10-Nights Italy & the Palio - Inspiring Expeditions by Geoffrey Kent from $169,950

Known as the "Island of Love" since the days of the Roman Empire, Capri offers stunning views, dozens of international cafes, fine Mediterranean restaurants and sophisticated resort shopping. Enjoy a boat trip around the coast to witness the hypnotic beauty of the Blue Grotto.

Siena is . . . the city of the blessed Virgins and the "Balzana"; black and white; decisive, just as its heraldic symbol; passionate and contemplative; always climbing and descending; clear and at the same time obscure; steep and narrow streets; the red of the Piazza del Campo appearing blinding and suddenly. In the alleys, in the museums and oratories of the Contrada, the spiritual songs of the Palio evoke very ancient rituals and modern allegories, while during the evening the shuffling of soles on the deserted pavement is in contrast with the peacefulness of the green valleys providentially enclosed within the wall, which ancient administrators had erected hundreds of years before it became common practice.

Siena is also the Cathedral and the extraordinary panorama from the Facciatone; the Sala del Pellegrinaio in Santa Maria della Scala, the Libreria Piccolomini and the prestigious Accademia Chigiana; the enormous Medicean fortress that on the inside, at the Enoteca Italiana, harbors the most precious wines of Siena, Tuscany and the peninsula; sweet-smelling Trattorias, sweet spices, the sounds of the artisans and spouting fountains; Fontebrande and the mystery of the Diana, a famous river underneath Siena; the alchemy geometry of the Piazza, suggestively neo-Gothic and cathartic. And these are the reasons why "Siena opens up its heart more than any other place," as the famous inscription reads on the Porta di Camollia.

The city of the most famous lovers in history: Romeo and Juliet. But Verona has much more to offer. The city, also known as Urbs Nobilissima, is the second biggest city in Veneto (after Venice). It is one of the cities that has better preserved its artistic heritage in Italy.