14 Days / 12 Nights -

Venice / Florence / Rome / Sorrento / Rome
Tour Departs Every Sunday

DAY 1, SUNDAY :: DEPART USA

Evening departure. Meals and refreshments served on board.

DAY 2, MONDAY :: VENICE

Morning arrival into Venice’s Marco Polo Airport. Here you’ll be met and transferred to your hotel in Venice.
The balance of the day is at leisure. This evening enjoy a welcome dinner at a popular restaurant.

DAY 3, TUESDAY :: VENICE

Your morning tour of Venice is on foot and will highlight the Basilica of St. Mark and the Doge’s Palace, with
its splendid rooms decorated by 16th century artists such as Titian, Tintoretto, and Veronese. Also view the Bridge of Bridges of Sighs and Piombi Prison. Afternoon is at leisure with enough time for more sightseeing, shopping or relaxation. In the evening the tour director will assist you in locating restaurants where you will enjoy savoring the pleasures of Venetian cuisine.

DAY 4, WEDNESDAY :: VENICE / PADUA / MODENA / FLORENCE

This morning depart Venice and stop in Padua to visit the Basilica of St. Anthony and its art, including the
large bronze works of Donatello. Continue your scenic drive to Modena, famous for balsamic vinegar (Maranello is nearby, where Ferrari sportscars are manufactured). In Modena you’ll be treated to a special balsamic vinegar-tasting session plus lunch, featuring local specialities and Lambrusco wine. After lunch continue to Florence, home of Michelangelo. Tuscan cooking is a true gastronomic feast. The tour director
will suggest restaurants according to your preferences.

DAY 5, THURSDAY :: FLORENCE

Morning tour takes you to Michelangelo Square for a panoramic view of the city, the Academia to see Michelangelo’s original David statue, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistry with its “Gates of Paradise” doors, Signoria Square and Santa Croce Church. Afternoon is free. Tonight, enjoy a festive dinner with wine and music at a charming villa located on a beautiful Tuscan hillside outside Florence.

DAY 6, FRIDAY :: FLORENCE (PISA EXCURSION)

This morning is free for last minute shopping, or join us for an optional tour to Siena famous for “II Palio” the bareback horse race. During this optional excursion you will travel through the heart and hills of Tuscany to explore breathtaking landscapes with Chianti vineyards, cypress trees, olive groves, and medieval villages.
In the afternoon enjoy an included excursion to one of the world’s best-known sights - the Leaning Tower
of Pisa. Late afternoon return to Florence and dinner on your own. The tour director will suggest Florentine restaurants you will certainly enjoy.

DAY 7, SATURDAY :: FLORENCE / PERUGIA / ASSISI / TORGIANO / ROME

Morning departure for Rome. Drive through the serene Tuscan and Umbria countryside, passing by the
shores of Lake Trasimeno, past the medieval city of Perugia and on to Assisi. Here you will stop at the Basilica of St. Francis, the burial site of St. Francis. Continue south to Torgiano, known for the production of fine red wine, where you will enjoy a rustic lunch and a wine tasting at the Lungarotti wine cellar. Resume your journey to Rome. Tonight, experience a taste of the Roman dining scene on your own, then explore the exciting Roman Dolce Vita and nightlife.

DAY 8, SUNDAY :: ROME

Rome is filled with monuments, fountains, antiquities and other sites worth exploring. Use this free day to discover the ancient and modern aspects of cosmopolitan Rome for yourself. You might also choose to take an optional tour to Ostia Antica, the Castelli Romani, or attend a Papal Blessing. There’s only one Rome, so make sure you bring home enough memories to last a lifetime. In the evening, again, discover on your own why Roman trattorias are famous for their fine food and wine.

DAY 9, MONDAY :: ROME

This morning experience a very special privately guided tour of the priceless collection of art and treasures in the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museum. You will be amazed by the beautiful wall frescoes created by Michelangelo, Perugino and Botticelli. The unique ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is surely one of Michelangelo’s greatest achievements. Continue to St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest church in the Christian world, built over the tomb of St. Peter. Then proceed to the Piazza Venezia and Roman Forum, with a stop at the Colosseum - a testament to the greatness of Rome’s past. Continue your full day tour by viewing the Arch of Constantine, Circus Maximus, the Synagogue, Isola Tiberina and Castel Sant' Angelo. Tonight bid arrivederci to Rome at a special dinner with wine in a lovely Roman restaurant.

DAY 10, TUESDAY :: ROME / NAPLES / POMPEII / SORRENTO

This morning drive south along the Highway of the Sun to Naples, where you will have an orientation drive highlighting Via Caracciolo (the seafront promenade), the San Carlo Opera House, Santa Lucia, and the Angevin Castle. Before heading to Sorrento, stop in Pompeii (the ancient city covered by volcanic lava 2,000 years ago), with a guided tour of the remarkably preserved ruins of temples, houses, gardens and public buildings. Then drive along the spectacular coast road to the Bay of Naples to Sorrento, the famous resort town of orange and lemon groves. Dinner at your hotel restaurant is included.

DAY 11, WEDNESDAY :: SORRENTO (CAPRI EXCURSION)

A morning jetfoil whisks you across the blue Bay of Naples to the fabled Isle of Capri. After a scenic minivan ride, visit Anacapri at the topmost point of the island, where you can gaze at spectacular views from awe-inspiring heights. By minivan, descend to the center of town, visit the Floral Gardens of Augustus, and still have free time for lunch and some shopping before returning to the pier by funicular to board the jetfoil back to Sorrento, arriving in time for dinner at a local restaurant.

DAY 12, THURSDAY :: SORRENTO / POSITANO (BY CRUISE) AMALFI / RAVELLO / SORRENTO

Leave Sorrento in the morning for Positano. Brief stop at the Belvedere to enjoy a unique view of the Moorish architecture, blended with pastel-colored houses. Descend to town by minibus, passing elegant boutiques and craft shops, and still have time to visit its charming center. Weather permitting, board a motorlaunch and cruise along the coast to Amalfi. Otherwise, you will reach Amalfi by motor coach. A guided walking tour of Amalfi’s old town will highlight its powerful 11th century maritime republic history, which rivaled Genoa and Venice. Continue to Ravello, arriving in time for lunch at an enchanting restaurant with a spectacular view of the Amalfi coast and the Bay of Salerno. Here your guided tour includes the noble medieval Villa Rufolo, whose tropical gardens inspired Wagner’s Opera “Parsifal” (the Wagner festival is now an annual event). Return to Sorrento via Chiusi and the Sorrentina coast to your hotel. Your tour director will be a good source of advice for your evening selection of dinner venues.