A Grand Tour of Italy and the Balkans

See Rome from the seat of a classic Fiat, cruising through streets that have carried centuries of history. You’ll pass ancient landmarks like the Circus Maximus, the Baths of Caracalla and the Colosseum, with time to pause for views from Aventine Hill and the Janiculum. You’ll continue along the Appian Way, one of Rome’s oldest roads, and through neighbourhoods where daily life plays out, giving you a real taste of Italian culture alongside its monuments.

Ride through Rome’s cobblestone streets and secret alleyways on a Vespa, seeing the city as residents do. With a food and wine expert to guide you, you’ll discover neighbourhood cafés, shops and markets beyond the centre. Along the way, you’ll pause for an espresso, try a slice of pizza bianca warm from the oven and learn the stories behind Rome’s savoury traditions.

Join a local expert for a taste of Rome’s sweetest and most authentic flavours. You’ll start with a coffee, Italian style, before visiting a traditional gelateria where each scoop is made with ingredients from across the country: pistachios from Sicily, hazelnuts from Piedmont and lemons from Sorrento. You’ll finish with a slice of Roman pizza and a classic aperitivo of prosecco or spumante, leaving you with a lasting taste of Italian cuisine.

Walk through Florence’s Renaissance heart with a private guide. At the Accademia Gallery, stand before Michelangelo’s David, a masterpiece that inspired countless copies across the city. In the Piazza del Duomo, you’ll see Brunelleschi’s dome, Giotto’s bell tower and Ghiberti’s bronze Gates of Paradise on the Baptistry. Continue to the Piazza della Signoria, long the centre of Florentine politics, where sculptures line the square beneath the Palazzo Vecchio.

The best way to discover regional Tuscan cuisine is in the kitchen of a local home. A Florentine mama welcomes you in to show how simple, delicious Italian recipes are made, sharing family secrets during the hands-on preparation. The experience ends with everyone sitting down to enjoy the dishes you’ve prepared, while learning about their origins and how the ingredients are cultivated.

Visit the Uffizi Gallery, one of Italy’s most important museums and home to an unrivalled collection of Renaissance art. You’ll see masterpieces by Giotto, Botticelli, Raphael, Caravaggio, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Walking through its galleries is a chance to experience the artistic genius that helped shape European art.

Venice has always been a city of music, and one of the most atmospheric ways to experience it is at a classical concert in a historic setting. Often held in candlelit churches or elegant palazzi such as San Vidal or the Salone Capitolare, the acoustics make every note resonate. As you settle in, the music carries you through Venetian history with pieces by Vivaldi, Bach and other Baroque masters. Ensembles like Interpreti Veneziani perform here regularly, keeping the city’s musical legacy alive.

In Murano, renowned for glassmaking since the 1200s, you’ll step inside a workshop for a private demonstration and see works by masters such as Signoretto. Burano delights with its brightly painted houses and lace-making tradition. On Torcello, the first inhabited island in the lagoon, you’ll find a cathedral with 12th-century mosaics and the Locanda Cipriani, once a retreat for Ernest Hemingway.

A guided walk through Venice takes you to two of its most remarkable landmarks: the Doge’s Palace, once the residence of the Doge and seat of government and justice, and St Mark’s Basilica, a masterpiece of Byzantine, Roman and Venetian design decorated with mosaics by artists from across the world. The experience ends on the water, as you glide through the canals on a gondola, seeing the city’s elegance from a different perspective.

Glide across Lake Bohinj’s clear, glacial waters in a sit-on-top kayak with a private guide. Before setting off, you’ll learn paddling techniques and safety so you feel confident on the water. With the Julian Alps rising around you, pass quiet bays, mirror-like reflections and calm stretches where the surface feels almost glassy. You can continue beyond the lake into the Sava Bohinjka River, watching the scenery change as the current carries you downstream.

Framed by the Julian Alps, and with no motorboats allowed, you’ll cross the lake by traditional pletna or rowboat to reach the 17th-century Church of the Assumption. Traditions linger here: ring the bell for good luck or if you’re newly married, climb the 99 stone steps to the church. From the water, look up to Bled Castle, where Romanesque towers and Renaissance halls hold a museum dedicated to the lake’s history and culture.

Take the funicular up to Ljubljana Castle, the city’s most prominent landmark. This medieval fortress tells the story of the city through centuries of change. With your guide, you’ll visit the Outlook Tower, the castle prison and an exhibition on Slovenian history, as well as a 19th-century well with a wooden tread-wheel crane still in use. The castle offers panoramic views across the city, a highlight for photography enthusiasts.

Step into the lively atmosphere of Ljubljana’s Central Market on a guided culinary walk. You’ll visit seven popular vendors to sample Slovenia’s finest delicacies, from homemade cheese and authentic honey to seasonal vegetables. Begin with a glass of sparkling wine from one of the country’s top winemakers, then discover the stories behind the stalls as you chat with vendors and learn about Slovenian food traditions.

Explore the Škocjan Caves, one of the largest and most dramatic cave systems in Europe. Carved by the Reka River through Slovenia’s Karst landscape, the caves reveal vast chambers, soaring stalactites and stalagmites, and gorges spanned by both natural and man-made bridges. Following the river’s subterranean path, you’ll experience one of the country’s most extraordinary natural wonders.

Plitvice National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Croatia’s most remarkable landscapes, with waterfalls tumbling over forested hills into a chain of sixteen lakes. As you explore, you’ll walk through beech and fir forests, spot orchids in the meadows and watch trout in the turquoise waters. The park is also home to brown bears, wolves, lynx and rare birds of prey, underlining why it has long been considered a natural wonder.

Set on its own small peninsula, Zadar’s old town is enclosed by walls and gates. On a guided walk, you’ll follow marble streets past Roman ruins, medieval churches, cafés and museums, with towers and elaborate gates marking the city’s past. The walk also brings you to Zadar’s modern landmarks: the Sea Organ, which transforms the movement of waves into sound, and the Sun Salutation, a solar installation that lights up after sunset.

The secret ingredient to understanding culture is sharing meals. At this private chef’s table, you’ll join local hosts in an intimate setting to enjoy regional dishes and learn about Dalmatia’s culinary traditions. The evening is as much about conversation as it is about food, offering an authentic glimpse into the flavours and passion of local experts who dedicate their lives to food.

In the forests of the Dalmatian hinterland, you’ll follow trained dogs in search of truffles, guided by an expert who knows the land and its traditions. Taste truffle delicacies such as homemade cheese, truffle sausage and bruschetta, accompanied by rakija, a traditional fruit brandy often infused with herbs or spices. Its sharp, aromatic flavour carries notes of plum, quince or walnut, making it a distinctive companion to the earthy richness of truffles. The day ends with a picnic at a wild table, surrounded by nature and the aromas of the forest.

Travel to the town of Skradin and the Krka Waterfalls National Park, where wooden paths lead to Skradinski Buk – the largest of the park’s seven waterfalls, where cascades plunge into emerald pools. Swimming is no longer allowed, but the viewpoints are among the most striking in Croatia. At the restored watermills you’ll find the Ethno Museum, which displays traditional milling equipment, household tools and costumes.

As you wander the Old Town’s streets, you’ll sample award-winning olive oils, local wines and a mix of traditional and modern dishes, including black risotto made with cuttlefish ink. Led by a private guide who is a viticulture and oenology expert, the walk weaves stories into each taste, deepening your understanding of Croatia’s winemaking and olive oil traditions.

This private tour takes you into the world of Game of Thrones through Dubrovnik’s streets and landmarks. You’ll explore filming locations across the city and at the Trsteno Arboretum, guided by someone who appeared as an extra in the series and offers insights from behind the scenes. Along the way, stories from the production are paired with the city’s own history, creating a vivid connection between King’s Landing and Dubrovnik.

To explore Dubrovnik’s beaches and the wider Adriatic, set out on a private yacht to the Elaphiti Islands, a picturesque archipelago closely tied to the city’s history. Over the course of the day you’ll visit islands such as Koločep, with its coastal paths and early churches, and Lopud, where sandy beaches and quiet monasteries invite reflection. You can swim or snorkel in clear waters, discover hidden bays and sea caves, and pause for lunch of fresh seafood at a local tavern recommended by your captain.

At the foot of Eagle Rock, Cetinje Monastery is one of Montenegro’s most significant religious sites. Within its richly decorated interior you’ll find icons, relics and reliquaries, including the remains of St Peter of Cetinje, venerated by pilgrims across the region. The monastery continues to be a place of devotion and history, where faith and culture meet in a setting that has shaped Montenegro’s identity for centuries.

Set out with your private chauffeur and guide for a cycling tour of the Luštica Peninsula, a pastoral landscape of olive groves, stone villages and coastal views. Visit the Morić family estate, Montenegro’s only certified organic olive farm, for a private tour and tasting accompanied by local tapas. Pause in the village of Klinci for a leisurely lunch at a family-run restaurant, where home-cured hams, fresh cheeses and regional wines reflect the peninsula’s long traditions of hospitality.

Perast is a town once famed for its skilled sailors and ship captains who served the Venetian Republic. You’ll visit its maritime museum before continuing to the island church of Our Lady of the Rocks, built on an artificial islet created over centuries by sailors laying stones on a reef in gratitude for safe voyages. From here, you’ll see the neighbouring island of St George with its cypress-shaded monastery. Pause for lunch at one of the bay’s best restaurants and try regional seafood, grilled fish and local wines. In the afternoon, you can swim in quiet coves or simply take in the views of limestone peaks rising from the water.