| 11 Days ~ Italy
Tour Pace
This tour has a well balanced pace
with two-night stays in three of the five centres – Rome, Tuscany and
Sorrento – and overnight stays in Assisi and Venice. The driving days are
of a comfortable length with several stops en route for refreshments and
photo opportunities.
Tour Duration:
11 days
DAY 1 –
DEPART USA
Overnight flight to Rome.
DAY 2 – ROME
AT LEISURE
Welcome to Rome, a glorious
city filled with Classical antiquities, medieval buildings, Renaissance
palaces and baroque churches. On arrival at Rome’s Fiumicino Leonardo da
Vinci Airport, there are complimentary transfers to your tour hotel. After
checking in, there’s time at leisure to explore or relax. Spend time in
the boutiques of the Via del Corso or the elegant designer stores of the
Via Condotti. As night falls, meet your Tour Director and fellow
travellers for a Welcome Drink. Hotel: Crowne Plaza St Peters.
DAY 3 – ROME
SIGHTSEEING
Enjoy an indepth sightseeing
tour with a local guide who will take you inside the Vatican Museums to
gaze upon the treasures of the Popes. Also see Michelangelo’s famous
ceiling inside the Sistine Chapel. Tour St Peter’s Basilica to wonder at
another of his works, the emotive ‘Pieta’, then cross the Tiber to
visit the Colosseum, scene of many gladiatorial contests. After seeing the
Roman Forum, the rest of the day is yours to relax, sightsee or shop. (Buffet
breakfast)
DAY 4 – ROME
– ASSISI
Leave Rome and follow the
valley of the River Tiber to the hills of Umbria, which form part of the
Apennines. Your destination is the peaceful hill-top town of Assisi, the
home of St Francis. Visit the Basilica of St Mary of the Angels, built on
the site of the original Porziuncule Chapel foundations, then continue up
Mount Subasio to the town and visit the Basilica of St Francis with its
magnificent frescoes by the artist Giotto. Hotel: Subasio. (Buffet breakfast, dinner)
DAY 5 –
ASSISI – VENICE
A pleasant drive leads to the
romantic city of Venice, and what better way to see it than from a private
launch? Cruise past Palladian churches and 13th century palaces to St
Mark’s square and disembark to see the Doges’ Palace, connected to the
prisons by the Bridge of Sighs. It was from here that Casanova made his
daring escape. After turning the corner and admiring the mosaics of the
Basilica, watch one of the few remaining Masters blow molten glass into a
unique creation at a Venetian glass-blowing factory. Relax and enjoy the
atmosphere as you cruise along the Venetian canals by gondola. Hotel:
Continental/Principe/Amadeus. (Buffet breakfast,
dinner)
DAY 6 –
VENICE – TUSCANY
Leave magical Venice, and
drive along the scenic Brenta Canal with its magnificent Palladian villas,
once the summer residences of Venetian nobility. Cross the plain of the Po
River and traverse the Apennines, the hilly backbone of Italy, to reach
the Arno valley. Follow the river westwards to the coastal town of Pisa to
see the famous Leaning Tower, where elaborate steps have been taken to
prevent this landmark from falling over. Time also to admire the marble
cathedral and Baptistery before continuing to the Tuscan spa resort of
Montecatini for a two-night stay. Hotel: Francia & Quirinale. (Buffet breakfast)
DAY 7 –
FLORENCE SIGHTSEEING
Drive to the Tuscan capital,
Florence, and join a local guide for a walking tour and highlight visit to
the Academy Gallery to see Michelangelo’s monumental figure of David.
Continue to the multi-coloured marble Cathedral of Santa Maria dei Fiore
to see Giotto’s belltower and ‘Gates of Paradise’ before visiting
the Piazza della Signoria, still the political heart of Florence. The area
around Santa Croce Basilica is famous for the quality of its luxury goods;
see a demonstration of leatherwork in the very place this craft first
established itself. Then, there’s free time to shop for Florence’s
finest or continue sightseeing. (Buffet breakfast, dinner)
DAY 8 –
TUSCANY – SORRENTO
Take the smooth motorway
south through the rich volcanic hills of Frascati to Cassino and visit the
Commonwealth Cemetery, overlooked by the austere monastery of Montecassino
– headquarters of the Benedictine order. Take the clifftop road to your
hotel in the picturesque resort of Sorrento. Hotel: La Pace. (Buffet
breakfast)
DAY 9 – ISLE
OF CAPRI EXCURSION
Spend the morning being shown
the art of ‘intarsio’ or marquetry wood inlaying before cruising to
the sun-drenched island of dreams, Capri – a rock rising from the
Mediterranean. Take the funicular train up to the main village (Capri
Town), then spend time exploring the narrow alleyways, browse in the
exclusive boutiques and enjoy the fabulous views over the Mediterranean
Sea. Join an optional tour to Anacapri to visit Villa San Michele before
returning to your hotel for some time to relax. (Buffet breakfast, dinner)
DAY 10 –
SORRENTO – ROME
Only a short drive from the
hotel lies Pompeii, the opulent Roman town which was preserved by layers
of ash from the disastrous eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD79. A walking
tour through the varied and extensive excavations with a local guide
brings the ancient, ill- fated city to life. Afterwards, the smooth
motorway leads back to the ‘Eternal City’ of Rome. Tonight, stop by
the elegant Spanish Steps and Boat Fountain on the way to a special
Highlight Dinner of local cuisine, complete with wine and entertainment.
Hotel: Sheraton/Crowne Plaza St Peters. (Buffet breakfast, Speciality Highlight Dinner)
DAY 11 –
RETURN TO USA
Arrivederci Roma! The tour
ends with transfers to Rome’s Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport. (Buffet
breakfast)
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