Day 1 Sun Depart USA
Evening departure. Meals and refreshments served on board.
Day 2 Mon Venice
Morning arrival into Venice's Marco Polo Airport. Here you'll be met and transferred to your hotel in Venice. The balance of the day is at leisure. This evening enjoy a cocktail reception followed by a welcome dinner at a popular restaurant. (D)
Day 3 Tue Venice
Your morning tour of Venice is on foot and will highlight the Basilica of St. Mark and the Doge's Palace, with its splendid rooms decorated by 16th century artists such as Titian, Tintoretto, and Veronese. Also view the Bridge of Sighs and Piombi Prison. Afternoon is at leisure with enough time for more sightseeing, shopping or relaxation. In the evening, your tour director will assist you in locating restaurants where you will enjoy savoring the pleasures of Venetian cuisine. (B)
Day 4 Wed Venice/Padua/Modena/Florence
(Special Balsamic Tasting In Modena) This morning depart Venice and stop in Padua to visit the Basilica of St. Anthony and its art, including the large bronze works of Donatello. Continue your scenic drive to Modena, famous for balsamic vinegar and Ferrari sports cars which are manufactured in the nearby town of Maranello. In Modena, you'll be treated to a special balsamic vinegar tasting session plus lunch, featuring local specialties and Lambrusco wine. After lunch continue to Florence, the home of Michelangelo. Tuscan cooking is a true gastronomic feast. Your tour director will suggest restaurants according to your preferences. (B, L)
Day 5 Thu Florence
(Dinner With Music & Merriment In a Tuscan Villa) Morning tour takes you to Michelangelo Square for a panoramic view of the city, the Accademia to see Michelangelo's original "David" statue, Giotto's Bell Tower, the Baptistry with its "Gates of Paradise" doors, Signoria Square and Santa Croce Church. Afternoon is free. Tonight enjoy a festive dinner with wine and music at a charming villa located on a beautiful Tuscan hillside outside Florence. (B, D)
Day 6 Fri Florence (Pisa Excursion)
This morning is free for some last minute shopping, or join an optional tour to Siena famous for "Il Palio", the bareback horse race. During this optional excursion, you will travel through the heart and hills of Tuscany to explore breathtaking landscapes with Chianti vineyards, cypress trees, olive groves, and medieval villages. In the afternoon, enjoy an included excursion to one of the world's best-known sights - the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Late afternoon return to Florence and dinner on your own. Your tour director will suggest Florentine restaurants you will certainly enjoy. (B)
Day 7 Sat Florence/Magione/Assisi/Rome
(Special Wine Tasting At Magione Castle) Morning departure for Rome. Drive through the serene Tuscan and Umbrian countryside, passing by the shores of Lake Trasimeno with a stop at the Magione Castle, dating back to 1150-1170 A.D. The Castle is presently the private residence of the Prince and Grand Master of Sovereign Military Order of Knights of Malta. Today, the castle is surrounded by the rolling terrain of a 3,724-acre farm. The farm is partly devoted to vineyards (74 acres) and an olive grove (59 acres). The highlight of the tour will be the castle cellar, with its XV century walls and vaults, housing thermo-conditioned stainless steel basins as well as barriques (oak barrels) to preserve a superior quality of red wines. Here a wine expert will lecture on the vinification process that takes place at the castle, followed by a delicious tasting of the varieties of wines produced at the castle. Subsequently proceed to Assisi where you will have lunch at a local restaurant. The town of Assisi is a Unesco World Heritage Site, and a unique example of continuity of a city sanctuary. There will be a guided tour of St. Francis Basilica, including the crypt with the remains of St. Francis as well as masterpieces by Cimabue and Giotto. Arrive in Rome in the late afternoon and enjoy a welcome cocktail reception. Later, experience a taste of the Roman dining scene on your own. After dinner, explore the exciting Roman Dolce Vita and nightlife. (B, L)
Day 8 Sun Rome
Rome is filled with monuments, fountains, antiquities and other sites worth exploring. Use this free day to discover the ancient and modern aspects of cosmopolitan Rome for yourself. You might also choose to take an optional tour of the Catacombs, St. Peter in Chains, the Pantheon, Tivoli Gardens or Ostia Antica. There's only one Rome, so make sure you bring home enough memories to last a lifetime. In the evening, again discover on your own why Roman trattorias are famous for their fine cuisine. After dinner, explore the exciting Roman Dolce Vita and nightlife. (B)
Day 9 Mon Rome
This morning experience a very special privately guided tour of the priceless collection of art and treasures in the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museum. You will be amazed by the beautiful wall frescoes created by Michelangelo, Perugino and Botticelli. The unique ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is surely one of Michelangelo's greatest achievements. Continue to St. Peter's Basilica, the largest church in the Christian world, built over the tomb of St. Peter. Then proceed to the Piazza Venezia and Roman Forum, with a stop at the Colosseum - a testament to the greatness of Rome's past. Continue your full day tour by viewing the Arch of Constantine, Circus Maximus, the Great Synagogue, Isola Tiberina and Castel Sant'Angelo. Tonight bid arrivederci to Rome at a special dinner with wine in a lovely Roman restaurant. (B, D)
Day 10 Tue Rome/Naples/Pompeii/Sorrento
This morning drive south along the Highway of the Sun to Naples, where you will have an orientation drive highlighting Via Caracciolo (the seafront promenade), the San Carlo Opera House, Santa Lucia, and the Angevin Castle. Before heading to Sorrento, stop in Pompeii (the ancient city covered by volcanic lava 2,000 years ago), with a guided tour of the remarkably preserved ruins of temples, houses, gardens and public buildings. Then drive along the spectacular coast road of the Bay of Naples to Sorrento, the famous resort town of orange and lemon groves. Dinner at your hotel restaurant is included. (B, D)
Day 11 Wed Sorrento/Positano/Amalfi/Ravello/Sorrento
(Cruise From Positano To Amalfi Along The Celebrated Coastline) Leave Sorrento in the morning for Positano. Brief stop at the Belvedere to enjoy a unique view of Moorish architecture blended with pastel colored houses. Descend to town by minibus, passing elegant boutiques and craft shops and still have time to visit its charming center. Weather permitting, board a motorlaunch and cruise along the coast to Amalfi. Otherwise, you will reach Amalfi by motorcoach. A walking tour of Amalfi's old town will highlight its powerful 11th century maritime republic history. Continue to Ravello, arriving in time for lunch at a restaurant with a spectacular view of the Amalfi coast and the Bay of Salerno. After lunch you may like to visit Villa Rufolo whose tropical gardens inspired Wagner's Opera "Parsifal" or simply stroll around the center of town to buy souvenirs or indulge in a gelato. Return to Sorrento where your tour director can assist with your selection of dinner venues.(B, L)
Day 12 Thu Sorrento (Capri Excursion)
A morning jetfoil whisks you across the blue Bay of Naples to the fabled Isle of Capri, where you will ascend to the Piazzetta (the center of town), visit the Floral Gardens of Caesar Augustus, and still have free time for lunch and some shopping before returning to the pier by funicular to board the jetfoil back to Sorrento, arriving in time for dinner at a colorful local restaurant. (B, D)
Day 13 Fri Sorrento to USA (or extend your stay)
Morning transfer to Naples' Capodichino Airport for your return flight home. Meals and refreshments served aloft. (B)
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Tour Features 2012 & 2013
Itinerary 2012 & 2013
Rates
Hotels
Sightseeing/Excursions
Information/Restrictions
