Arrival
Welcome to the gorgeous Northern Italy city and the world's fashion capital, Milan! Upon arrival, you are met by your private driver at the airport, who transfers you to the hotel for check-in.
The rest of the day is at your own leisure to relax after the trip.
Milan Sightseeing & the Last Supper
Following breakfast, you meet your guide at the hotel lobby and have a 4-hour walking tour of Milan to learn more about the city's history.
You start your exploration of Milan at Piazza del Duomo and marvel at the world-known Milan Duomo*, the Gothic cathedral and the highest sight in the city which took about six centuries to build. Then you walk through nearby-located Galleria Vittorio Emanuele and reach La Scala Theatre. Prepare to be wowed by the prestigious Milan opera house.
You continue to the picturesque Brera district to feel the historical atmosphere of the city. Explore the public areas with stories of its 15th-century owners ringing in your ears.
As a highlight of the tour, you also have a chance to witness the unique treasure of Milan - Leonardo da Vinci's legendary painting* "The Last Supper" located in the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. After the tour, you return to the hotel and have the rest of the day at leisure.
*Please note: the Milan Cathedral is a sacred religious site thus the dress code for visiting it is applied just as when you visit any church in Italy: no shorts – no uncovered knees and shoulders, no backpacks.
*Note: viewing the Last Supper is available only with a group. Your private guide waits for you outside while you have a visit in the church which takes 15 minutes as per regulations. The tour is not available on Mondays.
Sforza Castle & Leonardo's Machines Museum
Following breakfast at your hotel, you meet your private guide and start a tour to discover significant works of Leonardo da Vinci in Milan. The first place you visit today is the fortress of Milan, Sforza Castle, and see the Sala delle Asse. It had been recently restored with an accurate work of 7 years and reopened for the 500-years anniversary of the death of Leonardo Da Vinci.
Your guide leads you through the periods of the masterpiece creation and tells you in details about the motive, instruments, and history behind. An interesting fact that it reflects a revolutionary idea of cultivation of mulberry trees, which are used in the silk production and made Milan capital of the production and trade of silk, and afterward the city of fashion.
You also take the chance to see the last unfinished work by Michelangelo, located in the Sforza Castle. Witness the Pieta and feel the powerful emotional involvement.
Then you have a short walk to Ambrosiana, one of the most ancient cultural institutions in the north of Italy. Here you see a Da Vinci manuscript (Codice Atlantico) containing many of his projects and drawings. Along with many precious paintings, you find here the "Portrait of a Musician" by Da Vinci, depicting the most famous musician of the time.
After a lunch break, you go to the Leonardo da Vinci Museum and meet a museum guide who takes you on a 1.5-hour tour. Here you get to see dozens of models built in the 1950s based on the huge number of sketches and designs left by Leonardo. An expert guide explains how the machines work and the original purpose behind them. Once the guided tour is finished you may continue exploring the museum on your own.
After the tour, you return to the hotel and have the rest of the day free.
Departure
Following breakfast you check out from the Milan hotel, your driver takes you to the rail station for your quick train connection to Florence.
Arrival in Florence & Da Vinci Museum Tour
Welcome to Florence! Upon arrival, your private driver transfers you to the hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is at your own leisure to relax after the trip.
As a highlight of the day, we have planned for you a 1-hour guided tour to the Da Vinci Museum. Here you find yourself in the interactive and extraordinary world of Da Vinci. The exhibition is devoted to real machines designed by Leonardo that were assembled for the exposition. In one of the halls, you also have a chance to see the Mona Lisa, the Last Supper, and the Annunciation to the Lady with the Ermine up close and in high-resolution which is not possible to do in the museums.
After exploring the museum, you return to the hotel and have the rest of the day free.
Florence Sightseeing & Uffizi Gallery
After breakfast in your hotel, you meet with your private guide and go on a 3-hour walking tour of Florence's highlights (no entrances).
Today's program includes exploration of the Piazza del Duomo as well as the main square of the city - Piazza della Signoria. You pass through the heart of the historical center with its landmark sites like Piazza della Repubblica and the Strozzi Palace. Stroll down via Tornabuoni, one of the most beautiful streets of the city, famous for its fine shops.
After a lunch break, you continue with a tour of the Uffizi Gallery. During the 3-hour private tour, you see the outstanding collection of art presented in its sprawling galleries. Devote your attention to famous masterpieces like "The Birth of Venus" by Botticelli, "Medusa" by Caravaggio, "Madonna of the Goldfinch" by Raphael. Here you also find works of young Leonardo Da Vinci painted before he moved to Milan in 1482 being in the service of Duke Ludovico il Moro. In the hall 15 dedicated to Leonardo, you see the "Adoration of the Magi" and "Annunciation". Here you also find the difference in style in the canvas of "Baptism of Christ", where the main part was painted by a great master Verrocchio and a part of it was done by Leonardo.
After the tour, you return to your hotel and enjoy an evening at your own leisure.
Exploring the Birthplace of Da Vinci
After breakfast in the hotel, you meet your private driver and start a 5-hour tour to Vinci, the birthplace of Leonardo Da Vinci.
Together with a local guide, you explore the Museo Leonardiano, located inside the Castello dei Conti Guidi, and the Palazzina Uzielli in Vinci. You see one of the most extensive and original collections of models that faithfully reproduce the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci.
After the tour in Vinci, you are taken to the house of Leonardo in the village of Anchiarno. Once you are in the countryside, you also enjoy a light lunch with a wine tasting at one of the local wineries before you return to Florence.
Departure
This is the last day of your amazing tour to Italy! After breakfast, your driver meets you at the hotel lobby and takes you to the airport for your flight back home. We wish you a safe flight and hope to work on your future vacations!