THE SPLENDORS OF ITALY
6400 - 10 days incl. air, or 9 days Rome/Rome
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Day 1 BOARD YOUR OVERNIGHT TRANSATLANTIC
FLIGHT.
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Day 2 ARRIVAL IN ROME, ITALY. Check into
your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to explore this ancient capital.
Tonight, meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers.
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Day 3 ROME. Included sightseeing with
Local Guide starts in St. Peter’s Square, followed by a visit to the Roman Forum
and the mighty Colosseum. (B)
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Day 4 ROME-SIENA. Journey northwest to
the charmingly located city of Viterbo, known for its beautiful women and
elegant fountains. Next make a stop in Orvieto in the province of Umbria to
visit its black basalt and yellow limestone cathedral, an excellent example of
Italian Gothic architecture. By early evening you’ll be in Siena with time to
visit this jewel of Tuscany. Sit in one of the cafés surrounding the Campo and
admire one of Italy’s most unique squares, famed the world over for its Palio
horse race. (B)
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Day 5 SIENA-FLORENCE AREA. Drive this
morning to San Gimignano, one of Tuscany’s greatest attractions. Its medieval
squares, town walls, streets, alleyways, and 14 towers make it unique. Next into
the very heart of the Chianti vineyards; watch out for names such as Castellina
in Chianti, Badia, Gaiole, and Brolio where classical Chianti wines are
produced. Stop in Greve for some wine tasting at a local wine producer. Arrive
in the Florence area in time to join the outing for an optional Tuscan dinner.
(B)
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Day 6 FLORENCE. This Renaissance gem and
city of the Medicis will keep you enthralled for a whole day. Traffic is banned
in part of the historic center so visitors can wander at leisure and admire the
city’s timeless beauty in relative peace and quiet. Don’t miss out on the
included walking tour with a Local Guide which features most of the city
highlights. You will see the Piazza Santa Croce; the beautiful Piazza Signoria;
the Palazzo Vecchio and its courtyard; the Loggia dei Lanzi; and, to top it all,
the Piazza del Duomo and its cathedral with the Giotto Campanile, and the
magnificent East Door of the Baptistry known as the “Gate to Paradise.” (B,D)
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Day 7 FLORENCE AREA-EXCURSION TO PISA-VENICE
AREA. This morning drive to Pisa for a visit to its Square of Miracles
and the amazing Leaning Tower, 180 feet high and no less than 16 feet out of the
perpendicular. Later head across the wooded Apennine Hills into the farmlands of
the Po Valley for overnight in the Venice Area. (B)
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Day 8 VENICE. It’s really more like a
marvelous film set than a real live city, with its criss-crossing canals,
gondolas and water buses, arched bridges, palaces, and little quiet piazzas. The
included tour starts with a boat ride and is followed by a visit to St. Mark’s
Basilica and a chance to watch Venetian glassblowers fashion their delicate
objects as they did centuries ago. Don’t miss out on the optional gondola trip,
gliding along the picturesque canals with a local troubadour to serenade you.
(B,D)
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Day 9 VENICE AREA-ASSISI-ROME. A long
but interesting drive southward, cutting across the Po Delta, then joining the
expressway which skirts the Adriatic coast. After crossing the Apennines, stop
in Assisi, where St. Francis was born in 1182. Visit the Basilica, then head for
Rome. (B)
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Day 10 YOUR HOMEBOUND FLIGHT ARRIVES THE SAME
DAY. (B)
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