Dates & Prices

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Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
4/7/2010 - 4/21/2010	$6,490
4/19/2010 - 5/3/2010	$6,490
5/3/2010 - 5/17/2010	$6,890
5/15/2010 - 5/29/2010	$6,890
5/24/2010 - 6/7/2010	$6,890
5/31/2010 - 6/14/2010	$8,150
6/7/2010 - 6/21/2010	$6,890
6/14/2010 - 6/28/2010	$6,890
6/23/2010 - 7/7/2010	$6,890
6/30/2010 - 7/14/2010	$6,890
7/14/2010 - 7/28/2010	$5,990
7/21/2010 - 8/4/2010	$5,990
8/4/2010 - 8/18/2010	$5,990
8/18/2010 - 9/1/2010	$5,990
9/6/2010 - 9/20/2010	$6,990
9/11/2010 - 9/25/2010	$8,330
9/18/2010 - 10/2/2010	$6,990
9/25/2010 - 10/9/2010	$8,330
9/27/2010 - 10/11/2010	$6,990
9/29/2010 - 10/13/2010	$6,990
10/4/2010 - 10/18/2010	$6,990
10/9/2010 - 10/23/2010	$6,990
10/13/2010 - 10/27/2010	$6,990
10/20/2010 - 11/3/2010	$6,490
10/27/2010 - 11/10/2010	$6,490

What's Included

•   TAUCKS YELLOW ROADS! Encounter spectacular scenery around every bend on a drive along the celebrated Amalfi Coast the perfect blending of earth, sea and sky!

Your Tour Itinerary Includes

Day 1: Arrive in Naples and head to Sorrento
A transfer is included from Naples International Airport to Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria. Tauck's Classic Italy tour begins in the southern resort town of Sorrento, where your hotel overlooks the beautiful Bay of Naples and powerful Mt. Vesuvius. Get to know your fellow travelers at a welcome cocktail reception and dinner.
Overnight: Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria, Sorrento, Italy
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Amalfi Coast drive – a southern Italy tour highlight
Drive along the Amalfi Coast, one of Europe's most dramatic shorelines. Stop for visits in Amalfi with some houses dating to the 10th century, and Ravello, perched on towering cliffs above the sea. Explore Sorrento’s piazzas as you please upon your afternoon return.
Overnight: Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria, Sorrento, Italy
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch

Day 3: Explore Pompeii, then on to the Eternal City of Rome
Your Tauck Italy tour next explores the excavated ruins of Pompeii, buried in volcanic ash when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. Walk through city streets with a local expert, where you'll discover remarkably preserved ancient architecture. The next three nights are spent at The Westin Excelsior, Rome, one of the most prestigious addresses on the famed Via Veneto.
Overnight: The Westin Excelsior, Rome, Italy
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 4: Tauck Exclusive – Private after-hours Vatican Museums visit
Sightseeing in Rome is highlighted by a special Tauck Exclusive – an after-hours guided visit to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel (day of the tour may vary). This after-hours visit means you'll avoid the long lines and the usual crowds found earlier in the day. The experience is rich when you explore the treasures in the Vatican Museums at your own pace; see the Candelabra Gallery, Map Gallery, and the Tapestries. In the Sistine Chapel, gaze in amazement at Michelangelo's masterpiece ceiling – and be able to contemplate all that you see in quieter surroundings. This is certain to one of the most memorable days on your Italy tour, one that you'll remember forever.
Overnight: The Westin Excelsior, Rome, Italy
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 5: A day in Rome of the Caesars
A sightseeing excursion begins the day. In Rome, first capital of ancient Italy tour the Colosseum; see Circus Maximus, the 4th-century BC stadium where chariot races were held, and the ruins of the Imperial Palace. View the Roman Forum from above, then return to the microstate of Vatican City for a tour of St. Peter's Basilica to view the art and architecture, and explore St. Peter's Square. Pursue your own passions in Rome during the afternoon. You'll get a real taste of Italian cuisine this evening when you dine at a traditional restaurant.
Overnight: The Westin Excelsior, Roma, Italy
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 6: Your Italy tour continues with a Duomo and a wine tasting
Journey to Orvieto, set on a 984-foot plateau overlooking vineyards below. Visit the Duomo of Orvieto, a notable Romanesque-Gothic cathedral built over a span of 300 years. After a trattoria lunch near the Piazza del Duomo, continue through the wine-producing regions of Umbria. Arrive in Torgiano, a small village in the Tiber Valley. Hotel Le Tre Vaselle, your home for the next two nights, is a 17th-century country house hotel with its own private vineyard - an opportunity to experience Italy's privileged country life. Tonight you'll attend a wine tasting and sample the vineyard's grapes in the wine museum / osteria.
Overnight: Hotel Le Tre Vaselle, Torgiano, Italy
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 7: Step back in time in medieval Assisi – and a chef "shares"
Drive to Assisi, a well-preserved medieval town designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its art and architecture. Visit the Basilica di San Francesco, the burial place of St. Francis, the beloved patron saint of animals. Gaze at the impressive 13th- and 14th-century frescoes, some of Italy's finest, and enjoy some free time in the center of town. This evening, you'll discover the secrets of great Italian cuisine from an Umbrian chef who shares insights into the nuances of Italian cooking at a demonstration. This special Tauck Italy tour highlight is truly memorable!
Overnight: Hotel Le Tre Vaselle, Torgiano, Italy
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 8: Traces of Italy's medieval days
In the hilltop town of San Gimignano, see 13 medieval towers that were built in the 12th century by the nobility as both private fortresses and symbols of wealth. Stroll along the narrow streets and visit Piazza della Cisterna, one of Italy's most picturesque town squares. Continue your travels through lush Tuscan landscapes to the seaside resort town of Viareggio, where you'll dine à la carte this evening.
Overnight: Grand Hotel Principe di Piemonte, Viareggio, Italy
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 9: Cinque Terre storybook villages
Visit Cinque Terre, accessible only by sea for hundreds of years. Journey by train through the mountains to one of the villages for a look at daily life in this remote part of Italy. You'll have time to yourself to wander through the town's cobblestone streets, where you'll experience daily life – from colorful fishing boats home from the sea to the wine, olives and citrus fruit produced locally. Cruise along the Mediterranean shores of the Italian Riviera aboard a private boat – views of these centuries-old villages, set on rocky bluffs hemmed in by steep cliffs, are a knockout! Journey on to the Renaissance city of Florence for a three-night stay at one of Italy's finest hotels, a Luxury Collection Hotel by Starwood.
Overnight: Grand Hotel, Florence, Italy
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 10: Become an art aficionado in Florence
Experience Florence, where the arts flourished between the 13th and 16th centuries. Learn about art history from a local art history lecturer, then take a walking tour of Florence. A guided tour of the Galleria dell'Accademia introduces you to some of the world's great art treasures, including Michelangelo's marble statue of David. You'll have time on your own in Florence this afternoon; your hotel is right in the heart of the city, which makes it easy to explore!
Overnight: Grand Hotel, Florence, Italy
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 11: Masterpieces of the Uffizi
Join a local expert for a guided tour of the Uffizi Gallery, Italy's extraordinary art museum. Admire some of the world's greatest art masterpieces, including works by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Botticelli, and more. The remainder of the day is as you please; you may want to visit the Pitti Palace, the Medici Chapels or stroll across the Ponte Vecchio to the lovely Boboli Gardens.
Overnight: Grand Hotel, Florence, Italy
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 12: Rail trip to Venice and a serenade aboard a gondola
Tauck's Classic Italy tour continues with a journey by the sleek, fast Eurostar train to Venice. Built on 118 small islands traversed by a canal network, Venice is a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site. After lunch, head to St. Mark's Square, the heart of Venice, with a local guide for a walking tour. Visit St. Mark's Basilica, one of the greatest buildings in Europe, featuring exquisite mosaics and detailed carvings; and the Doges' Palace, a pink marble Gothic masterpiece. Take a canal cruise by gondola, complete with a serenade by local musicians, to round out a busy day. Dinner is on your own tonight – from fine dining to intimate trattorias, dining in Venice on your Italy tour is a pure pleasure!
Overnight: The Westin Europa & Regina, Venice, Italy
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch

Day 13: The romance of Venice
The day is open so you can take in the sites you choose. Perhaps tour the Galleria dell'Accademia or the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, or take a boat ride to islands in the lagoon. Share favorite Italy tour highlights with travel companions at the farewell reception and dinner.
Overnight: The Westin Europa & Regina, Venice, Italy
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 14: Ciao – Tauck's Italy tour concludes
Tauck's two-week Italy tour ends in Venice. Fly home anytime; a transfer is included from The Westin Europa & Regina to Venice's Marco Polo Airport. You should allow a minimum of 2 1/2 hours for flight check-in.
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast

Sightseeing Highlights

1. Arrive Naples / Sorrento Tour begins: 6:00 PM, Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria. A transfer is included from Naples International Airport to the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria. Your hotel is one of Italy’s “grand hotels,” family owned and run since it opened in 1834; it overlooks the beautiful waters of the Bay of Naples. Join us for a welcome cocktail reception and dinner tonight. Meals D   2. Discover the Amalfi Coast Rise early for an unhurried drive along the Amalfi Coast, one of the most spectacular drives in the world! Fantastic rock formations drop vertically into the sea; sub-tropical vegetation on the hillsides, together with colorful Mediterranean flora, create bewitching landscapes. Stop for visits in the seaside villages of Amalfi, with its many medieval antiquities, and Ravello, known for its dramatic villas; savor the panoramic views of the coast and sea. Return to Sorrento in the afternoon to explore its charming piazzas and small alleys; the historic center of town, and the old Roman streets, are fascinating. Meals BL   3. Pompeii / Rome Travel to Pompeii, a prosperous city of 27,000 until it was frozen in time at the moment it was completely buried by volcanic ash from the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD. Excavations began in the 18th century and are still in progress today. Walk through the ruins of Pompeii with a local expert to discover the way life was in Italy in the 1st century AD – visit the temple, the forum and a home adorned with frescoes. Arrive late afternoon in Rome, where you’ll spend the next three nights. Your hotel is located on the fashionable Via Veneto, close to historic and cultural attractions. Meals BLD   4. After-Hours Vatican Museums Visit Sightseeing in Rome is highlighted by a Tauck Exclusive – an after-hours tour of the Vatican Museums (day of the tour may vary). No trip to Rome would be complete without a visit to the Vatican, a state and city all in one; see the Candelabra Gallery, Map Gallery and the Tapestries, home to a vast collection of art treasures. Enter the Sistine Chapel to view the artist Michelangelo’s famous frescoes adorning the chapel’s ceiling – without the usual crowds! Meals B   5. Rome of the Caesars Rome sightseeing includes the ruins of the Imperial Palace and Circus Maximus; a tour of St. Peter’s Basilica plus an opportunity to see St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City; and a view of the Roman Forum from above. A visit to the Colosseum, the 2,000-year-old amphitheatre in the heart of Rome that was once used for gladiator contests and public events, will certainly be one of the highlights! You’ll get an authentic taste of Italian cuisine tonight when you dine family style at a local restaurant in Rome. Meals BD   6. Orvieto and Torgiano Arrive in Orvieto, set high on a hill volcanic in origin, overlooking the vineyards below. Visit the Duomo, one of Italy’s greatest cathedrals; the façade is a visual treat, a blend of sculpture and mosaic splashed with a palette of colors and magnificent bronze doors. Inside, view inspiring frescoes created by renowned artists. Following a traditional trattoria lunch near the Piazza del Duomo, continue through Umbria, a wine-producing region. Arrive in Torgiano, a small Tiber Valley village, to experience Italian country life for the next two nights. Your accommodation is a 17th-century patrician home featuring wooden beams, terra-cotta floors, and a private winery, whose product you’ll sample at a wine tasting in the wine museum / osteria. Meals BLD   7. Explore Historic Assisi Take a short drive to Assisi, a well-preserved medieval hillside town spread across the slopes of a mountain. Assisi was the home of St. Francis, who left a position of wealth and turned to a life of poverty, chastity and obedience, founding the order whose followers became known as Franciscans. St. Francis Basilica, built by the people, today houses some of Italy’s great 13th- and 14th-century frescoes. Enjoy some free time in the center of town, then return to Torgiano for the evening. Join us tonight for a cooking demonstration by an Umbrian chef, where you’ll discover the nuances of Italian cuisine. Meals BD   8. Under the Tuscan Sun Tuscany is an enchanting region, where for centuries the beauty of nature has blended with the ingenuities of mankind; your travels through the rolling Tuscan hills take you through golden landscapes dotted with olive and fig trees. Arrive in the hilltop town of San Gimignano, one of its gems. Medieval towers, built in the 12th century by the nobility, are visible from afar. Stroll along the quaint streets and visit Piazza della Cisterna, one of Italy’s most picturesque town squares. Continue your journey through lush Tuscan countryside to the seaside resort town of Viareggio for an overnight stay. Meals BD   9. Cinque Terre / Florence Cinque Terre was accessible only by sea for hundreds of years, five picture-book fishing villages nestled between the Mediterranean’s blue waters and the rugged coastal mountains. Travel by train through the mountains to one of the villages, where you’ll experience daily life – from colorful fishing boats home from the sea, to the wine, olives, and citrus fruit produced locally. You’ll have some time to explore the cobblestone streets and alleyways, perhaps sampling the unique flavors of the local cuisine for lunch. Aboard a private boat, cruise the shores of the Italian Riviera for unparalleled views of this dramatic coast. Journey to the Renaissance city of Florence, where art and architecture whisper the history of the ages. Meals BD   10. Experience Florence A briefing by an art history lecturer precedes a walking tour of Florence and a guided visit through the collections of works by many of the greatest artists of the 14th and 15th centuries – including Michelangelo’s famous sculpture of David and paintings by Botticelli, Uccello, Ghirlandaio, del Sarto and others – at Galleria dell’Accademia. Flourishing for more than four centuries, the world-renowned institution was established in 1563 as the first art school in Europe. The rest of the afternoon and evening is free. Meals B   11. Treasures of the Uffizi Gallery Join a local expert for a guided tour of Florence’s inspiring Uffizi Gallery. Originally a suite of offices, it began being used to display some of the Medici family’s private art treasures in 1581 – thereby making it the oldest art gallery in the world. Its vast collection includes some of the most revered works of the Renaissance, such as Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus, Michelangelo’s The Holy Family, da Vincis unfinished Adoration of the Magi, Bellini’s Allegory and Raphael’s Madonna of the Goldfinch. Meals B   12. Ride the Eurostar to Venice The high-speed Eurostar train takes you to Venice, traversed by some 100 canals. Transfer by canal boat to your hotel, conveniently located near St. Mark’s Square; after lunch, embark on a walking tour. Visit St. Mark’s Basilica as well as the sumptuous Doges’ Palace, once the official residence of the elected officials of the Venetian Republic. Indulge in the quintessential Venetian experience – a serenade aboard a gondola on the canals. Dinner tonight is on your own in Venice, a city well-known for its restaurants! Meals BL   13. Venice at Leisure The entire day is free to do as you please in Venice. You’ve got lots to choose from – perhaps visiting the museums, walking along the narrow streets and lanes, or taking a tour of the islands. Join us this evening for a farewell cocktail reception and dinner. Meals BD   14. Journey Home Tour ends: Venice. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from The Westin Europa & Regina to Marco Polo Airport. Allow 2 1/2 hours for flight check-in. Meals B

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Details & Specials

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SPECIALS

Special Air Savings - Learn More

Hurry! Air Savings End March 26!

Special International Air Savings – Europe

Book and deposit summertime departures of the following Tauck journeys to Europe by March 26, 2010 and save $2,000 per couple off Business Class Air ($1,000 off per person) from select U.S. cities.

Savings are valid for travel between June 29 and September 5, 2010, subject to availability:

•Treasures of the Aegean – 14 days with a 7-night cruise aboard Wind Star / Wind Spirit

•Sicily, the Amalfi Coast & Rome – 11 days with a 7-night cruise aboard Le Ponant

•Switzerland – 11 days featuring travel along Tauck’s scenic Yellow Roads

•Italian Lakes, Venice, Florence & Rome – 10 days in Italy with all multiple-night stays

•Paradors of Northern Spain – 14 days exploring culturally rich Iberia

•The Best of Ireland – 13 days featuring iconic cultural treasures of the Emerald Isle

•A Week In… Ireland – 8 days with a 2-night stay at Dromoland Castle

•A Week In… Spain – 8 days from Barcelona to Andalucía, Seville and Madrid

•A Week In… Scotland – 8 days with 2- and 3-night stays in Loch Lomond, Inverness & Edinburgh

•Spain and Portugal – 14 days of Iberian pleasures and culinary treasures

•Normandy, Brittany, Paris & the Loire Valley – 13 days showcasing joie de vivre

•A Week In… London & Paris – 4 nights at a grand hotel in London and 3 nights in Paree

•Castles & Kings: London to Paris – An 8-day family vacation alive with royal traditions

Deposit must be paid at time of booking and certain restrictions apply. Valid on new bookings only and not combinable with other promotions; ask for details.

Tauck Tour Deals

Traveling with a group of friends or family can add to the joy of any journey.

Book a group of 10 on any Tauck land journey or cruise and the 11th guest travels FREE.

Book a group of 8 on any Tauck Bridges family adventure and the 9th guest travels FREE

Tauck Single Specials

For those seeking singles tours, we are pleased to offer special values on select departures to our guests who choose to travel solo. You can travel with peace of mind, knowing that you are among like-minded travelers and will have all the day-to-day details handled for you! While everyone is welcome, on these select dates we offer special arrangements to those traveling solo at a reduced cost.

Tauck Single Specials in North America

Best of the Canadian Rockies

Michigan's Lakes & Mackinac Island

Charleston/Savannah

Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia

San Fransisco, Sonoma & Napa Valleys

Tauck Single Specials in Europe

A Week in Ireland

A Week in Spain

Mediterranean Discovery

Istanbul and the Black Sea

Treasure of the Mediterranean

Cruising Mediterranean Shores

The Blue Danube

Holland Belgium in Spring

Strasbourg to Prague Serenade

The Rhine and Moselle

Budapest to Amsterdam by Riverboat

Budapest to the Black Sea

Classic Italy

Bellissima Northern Italy

Italian Lakes, Venice, Florence and Rome

A Week in Paris and Provence

Tauck Singles Specials in Latin America

Panama Canal & Costa Rica