ITALIAN TREASURES

Visit Italy

1 ARRIVE IN ROME, ITALY

Welcome to Rome! At 5 pm, meet your Tour Director and travel companions for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. (D)

2 ROME

Italian Treasures ROME Guided sightseeing includes the Vatican Museums, and the Sistine Chapel. Visit St. Peter's Square and Basilica to admire Michelangelo's Pieta, the Colosseum, and see the Roman Forum. Free time late afternoon and evening. * (B) * For operational reasons, schedule changes for the Rome program cannot be excluded TOUR HIGHLIGHT LEGENDARY LIVES Stand in awe and wonder amid one of mankind's greatest artistic achievements in the Sistine Chapel. Hear how in 1508, a young Michelangelo was commissioned by Pope Julius II to decorate the chapel's ceiling - a request not welcomed by the 33-year-old sculptor. Michelangelo's 4-year project was indeed one of physical pain and psychological distress, while painting from scaffolds high above the sanctuary floor. Nevertheless, he created what is considered the most famous ceiling in the world, depicting the Creation of Adam in striking fresco style.

3 ROME-LUCCA

Roman Rulers LUCCA Enjoy an orientation walk, followed by free time. (B) 217 mi/ 350 km TOUR HIGHLIGHT CULTURAL GEMS Within the walls surrounding the medieval city of Lucca, the modern world fades away. Whilst you walk, see the Piazza Anfiteatro, San Michele Square, the Roman Amphitheatre, the soaring clock tower, and the Guinigi Tower topped with a hanging garden roof - just to name a few of the impressive sights you'll find in this historic city in Tuscany.

4 LUCCA-LA SPEZIA-EXCURSION TO CINQUE TERRE & PISA

The Italian Riviera Depart for a scenic drive en route to La Spezia. CINQUE TERRE [LF] Take a guided boat ride (weather permitting) to Monterosso, with free time before boarding your train for La Spezia. PISA See the Leaning Tower en route back to Lucca. (B,D) 155 mi/ 250 km LOCAL FAVOURITE EPIC RIDE Take a stunning cruise on the coast of Cinque Terre and take in fascinating views of the sea, sky, and centuries-old seaside villages on the rugged Italian Riviera coastline.

5 LUCCA-SIENA-SAN GIMIGNANO-VERRAZZANO CASTLE-FLORENCE

Tuscany's Terra Bella SIENA An orientation walk includes Piazza del Campo. SAN GIMIGNANO Take an orientation walk with free time for lunch. VERRAZZANO Enjoy [LF] wine tasting with local specialties. (B) 186 mi / 300 km LOCAL FAVOURITE LOCAL TASTES Visit the heart of the Chianti Classico area, between Florence and Siena, and taste the tradition of winemaking with regional specialties enjoyed in the vineyards of this beautiful landscape for centuries.

6 FLORENCE

Florentine Favourites FLORENCE Guided sightseeing includes Michelangelo's masterpiece, David, at the Academy of Fine Arts, Giotto's Bell Tower, the Baptistry's heavy bronze "Gates of Paradise," and Signoria Square. Free time this afternoon and evening. (B) TOUR HIGHLIGHT ART & ARCHITECTURE Those lucky enough to visit the Tuscan capital are witness to some of the world's most magnificent. Home to a wealth of Rennaissance masterpieces, Florence is famous for Michelangelo's Marble Masterpiece, David, standing ready for battle in the Academy of Fine Arts. Outside, the Piazza del Duomo and Signoria Square offer spectacular sights of Florentine Gothic and Renaissance art, architecture, and monuments.

7 FLORENCE-VERONA-VENICE ISLAND

Ladies & Gentlemen of Verona VERONA An orientation walk includes Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza Bra to admire the Arena. Free time for lunch before continuing to Venice. VENICE ISLAND Take a private boat ride on the canals (B) 242 mi / 390 km TOUR HIGHLIGHT CULTURE & TRADITION Stroll through the grand piazzas of Verona, where the tradition of La Passeggiata (leisurely stroll) is alive and well near the site of the ancient forum. Where fruits, vegetables, and spices once filled the market squares, now eateries and shops share the space with the ancient arts of sumptuous fountains, monuments, architecture, and people-watching.

8 VENICE ISLAND

Benvenuti a Venezia VENICE ISLAND A guided walking tour to see St. Mark's Square and Basilica, Doge's Palace, and the Bridge of Sighs, followed by a glassblowing demonstration. Free time this afternoon and evening. (B) TOUR HIGHLIGHT HISTORIC SPOT Locals simply call Piazza San Marco "la piazza." As paired with the smaller Piazzetta, it forms the social, religious, and political hub of Venice, which Napoleon called "the drawing room of Europe." St. Mark's Basilica dominates the square, offering visitors a spectacular view of the great arches, marble embellishments, and the Romanesque carvings of its facade. Also gracing the square is Doge's Palace - a masterpiece of Venetian Gothic architecture. The enclosed Bridge of Sighs, connecting the palace with the prison, is named for the prisoners breathing in their last view of the Rio di Palazzo on their walk to the prison's interrogation rooms.

9 VENICE ISLAND-ASSISI

Medieval Marvels Scenic drive through the Apennine Mountains en route to Assisi. ASSISI Guided walking tour includes St. Clare's Church and St. Francis' Basilica. (B,D) 267 mi / 430 km TOUR HIGHLIGHT ICONIC FOOTSTEPS Walk in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi with a visit to the Basilica named after the deacon, friar, and mystic, who became one of the most venerated religious figures in Christianity. Revered for his love of the Eucharist and the Earth, Francis found communion with God through nature here in this Italian village where he lived and died. Marvel at the magnificent frescoes by Italian master Giotto that adorn the Basilica where the Saint is buried.

10 ASSISI-ORVIETO-ROME

Parting is Sweet Sorrow ORVIETO Enjoy a [LF] local pastries tasting at renowned Caffe Montanucci, a historic Pasticceria. An orientation walk includes the cathedral with free time to visit San Brizio Chapel. ROME Join in a farewell dinner at a local restaurant (B,D) 137 mi/ 220 km LOCAL FAVOURITE LOCAL TASTES The historic Pasticceria of Caffe Montanucci has been open every morning for 100 years, delighting the sweet tooths of pastry lovers in the heart of Orvieto. Only the Municipality, the Bank, the Church can claim the same, earning "the old bar" the status of institution in the old city. While the world has changed in many ways over the century, the important things have remained the same at the caffe - a haven where generations of guests rely on its traditional coffee, cappuccino, semolina cake, pastry ice cream, and chocolates to win their hearts every time.

11 ROME

Safe travels until we meet again! Your holiday ends with breakfast this morning. (B)

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