Italian Treasures

2012 Season
Departs From: Rome

From 1,414EUR

Length: 10 days from Rome to Rome, or 11 days incl. travel

Overview

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.

Food and wine connoisseurs will enjoy the visit to Verrazzano Castle. Located on a hilltop in the Chianti region, you’ll have the opportunity to learn how the famous Chianti wine is made. You’ll even get a chance to sample some! History buffs will delight in seeing some of Italy’s ancient sights, including the Roman Forum, dating back to the 7th century BC, and the Colosseum, completed in the 1st century AD. Art fans will enjoy seeing Michelangelo’s famous works, including the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling paintings in Rome and his celebrated David in Florence.

If you’re interested in magnificent churches, you’ll enjoy the Vatican as well as St. Francis’ Basilica in Assisi, where St. Francis is buried. You’ll also have a chance to see the Florence Cathedral, built between 1296 and 1436; the Orvieto Cathedral, a great example of gothic architecture in Italy; and St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, one of the best examples of byzantine architecture.

These are just a few of the many highlights on this remarkable tour to Italy’s treasures. Food, wine, history, churches, art, shopping—what more could you ask for? This vacation to Italy is sure to leave you with plenty of photos and stories to share with loved ones back home.

Note:

December 17 Departure Christmas Eve in Venice, dinner included.

Duration: 10 Days

Schedule:

Start Date	End Date
01 June, 2012	10 June, 2012
08 June, 2012	17 June, 2012
08 June, 2012	17 June, 2012
12 June, 2012	21 June, 2012
15 June, 2012	24 June, 2012
15 June, 2012	24 June, 2012
22 June, 2012	01 July, 2012
22 June, 2012	01 July, 2012
29 June, 2012	08 July, 2012
29 June, 2012	08 July, 2012
03 July, 2012	12 July, 2012
06 July, 2012	15 July, 2012
10 July, 2012	19 July, 2012
13 July, 2012	22 July, 2012
20 July, 2012	29 July, 2012
24 July, 2012	02 August, 2012
27 July, 2012	05 August, 2012
03 August, 2012	12 August, 2012
10 August, 2012	19 August, 2012
24 August, 2012	02 September, 2012
24 August, 2012	02 September, 2012
31 August, 2012	09 September, 2012
04 September, 2012	13 September, 2012
07 September, 2012	16 September, 2012
11 September, 2012	20 September, 2012
14 September, 2012	23 September, 2012
14 September, 2012	23 September, 2012
18 September, 2012	27 September, 2012
21 September, 2012	30 September, 2012
21 September, 2012	30 September, 2012
25 September, 2012	04 October, 2012
28 September, 2012	07 October, 2012
28 September, 2012	07 October, 2012
02 October, 2012	11 October, 2012
09 October, 2012	18 October, 2012
16 October, 2012	25 October, 2012
23 October, 2012	01 November, 2012
30 October, 2012	08 November, 2012
06 November, 2012	15 November, 2012
18 December, 2012	27 December, 2012

City Highlights

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

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. (D)

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. (B)

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. (B,D)

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. (B,D)

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? (B)

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. (B)

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. (B)

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. (B,D)

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 Brisio 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. (B,D)

Day 10   Rome. Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)

Meals:  Full buffet breakfast daily (B); 5 three-course dinners (D), including special welcome and farewell dinners with wine in Rome and a special light dinner with wine in Verrazzano

Hotel Information:  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)


Terms and Conditions

Note: Flights are NOT included with the Tour and unless otherwise stated above transfers are also NOT included.

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