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 In
the 18th and 19th centuries, the "Grand Tour"
was the essential conclusion of the education
of every young man of status in England and
France. To become a person of the world and
a noble member of society, a father paid for
his son to travel to Venice and Rome for the
better part of a year, where he would experience
life, romance, and history to its fullest extent.
Without the social pressure, your honeymoon
will trace this same route in more luxurious
accommodations, affording you a complete education
in relaxation, history, and gourmet living.
You'll receive all the old-world hospitality
and attention you truly deserve!
One
of the nicest things about this itinerary is
that it can be done any time of the year with
beautiful results - as you'll be taking in the
countryside from first-class train, you won't
have to worry about driving in rain or snow,
timing your journey to stay at properties only
open half the year, or worrying about too many
tourists in the summer or too few services in
the winter. These cities are immortal, and lovely
in every season. With seasonality, one important
item to note is that prices in Italy do change.
If you're willing to adventure outside of the
top tourist season, you can stay at some wonderful
places at a better value, and still experience
a mild climate and the continuous warmth of
the Italians.
This
journey can be done in either direction,
but for now, we'll start your Grand Tour in
Venice, spending your time on the exclusive
Lido beach in the summer, or the canalside shops,
churches and taverns in the winter. Your gateway
to Venice will be the masterpiece Hotel Bauer,
where you'll stay for three nights in a boutique
wing reserved for honeymooners and celebrities,
dubbed "Il Palazzo." Enjoy a rooftop spa treatment
while looking down onto Piazza San Marco or
Santa Maria Salute across the water, and then
join the beautiful people for dinner and drinks
at one of the finest restaurants in Italy. During
the day, explore cathedrals, palaces, and boat
workshops, eat fresh fish, and gaze out over
the Adriatic.
 A
high-speed train ride will then bring you through
Tuscany and along the tributaries of the Arno
River to Florence, the capital of the Renaissance.
Here, you'll be met by a bilingual, personal
escort to take you up the hill high above
the city to the Villa San Michele, one of the
most exclusive and romantic hotels in the world.
Constructed as a noble monastery and retreat
in the 15th century, it commands amazing views
of Florence while feeling a Tuscan world away
with green gardens and warm, attentive service.
You'll stay in a stand-alone room carved into
an ancient chapel. Between November and March
(when Villa San Michele is closed),
the centrally-located JK Place Hotel provides
a stylish base from which to explore the city.
 The
final leg of your journey will be accompanied
by a rapidly changing view of the Mediterranean
coast as you zip along in the ultramodern luxury
of the Florence-Rome Eurostar train. Arriving
under the vaults of Rome Termini station, you'll
be conveyed by private limo transfer to the
Hotel Capo d'Africa, a design hotel located
right in
the shadow of the Colosseum. From this privileged
location, you'll explore Rome's great monuments,
museums, art galleries, and piazzas, and perhaps
take daytrips to its outlying ruins. Finally,
you'll transfer to Fiumicino airport to fly
home richer in spirit and in culture!
Who
will enjoy this trip:
Lovers of culture, urban excitement, and rail
travel. Those seeking top Italian experiences.
Who
should avoid this trip:
Those travelers wishing a more independent itinerary
with the freedom to drive; honeymooners looking
for a quaint backcountry experience, and those
on modest budgets.
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