Delve Deep: Italy

You’ve got 24 hours to live out all your Roman Holiday fantasies. First: count your blessings on an included tour of Vatican City with an expert local guide. Then: get out there and do your own, spontaneous, this-is-what-I-came-for thing. Need some local tips? We’ve got your back. Go behind-the-scenes of a local gelateria to uncover exactly what makes this stuff so dang good. Or hike up Capitoline Hill for awesome views of the Roman Forum and Colosseum. Battle the lunchtime rush for a slice at Pizzarium Bonci. Hunt down the Mouth of Truth. Or simply do as the locals do and indulge in a little dolce far niente (delicious idleness) at a local cafe. You’re in Disneyland for foodies, so finding dinner tonight is gonna to be a breeze. Thought you’d tried all the gelato flavours? Head to Fatamorgana – and think again.

Roll out Topdeckers! We’re kicking things off with a traditional lunch and wine tasting (obvs) with the gang on the slopes of Mt Vesuvius. This is livin’. Then, we’ll make a pit stop at one of the most famous ancient cities in the world: Pompeii. Abruptly buried by a volcanic eruption one evening in 79 AD, this incredible UNESCO World Heritage Site is an ancient-history-buff’s wet dream. Get the run around with an expert on an optional guided tour – ticking off ancient forums, colourful preserved artworks and the Stone Phalluses of Pompeii (ask your guide, we dare you). Later, we’ll roll down the glittering Amalfi Coast to Sorrento. Get your bearings, feast at a local restaurant with the gang, then kick back and soak up the atmosphere. Yep, you’re finally here.

Who said group tours have no free time? Here’s 24 hours to do whatever YOU want. Go get it. Ferry over to the gob-smackingly beautiful Isle of Capri. Organise a boat tour to see the famous bluer-than-blue Blue Grotto. Jump on a local bus and explore picturesque Positano. Take in alllll the views from Villa Comunale Park. Or simply pull up a sunbed and soak up some rays. Later, you can channel your inner-Italian-nonna at an optional cooking class – tucking into your drool-worthy creations for dinner. It’s a tough life. Fact: lemons are kind of a big deal here – so make sure you sample some limoncello or lemon gelato before the day is done.

Down your cappuccino. Pick up a lemon-themed souvenir for mum. And wave goodbye to the coast (for now). Up next? The picture-perfect hilltop town of Assisi. Located in Umbria (aka central Italy) – this place is all about art, culture and I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E natural scenery. Get the run around St Francis Basilica frescoes, Rocca Maggiore Castle, Basilica di Santa Chiara and Piazza del Comune with a local guide – before splitting off to explore the 14th-century streets solo. Check out Temple of Minerva. Wander around Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo. Then head to a local wine bar to sample a drop (or two) of the good stuff. Dinner tonight is on us. Top tip: try anything with truffles – the region is famous for them.

Been dreaming of sun-soaked, vineyard-covered Tuscan hills? You’re in luck – we’re heading to the capital of Tuscany today. But first: the romantic AF city of Siena – rich in Renaissance architecture, sporting some spesh churches and home to Europe’s greatest medieval square (where the famous Palio horse race is run). Get the full tour with a local guide, then hunt down a local for lunch. Top tip: try this area’s take on pasta called pici. Then? Prepare to make your food baby sing (even louder) as we roll into Florence. Did someone say karaoke? If you’re feeling it, join the gang in a battle of the classics at the bar later.

Florence has more stories than Bilbo Baggins, more culture than a London hipster, AND it gave the world gelato (praise be). We’ll get the lay of the land on an in-depth walking tour with a local guide. Then: take your new-found knowledge and hit the streets solo. Uffizi Gallery. Ponte Vecchio. Piazza della Signoria. The Duomo. You can’t see it all, but you sure as hell can try! Been dreaming of rolling Tuscan hills? Head out into the vine-laden Chianti region for an optional lunch and wine tasting at a local winery. Thank us later. Tonight, catch the epic sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo or hunt down a gelateria for a scoop (or two) of the good stuff – we mentioned it was invented here, right?

Another day, another gorgeous Tuscan city. Get that gelato to take-away – we’re making tracks to the walled city of Lucca. This place is the definition of “hidden gem” and you’ll get plenty of free time to discover why. Then: get your creative juices flowing for THAT photo at Pisa before we hit up La Spezia (aka the gateway to Cinque Terre) later. Tonight, dinner is on us – start carb-loading, you’re gonna need it for tomorrow’s adventuring.

The five cliff-side villages of Cinque Terre didn't end up on the World Heritage list for nothing. And each has a vibe of its own. Completely void of corporate development and full of quirks, this is a place where la dolce vita is not so much encouraged as enforced. And you’ve got a full free day to embrace it all. Need some suggestions on how to make the most of your free time? Catch the train to Riomaggiore for colourful postcard-perfect marinas – then down an espresso and hike to Manarola for a quick dip off the rocks. Or trek to the hilltop village of Corniglia for pizza, then work off said pizza with a hike down to Vernazza – check out the church, grab a gelato and train to Monterosso. Sunbake, swim, spritz, watch the sunset, have more spritz. Then head back to La Spezia when you’re done. This is livin’. *Note: is walking the best option for you? If not, save us the headache and just get on the train. You know who you are.

Time to get cruisie – we’re gonna spend the morning ferrying on the surface of picture-perfect Lake Garda (aka Italy’s largest lake). Float through the picturesque landscape of Punta San Vigilio while getting low-down on the cultural heritage of Garda’s fairytale islands and picture-perfect villages. We'll park up later in Venice – home to over 400 bridges and birthplace of Vivaldi. After dinner with the gang, this beautiful sinking city is yours for the taking. Go get it.

Centuries-old architecture. Inventive cuisine. And a bucket load of culture. Venice is just begging to be explored. Check out the who's who of Venice's usual suspects on a walking tour – before rounding things off with a gondola ride down the Grand Canal. And then? The rest is up to you. Insider tip: spend some time seeking out the epic Libreria Acqua Alta bookshop or head off the tourist trail with a trip to Giudecca Island. Go wandering. Chat to the locals. Get lost in the maze of canals and piazzas. Watch the sun go down with a refreshing spritz in hand. That’s what makes the memories.

Southward and downward with a pit stop at the hilltop town of Orvieto – to see the grand cathedral and dig into a wild boar panini (unless you’re vegetarian). Then: we’ll hit the road back to la bella Roma. End your day in true Italian fashion: in a carb-induced coma at a local trattoria. This is our last dinner with the gang, so you’d better give this incredible trip the send-off it deserves!

You can’t be serious, it’s over? Time to say our goodbyes (no crying). But the adventure doesn’t have to end here – we hear Greece is lovely this time of year...