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The Best of Italy and Sicily |
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| Rome, Pisa, Florence, Venice, Ravenna, Assisi, Pompeii, Naples - Sicily, Palermo, Agrigento, Piazza Amerina, Straits of Messina, Capri, Montecassino | ||
15 Days Rome to Rome
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INCLUDED FEATURES... SIGHTSEEING HIGHLIGHTS ROME: Welcome dinner; guided sightseeing including headsets; visit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Square and Basilica, and the Colosseum and Roman Forum FLORENCE: Guided sightseeing including headsets; visit Michelangelo's David, the cathedral, and Signoria Square PISA: Picture stop at the Leaning Tower VENICE: Private boat ride; guided sightseeing including headsets; visit St. Mark's Square and Basilica, Doges' Palace, and the Bridge of Sighs; glassblowers' demonstration RAVENNA: Orientation, visit St. Apollinaris in Classe ASSISI: Orientation, visit St. Francis' Basilica POMPEII: Guided visit of the excavations including headsets NAPLES - SICILY: Overnight cruise in two-berth cabins with private facilities PALERMO: Guided sightseeing; visit the cathedral, the Palatine Chapel, the Norman Cathedral in Monreale, and Mondello AGRIGENTO: Guided walking tour of the Valley of Temples PIAZZA ARMERINA: Visit Roman Villa of Casale STRAITS OF MESSINA: Ferry crossing CAPRI Jet/hydrofoil ride; guided sightseeing; visit Villa San Michele in Anacapri MONTECASSINO: Visit the abbey MEALS 14 buffet breakfasts (BB); 7 three-course dinners (D), including a special welcome dinner with wine in Rome AIRPORT TRANSFERS Airport transfers may be included when you make your flight arrangements with Globus. Call us toll free for more information. INSIDE VISITS Inside visits and special features are shown in UPPERCASE in the tour description, including admission charges when applicable, including admission charges when applicable QUALITY HOTELS ROME: Cicerone (SF) FLORENCE: Grand Hotel Majestic (F) VENICE: Ambasciatori (F) at Mestre or Plaza (F) at Mestre ASSISI: Giotto (F) PALERMO: Jolly Foro Italico (F) AGRIGENTO: Jolly Della Valle (F) TAORMINA AREA: Caesar Palace (F) at Giardini Naxos SORRENTO: Conca Park (F); ROME: Cicerone (SF) or Jolly Midas (F)
Terms & Conditions
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Day 1: Board your overnight transatlantic flight. Day 3: ROME. Sightseeing with your Local Guide starts with a visit to the VATICAN MUSEUMS and SISTINE CHAPEL, world famous for Michelangelo's ceiling paintings and The Last Judgement. Continue to monumental ST. PETER'S SQUARE and BASILICA. Cross the Tiber and visit the COLOSSEUM and the ROMAN FORUM, where Roman Legions marched in triumph. Then time for independent activities and exciting optional excursion possibilities. (BB) Day 5: FLORENCE - PISA - VENICE. The morning is dedicated to Pisa, where you can take your pictures of the amazing Leaning Tower, before you head across the wooded Apennine Mountains to the northern tip of the Adriatic Sea. Tonight is your chance to sample Venetian fare. (BB) Day 6: VENICE. Enter in style by PRIVATE BOAT to meet your Local Guide. Highlights of your walking tour are ST. MARK'S SQUARE and the BYZANTINE BASILICA, lavish DOGES' PALACE, and the BRIDGE OF SIGHS. Also watch skilled GLASSBLOWERS fashion their delicate objects in an age-old traditional manner. Then enjoy Venice at your own pace or join an optional gondola ride. (BB,D) Day 7: VENICE - RAVENNA - ASSISI. Along the coastline of the Adriatic Sea to Ravenna. Here see the famous mosaics in the 6th-century BASILICA OF ST. APOLLINARIS IN CLASSE. In the afternoon arrive in Assisi and visit the massive 13th-century lower BASILICA OF ST. FRANCIS built above the Saint's grave. Time afterwards to enjoy the peaceful town at your own pace. (BB,D) Day 8: ASSISI - POMPEII - OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO PALERMO. Meet your Local Guide and enter POMPEII, the Roman city both destroyed and preserved by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. See patrician houses, public baths, and commercial districts strikingly recalling day-to-day life when Rome was at the apex of her power. Tonight board your FERRY in Naples for the overnight cruise to Sicily. (BB)
Day 10: PALERMO - AGRIGENTO. Along the western coast of Sicily all the way down to the saltbeds, famous since Roman times, to Marsala, known for its wine. Then continue to Agrigento, where your Local Guide will take you for a spectacular walk through the VALLEY OF TEMPLES. Even travelers who have visited Athens and Delphi are awed by the gigantic yet graceful Greek structures which miraculously survived 24 centuries of tormented history. (BB,D) Day 11: AGRIGENTO - TAORMINA AREA. This morning focus on the 4th-century ROMAN VILLA OF CASALE near Piazza Armerina. Its colorful and perfectly preserved mosaics depict mythological themes and hunting scenes. Enjoy the scenic beauty and treasures of the island's heart on your way to the Taormina area. (BB) Day 12: AT LEISURE IN TAORMINA AREA. In the morning you may wish to join the half-day optional excursion to Mount Etna. Afternoon is at leisure to relax or for individual activities. (BB,D) Day 13: TAORMINA AREA - SORRENTO. Today board a FERRY and cross the Straits of Messina to land at the toe of the Italian boot in Calabria. Tonight you are in the charming resort of Sorrento, delightfully situated on the Bay of Naples. (BB) Day 14: SORRENTO. EXCURSION TO CAPRI. Speed across the Bay of Naples to the Isle of Capri, an ancient retreat for Roman emperors and renowned ever since that time for its beauty. Sightseeing with a Local Guide includes a visit to VILLA SAN MICHELE in Anacapri. Time to stroll around before returning across the bay to Sorrento. The remainder of the day is at leisure. (BB) Day 15: SORRENTO - MONTECASSINO - ROME. Interrupt the journey back to Rome to visit the ABBEY OF MONTECASSINO, rebuilt to medieval plans after near total destruction by Allied bombers. An optional festive dinner at one of Rome's fine restaurants may be just the way to celebrate the success of your Italian vacation. (BB) Day 16: Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (BB) |
Day 2: ARRIVAL IN ROME, ITALY. Time to rest or start exploring the Eternal City. At 6 p.m. meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and leave the hotel for a special welcome dinner with wine in one of Rome's lively restaurants. (D)
Day 4: ROME - FLORENCE. A smooth drive past the Chianti hills takes you to Florence, capital of Tuscany and home of the Renaissance. Follow your Local Guide to the the ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS with Michelangelo's celebrated David and magnificent CATHEDRAL. Admire Giotto's Bell Tower, the Baptistry's heavy bronze "Gate of Paradise," and sculpture-studded SIGNORIA SQUARE. Time afterwards to shop for Florentine leather goods and gold jewelry. (BB,D)
Day 9: PALERMO. After disembarkation start your sightseeing with a Local Guide. Visit the ornate Piazza Bellini, the CATHEDRAL, and the Arab-Norman PALATINE CHAPEL in the Royal Palace. After lunch drive up to Monreale for a panoramic view of the Conca d'Oro and a visit to the 12th-century NORMAN CATHEDRAL (on Sundays inside guided visit not permitted), famous for its 50,000 square feet of precious Byzantine mosaics. Your first day in Sicily ends with a visit to the typical and picturesque village of Mondello, before returning to Palermo. (BB,D)