VISITING
ROME, ASSISI, VENICE, LUGANO, ITALIAN LAKES, PISA,
FLORENCE, SORRENTO AND VATICAN CITY
Day 1 – Depart USA
Overnight flight to Rome.
Day 2 – Rome at Leisure
Welcome to Rome - the 'Eternal City'! You
will be met on arrival at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci airport and transferred to the
Cristoforo Colombo Hotel. After checking in, the rest of the day is yours to relax.
Perhaps sip a cappucino at a sidewalk cafe in the Piazza Navona (the 'Living Room
of Rome') and watch life go by! Tonight, get to know your fellow travellers and
Tour Director at a Welcome Meeting.
Hotel: Cristoforo Colombo.
Day 3 – Rome – Venice
Pass Etruscan hill towns and olive
groves on your way to Assisi where you will see the great Basilica of St Francis.
Cross the Appenine Mountains and descend onto the vast Venetian plain.
Hotel: Holiday Inn Marghera. (B,D)
Day 4 – Venice Sightseeing
A private launch takes you along the
Guidecca canal past monumental architecture to St Mark’s Square; see palatial
residences which seem to float on the water, while gondolas bob beneath the Bridge
of Sighs. Cruise by St George Island, then see a glass-blowing master create a work
of art. Consider combining a lagoon cruise with a delicious seafood lunch. (B,D)
Day 5 – Venice – Lugano – Italian Lakes
Stroll the narrow streets of Verona
to see Juliet’s balcony and the Roman arena. Continue past the Italian fashion
capital , Milan , before heading north to briefly enter Switzerland to visit mountain
ringed Lugano. Then continue to your hotel for the next two nights.
Hotel: Le Terrazze.
(B,D)
Day 6 – Italian Lakes Excursion
A drive around the shores of Lake Maggiore
brings beautiful mountains, tranquil islands and picturesque towns and villages
together. Stop in the lakeside resort of Stresa for a chance to take an excursion
to Isola Bella, one of the Borromean Islands. (B,D)
Day 7 – Italian Lakes – Tuscany
Marvel at the Leaning Tower of Pisa,
which has sat in the Field of Miracles since 1350. Next to the tower, see also the
white marble Cathedral, which dates from the 11th century. Continue onto the Tuscan
spa town of Montecatini.
Hotel: Tuscany Inn. (B,D)
Day 8 – Florence Sightseeing
Drive to Florence, which began life
as an Etruscan village centuries before Christ and flourished during the Renaissance
as a centre of art and culture. View the city from Piazzale Michelangelo before
watching a demonstration of leatherwork. Spend the afternoon at leisure: see the
cathedral, Giotto’s Belltower and other highlights of the city. (B,D)
Day 9 – Tuscany – Sorrento
Drive through the patchwork of vines,
olives and cypresses that typify the Chianti hills. Continue south along the 'Highway
of the Sun' past Naples, nestling in the shadow of fuming Mount Vesuvius. Finally
the road twists its way round the rugged coastline to clifftop Sorrento.
Hotel: Grand Hotel Due Golfi. (B)
Day 10 – Sorrento at Leisure
Relax in this peaceful resort, known
for its many beautiful gardens. Maybe join an optional excursion to the isle of
Capri, which has welcomed famous visitors for over 2,000 years? (B,D)
Day 11 – Sorrento – Rome
This morning consider visiting the
excavations at Pompeii where, in AD79, the city was covered after the volcanic eruption
of Vesuvius. The incredible preservation of the site means visitors are able to
visualise life in Roman times. Stop at the Commonwealth cemetery at Cassino, overlooked
by the imposing abbey, before driving through vine-covered hills to return to your
hotel in Rome.
Hotel: Cristoforo Colombo. (B)
Day 12 – Rome Sightseeing
Rome is one of the world’s most
historic cities. Join your local guide for a tour which begins with a visit to the
Vatican City and the awe-inspiring St Peter’s Basilica. There’s time for
an optional visit to the Sistine Chapel to see Michelangelo’s amazing ceiling
which depicts the creation. Cross the river Tiber to see the Colosseum, built in
72AD and the scene of many gladiatorial contests. The model for all subsequent stadiums,
it still has the power to impress. See the ancient Forum before spending time relaxing
and exploring. Why not say ‘arrivederci’ to your new friends over a farewell
dinner party? (B)
Day 13 – Return to USA
Your tour ends after breakfast with
a transfer to Rome Airport. (B)
