Tour Duration: 14 days
DAY 1 – DEPART USA
Overnight flight to Rome.
DAY 2 – ROME AT LEISURE
Welcome to Rome! On arrival at
Rome’s Fiumicino
Leonardo da Vinci Airport, there
are complimentary
transfers to your tour
hotel. Relax or spend the rest of the
day exploring this wonderful city. As
evening falls, join
your Tour Director and fellow
passengers for a Welcome
Drink. Hotel: Grand Ritz/Grand Hotel
Palatino.
DAY 3 – ROME SIGHTSEEING
With a local guide, visit
the Vatican Museums, the
treasure house of the Catholic faith
with vast collections
of ancient and Renaissance art.
Continue to the Sistine
Chapel, a masterpiece of
Michelangelo’s fresco skills.
Then enter St
Peter’s Basilica to see
Bernini’s
‘Popes’ Altar’
above the spot where St Peter is
reputed to have been
crucified. Afterwards, cross the
River Tiber to ancient
classical Rome and visit the
world’s largest Roman arena,
the Colosseum, the scene of many
gladiatorial contests,
and overlook the Forum, the centre
of ancient public life. The
afternoon sees time set aside for
sightseeing at your
own pace. As night falls, why not
enjoy a night out with
splendid Italian food and wine. (BB)
DAY 4 – ROME –
FLORENCE
Travel north to the picturesque
medieval town of Siena and
stroll through its cobbled streets to
the vast Campo
Square, where the Palio horse
race takes place amid great
festivities. See the
‘Fountain of Joy’
and then walk up to
the black and white striped
cathedral. After some free
time, continue through the cypress
clad hills and vineyards
of Tuscany to Florence. Hotel:
Sheraton. (BB,D)
DAY 5 – FLORENCE SIGHTSEEING
A guided tour takes you
inside the Academy Gallery to
see Michelangelo’s original
statue of David, then
continue to the Cathedral
to see Giotto’s
belltower and
the ‘Gates of
Paradise’ adorning the
Baptistery. Visit the
political stage of Florence,
Signoria Square, filled with
works of art, and finally see the
tombs of Galileo and
Michelangelo in Santa Croce
Basilica. After watching a
leatherwork demonstration,
you have spare time to shop
or continue sightseeing. (BB)
DAY 6 – FLORENCE –
ITALIAN LAKES
Travel to Pisa to see
the famous Leaning Tower,
the white marble cathedral
and Baptistery before heading
north to Milan to admire
the Gothic Cathedral and
famous La Scala Opera House.
After some time here,
head to the beautiful Italian
Lake District for a two–
night stay at a lakeside holiday
resort on Lake Maggiore. Hotel:
Simplon/Splendid. (BB,D)
DAY 7 – ITALIAN LAKES AT
LEISURE
The day is set aside to relax and
enjoy all the fantastic
sights this beautiful lakeland area
has to offer. Why not
take a cruise over to Isola Bella,
one of the picturesque
Borromean Islands? (BB,D)
DAY 8 – ITALIAN LAKES
– VENICE
Briefly enter Switzerland to visit
the mountain ringed
resort of Lugano. Take
time to stroll by the lake’s shores
and shop for watches or fine
chocolate. Continue to Verona
to see Juliet’s
balcony and the ancient Roman
Arena. Then it’s off
to romantic Venice, 'Queen
of the
Adriatic'. Hotel:
Continental/Sant'Elena/Bellini.
(BB,D)
DAY 9 – VENICE
SIGHTSEEING
What better way to see Venice than
from our private
launch, cruising past palazzos
and churches to St Mark’s
Square? See the
Basilica, the Doges’ Palace
and Bridge
of Sighs. Watch a
demonstration of glass–blowing
before enjoying a highlight ride by
traditional gondola
along the picturesque canals.
Spend time at leisure
exploring at your own pace. As night
falls, why not
enjoy a traditional Venetian dinner
with music? (BB)
DAY 10 – VENICE –
ASSISI
Skirt the Venetian Lagoon and cross
two of Italy’s most
important rivers, the Adige and Po,
before approaching
the city of Ravenna. Stop to
visit the Church of
St Apollinaris in Classe
with its dazzling mosaics. Then
the scenery changes dramatically as
you drive through
the Apennines to Assisi
to see the Church of St
Mary of
the Angels and enjoy a
guided visit inside the Basilica of
St Francis. Hotel: Grand Hotel.
(BB,D)
DAY 11 – ASSISI –
SORRENTO
Drive past the vineyards of Frascati
and Castelli Romani
to the Commonwealth Cemetery
in the shadow of the
brooding hilltop monastery of
Cassino. Continue along
the clifftops to the picturesque
holiday resort of Sorrento,
which bustles with life until
late each night. Hotel:
Corallo/Crowne Plaza di Stabiae
(Pozzano). (BB)
DAY 12 – ISLE OF CAPRI
EXCURSION
Visit Sorrento’s Piazza
Tasso and watch the art
of ‘intarsio’ wood
inlaying. Cruise to the island of Capri
and ascend to Capri town by funicular
railway. There is
time to explore before returning to
Sorrento. (BB,D)
DAY 13 – SORRENTO –
ROME
Drive to the ancient Roman
city of Pompeii, eerily
preserved by the eruptions of Mount
Vesuvius in AD79,
and walk with a local guide through
cobbled streets to
explore some of the shops, villas
and temples. Return to
Rome where you stroll to the
Spanish Steps before your
Highlight farewell dinner including
pasta, wine and
music. Hotel: Crowne Plaza St
Peters/Tiberio. (BB,HD)
DAY 14 – RETURN TO USA
The tour ends with
complimentary transfers to
Rome
Airport. (BB)
