or Similar
Meals
Breakfast, Dinner

Today, discover the wonders of Florence, romantic, enchanting and utterly irresistible, Florence (Firenze) is a place to feast on world-class art. Start the day with a guided walking tour, featuring some of the city's greatest attractions.

See Piazza Santa Croce; world-famous Signoria Square; 13th-century Palazzo Vecchio with its collection of artistic masterpieces; Loggia dei Lanzi; the unique Duomo with Giotto's Gothic Bell Tower and the Baptistry's ornate bronze door known as the "Gate of Paradise."

Hotel
Centrally Located Hotel or Similar
Meals
Breakfast

We check out of our hotel after breakfast and travel north and cross the Po River to Verona, setting for Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. Verona is a mediaeval old town built between the meandering Adige River.

Marvel at the ancient Roman Arena, built for gladiator fights but now still used as a popular venue for festivals and concerts; shop in Via Mazzini, or just wander the cobblestone streets of the city centre. Continue to the Venice area.

Hotel
Centrally Located Hotel or Similar
Meals
Breakfast, Dinner

Venice is a place of unmatched beauty and a feast of fantastic sights. View the delightful crisscrossing canals, the gondolas, arched bridges, palaces, and piazzas. Your included orientation features a boat ride to St. Mark's Square and a visit to a Venetian glassblowing workshop.

You'll have time to explore at leisure on your own, or join one of our optional excursions, like a ride on one of the most iconic boats in the world, the romantic gondola. Otherwise, just relax, sipping a cappuccino or the typical Venetian drink called spritz at one of the many bars or cafes.

Hotel
Centrally Located Hotel or Similar
Meals
Breakfast

Today is a day at leisure to explore this fascinating city, built on 118 small islands, separated by canals, in a shallow lagoon in the Adriatic Sea.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site overflows with beauty – from the gondola-lined canals and ancient marble palaces to historical architectural feats. Visiting Venice is like being in a fabled land, a scintillating mix of culture, history, and water.

Cruise
Cruise Ship or Similar
Meals
Breakfast, Dinner

This morning, as we say goodbye to this incredible city, you will make your own way to the cruise terminal ready to begin your adventure, cruising through the Mediterranean sea.  

Cruise
Cruise Ship or Similar
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Arrive into the Italian port town of Brindisi, the city boasts a characterful ancient centre, home to a vast array of treasures.

Sites such as the 11th-century Duomo and Alfonsino Castle are architectural jewels just waiting to be discovered. The perfect starting point for visiting other destinations, namely Lecce, Ostuni, and Alberobello, Brindisi delivers culture, colour and Italian romance along its palm-fringed streets and seafront promenade.

Cruise
Cruise Ship or Similar
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Spend your day at leisure admiring the cruise ship, partaking in the many free entertainment options offered to cruise guests. 

Cruise
Cruise Ship or Similar
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Arrive into Mykonos. During the 18th-century, Mykonos’ maze of tangled lanes would confuse even the most well-travelled pirates. Nowadays pretending to get lost in these winding alleys makes for a day of entertainment! This destination is known for its romantic Greek Island glamour. See brilliant beaches, turquoise waters, and picturesque whitewashed villages. You may wish to visit the famous white Windmills on the island. 

Cruise
Cruise Ship or Similar
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Arrive into Piraeus, this has been the port of Athens since ancient times. It’s a city filled with incredible wonders including Mikrolimano Bay, Agia Triada (Church of the Holy Trinity), and the Archaeological Museum. Nowadays, Piraeus is a bustling centre with attractive waterfront cafés and restaurants, making it an ideal stop in the Mediterranean. Use it as a stepping stone to see the Acropolis and greater Athens. 

Cruise
Cruise Ship or Similar
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Spend your day at leisure admiring the cruise ship, you may wish to partake in the free activities, explore the pool or sample some of the many restaurants, cafes and bars on board. 

Cruise
Cruise Ship or Similar
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Arrive into Split. The captivating port of Split, located on the Dalmatian coast, is one of Croatia’s star-attraction cities and a famous destination. Immerse yourself in the ancient atmosphere of its old centre, admire Diocletian buildings, or wander the city’s spectacular waterfront and shade yourself under the palm trees. At the core of Split’s old quarter is Diocletian’s Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a must see when travelling to Croatia. 

Meals
Breakfast

Today, you will disembark your cruise and make your own way to your connecting flights. 

Inclusions

  • Incredible sightseeing including St. Peter’s Square, Colosseum, Leaning Tower, 13th Century Palazzo Vecchio, Ancient Roman Arenas, St Marks Square, Piraeus Port, Diocletian buildings & the famous white Windmills of Mykonos. 
  • 7 nights in central 3-star accommodation
  • Breakfast daily, 7 lunch, 9 dinner
  • Cruise with MSC Cruises for 7 nights including all meals
  • Fully escorted by a professional English-speaking tour guide
  • Comfortable, dedicated transportation throughout
  • In-depth sightseeing and entrance fees as per the itinerary

  • Rome’s - landmarks with a local guide
  • Pisa - Leaning Tower of Pisa
  • Florence - guided walking tour 
  • Venice - Boat ride in Venice to St. Marks Square
  • Venice - Glassblowing workshop in Venice
  • Mykonos - The Famous White Windmills of Mykonos (optional)
  • Split - The Diocletian’s Palace, Split (optional)
  • Athens - The Dramatic Ruins of the Parthenon on the Acropolis (optional)

Ship: MSC SINFONIA
Embarkation Port: Venice, Italy
Duration: 8 Days, 7 Nights
Cabin: Interior Bella or similar

Surface approx. 13 sqm, deck 7-10 Relaxing armchair Bathroom with shower, vanity area and hairdryer Comfortable double or single beds (on request*) TV, telephone, Wifi connection available (for a fee), safe and minibar*Cabins for guests with disabilities or reduced mobility have only single beds.

Cabins are offered on a 'guaranteed' basis. This means that we guarantee to accommodate you at the grade specified (or higher) but the final allocation of a specific cabin will be made by us. Your cabin will be assigned approximately 4 days prior the date of sailing. 

Additional details for Bella Experience: Extensive buffet with a wide array of full board cuisine

  • Main restaurants serving gourmet meals accommodating a variety of dietary restrictions
  • Pool area
  • Well equipped gym with panoramic view
  • Entertainment activities for adults, infants and children
  • Recreational activities for children
  • Qualified multilingual personnel

Cabin upgrade:
Junior Balcony or similar - cabins from an additional $250 per person twin share, depending on sailing date.

Cabins are on request only. Surface approx 13 sqm, balcony approx 3-4 sqm, deck 9-10 Sitting area with sofa Bathroom with shower, vanity area with hairdryer Comfortable double or single beds (on request) TV, telephone, Wifi connection available (for a fee), safe and minibar.

Fine Print

Secure your trip with a $99.00 deposit per person.

Once we receive your deposit, we will send you an invoice with your remaining balance and payment options.

Instalment Schedule:

  1. At the time of booking pay a $99.00 deposit per person.
  2. Pay a 1st installment of $1,200.00 per person within 7 days.
  3. Pay a 2nd installment of $1,200.00 per person within 28 days.
  4. You will then be invoiced for final payment 120 days prior to departure.

This package includes international airfares or has the option of adding international airfares to your booking when selecting your departure city.

If international airfares are included this will be stated in the ‘Inclusions’ section

Alternatively, if international airfares can be added to your booking you will be able to select your departure city after clicking ‘Book Now’ and a cost will be stated next to your selected departure city. This cost will then be added to your booking and flights will be added to your booking.

Conditions of flights for this package bookable by Inspiring Vacations:

  • Flight Offer valid from select departure cities within the purchase path only
  • Flights will be booked with the best available airline/s with luggage included. Low-cost carriers may be booked in conjunction with a full-service airline. Depending on the carrier, entertainment and meals may not be included but payable at an extra cost on-board. We cannot specify or guarantee the airline booked. If you would like a specific airline, please request this at the time of purchase. To make a flight request, please click ‘Book Now’ and select Would you like us to contact you around our flight service?  By selecting this option you will be sent a request form after completing your purchases to make your request. 
  • Flights may not be direct and may include multiple connections
  • Due to disrupted airline schedules globally with the pandemic, stopovers/transit times may be longer than usual (up to 12 hours in duration in some circumstances).
  • Once ticketed, flights are non-refundable; any changes will be subject to the airline rules, Airline change fees and an Inspiring Vacations change fee of $250 per person.
  • Full names as per passport (including all middle names) are required at the time of submitting your traveller booking form. Any error in the names submitted will be subject to an Inspiring Vacations name change fee of $150 plus any applicable fees charged by the airline, or the ticket may be non-refundable with the purchase of a new ticket required. 
  • If the required booking class is unavailable at time of booking, surcharges may apply. Total cost is final only at time of ticketing. Once issued, air tickets are subject to amendment and cancellation fees or may be non-refundable
  • Any airline schedule changes or cancellations are outside of our control. It is important that you, as the customer, stay up-to-date with the latest airline schedule information prior to your departure. If a schedule change results in extended transits or an earlier/later departure from your destination, any additional accommodation or alternative arrangements will be at the traveler's expense.
  • After booking, the price payable may be subject to change as a result of factors beyond the control of Inspiring Vacations. Inspiring Vacations reserves the right to increase the price payable and this will be reflected on the customer's invoice. Increases may be in relation to, but not limited to, currency fluctuations, airline taxes, airfare increases and fuel surcharges.
  • Internal airfares (where applicable and included in the itinerary) will be using a local carrier and may include low-cost carriers without meals or entertainment. Checked baggage will still be included for each passenger. Any additional baggage required is payable at time of check-in. 
  • If you are travelling with another party on a separate booking, we cannot guarantee that the same flights will be booked for all parties, as this strictly depends on availability. 
  • You will be responsible for handling your luggage at all times as the services of porters are not included. If travelling over the recommended amount, you will be liable for any excess baggage fees enforced by the airline, payable directly.
  • In the event of that you no-show on your scheduled flight, please be aware the airline will require you to pay a no show fee, Airline reissue fee plus any additional airfare and taxes. Inspiring Vacations will also charge a $250 admin fee to assist re accommodating you on the next available flight. Please note that depending on the airline's policy, purchasing a new ticket may be required.

 

Baggage

Included baggage differs based on your country of origin. Included baggage will be as per the following:

Country of Origin

Carry-on Baggage

Checked Baggage

Australia

7kgs

20kgs

New Zealand

7kgs

20kgs

United States of America

15lbs

45lbs

Canada

15lbs

45lbs

India

7kgs

20kgs

United Kingdom

7kgs

20kgs


Baggage allowances provided by the airline might differ to the values stated above. However limitations are required due to transport storage restrictions on your selected tour or package.

Flight requests, amendments or preferences

We understand customers may wish to request changes to their included airfares. If you wish to fly with a certain airline, land at a certain time or change your flight in other ways we will gladly provide you with a personalised quote tailored to your specific requirements.

To make a flight request, please click ‘Book Now’ and select Would you like us to contact you around our flight service?  By selecting this option you will be sent a request form after completing your purchase to make your request.

We would be more than happy to provide you with a quote for the following requests:

  • Airline Preferences - You may wish to fly with a particular airline
  • Cabin Preferences - These include upgrading to premium economy or business class
  • Extensions (start and end cities must remain the same) - You may request to extend your stay pre or post tour.
  • Meal Requests - You may request a specific meal for dietary requirements.
  • Seat Requests - If you would like to request particular seating. However please note, not all airlines allow the selection of pre-purchased seat arrangements.

We are currently unable to provide a quote for the following requests:

  • Stopovers - Is where you might want to stop in transit for a certain amount of days prior to your tour or after your tour.
  • One way flights
  • Different start or end city to the tour - you may not amend the arrival or departure city of your itinerary. 
  • Around the world tickets  - Is when a ticket includes multiple stops in different continents.
  • Return home to a different city from the one you departed.
  • Frequent Flyer point redemption - Is when an airline allows you to redeem points to pay for your flights or upgrade your ticket.  

If we can’t fulfill your request and you still wish to proceed with the booking, please select Land Only (excluding UK customers). This will allow you to travel on the land portion of the package without the included airfares. You will then be able to arrange your own flights separately.

FAQs

For more frequently asked questions please view our FAQs  section. 

Online check-in 

Some airlines may not permit online check-in where flights have been booked by a travel company. Where unavailable to do so online, you will be required to check-in at the airport. Inspiring Vacations cannot check-in online on behalf of our customers.

Fitness Requirements
While the tour itinerary should give you some guidance and overview to the expected requirements, to determine if this tour is right for you we categorise each of our tours in terms of their intensity. These guidelines are to ensure that each tour group is conducted as expected and to ensure the overall satisfaction of all Inspiring Vacations customers.

As a general rule, porterage is not included, therefore at all times you are expected to handle your own luggage where help may not be available.

This particular tour is categorised as a”3”

Moderate Tour: A good level of fitness and mobility is required, as this tour includes a moderate level of physical activity and is considered a medium-fast paced tour. You should be able to walk up and down stairs, get on and off the coach and able to walk reasonable distances of approximately 2 kilometres per day or more with ease. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability. If you have any form of walking aids, other than a walking stick or hiking poles, then this tour is not suitable.

Tipping
A friendly reminder that tipping is not included in your package. Tipping is not compulsory on your trip, but they can make a big difference to locals employed in the tourism industry. If you feel that your guide and driver have done an impeccable job, you can choose to give a gratuity, but this is entirely your decision.

Accommodation
The accommodation listed is subject to change. Any changes will be of an equal or higher standard. Bedding configurations (double or twin) are requests only. All efforts will be made to meet your preferences, however, any changes are beyond our control.

Single Supplement
Single supplement is $4,545.00 per person, in addition to the twin-share price.

Triple Share
Not available.

Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is recommended to protect yourself against the unexpected. In addition to the support that a policy may provide, you may be asked to present a copy of your travel insurance documentation while traveling.

We have partnered with nib to offer our customers competitive rates for their travel insurance. You can book Comprehensive or Essentials cover for your domestic, international or multi-trip journeys simply by clicking HERE.

Note that Inspiring Vacations cannot provide advice with regards to any insurance product.

Visa & Passport Information

It is the traveller's responsibility to ensure they have a valid passport. The passport must be valid for a minimum of six months from the intended date of return.

Visa's may be required.

Please note that these details are subject to change without notice. We recommend visiting https://smartraveller.gov.au for up to date information in terms of entry requirements.

Group Size
2-40 people

Children
Children must be 5 years old or above and share a room with parents at all times. Children are charged the same price as adults.

Tour Style
To meet the needs of various types of travelers, we choose to operate various types of tours, and depending on your selected package will mean different services are provided throughout your trip. The following descriptions of each tour style we hope will ensure that each traveller has appropriate expectations before they start their travels: 

  • Partially Escorted - A portion of these packages runs as a group tour where you will be escorted by an expert tour leader. Another portion is independent, whether conducted by rail, cruise or land, and you will travel between destinations on your own, with free time to explore at your own pace.

Click HERE for more information on weather in Italy.

  • International Airfares
  • Airport Transfers
  • Visas (if needed)
  • Travel insurance (compulsory)
  • Tipping
  • Anything not mentioned in the itinerary
  • Optional activities
  • Personal expenses
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