Welcome to Athens! Upon arrival, transfer to the city for a leisurely walking tour with your tour director. Enjoy a Greek traditional dinner in the Plaka district.  D

Begin your morning with a guided visit of the Acropolis and Archeological Museum. Walk up the Acropolis and see the Parthenon, Erechtheion, and the Temple of Athena Nike. Spend the rest of the day with the group at leisure to discover other wonders such as the Temple of Olympian Zeus and antique Olympic Stadium. B

After breakfast, journey to Peloponnese for a full day guided excursion. Visit Mycenae, the ancient citadel of located in Argolis. See the awe-inspiring “Lion Gates”: The earliest known piece of monumental sculpture in the European continent. Walk to the interior of the Acropolis, and a steep path leads your climb through several ancient buildings and pathways. Stop in Nafplion for lunch. On to Epidaurus, well-known for the unique acoustics of its 4th BC century old theater. Return to Athens for an evening at leisure. B

This morning, visit The National Archaeological Museum that houses some of the most important artifacts from a variety of archaeological locations around Greece from prehistory to late antiquity. It is considered one of the greatest museums in the world and contains the richest collection of Greek Antiquity artifacts worldwide. The rest of the day is free to explore with the group. Enjoy dinner at a local taverna. B, D

Transfer to the airport for your one-way flight to Rome. Receive assistance upon arrival and transfer to the hotel via private motorcoach. This evening, enjoy dinner at a local trattoria. B, D

Transfer by metro to the Colosseum & Roman Forum for a visit led by your tour leader. Discover the Colosseum, the largest amphitheater ever built having an average audience of 65,000. It was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as mock sea battles, animal hunts re-enactments of famous battles. Then, take a walk through the epic Roman Forum with the group and imagine how it was when it was the center of day-to-day life in Rome. On to The Basilica di San Clemente, a minor basilica dedicated to Pope Clement I. This temple is remarkable because archaeologically, it records the history of Rome from the beginning of Christianity up until the Middle Ages. Visit The Ara Pacis Augustae (Altar of the Augustan Peace), built to celebrate Augustus’ return (13 BCE) from his campaigns in Spain and Gaul. The marble structure once stood on the Campus Martius and is a masterpiece of Roman sculpture. B

This morning, leave Rome behind as you cross the Tiber and enter the independent city-state of the Vatican for a guided tour. View impressive works of art that make up the Vatican’s 500 year old collection, including Assyrian, Etruscan and Palestinian antiquities, as well as tapestries, mosaics, ceramics, and religious art. Within the Vatican Museums you will discover the impressive Sistine Chapel ceiling by Michelangelo. See Bernini’s legacy, St. Peter’s Square, and visit St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest church in the world. This afternoon visit the Borghese Gallery, housed in the former Villa Borghese Pinciana. The gallery houses a considerable part of the Borghese collection of paintings, sculpture and antiquities, begun by Cardinal Scipione Borghese, the nephew of Pope Paul V (1605–1621). Enjoy the astonishing green gardens which are the third largest park in Rome, that surround the gallery. B

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, then board your private motorcoach and set off on a journey to Pompeii, the Roman city both destroyed and preserved by an eruption of Mt. Vesuvius more than 2000 years ago. Today’s guided tour will show you real Roman life in the excavated bakeries, wine shops, groceries, and villas that were buried in ash. Enjoy a stop on the beautiful Amalfi coast. Return to Rome for dinner. B, D