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Bella Italia 2009 12 Days • $3,179* |
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Day 1 • Depart Today we depart on our trans-Atlantic, overnight flight to Milan, Italy. In-flight services include meals, beverages, and complimentary headsets. Inflight D Day 2 • Venice Mestre Upon our morning arrival at Milan’s Malpensa Airport, we meet coach and drive eastward to Venice. En route, we stop for lunch at Sirmione, a charming town located on the southern tip of beautiful Lake Garda. After time to explore Sirmione, we leave the Italian Lakes District and continue on to fair Verona. Here we have a chance to see the Roman arena and Juliet’s balcony before we continue on to Venice Mestre. Inflight B/D Day 3 • Montecatini Terme This morning we board a boat for a ride along the Canale Grande to St. Mark’s Square. Our local city guide introduces us to the serene beauty that is Venice. After learning about this history of this once powerful city, we have opportunity to explore on our own. In the mid-afternoon, we depart for Montecatini Terme, our home in Tuscany for the next four nights. B/D Day 4 • Montecatini Terme Departing our hotel this morning, we enjoy a full day excursion to Florence. Upon arrival, we meet our local guide and enjoy a city tour of the beautiful city. Before our city tour is over, we visit the Accademia Museum to see Michelangelo’s masterpiece, David. The afternoon is unscheduled and Florence provides plenty of options to keep a visitor busy. Some may choose to explore the Ponte Vecchio, the sprawling San Lorenzo leather market, or visit another art museum, such as the world famous Uffizi. We return to Montecatini Terme in time for dinner. B/D Day 5 • Montecatini Terme Our day begins with a drive to the coast, as we enjoy a full day excursion to the Cinque Terre. These five ancient fishing villages cling to the cliffs overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea were mostly isolated from the rest of the world until a rail line was established. The villages built into the sides of the cliffs are not only attractive because of their brightly painted façades, but also because their view is the stunning Tyrrhenian Sea. In the afternoon, we begin our return to Montecatini, stopping first in Pisa to see the Leaning Tower and Cathedral. B/D |
Day 6 • Montecatini Terme Today we enjoy a full day excursion to San Gimignano and Siena. San Gimignano, the most famous of the Tuscan “hilltop towns.” The medieval “skyscrapers” that make up the skyline made San Gimignano famous among visitors to Tuscany. While many fell into disrepair over the centuries, there are still many standing, giving silent testimony to the rivalries between the wealthy families of medieval San Gimignano. Siena, home of the Palio race and the famous Duomo is our second stop of the day. Many consider Siena to be Tuscany’s most beautiful city, an opinion that our local city guide is sure to share. During our city tour, we learn about the horse race around the Campo, as well as the many different neighborhoods of the city, each one unique and proud of its identity. B/D Day 7 • Rome We depart Tuscany this morning and drive towards Rome. En route, we visit Assisi, the burial place of St. Francis of Assisi. While in Assisi, we visit the stunning basilica, which dominates the town. Although the basilica is the main draw for the pilgrims who travel to Assisi, the town also boasts Roman ruins and other impressive churches. After time to explore the city, we continue on to Rome. After dinner, we enjoy an evening excursion to Fountain of Tivoli, Spanish Steps, and the Pantheon B/D Day 8 • Rome This morning, we tour the Vatican Museums, including a visit to the Sistine Chapel, home of Michelangelo’s famous frescoes, and St. Peter’s Basilica. After time for lunch, we tour Ancient and Medieval Rome, including admission to the Colosseum B/D Day 9 • Sorrento After breakfast, we drive southward past Naples to Sorrento area. En route we have a guided tour of Pompeii, the Roman town that was frozen in time by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Our tour includes history of the excavations at Pompeii, as well as information about daily life in a Roman town. After our tour, we continue on to our hotel in the Sorrento area. B/D |
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10 • Sorrento We enjoy a full day excursion to the Isle of Capri. Located off the coast of Italy, this sun-soaked island is a short boat ride away from the mainland. Capri enjoys nearly perfect weather – sun and warmer temperatures, which has made it a favorite vacation destination since Roman times. The island’s most famous attraction is the Grotta Azzura, or Blue Grotto. Accessible only by boat, the grotto is well known for the iridescent blue light that gives it its name. After time to explore the rest of the island, we return to the Sorrento area in time for dinner. B/D Day 11 • Rome Our morning is at leisure in Sorrento. After lunch , we drive to Tivoli to visit Hadrian’s Villa, the summer escape for Roman emperors and the elite classes. This evening we celebrate our final night in Italy with a farewell dinner at the Ristorante Antiche Terme di Diana. As the name indicates, the restaurant was built upon the ruins of a Roman temple to the goddess Diana. In addition to wonderful food, we enjoy a pasta making demonstration and live entertainment – a fitting way to end our tour of Italy. B/D Day 12 • Return We say “Arrivederci” to Italy as we transfer to Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci Airport today for our return flight to the United States. From the canals of Venice, to the towers of San Gimignano to the beauty of the Isle of Capri, our minds are filled with memories of Italian art, history and culture. B/Inflight L |
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