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Home > Globus > Italy > Italian Treasures - Winter 2008
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This 11-day vacation does not just include highlight cities like Rome, Florence, and Venice, but also overnight stays in Lucca and Assisi. In Pisa, admire the Leaning Tower. All major sights have been included such as St. Peter’s, the Sistine Chapel, and the Colosseum in Rome, Michelangelo’s David in Florence, and St. Mark’s and Doges’ Palace in Venice, which you enter by private boat. You’ll also appreciate all the extras, including a special Welcome Dinner in a typical Roman restaurant; visits to San Gimignano and Siena, famous for the biannual, medieval-style horse race; the Palio; a stop at Verrazzano Castle to learn about famous Chianti wine; and a stop in Verona to take pictures of Juliet’s balcony. You’ll travel along the picturesque coastline to Ravenna to admire the mosaics in the 6th-century basilica, and stop in Orvieto, which you access by riding a funicular right through its ramparts!
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ITINERARY
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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.
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)
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WHATS INCLUDED
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ROMEWelcome 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 ForumPISAPicture stop at the Leaning TowerLUCCAOrientationSAN GIMIGNANOOrientationSIENAOrientation including Piazza del CampoVERRAZZANO CASTLEWine tastingFLORENCEGuided sightseeing including headsets, visit Michelangelo’s David, the cathedral, and Signoria SquareVERONAOrientation including Juliet’s Balcony and the ArenaVENICEPrivate boat ride, guided sightseeing including headsets, visit St. Mark’s Square and Basilica, Doges’ Palace, and the Bridge of Sighs; glassblowers’ demonstrationRAVENNAVisit St. Apollinaris in ClasseASSISIGuided sightseeing, visit St. Francis’ BasilicaORVIETORide a funicular through the ramparts to the cathedral
MEALS
9 buffet breakfasts (BB); 4 three-course dinners (D), including a special welcome dinner with wine in Rome
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HOTELS
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| ROME Cicerone (SF), LUCCA Grand Hotel Guinigi (F), FLORENCE Sheraton Firenze (SF), VENICE All’Angelo (F), ASSISI Subasio (F), ROME Crowne Plaza St. Peter’s (F) or Holiday Inn Rome West (F) | | ^Top |
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OPTIONALS
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Departures are guaranteed on the following dates:
11/3/2008
12/22/2008
INSIDE VISITS
Inside visits and special features are shown in the description, including admission charges when applicable.
AIRPORT TRANSFERS
Airport transfers may be included with land and air price. |
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| Dec 22, 2008 - Jan 01, 2009 | Call Us | $2059 | Call Us | $1853 |  |
Note: All prices, itineraries, accommodations and dates are subject to change without notice and at any time by the tour operators. Availability is limited and must be reconfirmed at time of booking. Please call us toll free at 1-800-935-2620 to confirm availability and current pricing on all our discounted specials. The prices on this website are not guaranteed until a deposit has been made. We are not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes in these prices until a booking has been confirmed by one of our agents. Some land prices may include an internal air component and discounts will not be offered on the internal air component. Discounts will not be offered on packages with a land price of less than $500. |
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