Italy in $460s-$490s RT

Verona, Bologna, Florence. 

Now that's a personal renaissance, if I've ever heard of one.

The perfect trifecta of romance, ragu, and reverie, you'd be hard-pressed to find somewhere better for your end-of-summer sojourn. 

Come September, Verona's world-renowned opera festival winds down. But if you can make it before the 6th, you can still bask in its magic. Twilight waning over the ancient amphitheater, the air full of soaring arias and flickering candlelight, it's nothing short of celestial. 

You won't find deals for Verona after October, but Italy's super-speedy rail network makes it simple to hop between this trio in 2-3 hours if you fly to Florence or Bologna later in the year. 

And with their calendars falling perfectly in sync, you can easily fly into one city and out of the other—for no extra cost.