GUIDES
 
Local guides for city sightseeing in Rome, Florence, Venice, Pompeii;
services of a professional tour director

TRANSPORTATION
• Scheduled transatlantic flights and airport transfers in Rome if the tour operator
   issues the tickets

HOTELS
Listed below or equivalent. Rooms with private bath or shower, hotel taxes,
porterage, tips, and service charges

MEALS: 12 continental breakfasts (B); 4 dinners (D)

OPTIONALS: Choice of optional excursions at reasonable prices to customize
  your own experience. Please find a detailed list in your travel documents

Tour Itinerary

Day 1 BOARD YOUR OVERNIGHT TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT.

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.

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)

Day 4 ROME-FLORENCE AREA. This morning vistas of undulating hills, austere rows
of cypress trees, terraced vineyards, olive groves, & rural villages form the backdrop
of your journey through beautiful Tuscany. Reach Florence in time to enjoy the included walking tour with a local guide featuring most of the city highlights. You will see the Piazza Santa Croce & the inside of the church; 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)

Day 5 FLORENCE. EXCURSION TO PISA.
An easy drive this morning to see more of the Tuscan countryside on the way to Pisa. Stop for a visit and see the Square of Miracles and the amazing Leaning Tower. Return to Florence for the afternoon. End the day by joining the optional Tuscan dinner in a typical restaurant. (B)

Day 6 FLORENCE AREA-LAKE MAGGIORE. An interesting drive northwest to the Italian Riviera and a stop in the charming resort of Santa Margherita. Next north
into the plains of Lombardy crossing the great River Po with new and quite different scenery as you approach the shores of Lake Maggiore for overnight in this area. (B)

Day 7 LAKE MAGGIORE. Time to relax and get to know the area. Lake Maggiore is
one of Italy’s largest lakes and is located on the very edge of Alpine Switzerland. In fact on clear days you can see the peaks of the Swiss Alps. A grand oppotunity to enjoy an optional excursion to Zermatt in the shadow of the Matterhorn. (B)

Day 8 LAKE MAGGIORE-MILAN-SIRMIONE-VERONA-VENICE AREA. An easy drive into Milan to see its great Duomo, one of the world’s largest and most magnificent cathedrals. Then journey eastwards for a first stop in Sirmione on the shores of Lake Garda. Next Verona for another stop to see Romeo and Juliet’s balcony before the relatively short drive to the Venice area. (B)

Day 9 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 glass blowers 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)

Day 10 VENICE AREA-RAVENNA-ASSISI AREA. An interesting drive southwards
right across the Po Delta to Ravenna. In the afternoon journey to Assisi enclosed
by ramparts and little changed since the Middle Ages. This is the town of the deeply mystical and poetic St. Francis – see the Church of St. Clara, founder of the Order
of Poor Clares, the medieval castle, and cathedral. Overnight in nearby Foligno. (B,D)

Day 11 ASSISI AREA-SORRENTO. Bypass Orvieto, then drive south on the excellent autostrada to Pompeii. Time stopped for the rich, aristocratic town of Pompeii with the terrible eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D. On the included visit you can see the luxurious villas, temples, theater, and forum. Next Sorrento – clinging to a cliff high above the waters of the Bay of Naples. Wander the winding streets lined with shops and stalls, and sit with a glass of wine absorbing the easygoing life of this charming resort. (B,D)

Day 12 SORRENTO. BOAT TRIP TO CAPRI. This legendary island is surrounded by rocky coastline, where the crashing sea has formed awe-inspiring caves. The town with its pretty piazza, maze of streets, fashionable boutiques, and smart restaurants
is a mecca for the jet set. Optional excursions are available to see more of the island. Join Tiberius, Emma Hamilton, and Axel Munthe, who all fell in love with this exquisite spot. (B)

Day 13 SORRENTO-ROME. A comfortable drive northwards this morning for arrival in Rome well in time to enjoy most of the afternoon and evening. (B)

Day 14 YOUR HOMEBOUND FLIGHT ARRIVES THE SAME DAY. (B)