| GRAND
TOUR OF ITALY
September 4/21 ,
2005
Price: $ 3.550
DAY 1 – Venice
Individual arrival. Transfer to hotel at your own. Check-in.
In the late afternoon meeting with the tour leader for the
orientation. Dinner in hotel.
DAY 2 – Venice
Breakfast in hotel. In the morning guided tour to San Marco
Square, the heart of the city and admire the beautiful facade
of St. Mark's Basilica, with is grand Byzantine influence.
Tour the fantastic Doge's Palace, one of the most beautiful
palaces of the world that houses wonderful works by Tintoretto
and Veronese, and a ceiling designed by Palladio. Cross
over the Bridge of Sighs, where prisoners lamented as they
were led to the dark dungeons. Lunch at restaurant. In the
afternoon stroll the city's narrow streets, lovely piazzas
and marvel at the canals where traditional gondolas still
ply the waters. Dinner in hotel.
DAY 3 – Venice
Breakfast in hotel. Transfer by boat for a guided tour of
the island of Murano, famous for its glass factories. Visit
of the most important factories where you will have the
opportunity of assisting to the work of the glass masters.
After visit the island of Burano, the most pittoresque of
the laguna. Lunch on your own and return to Venice. Afternoon
free. Dinner in hotel.
DAY 4 – Venice, Verona, Milan
Breakfast in hotel. Departure to Verona for a panoramic
walking guided tour with its picturesque town center where
bright geranius bloom in window boxes , Verona with its
romantic reputation, thanks to its being the setting of
Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet has the Arena one of the
largest and best-preserved Roman amphitheater anywhere.
Lunch at your own. In the afternoon departure to Milan.
Free visit of its Cathedral. Dinner at leisure.
DAY 5 – Milan, Como Lake, Florence
Breakfast in hotel and departure for a full day excursion
at the Lake of Como with a visit to Tremezzo beautiful hillside
village, surrounded by a profusion of orange and lemon groves,
magnolias and laurels. Visit of Villa Carlotta and its gardens
date from the first half of the 18th century and were built.
Gardens laid out in the former classical italian style.
The neo classical villa stands above three terraces linked
to the lake along the central axis by a series of double
stairways with imposing balustrades. Free lunch. Visit to
Bellagio positioned on a promontory where the Lake forks
and called La Punta Spartivento - the point that divides
the wind, the “Pearl of the Lake” Bellagio one
the most beautiful places in northern Italy and conquered
artists as Shelly, Longfellow, Stendhal and Liszt. In the
late afternoon departure to Florence. Dinner at restaurant.
DAY 6 – Florence
Breakfast in hotel.Guided tour to the ancient religious
center of the town visiting the Duomo, with its cupola by
Brunelleschi and the Baptistry famous for its gilded bronze
doors, including the Ghiberti's masterpiece. Walk to the
Church of Santa Croce which house Michelangelo's tomb after
drive to Piazzale Michelangelo, a beautiful terrace, from
where you can admire a marvelous panorama of the historical
centre. Lunch at leisure. In the afternoon visit of the
Accademia to admire the most famous masterpiece: the David.
Dinner at leisure
DAY 7 – Florence
Breakfast in hotel. Guided tour of the politic Florentine
centre during the city's Golden Age with a visit to the
Palazzo Vecchio and to the Uffizi Gallery, housing works
of Michelangelo, Giotto, Tiziano, Botticelli, Cimabue and
many others. Dinner at restaurant. Free afternoon. Dinner
at leisure.
DAY 8 – Florence, Pisa, Florence
Breakfast in hotel. Free morning. Lunch at leisure. In the
afternoon excursion to Pisa to admire Piazza dei Miracoli
housing the beautiful Cathedral, Baptistry and the Famous
Leaning Tower. Medieval dinner at Palazzo Borghese.
DAY 9 – Florence, Siena, San Gimignano, Florence
Breakfast in hotel. Full day excursion to Siena and San
Gimignano. The tour takes you through the Chianti countryside.
In Siena, the loveliest towns in tuscany, walking guided
tour, admire the marvelous Cathedral, the unique fan shaped
square Piazza del Campo and the majestic Palazzo Comunale.
Lunch at restaurant. In the afternoon visit San Gimignano,
wich is famous for its medieval towers and which offers
a magnificent view from its rock to overlooking the valley.
Dinner at leisure.
DAY 10 – Florence, Orvieto, Rome
Breakfast in hotel. Hotel check-out and departure to Orvieto.
Lunch at leisure along the highway. In the afternoon guided
tour of Orvieto, wonderful town built on a tufa mount. Departure
to Rome. Check-in in hotel and dinner.
DAY 11 – Rome
Breakfast in hotel. Guided tour to the Vatican Museum, a
beautiful storehouse of art and history and the center of
the Catholicisim. Marvel at Michelangelo's frescoes in the
Sistine Chapel, and see its treasures. Admire the huge dimensions
of St. Peter's Basilica, designed by Michelangelo. Lunch
at restaurant. In the afternoon stroll past some of its
famous landmark as the Trevi Fountain, the beautiful Spanish
steps and Piazza Navona. Dinner in Hotel.
DAY 12 – Rome
Breakfast in hotel. Walk through the Roman Forum, once the
political center and visit the Colosseum where gladiators
battle to the death. Lunch at leisure. Afternoon free. Dinner
in hotel.
DAY 13 – Rome, Naples, Pompei, Sorrento
Breakfast in hotel. Departure to Naples. Panoramic tour
of the city and drive to Pompei. Lunch at restaurant.In
the afternoon guided tour of Pompei (vulcanic ash and mud
preserved the Roman town of Pompei almost exactly as it
was on the day Mt. Vesuvius erupted in ad 79 leaving it
not just archaeological ruins but a museum of daily life
in the ancient world).Check-in in hotel in Sorrento. Dinner
in hotel.
DAY 14 – Sorrento, Capri, Sorrento
Breakfast in hotel and full day excursion to the amazing
Capri Island with the visit of the famous Blue Grotto. Lunch
at restaurant in Capri. Dinner in Hotel.
DAY 15 – Sorrento, Amalfi, Positano, Ravello,
Sorrento
Breakfast in hotel and full day tour down the Amalfi Coast
to visit the towns of: Amalfi, Positano and Ravello “the
three pearls of the Amalfi Coast”. Lunch at leisure.
Dinner in Hotel.
DAY 16 – Sorrento, Mt. Vesuvius, Rome
Breakfast in hotel. Departure to the Mount Vesuvio, the
famous volcano overlooking the Gulf of Naples. Lunch at
leisure. In the afternoon departure to Rome. Dinner in hotel.
DAY 17 – Rome, Assisi, Rome
Full day excursion to Assisi, the tiny hilltop village,
with its winding, steep medieval streets and green, mountainous
scenery where religious pilgrims come to honor St. Francic
(Assisi's patron) who founded the Franciscan Order.Visit
the Basilica hosting frescos by Giotto and Cimabue. Lunch
at restaurant. In the late afternoon departure to Rome.
Dinner in hotel.
DAY 18 – Rome
Breakfast in hotel and individual departure.
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