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TRAVEL DETAILS
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Tour Day-by-day |
In Brief |
DAYS 1-2: Milan, Verona, Venice
A dream comes true as your wide-bodied jet thunders off the airstrip, Europe-bound. Time for a meal, a movie and a nap. Then it gets light again, first off the left-hand side of the airplane, then everywhere. It's morning, and Milan, Italy!
Once on the other side of customs, board your coach for a ride through the Po Valley and the wine country of northern Italy.
Travel to Verona, the city immortalized by Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet which is still surrounded by 16th-century walls enclosing its Centro della Città, full of little alleys and arcaded passageways.
See the Piazza Bra, the vast square where the Arena di Verona is located. This splendid Roman amphitheater, which dates back to the 1st century AD, is among the largest in the world with its 44 tiers of seats.
See Casa di Giulietta (Juliet's House) and its famous balcony. The house, which dates back to the 1300s, contains Renaissance furniture and artwork inspired by the story of Romeo and Juliet. In the courtyard you'll see the balcony and a bronze statue of Juliet.
Travel to the magical city that called itself "The Most Serene Republic of Venice" during its Golden Age.
Settle into your Venice hotel, located either in the floating city itself, or on the Lido Beach.
Remember Marco Polo, who set out from this magnificent harbor in 1271, at the age of 18, on a fantastic journey to Asia.
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Highlights
Arrival Venice via Milan and Verona
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DAY 3: Venice Guided Walking Tour
After a waterbus ride to the greatest square in the West, Piazza San Marco, enjoy a walking tour led by a local guide. You will see the Doges' Palace
and St. Mark's Basilica.
Head to the Rialto area to visit the nooks and crannies of Old Venice and the Rialto Market. The Erberia, the produce market selling fresh fruit and vegetables, is a riot of colors and, of course, wonderful savors. Nearby is the Pescheria, the fish market, which is at its best early in the morning when its stalls are filled with a variety of freshly-caught fish and seafood (closed Sundays and Mondays).
Enjoy a visit to a glass factory, where you will view a glass-blowing demonstration and learn about the art of making the world-renowned Venetian glass.
You may want to visit a lace school where you can see how the renowned Venetian lace is handmade according to ancient techniques.
Use your vaporetto ticket to ride along the Grand Canal aboard a waterbus: take either the #1 waterbus, which makes every stop along the way, or #82, which travels along the same route with fewer stops. You will pass under the Rialto Bridge, which was once the only link between the two sides of the Grand Canal. Completed in 1591, this shop-lined stone bridge is a lively gathering place for visitors and locals alike.
Consider visiting the Doges' Palace, built in the 14th century. It reflects Venice's Golden Age as a center of trade and exploration. Visitors marvel at architectural treasures such as its Golden Staircase, decorated with gold leaf, the Giants' Staircase, all marble, the Compass Room and, above all, the Chamber of the Great Council, which is one of the largest rooms in Europe. Its lavish decoration includes priceless paintings, in particular Tintoretto's Paradise, the world's largest painting on canvas.
Then, you may want to visit St. Mark's Basilica, which dates back to the 11th century and houses precious treasures behind its elaborate façade.
If the weather is favorable, you may enjoy a gondola ride beneath the open windows of stately palaces. A unique Venetian experience, as extravagant and as unforgettable as the city itself.
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Highlights
Professionally-guided walking tour of Venice
Round-trip waterbus ride to St. Mark's Square
Headset receiver
Visit to a glass workshop
Vaporetto single ticket
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DAY 4: Padua, Florence
Say arrivederci to Venice and travel to the city of Padua, seat of a famous university founded in 1222, where Galileo taught.
Visit the incredibly well-preserved Arena Chapel (also called the Scrovegni Chapel), built in 1303. It houses the greatest frescoes of Giotto, whose work heralded the Renaissance.
Enjoy a visit to the huge Basilica di Sant'Antonio, visited as a place of pilgrimage by people from all over the world.
Continue your journey up and over the rolling hills of Tuscany, to Firenze, the "jewel of the Renaissance."
This evening, stroll along the River Arno, or over it, using the shop-lined Ponte Vecchio, the oldest bridge in Florence. This medieval bridge (built in 1345) is especially attractive at sunset, when it reflects the warm Italian light.
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Highlights
Travel to Florence via Padua
One-way boatbus ride
Entrance to the Scrovegni Chapel
Visit to St. Anthony's Basilica
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DAY 5: Florence City Sightseeing, Excursion to Pisa
On a city tour of Florence, you'll hear about the Medici family and the art of politics.
A local guide, well-educated and specially-trained on the history and culture of Florence, will accompany your group.
Accademia
A visit is included to the Accademia, where you'll admire the best known of all Florentine treasures, Michelangelo's David.
Duomo (nave)
Visit the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, which is better known as the Duomo. It is one of the largest cathedrals in the Christian world, yet it was consecrated back in 1436. Marvel at its sumptuous exterior marble decoration and at the works of art it houses.
Santa Croce
Visit the church of Santa Croce, the final resting place of luminaries such as Michelangelo, Machiavelli and Galileo. The church is filled with treasures and houses the Pazzi Chapel, a masterpiece by Brunelleschi noted for its original conception and skillful proportions.
Leonardo's Leather Workshop
You will visit the Leonardo Leather Workshop, where a craftsman will demonstrate steps used in the manufacture of world-renowned Florentine leather goods.
Excursion to Pisa
An excursion takes you to Pisa, the city whose navy once dominated the Western Mediterranean, before the Arno silted up.
Just north of the city center discover the Campo dei Miracoli and its trio of remarkable Moorish-style religious buildings, the most famous of which is the Leaning Tower (now tilting 17.5 feet from its vertical axis!). Hear about the various solutions proposed to counteract the sinking of its foundation.
While in Pisa, you'll visit the sumptuous Duomo (known for its horizontal marble stripes).
Free time in Florence
The remainder of the day is free to plan as you wish.
You may want to check out the leather shops and the boutiques where you can acquire beautiful reproductions of Florentine artwork at reasonable prices.
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Highlights
Professionally-guided walking tour in Florence
Services of a specially-trained half-day local guide in Florence
Headset receiver for the walking tour
Visit to the Accademia
Visit to Florence's Duomo
Visit to the church of Santa Croce
Visit to Leonardo's Leather Workshop
Half-day coach excursion to Pisa
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DAY 6: Assisi, Rome
Travel to Assisi, where flowers overflow the window boxes which adorn the pink stone buildings typical of the town.
A half-day local guide, well-educated and specially-trained on the history and culture of Assisi, will accompany your group.
Enjoy a visit to the Basilica of St. Francis, built on the Hill of Paradise and restored to its past splendor following the 1997 earthquake. It consists of two superimposed churches resting on a series of arches: the Lower Basilica, built over the crypt which contains the tomb of St. Francis, and the Upper Basilica, decorated with frescoes by 13th-century masters Giotto and Cimabue.
You will visit the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, built on the outskirts of town over the site where St. Francis spent most of his life. It encloses the Porziuncola Chapel, where he prayed and received visions, and the Transitus Chapel, built over the cell in which the beloved saint died in 1226.
A ride down the autostrada brings you to the "Eternal City."
Plan a visit to the Trevi Fountain, one of Rome's most celebrated sights, which was the terminus of the Aqua Virgo aqueduct. The Trevi is at its best at night, when the fountain is illuminated. Throw a coin into the spray to ensure your return to this wonderful city!
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Highlights
Travel to Rome via Assisi
Services of a specially-trained half-day local guide in Assisi
Headset receiver
Visit to the Basilica of St. Francis
Visit to the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels
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DAY 7: Rome City Sightseeing, Optional Dinner with Music
Embark on a sightseeing tour of Rome.
Local Guide
A full-day local guide, well-educated and specially-trained on the history and culture of Rome, will accompany your group.
Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
Today you will visit some of the best known monuments of Ancient Rome, including the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. Once the heart of a vast empire, the Forum was filled with extravagant buildings and crowded with people from all over the known world.
Your combination ticket also allows entrance to the archaeological site on the Palatine Hill. Should time allow, you may want to make your way up the hill to visit the site and its museum. This was the oldest residential area in Ancient Rome.
Vatican Museums
You'll visit the Vatican Museums to view outstanding collections of masterpieces. Founded in the 16th century by Pope Julius II, the museums display collections that have been accummulated by the Roman Catholic Church for over 500 years. You'll see exceptional statues from antiquity and stunning Renaissance paintings in the Raphael Rooms, notably The School of Athens.
Marvel at Michelangelo's Last Judgment and brightly-colored ceiling frescoes in the Sistine Chapel.
Entrance is included to the magnificent St. Peter's Basilica, which houses priceless works of art, in particular Michelangelo's Pietà and Bernini's Dove of the Holy Spirit.
Piazza Navona
Stroll through the area known as Piazza Navona, built on the site of Domitian's stadium and adorned with trendy bistros, statues and monuments, notably Bernini's Fountain of Four Rivers.
You'll visit the Pantheon, the Temple to All the Gods. This is one of the better-preserved and most harmonious monuments of antiquity.
Dinner with music OPTIONAL
Tonight, enjoy dinner while local singers and musicians entertain you with O Sole Mio, Volare and other favorite Italian songs.
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Highlights
City sightseeing in Rome
One-day public transportation pass in Rome
Services of a specially-trained full-day local guide in Rome
Full-day whisper headsets
Combination ticket including entrance to the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill and Museum
Entrance to the Vatican Museums
Visit to the Sistine Chapel
Visit to St. Peter's Basilica
The Piazza Navona area
Visit to the Pantheon
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DAY 8: Rome, Optional Excursion to Pompeii and Herculaneum
Enjoy some free time to explore today or consider the following optional excursion.
Excursion to Pompeii and Herculaneum OPTIONAL
Embark on a journey that will take you first to Pompeii for a guided tour of its ruins. See how well-to-do Romans lived 2,000 years ago, until Mt. Vesuvius spoke, at once destroying this city and preserving it for all time.
Continue with a guided tour of Herculaneum, for which AD 79 also turned out to be a bad year. Smaller than Pompeii, it nevertheless had 5,000 inhabitants when it was destroyed. This carefully laid-out city with three main streets and five districts contained both the extravagant houses of wealthy Romans and the tenement buildings occupied by laborers and slaves.
Local Guide
A full-day local guide, well-educated and specially-trained on the history and culture of Pompeii and Herculaneum, will accompany your group.
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DAY 9: Departure
Ciao, Europa! Statistics show that visitors do in fact return to Rome, although it may not have anything to do with coins in a fountain. Race the sun and arrive home later today, eager to share your discoveries with family and friends.
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