Throughout the ages, Sicily caught the interest (and bore the incursion) of practically every civilization that set foot on the Italian peninsula. Goths, Greeks and Romans all had their hand leading a chapter in the history of this strategically-placed Mediterranean jewel. Even if you have no imperial designs, Sicily will catch your interest with her dazzling landscape and stunning architecture.

It’s easy to see why the Sorrentine peninsula was a favorite vacation residence of the Roman emperor Augustus. Perched above the azure Bay of Naples, he could gaze on rows of olive trees and the hazy outline of a quiet Mount Vesuvius.

Watching suited businessmen zoom past the Colosseum on motorbikes, you’ll begin to understand that life in the Eternal City is a constant conflagration of past and present.  As we explore the famed monuments of Rome, we’ll discover the magic of a place where two thousand years of civilization form part of the everyday mosaic.

Friends of Lorenzo de Medici called him “Il Magnifico” (the Magnificent) for gathering the world’s finest artists, musicians, and poets to Florence.  It was a fitting nickname for Lorenzo, and for the city itself: there is little here that isn’t “magnifico.”  The Renaissance will come alive as we explore Michelangelo’s treasures in the Galleria dell’Accademia and the Museo di San Marco.

In the 15th century, merchants flocked to Venice to sell their wares at the world’s most vibrant market.