Italy: 4* Break With Three Nights in Rome and Two Nights in Venice, Plus Flights and Breakfast for £459pp from Viva Holidays (Up to 60% Off)

The Hotels: The Ripa Hotel
With the audacious curves of contemporary design matched to a family tradition of hospitality, The Ripa Hotel provides a calm enclave of urban chic at the centre of the Roman metropolis. The en-suite, and usually balconied, rooms cover a generous 28 square metres, and come equipped with security safe, air-conditioning, cable TV, mini bar and Wi-Fi on request. There is a gym downstairs and a café bathed in warm lemon and walnut tones, and being at the heart of the Trastevere district makes the hotel an ideal base for city explorations.

Hotel Carlton
Soaring north east to the glitter and shimmer of Venice, the family-run Hotel Carlton sits amidst the opulent palaces of the Grand Canal, with an interior that reflects a little of their grandeur. The pastel shades and Venetian stuccoes of the bar give way to rooms decorated according to eighteenth-century Venetian style. With damask tapestry and Murano glass lamps, the space conjures a sense of the city at it’s height, and each is equipped with plasma TV, internet access, direct telephone, safe-box, mini-bar and air-conditioning. There is an outdoor patio on which to take a morning coffee, and a restaurant serves international specialities with refined simplicity.



Groupon Recommends
The overwhelming delights of Rome cannot be seen in a day, but with careful preparation guests can get the measure of them over three. From the ancient wonders of the Colosseum, Palatine, and the Pantheon, to the frescoes in the Palazzo Massimo alle Terme museum, the city is packed with history, art and inspiration. Religious buildings provide wonder at every turn, from St Peter’s famous dome, to the intrigue of a 2nd century Mithraic temple that lies beneath the layers of 12th and 4th century churches at San Clemente, and almost every church passed is worth a peek inside. With the legendary gelato caves and the delectable array of restaurants, cafés and bars spread out over the courtyards and winding streets, Rome could occupy visitors for entire months and years.

Once whisked to Venice, guests can enter a different stream of Italian life. With more artistic masterpieces per square kilometre than any other city in the world, Venice is a tight-packed haven for those in search of aesthetic beauty. Slide through the watery channels in a languorous gondola, or take in the mosaics of the Basilica San Marco, but don't forget to pause at an 18th century coffee house for an intense hot chocolate.

Local Amenities
Both hotels are centrally located, with the full spread of two intricate urban fabrics unfurling from the doorstep. Restaurants, bars, cafés and shops fill the streets, and there are hospitals and police stations close by.



Weather and Climate
Rome: Oct-Feb 17-9°C
Venice: Oct-Feb 14-5°C

Transport
Flights: Flights depart from London Gatwick to Rome and return from Venice to Gatwick. Flights from Manchester and Belfast are also available for an additional surcharge of £49pp.

Timings:
Dep. London Gatwick 7am, Arr. Rome 10.20am; Dep. Rome 7.55pm, Arr. Venice 9.05pm; Dep. Venice 12.35pm, Arr. London Gatwick 1.45pm or Dep. Venice 4pm, Arr. London Gatwick 5.10pm.

Dep. Manchester 6.40am, Arr. Rome 10.30am; Dep. Rome 7.55pm, Arr. Venice 9.05pm; Dep. Venice 1.45pm, Arr. Manchester 6.15pm (indirect flight, connection at London Gatwick)

Dep. Belfast 6.30am, Arr. Rome 8.20pm (indirect flight connection at London Gatwick); Dep. Rome 7.55pm, Arr. Venice 9.05pm; Dep. Venice 12.35pm, Arr. Belfast 8.30pm (indirect flight, connection at London Gatwick)

Airports: Shuttle services and trains run from Rome’s airport, while water taxis serve Venice

Groupon Top Tip
When in Rome, visit St Peter’s early in the morning to watch the sun rise over the city and avoid the notoriously long lunchtime queues.