ROME, BARI, PALERMO

With Falstaff (Salsa, Agresta, Petean, Urmana), Petite Messe Solennelle (Mariotti; Torosyan,Vistoli, Korchak, Pertusi), Il trovatore (Enkhbat, Monastyrska, Beltrami, Sartori),

Rigoletto (Carletti, Tézier, Demuro).

Private after hours Sistine Chapel tour, superb meals and expert-led touring.

In our humble opinion, no one does Italy better than Aria Tours. In October of 2026, we offer a different sort of Verdi experience, with three of the maestro's masterworks in three of our favourite Italian cities.

In Rome, we stay at the exquisite 5-star Relais & Chǎteaux Palazzo Ripetta, an oasis near the Pantheon, our favourite area in the city. In addition to performances of Verdi's Falstaff and Rossini's Petite Messe Solenelle, both conducted by Michele Mariotti, we will enjoy the best cuisine, art and historical touring the Eternal City has to offer, including an evening visit to the Sistine Chapel, when we have it all to ourselves. The next segment has us staying at a luxurious Masseria in Apulia, from which we will tour this wonderful region, with an unforgettable day in Matera and a performance of Il trovatore at the gorgeous Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari. We then take a short flight to magical Palermo, where we stay at the 5-star Grand Hotel et des Palmes. Superb touring includes Cefalù and Monreale, and our farewell performance is Rigoletto at the glorious Teatro Massimo.

This 13-night tour will include at least 6 performances, 11 meals in addition to daily breakfast, superb guided tours in each location including a private Sistine Chapel tour, flights between Bari and Palermo, airport-hotel transfers and more.

Click here to register.

ITINERARY

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13

Independent departures on overnight flights to Rome. Flights should be booked to arrive at Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport (FCO) on October 14.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14

Arrival in Rome where you are met and chauffeured to the 5-star Relais & Chǎteaux Palazzo Ripetta, our gorgeous hotel in the heart of the Eternal City.

19.00 Gather in the lobby for introductions and then a Welcome Dinner in the hotel's superb Ristorante San Baylon. 

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15

10.00 Following breakfast (included each day), we explore Ancient Rome during a panoramic tour by coach: Via Veneto, Piazza Barberini, piazza della Repubblica, S. Maria degli angeli e terme di Diocleziano, Via Cavour with Santa Maria Maggiore, Via Merulana, S. Giovanni in laterano Church, Caracalla baths, Circo Massimo, Via di San Gregorio, the Arch of Constantine,

Colosseum, Via dei Fori Imperiali, Piazza Venezia, Capitoline Hill, Largo Argentina and Sant’Andrea della Valle.

PM Following an afternoon at leisure, we enjoy an unforgettable private visit at the Vatican, where we have the Sistine Chapel and Raphael’s Rooms all to ourselves. Dinner is included afterward at La Segrestia.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16

10.00 Today our touring begins with a walk in the area near the Piazza Navona: Church of Sant’Agostino (Caravaggio’s Madonna di Loreto), the Pantheon, Church of San Luigi dei Francesi (Caravaggio’s St. Mathew paintings), Piazza Montecitorio, the Spanish Steps and the Trinità dei Monti (either by lift or on foot).

19.00 Tonight we dine at the revered Mirabelle, with unforgettable views.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17

10.00 Today we visit Villa Medici and then the Villa Borghese, where we will see, amongst other works, Caravaggio’s Boy with a Basket of Fruit, St Jerome Writing and Sick Bacchus, Titian's Sacred and Profane Love, Raphael's Entombment of Christ, and works by Peter Paul Rubens and Federico Barocci.

19.00 Tonight we make our way to Teatro Costanzi for a performance of Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle. Michele Mariotti conducts.

Soprano: Hasmik Torosyan

Countertenor: Carlo Vistoli

Tenor: Dmitry Korchak

Basso: Michele Pertusi

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18

Enjoy the day at leisure in Rome.

16.30 Late afternoon we return to Teatro Costanzi for Verdi's Falstaff.

Falstaff: Luca Salsi

Ford: George Petean

Mrs. Alice Ford: Maria Agresta

Mrs. Meg Page: Ekaterine Buachidze

Mrs. Quickly: Violeta Urmana

Dinner is included afterward at Il Falchetto.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 19

09.00 Check out and transfer to Termini Station to board our high-speed train to Caserta (10.00; 1h07m) where we visit the stunning baroque Royal Palace and Gardens of the Bourbons. Lunch is included. We then take the afternoon train to Bari and transfer to the magnificent 5-star Masseria Torre Maizza, where we begin our 4-night stay with an evening at leisure, to soak in the surroundings.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20

10.00  Today we gather in the lobby and depart for a sightseeing day trip to Matera, known for its hillside dwellings (sassi), and many other pearls of beauty and culture. We will include lunch and a concert here (TBA).

PM The evening is at leisure at the hotel.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21

14.00 Following a restful morning, we dress in business casual attire and depart for the remainder of the day and evening to Bari, where we partake of a city tour and early dinner before Verdi's beloved Il trovatore at the beautiful Teatro Petruzzelli.

Conductor: VINCENZO MILLETARÌ

Director: DAVIDE LIVERMORE

Il Conte di Luna: Amartuvshin Enkhbat

Leonora: Liudmila Monastyrska Azucena: Silvia Beltrami

Manrico: Fabio Sartori

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22

 Late morning we visit two jewels of Puglia: Alberobello, with its fairytale limestone huts (trulli), and Ostuni, the White City, whose hilltop Cathedral has Gothic, Romanesque and Byzantine elements. A sumptuous late lunch/early dinner is included.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23

This morning we fly to Palermo (included), where we store our bags at the 5-star Grand Hotel et des Palmes before embarking on a city orientation tour. Tonight we dine at the magical Villa Tasca.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24

This morning we stroll through the wonderful market in Palermo with our guide, seeing some hidden gem historical sites nearby.

18.00 Depart for Monreale for a private organ concert in the cathedral, followed by dinner at Ciambra. 

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25

Enjoy the day at leisure in Palermo.

17.30 Early curtain for Verdi's Rigoletto at the spectacular Teatro Massimo. Gianna Fratta conducts American actor John Turturro's production.

Il Duca di Mantova: Francesco Demuro

Rigoletto: Ludovic Tézier

Gilda: Adela Zaharia

Sparafucile: George Anguladze

Maddalena Martina Belli

Giovanna: Cassandre Berthon

Il Conte di Monterone: Emanuele Cordaro

Marullo: Daniele Muratori Caputo

Borsa: Alfonso Zambuto

Il Conte di Ceprano: Mariano Orozco

MONDAY, OCTOBER 26

10.00 Depart for touring in Cefalù, including the Norman cathedral.

13.00 A simple lunch is included at Taverna Tinchitè, and then back to the hotel to rest and refresh.

17.30 Depart for a private visit of the Capella Palatina in the Palazzo dei Normanni, followed by Farewell Dinner at Trattoria La Galleria. 

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27

Transfers are included to your airport or the rail station for departures.

TOUR INCLUDES

• Top Category seats for 6 operas and 2 concerts

• 13 nights in 5-star accommodation (5 at the Relais & Chǎteaux Palazzo Ripetta Rome, 4 at the Masseria Torre Maizza in Puglia, 4 at the Grand Hotel et des Palmes in Palermo

• Full breakfast plus at least 11 additional meals 

• Private tours as listed

• Airport-hotel transfers 

• On-site Tour Direction

• Comprehensive Tour Guidebook

FLIGHTS

Flights are not included in tour pricing. Flights should be booked to arrive in Rome (FCO) on October 14, 2026, with departure from Palermo (PMO) on October 27. The flight from Bari to Palermo on October 23 is included in the tour cost.

TRANSFERS

We provide airport/rail station—hotel transfers for arrivals and departures within 3 days of the start/end of our tour. We also provide transfers for group meals and performances that are beyond a 10 minute walk.

MOBILITY

There is minimal walking with some stairs and cobblestones during the guided tours. As for all of our tours, we are happy to accommodate you regardless of your mobility level. Please make clear your mobility concerns at the time of registration. We provide transfers for group meals and performances that are beyond a 10 minute walk.

INSURANCE

We strongly recommend that all tour members purchase cancellation insurance upon registration. We can assist you with this, though you are welcome to purchase a policy at your own discretion. For more information about our travel insurance, click here.