The Best Of Italy And Sicily

2012 Season
Departs From: Rome

From 2,302EUR

Length:  15 days from Rome to Rome, or 16 days incl. travel

Overview

Italy is a country with so much to offer—amazing scenery, ancient ruins, a rich history, sumptuous cuisine, architectural treasures, splendid art, designer shops, and friendly people. On this tour through Italy, you’ll experience some of Italy’s most popular cities and historic sights, including Rome, Florence, Venice, Assisi, Pompeii, Sorrento, and Taormina. You’ll also take an overnight ferry from Naples to Sicily.

Tour highlights include Agrigento, where you’ll see ancient Greek structures that have survived for 2,400 years! Also visit Taormina, where you’ll see the 3rd-century BC Greek Amphitheater, the second largest of its kind in Sicily. Photos and words cannot adequately capture these sights—you must visit them in person! Your time in Sorrento includes a visit to the Isle of Capri with a boat ride across the Bay of Naples and funicular ride to Capri village.

If art is your focus, you’ll be delighted by Michelangelo’s David in Florence. Completed in 1504, the artist worked over thirty months for a mere 400 florins (roughly $50,000 today). He worked even longer on the ceiling paintings in the Sistine Chapel in Rome (painted from 1508 to 1512), which you’ll also see on this tour. Watch glassblowers in action as they create their beautiful art in Venice. Or if historical churches interest you, you’re sure to be delighted by the 12th-century Norman Cathedral in Monreale, famous for its 50,000 square feet of precious byzantine mosaics; St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome; the 13th-century Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, where St. Francis is buried; Ravenna’s 6th-century Basilica of St. Apollinaris in Classe, famous for its mosaics; and more.

These are just a few of the many highlights on this vacation through the best of Italy and Sicily. So if you want to see Italy, let TravelToe handle the details and focus your energy on experiencing this marvelous country.

Duration:  15 Days

Schedule:

Start Date	End Date
27 May, 2012	10 June, 2012
03 June, 2012	17 June, 2012
17 June, 2012	01 July, 2012
01 July, 2012	15 July, 2012
08 July, 2012	22 July, 2012
22 July, 2012	05 August, 2012
05 August, 2012	19 August, 2012
26 August, 2012	09 September, 2012
02 September, 2012	16 September, 2012
09 September, 2012	23 September, 2012
16 September, 2012	30 September, 2012
23 September, 2012	07 October, 2012
23 September, 2012	07 October, 2012
30 September, 2012	14 October, 2012
30 September, 2012	14 October, 2012
07 October, 2012	21 October, 2012
07 October, 2012	21 October, 2012
14 October, 2012	28 October, 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

Florence
Guided walking tour, visit Michelangelo’s David and Signoria Square

Venice
Private boat ride; guided walking tour, visit St. Mark’s Square and Basilica, Doges’ Palace and the Bridge of Sighs; glassblowers’ demonstration

Ravenna
Orientation, visit St. Apollinaris in Classe

Assisi
Visit St. Francis’ Basilica

Pompeii
Guided walking tour of the excavations

Naples-Sicily
Overnight cruise in two-berth cabins with private facilities

Palermo
Guided sightseeing, visit the cathedral, the Palatine Chapel, the Norman Cathedral in Monreale, and Mondello

Marsala
Visit a salt mill

Agrigento
Guided walking tour of the Valley of Temples

Taormina
Visit the Greek Amphitheater

Strait of Messina
Ferry crossing

Sorrento-Capri
By jetfoil

Capri
Guided visit of Capri village, including a funicular ride

Headsets throughout the tour

Day 1   Arrive in Rome, Italy. Time to rest or start exploring the “Eternal City.” 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. Then, time for independent activities and exciting optional excursion possibilities. (B)

Day 3   Rome–Florence. A smooth drive past the Chianti hills takes you to Florence, capital of Tuscany and “Cradle of the Renaissance.” Afternoon at leisure to shop for Florentine leather goods and gold jewelry or to visit one of Florence’s many museums. (B)

Day 4   Florence–Venice. During your walking tour with a Local Guide, visit the ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS with Michelangelo’s celebrated David. Admire the magnificent cathedral, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistry’s heavy bronze “Gate of Paradise,” and sculpture-studded SIGNORIA SQUARE. Then, head across the wooded Apennine Mountains to Venice. Enter in style by PRIVATE BOAT. Tonight is your chance to sample Venetian fare. (B)

Day 5   Venice. Highlights of your guided walking tour this morning are 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. Afterwards, enjoy Venice at your own pace or join an optional gondola ride. (B)

Day 6   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 and visit the massive 13th-century lower BASILICA OF ST. FRANCIS built above the Saint’s grave. Time to enjoy the peaceful town at your own pace. (B,D)

Day 7   Assisi–Pompeii–Naples. Overnight Cruise to Palermo. Meet your Local Guide and enter POMPEII, the Roman city both destroyed and preserved by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. See patrician houses, public baths, and commercial districts strikingly recalling day-to-day life when Rome was at the apex of her power. Tonight, board your FERRY in Naples for the overnight cruise to Sicily. (B)

Day 8   Palermo. After disembarkation, start your sightseeing with a Local Guide. Visit the ornate Piazza Bellini, the CATHEDRAL, and the Arab-Norman PALATINE CHAPEL in the Royal Palace. After lunch, drive up to Monreale for a panoramic view of the Conca d’Oro and a visit to the 12th-century NORMAN CATHEDRAL, famous for its 50,000 square feet of precious byzantine mosaics. Your first day in Sicily ends with a visit to the typical and picturesque village of Mondello before returning to Palermo. (B,D)

Day 9   Palermo–Marsala–Agrigento. Along the western coast of Sicily all the way down to the saltbeds, famous since Roman times. Near Marsala, stop to visit a SALT MILL. Then, continue to Agrigento, where your Local Guide will take you for a spectacular walk through the VALLEY OF TEMPLES. Even travelers who have visited Athens and Delphi are awed by the gigantic yet graceful Greek structures that miraculously survived 24 centuries of tormented history. (B,D)

Day 10   Agrigento–Taormina Area. Enjoy the scenic beauty and treasures of the island’s heart on your way to the Taormina area. Later, focus on the 3rd-century GREEK AMPHITHEATER, the second largest of its kind in Sicily. Situated above the city, it affords spectacular views of the bay and Mount Etna. (B)

Day 11   At Leisure in Taormina Area. In the morning you may wish to join the half-day optional excursion to Mount Etna. Afternoon is at leisure to relax or for individual activities. (B,D)

Day 12   Taormina Area–Sorrento. Today, board a FERRY and cross the Strait of Messina to land at the toe of the Italian boot in Calabria. Tonight, you are in the charming resort of Sorrento, delightfully situated on the Bay of Naples. (B)

Day 13   Sorrento. Excursion to Capri. Speed across the Bay of Naples by JETFOIL to the Isle of Capri, an ancient retreat for Roman emperors and renowned ever since that time for its beauty. Ride the FUNICULAR to Capri village for a guided visit of this pretty town. Free time to explore the little shops on the Piazzetta before returning to Sorrento. The remainder of the day is at leisure. (B)

Day 14   Sorrento–Rome. Return to Rome. This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner with wine in a local restaurant to celebrate the success of your vacation. (B,D)

Day 15   Rome. Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)

Meals:  Full buffet breakfast (B); 6 three-course dinners (D), including special welcome and farewell dinners with wine in Rome

Hotel Information:  ROME Albani (F), FLORENCE Starhotels Tuscany (F), VENICE ISLAND Ca’ Alvise (F), ASSISI Giotto (F), PALERMO NH Palermo (F), AGRIGENTO Della Valle (F), TAORMINA AREA Caesar Palace (F) at Giardini Naxos, SORRENTO Michelangelo (F), ROME Villa Pamphili (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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