Roman Ruins & Tuscan Sun

From pasta to pizza to cannoli, Italian food is beloved—and devoured—all around the world. This is your chance to step up to the stove and learn from a real Italian chef. Discover the basics of regional specialties and how a few quality ingredients can make all the difference. After you've helped prepare the food it's time for the best part: Enjoying your mouth-watering meal.

Step inside the smallest country in the world on an expert-led tour. This independent city-state is ruled by the pope. Here you'll visit St. Peter's Basilica, the largest church in the world, which is built over catacombs and the suspected grave of St. Peter himself. Then marvel at Michelangelo's breathtaking ceiling in the Sistine Chapel. And, be on the lookout for the Swiss Guard, protectors of the Vatican City who look like they've time travelled from the Renaissance with their colourful uniforms. 

Journey to Pisa on this half-day excursion. Enjoy a guided tour of the city’s Field of Miracles, where you can snap a picture of the 12th-century Leaning Tower, aslant ever since the third floor was built. This is where Galileo was said to have developed his laws of gravity. Also visit the adjacent cathedral and baptistery, which contain exquisite marble pulpits carved in the Gothic style.

Gain unparalleled insight into the lives of the ancient Roman elite on this excursion. Buried in volcanic ash in 79 A.D., the former resort town of Pompeii is now fully excavated and, uniquely preserved as it was, one of the world’s richest archaeological sites. After a guided tour, enjoy an included lunch and free time before returning to Rome for dinner. Note: Comfortable shoes are recommended.