| Italian Treasures (LK) 2012 |
10 Days |
Italy & Sicily |
June 15, 2012 |
$2305 |
When you think of the ideal vacation to Italy, what comes to mind? Savoring the local cuisine and sampling the local wine? Visiting the historical sights from the Roman Empire? Maybe it’s seeing the architectural treasures, splendid art, and ornate churches with their religious artifacts. Or maybe it’s shopping for local goods. If so, all this and more are offered on this amazing tour through Italy—with overnights in Rome, Lucca, Florence, Venice, and Assisi. |
Included:
Rome
Welcome and farewell dinners at a local restaurant; guided sightseeing, visit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Square and Basilica, the Colosseum and Roman Forum
Pisa
Marvel at the legendary Leaning Tower
Lucca
Orientation
Siena
Walking tour including Piazza del Campo
San Gimignano
Orientation
Verrazzano Castle
Wine tasting and light dinner
Florence
Guided walking tour, visit Michelangelo’s David, and Signoria Square
Verona
Walking tour including Juliet’s balcony and the Arena
Venice
Private boat ride; guided walking tour, visit St. Mark’s Square and Basilica, Doges’ Palace and the Bridge of Sighs; glassblowers’ demonstration
Ravenna
Visit St. Apollinaris in Classe
Assisi
Guided walking tour, visit St. Clare’s Church and St. Francis’ Basilica
Orvieto
Ride a funicular through the ramparts and visit the cathedral
Headsets throughout the tour
ACCOMMODATIONS
ROME Cicerone (SF) or Albani (F), LUCCA Grand Hotel Guinigi (F), FLORENCE Grand Hotel Mediterraneo (F), VENICE ISLAND Carlton on the Grand Canal (F) or Residence Palazzo Selvadego (F) or Boscolo Bellini (F), ASSISI San Francesco or Roseo Hotel Assisi (F), ROME NH Midas (F) or Holiday Inn Rome Aurelia (F)
MEALS
Full buffet breakfast daily; 5 three-course dinners, including special welcome and farewell dinners with wine in Rome and a special light dinner with wine in Verrazzano
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DAY 1 Arrive in Rome, Italy
Time to rest or start exploring the “Eternal City” on your own. At 5 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and leave the hotel for a special welcome dinner with wine at one of Rome’s lively restaurants. (Dinner)
DAY 2 Rome
Sightseeing with your Local Guide starts with a visit to the VATICAN MUSEUMS and SISTINE CHAPEL, world famous for Michelangelo’s ceiling paintings and The Last Judgement. Continue to monumental ST. PETER’S SQUARE and BASILICA. Cross the Tiber and visit the COLOSSEUM and the ROMAN FORUM, where Roman legions marched in triumph. Time for independent activities and exciting optional excursion possibilities. (Breakfast)
DAY 3 Rome–Pisa–Lucca
This morning, head north along the Tyrrhenian coastline through an area where many a town was founded at the very beginning of recorded history by the mysterious, highly civilized Etruscans. Stop in Pisa for lunch and to take pictures of its Leaning Tower, 180 feet high and no less than 12 feet out of the perpendicular. Then, continue to Lucca, and enjoy an orientation walk and time to explore this pretty town on your own. (Breakfast, Dinner)
DAY 4 Lucca–Siena–San Gimignano–Florence
A scenic day in Tuscany. This morning, visit Siena and walk through ancient narrow lanes to beautiful PIAZZA DEL CAMPO, theater of the biannual Palio, Siena’s spectacular medieval-style horse race. Next is hilltop San Gimignano, the most picturesque of Italy’s perfectly preserved medieval towns. In the afternoon, drive along the Chianti Road leading north to Florence. Next is the highlight of the day: stop at splendid VERRAZZANO CASTLE to hear about the fine art of blending four types of grapes to obtain the famous Chianti. Enjoy a WINE TASTING followed by a light dinner of local specialties. (Breakfast, Dinner)
DAY 5 Florence
During your walking tour with a Local Guide, visit the ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS with Michelangelo’s celebrated David and the magnificent cathedral. Admire Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistry’s heavy bronze “Gate of Paradise,” and sculpture-studded SIGNORIA SQUARE. Afternoon free for independent sightseeing and browsing through the shops. Leather goods and gold jewelry sold by the ounce are attractive buys. Why not try the culinary delights of a fine Tuscan restaurant tonight? (Breakfast)
DAY 6 Florence–Verona–Venice
Stop in Verona, setting of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet to see Juliet’s balcony and the Arena, an incredibly well-preserved pink marble Roman amphitheater. Built in the 1st century AD, it is now the magical venue for world-famous opera performances. Arrive in Venice, a powerful magnet for romantics and art lovers from around the globe. Tonight is your chance to sample the city’s fine restaurants. (Breakfast)
DAY 7 Venice
Enter in style by PRIVATE BOAT and enjoy morning sightseeing with your Local Guide featuring ST. MARK’S SQUARE and the byzantine BASILICA, lavish DOGES’ PALACE and the BRIDGE OF SIGHS. Also watch skilled GLASSBLOWERS fashion their delicate objects in an age-old traditional manner. Then, enjoy Venice at your own pace or join an optional gondola ride. (Breakfast)
DAY 8 Venice–Ravenna–Assisi
Along the coastline of the Adriatic Sea to Ravenna. Here, see the famous mosaics in the 6th-century BASILICA of ST. APOLLINARIS IN CLASSE. In the afternoon, arrive in Assisi. During your walking tour with a Local Guide, visit ST. CLARE’S CHURCH and ST. FRANCIS’ BASILICA, the hub of a religious order devoted to the ideals of humility, forgiveness, simplicity, and love for all God’s creatures. Hear about monastic life and admire the priceless frescoes adorning the walls of the church. (Breakfast, Dinner)
DAY 9 Assisi–Orvieto–Rome
Following the Tiber Valley, reach Orvieto, perched high atop a volcanic rock. Access, denied to many a would-be conqueror through the ages, is easy for you. Ride a modern FUNICULAR right through the forbidding ramparts. Time for lunch, browsing through tempting shops in the lanes off Piazza del Duomo, and finding the right angle for a picture of the fabulous gothic CATHEDRAL with its San Brizio Chapel. In the late afternoon, return to Rome. This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner with wine at a local restaurant to celebrate the success of your vacation. (Breakfast, Dinner)
DAY 10 Rome
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (Breakfast)
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