13 Day Splendors Of Northern Italy Cruise with Uniworld River Cruises – Venice to Rome

Day 1: Venice (embark)

Arrive at Venice Marco Polo International Airport, where you will be transferred to the ship.

Day 2: Venice

FEATURED EXCURSIONS: Walking discovery of Venice and exclusive evening–opening of St. Mark’s Basilica 

Venice, which was founded in the sixth century, controlled all European trade with the East during the Middle Ages. Local guides will lead you through hidden alleys where tourists rarely go to the Piazza San Marco and the Doge’s Palace, which is brimming with artistic treasures. The tour concludes at Rialto Bridge; you have the option to stay in the city to explore on your own, or consider jumping further into Venetian culture with a private boat ride to a nearby arts center where you’ll see the fine arts of glassblowing and lace-making on display. Cap off your day with a most memorable experience: an exclusive, crowd-free visit to spectacular St. Mark’s Basilica. In the evening enjoy a Captain’s Welcome Reception and Gala Dinner.

Note: It is not always possible to arrange after-hour visits to St. Mark’s Basilica. If religious functions or festivities are taking place in the evening, you will visit during regular hours.

Day 3: Venice, Chioggia (Padua), Taglio di Po, Polesella

FEATURED EXCURSIONS: Choice of half-day excursion to Padua or Chioggia walking discovery tour 

Enjoy magnificent farewell views of “The Floating City’s” greatest sites, including the Grand Canal, as your ship departs Venice. Then visit the medieval walled city of Padua, one of Italy’s oldest towns and home to one of the oldest universities in the world. Here, many notable scholars sought academic freedom, including Galileo and Copernicus, and two of Italy’s most famous writers, Dante and Petrarch, were students. Join your local guide on a walking tour of Padua through ancient arcades and porticos to Palazzo della Ragione, Padua’s historic city center, and enjoy a treat at a local café. Or, explore Chioggia on foot. This gem of a city is much like a miniature Venice, with its canals, narrow streets, and medieval churches. Later in the afternoon, reboard your ship in Taglio di Po and sail to Polesella.

Day 4: Polesella (Bologna or Ferrara)

FEATURED EXCURSIONS: Choice of full-day excursion to Bologna with exclusive pasta-making workshop with lunch or half-day excursion to Ferrara with lunch onboard 

Spend the whole day in Bologna, called la grassa, meaning “bountiful.” Its portico-lined streets are home to the oldest university in Europe. But does it really have the best food in Northern Italy? You be the judge. There’s more to the city than Bolognese sauce, that’s for sure—there’s Parma ham, parmesan cheese, and perhaps the best tortellini in the world, all on lavish display in the amazing food markets. Join a pasta-making workshop and learn how to create your own fabulous pasta. Or spend a half day in UNESCO-designated Ferrara, one of Italy’s best- kept secrets, where you’ll discover how the city became an artistic hub for the likes of Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Titian, and Petrarch, among others.

Day 5: Polesella (Ravenna), Taglio di Po, Chioggia, Venice

FEATURED EXCURSIONS: Choice of half-day excursion to Chioggia with seafood lunch or full-day excursion to Ravenna, “City of Mosaics” 

Today, you have two delightful options. You can journey to the fishing town of Chioggia and enjoy a delicious seafood lunch. Or, if you prefer, you can travel to ancient Ravenna, the “City of Mosaics.” You’ll join your guide on a tour of Ravenna’s UNESCO-designated Early Christian Monuments: Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, and St. Vitale Basilica (which contains stunning mosaics that are more than 1,500 years old).

Day 6: Venice (Verona) 

FEATURED EXCURSION: Full-day excursion to Verona, city of Romeo and Juliet 

Shakespeare endowed Verona with enduring fame when he wrote of two star-crossed lovers, but Verona has been an important city in Northern Italy for two thousand years. Today you’ll see its extraordinary pink-marble-sheathed Roman arena, where many famous composers, musicians, and opera singers still perform. Savor the magic of Verona and get swept away in its romance. Or, enjoy a full day at leisure in Venice.

Day 7: Venice 

FEATURED EXCURSION: Exclusive “Do as the Locals Do” Venice walking tour 

See Venice like the locals do on this immersive walking tour of the Dorsoduro district and the Rialto, the city’s historic core, where you’ll find the Rialto Market stretched along the Grand Canal. As you stroll among the stalls of local produce, meat, fish, and specialty goods, you’ll get a feel for the authentic market experience—you’ll even get the chance to indulge in a Venetian aperitivo. During the afternoon, sail through the scenic Venice Lagoon and enjoy a Captain’s Farewell Reception and Gala Dinner in the evening.

Day 8: Venice, transfer to Florence

Florence offers innumerable artistic treasures, but perhaps none is more spectacular than Michelangelo’s David, which you’ll see today on your guided visit to the Accademia Gallery.

Day 9: Florence

To truly experience Florence, one must do so a piedi. You’ll get a close-up view of some of the city’s most glorious sights, from the revolutionary cupola of Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence’s landmark cathedral, to the historic Piazza della Signoria. Then take in the views of the Palazzo Pitti from the banks of the Arno; this Renaissance palace once housed the mighty Medici family.

Day 10: Florence, transfer to Rome

Traverse the breathtaking Tuscan countryside to Rome via motorcoach. Stop en route for a homemade lunch and wine tasting at Castello di Verrazzano, a gorgeous estate in Chianti country.

Day 11: Rome

It’s impossible to overstate the importance of Rome in European history, as you’ll discover on today’s tour, which includes the Arch of Titus, the Villa Borghese, and the Colosseum. Or “Do as the Locals Do” and walk the heart of Rome, seeing the Pantheon, the Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, and the Trevi Fountain.

Day 12: Rome

Spend the morning on a tour of the Vatican museums, including a visit to both stunning St. Peter’s Basilica and the spectacularly frescoed Sistine Chapel.

Day 13: Rome

Transfer to Rome Leonardo da Vinci Airport for your flight home.