Itinerary

Day 1:
Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

Day 2:
Arrival in Rome, Italy. Time to rest or start exploring the Eternal City. At 6 p.m. meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and leave the hotel for a special welcome dinner with wine in one of Rome’s lively restaurants. (D)

Day 3:
Rome. Sightseeing with your Local Guide starts with a visit to the VATICAN MUSEUMS and SISTINE CHAPEL (arranged next morning if closed today), 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. (BB)

Day 4:
Rome–Pisa–Florence. Drive along the Aurelian Way and the Tyrrhenian coast to Pisa. Here take your pictures of the amazing Leaning Tower, 180 feet high and no less than 12 feet out of the perpendicular. Then on to Florence, the splendid capital of Tuscany. (BB,D)

Day 5:
Florence. Follow your Local Guide and 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. The afternoon is free. Florentine leather goods and gold jewelry sold by the ounce are attractive buys. You may wish to join an optional dinner outing to a fine Tuscan restaurant. (BB)

Day 6:
Florence–Verona–Venice. North to Verona, medieval setting of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. See Juliet’s Balcony, take pictures of the Arena, and stroll around the picturesque market square. Tonight you are in Venice, a powerful magnet for romantics and art lovers from around the globe. (BB)

Day 7:
Venice. Start the day in style by PRIVATE BOAT to meet your Local Guide. Highlights of your walking tour are ST. MARK’S SQUARE and BYZANTINE BASILICA, lavish DOGES’ PALACE and the BRIDGE OF SIGHS. Also watch GLASSBLOWERS fashion their delicate objects in an age-old traditional manner. Afterwards enjoy Venice at your own pace, or join an optional cruise to the charming island of Burano. Tonight is your chance to sample the city’s fine restaurants. (BB)

Day 8:
Venice–Rome. A scenic drive today. Speed south along the Highway of the Sun through the lush plains of the mighty River Po, across the wooded Etruscan Apennine mountain range and past the vine- and olive-clad Tuscan Hills, which are the home of the popular Chianti wines. An optional festive dinner at one of Rome’s fine restaurants may be just the way to celebrate the success of your Italian vacation. (BB)

Day 9:
Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (BB)

 

Dates & Prices

ROME
Welcome dinner in a local restaurant; guided sightseeing including headsets, visit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Square and Basilica, the Colosseum and Roman Forum

PISA
Picture stop at the Leaning Tower

FLORENCE
Guided sightseeing including headsets, visit Michelangelo’s David, the cathedral, and Signoria Square

VERONA
Orientation including Juliet’s Balcony and the Arena

VENICE
Private boat ride, guided sightseeing including headsets, visit St. Mark’s Square and Basilica, Doges’ Palace, and the Bridge of Sighs; glassblowers’ demonstration
 

Itinerary

Day 1:
Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

Day 2:
Arrival in Rome, Italy. Time to rest or to start exploring the Eternal City on your own. At 6 p.m. meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and leave the hotel for a special welcome dinner with wine in one of Rome’s lively restaurants. (D)

Day 3:
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. (BB)

Day 4:
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. (BB,D)

Day 5:
Lucca–San Gimignano–Siena–Florence. A scenic day in Tuscany. Morning visit to hilltop San Gimignano, the most picturesque of Italy’s perfectly preserved medieval towns. On to Siena for a leisurely lunchtime break and a walk through ancient narrow lanes to beautiful Piaza del Campo, theater of the Palio, Siena’s spectacular medieval-style horse race. In the afternoon, drive along the Chianti Road leading from Siena due north to Florence. On the way, call at splendid VERRAZZANO CASTLE to hear about the fine art of blending four types of grapes to obtain the famous Chianti. Enjoy WINE TASTING , accompanied by local specialties. (BB,D)

Day 6:
Florence. Follow your Local Guide and 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 Florentine restaurant tonight? (BB)

Day 7:
Florence–Verona–Venice. Stop in Verona, setting of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet to see Juliet’s Balcony and the Arena, an incredible well-preserved pink marble Roman amphitheater. Built in the 1st century A.D., it is now the magical venue for world-famous opera performances. Tonight you are in Venice, a powerful magnet for romantics and art lovers from around the globe. Enter in style by PRIVATE BOAT. (BB)

Day 8:
Venice. Morning sightseeing with your Local Guide features ST. MARK’S SQUARE and 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. Tonight is your chance to sample the city’s fine restaurants. (BB)

Day 9:
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. From St. Clare’s Church enjoy a pleasant walk with your Local Guide, via pretty Piazza del Comune, down to ST. FRANCIS’ BASILICA, the hub of a religious order devoted to the ideals of humility, forgiveness, simplicity, and love for all God’s creatures. (BB,D)

Day 10:
Assisi–Orvieto–Rome. Following the Tiber valley, reach Orvieto, perched high atop a volcanic rock and ride a modern FUNICULAR right through the forbidding ramparts. Time to browse through tempting shops in the lanes off Piazza del Duomo, and to take pictures of the fabulous Gothic facade of ORVIETO CATHEDRAL. In the late afternoon return to Rome. Why not join an optional festive dinner at one of Rome’s fine restaurants to bid farewell to the companions of a memorable Italian vacation? (BB)

Day 11:
Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (BB)

 

Dates & Prices

ROME
Welcome dinner in a local restaurant; guided sightseeing including headsets, visit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Square and Basilica, the Colosseum and Roman Forum

PISA
Picture stop at the Leaning Tower

LUCCA
Orientation

SAN GIMIGNANO
Orientation

SIENA
Orientation including Piazza del Campo

VERRAZZANO CASTLE
Wine tasting

FLORENCE
Guided sightseeing including headsets, visit Michelangelo’s David, the cathedral, and Signoria Square

VERONA
Orientation including Juliet’s Balcony and the Arena

VENICE
Private boat ride, guided sightseeing including headsets, visit St. Mark’s Square and Basilica, Doges’ Palace, and the Bridge of Sighs; glassblowers’ demonstration

RAVENNA
Visit St. Apollinaris in Classe

ASSISI
Guided sightseeing, visit St. Francis’ Basilica

ORVIETO
Ride a funicular through the ramparts to the cathedral
 

Itinerary

Day 1:
(Thu.) Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

Day 2:
Arrival in Rome, Italy. (Fri.) Time to rest or start exploring the Eternal City. At 6 p.m. meet your Tour Director and traveling companions, and leave the hotel for a special welcome dinner with wine in one of Rome’s lively restaurants. (D)

Day 3:
Rome. (Sat.) 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. (BB)

Day 4:
Rome–Capri–Sorrento. (Sun.) South on the Highway of the Sun to lively and colorful Naples, before embarking for your included trip to the Isle of Capri, an ancient retreat for Roman emperors and renowned ever since that time for its beauty. Sightseeing with Local Guide includes a visit to VILLA SAN MICHELE in Anacapri. Later cross the bay again to the charming resort of Sorrento. Time to check out the local shops and discover its lively center. (BB,D)

Day 5:
Sorrento–Taormina. (Mon.) A scenic drive to the toe of the Italian boot in Calabria, where you will board a FERRY to cross the Straits of Messina to Sicily, the largest of the Mediterranean islands. Tonight you are in Taormina, a beautiful resort overlooking the sea and facing Mount Etna. (BB,D)

Day 6:
At Leisure in Taormina. (Tue.) All day to explore at your own pace. Why not sign up for an optional excursion to Mount Etna in the morning? Afterwards shop for hand embroidery and local goods, live it up in one of Europe’s most popular beach resorts, or simply relax. (BB)

Day 7:
Taormina. Excursion to Syracuse. (Wed.) Syracuse, birthplace of the mathematician Archimedes and once a powerful Greek port whose fleet was feared throughout the Mediterranean Old World, attracted visitors such as the philosopher Plato and later the Apostle Paul who converted its citizens to Christianity. A Local Guide will take you into the ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE which includes a visit to the 5th-century B.C. sparkling white Greek Theater that could seat up to 16,000 people, the Garden of Paradise, the Ear of Dionysus with its extraordinary acoustics, the Altar of Hieron II, the Roman Amphitheater, and the Cordmaker’s Cave. (BB,D)

Day 8:
Taormina–Agrigento. (Thu.) A day devoted to the scenic beauty and ancient Greek treasures of southwest Sicily. This morning focus on the 4th-century ROMAN VILLA OF CASALE near Piazza Armerina. Its colorful and perfectly preserved mosaics depict mythological themes and hunting scenes. Enjoy the everchanging landscapes of the interior as you drive to Agrigento where a Local Guide will walk with you through the breathtaking VALLEY OF TEMPLES. Even travelers having visited Athens and Delphi are awed by the gigantic yet graceful Greek structures that miraculously survived 24 centuries of tormented history. (BB,D)

Day 9:
Agrigento–Selinunte–Palermo. (Fri.) This morning visit the impressive Dorian Temples and Acropolis in Selinunte. Built on a natural balcony overlooking the sparkling Mediterranean, these accomplishments of an ancient civilization may prompt you to think about the quality of human progress since those days of Greek splendor. On to Palermo for your two-night stay. (BB)

Day 10:
Palermo. (Sat.) Sightseeing with a Local Guide includes the ornate Piazza Bellini, the CATHEDRAL, and the Arab-Norman PALATINE CHAPEL in the Royal Palace. Then 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. This evening an included farewell dinner celebrates the success of your Sicilian vacation. (BB,D)

Day 11:
(Sun.) Homebound flight. (BB)

Dates & Prices

ROME
Welcome dinner in a local restaurant; guided sightseeing including headsets, visit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Square and Basilica, the Colosseum and Roman Forum

NAPLES-CAPRI-SORRENTO
By jet/hydrofoil

CAPRI
Guided sightseeing, visit Villa San Michele in Anacapri

STRAITS OF MESSINA
Ferry crossing

SYRACUSE
Guided visit of the archaeological site

PIAZZA ARMERINA
Visit the Roman Villa of Casale

AGRIGENTO
Guided walking tour of the Valley of Temples

SELINUNTE
Visit the Dorian Temples and Acropolis

PALERMO
Guided sightseeing, visit the cathedral, the Palatine Chapel, the Norman Cathedral in Monreale; farewell dinner in Palermo
 

Itinerary

Day 1:
(Thu.) Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

Day 2:
Arrival in Rome, Italy. (Fri.) Time to rest or start exploring the Eternal City. At 6 p.m. meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and leave the hotel for a special welcome dinner with wine in one of Rome’s lively restaurants. (D)

Day 3:
Rome. (Sat.) 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. Afterwards relax or explore the city on your own. Later you may wish to join an optional walk to Trevi Fountain, Navona Square, the Roman Pantheon, and the Spanish Steps, and finish with a Roman dinner party. (BB)

Day 4:
Rome. (Sun.) This morning follow your Local Guide and visit the COLOSSEUM and the ROMAN FORUM, where Roman Legions marched in triumph. Then time to savor la dolce vita and enjoy independent activities. An optional excursion to Ostia Antica is available. (BB)

Day 5:
Rome–Siena–San Gimignano–Florence. (Mon.) First stop this morning is in Siena. Walk through ancient, narrow lanes to Piaza del Campo, site of the Palio, Siena’s spectacular medievalstyle horse race. Then continue through unforgettable landscapes of gently rolling, vine-clad hills for a stop in hilltop San Gimignano, the most picturesque of Italy’s perfectly preserved medieval towns. Afterwards on to Florence, the splendid capital of Tuscany and birthplace of the Renaissance. (BB,D)

Day 6:
Florence. (Tue.) Follow your Local Guide and 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. The afternoon is free. Florentine leather goods and gold jewelry sold by the ounce are attractive buys. You may wish to join an optional dinner outing to a fine Tuscan restaurant. (BB)

Day 7:
Florence. Excursion to Pisa and Verrazzano Castle. (Wed.) A fast journey will bring you to Pisa. Here take your pictures of the amazing Leaning Tower, 180 feet high and no less than 12 feet out of the perpendicular. Today’s highlight: hear about the fine art of blending four types of grapes to obtain the famous Chianti at VERRAZZANO CASTLE; enjoy WINE TASTING and lunch before returning to Florence. (BB,L)

Day 8:
Florence–Venice. (Thu.) An easy morning drive through the wooded Apennine Hills to Venice, a powerful magnet for romantics and art lovers from around the globe. Enter its glittering maze of islands, canals, and bridges in style by PRIVATE BOAT to meet your Local Guide. Highlights of your walking tour are ST. MARK’S SQUARE and BYZANTINE BASILICA, lavish DOGES’ PALACE, and the BRIDGE OF SIGHS. Then enjoy Venice at your own pace, or join an optional gondola ride. (BB)

Day 9:
Venice. Murano and Burano Islands Excursion. (Fri.) Enjoy an unforgettable Venetian LAGOON CRUISE to the islands of Murano and Burano. Glide past the islands of San Giorgio and Santa Elena, and along the banks of the famous Lido. In Murano watch GLASSBLOWERS fashion their delicate objects in an age-old traditional manner. Then continue on to the picturesque fishing village of Burano, renowned for its bright pastel-colored houses and for its lacemaking. Take pictures of traditional fishing boats and enjoy an included lunch. Return to Venice in the early afternoon. (BB,L)

Day 10:
Venice–Verona–Milan. (Sat.) Stop in Verona, medieval setting of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and see Juliet’s Balcony and the Arena, an incredibly well-preserved pink marble Roman amphitheater. Built in the 1st century A.D., it is now the magical venue for world-famous opera performances. Then on to the dynamic city of Milan with its famous Scala Opera House, glass-domed GALLERIA, and magnificent GOTHIC DUOMO. An optional farewell dinner may be the perfect way to celebrate the success of your Italian vacation. (BB)

Day 11:
(Sun.) Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (BB)

 

Dates & Prices

ROME
Welcome dinner in a local restaurant; guided sightseeing including headsets, visit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Square and Basilica, the Colosseum and Roman Forum

SIENA
Orientation including Piazza del Campo

SAN GIMIGNANO
Orientation

FLORENCE
Guided sightseeing including headsets, visit Michelangelo’s David, the cathedral, and Signoria Square

PISA
Picture stop at the Leaning Tower

VERRAZZANO CASTLE
Wine tasting and lunch

VENICE
Private boat ride; guided sightseeing including headsets, visit St. Mark’s Square and Basilica, Doges’ Palace and the Bridge of Sighs

MURANO AND BURANO
Lagoon cruise and island visits including glassblowers’ demonstration in Murano and lunch in Burano

VERONA
Orientation including Juliet’s Balcony and the Arena

MILAN
Orientation, visit the Galleria and the Duomo
 

Itinerary

Day 1:
Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

Day 2:
Arrival in Rome, Italy. Time to rest or start exploring the Eternal City on your own. At 6 p.m. meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and leave the hotel for a special welcome dinner with wine in one of Rome’s lively restaurants. (D)

Day 3:
Rome. Sightseeing with your Local Guide starts with a visit to the VATICAN MUSEUMS and SISTINE CHAPEL (arranged next morning if closed today), 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. (BB)

Day 4:
Rome–Pisa–Florence. North to Pisa for pictures of its amazing Leaning Tower. Continue to Florence, the capital of Tuscany and home to Renaissance splendor. (BB,D)

Day 5:
Florence. Follow your Local Guide and 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. The afternoon is free. Florentine leather goods and gold jewelry sold by the ounce are attractive buys. Why not join an optional dinner at a Tuscan restaurant? (BB)

Day 6:
Florence–Milan**. Drive to the dynamic city of Milan. Your orientation features the GOTHIC DUOMO, glass-domed GALLERIA, and famed Scala Opera House. (BB)



Day 7:
At Leisure in Milan**. A restful day to sleep in or stroll through Milan’s exclusive fashion district: Via Montenapoleone, Via della Spiga, and Corso Vittorio Emanuele II. Another possibility—you may want to join an optional excursion to lovely Como. (BB,D)

Day 8:
Milan**–Verona–Venice. Stop in Verona, medieval setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, to see Juliet’s Balcony and the Arena. Tonight you reach Venice, deemed by some the most romantic city in the world. (BB)

Day 9:
Venice. Enter in style by PRIVATE BOAT to meet your Local Guide. Highlights of your walking tour are ST. MARK’S SQUARE and BYZANTINE BASILICA, lavish DOGES’ PALACE, and the BRIDGE OF SIGHS. Then watch skilled GLASSBLOWERS fashion their delicate objects in an age-old manner. Later discover Venice at your own pace or take an optional gondola ride. (BB,D)

Day 10:
Venice–Ravenna–Assisi. Follow the sparkling Adriatic coast to Ravenna to see the mosaics in the 6th-century BASILICA OF ST. APOLLINARIS IN CLASSE. In Assisi visit the massive 13th-century lower BASILICA OF ST. FRANCIS. Time to take in this peaceful town on your own. (BB,D)

Day 11:
Assisi–Pompeii–Sorrento. Today visit POMPEII, the Roman city both destroyed and preserved by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Overnight in the charming, bayside resort of Sorrento. (BB)

Day 12:
Sorrento. Excursion to Capri. Glide across the blue bay to the beautiful Isle of Capri. Guided sightseeing includes a visit to VILLA SAN MICHELE in Anacapri. Time to explore at your own pace before returning to Sorrento. The remainder of the day is at leisure. (BB)

Day 13:
Sorrento–Montecassino–Rome. On your way to Rome, stop in Montecassino for a visit to the ABBEY. Tonight why not join an optional festive dinner in one of Rome’s fine restaurants? (BB)

Day 14:
Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (BB)

 

Dates & Prices

ROME
Welcome dinner in a local restaurant; guided sightseeing including headsets, visit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Square and Basilica, the Colosseum and Roman Forum

PISA
Picture stop at the Leaning Tower

FLORENCE
Guided sightseeing including headsets, visit Michelangelo’s David, the cathedral, and Signoria Square

MILAN
Visit the Galleria and the Duomo

VERONA
Orientation including Juliet’s Balcony and the Arena

VENICE
Private boat ride; guided sightseeing including headsets, visit St. Mark’s Square and Basilica, Doges'' Palace, and the Bridge of Sighs; glassblowers’ demonstration

RAVENNA
Visit the Basilica of St. Apollinaris in Classe

ASSISI
Visit St. Francis’ Basilica

POMPEII
Guided visit of the excavations including headsets

SORRENTO-CAPRI
By jet/hydrofoil ride

CAPRI
Guided sightseeing, visit Villa San Michele in Anacapri

MONTECASSINO
Visit the Abbey