DAY 1: Depart for Italy
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DAY 2: Arrive in Venice
- Arrive in Venice and transfer to your hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure in this magical city built over a hundred small islands and connected by 400 bridges. Tonight, attend an orientation meeting at approximately 6 PM (exact time will be advised on tour arrival day), with your Tour Manager on the upcoming journey that awaits you in Italy. We recommend you to flights that arrive no later than 4 PM. The meeting will be followed by a light dinner with your fellow travelers
- Overnight: Venice
- Meal: Dinner
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DAY 3: Venice City Tour, Gondola Ride
- The discovery of Venice begins with a boat ride to the Island of Murano, known for its artistic and colorful glassware. While here, enjoy a visit to one of the factories to witness the art of glassblowing. Afterward, continue to the main Venice island and take a walking tour with your local guide through the maze of narrow alleyways and bridges before reaching St. Marks Square. Upon reaching the square, stop to view its most prominent monuments including the Bridge of Sighs, the pink marble Doges Palace, and golden Basilica of San Marco, one of the citys most recognizable landmarks. It was built over several centuries in a fusion of Byzantine, Roman and Venetian architecture. The rest of the day is countinued with with Gondola Ride, One of the experiences of any Italian holiday is a Venetian gondola ride. For centuries, the traditional flat bottom boat has been a major means of transportation in Venice though its primary role today is to take tourists on rides. Gondoliers may seem like "rough-and-ready" characters, however they are actually highly skilled operators constantly working on the perfect balance of this watercraft. The profession, handed down from generation to generation, is regulated by a guild which issues a limited number of licenses to highly trained gondoliers to navigate the narrow spaces of the Venetian canals. Explore part of the Grand Canal as well as some other hidden minor waterways. The gondola holds a maximum of six passengers. Please note that this is not a private gondola ride. Your gondolier will indicate the seating arrangements to balance the boat and you may not be seated next to your travel companions. Though you may envision the gondolier singing to you, there will only be a musician aboard one of the boats in your fleet of several different gondolas.
- Overnight: Venice
- Meal: Breakfast
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DAY 4: Tuscany & Pisa en route to Florence
- Depart Venice and travel through the stunning golden landscape of Tuscany, dotted with olive and fig trees. Visit a local Tuscan farm in the countryside for wine tasting paired with delectable local specialties. On to Pisa, to view the famous Piazza dei Miracoli with its Leaning Tower, among the most instantly recognizable structures on earth. The monuments on the extraordinary Piazza dei Miracoli create a unique architectural blend of Romanesque and Gothic styles. Then, travel to the lively Renaissance city of Florence, with its priceless art and architecture for overnight
- Overnight: Florence
- Meal: Breakfast
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DAY 5: Florence City Tour, Dinner at a Tuscan Restaurant
- Today, take a guided walking tour through the heart of Florence. View the magnificent Duomo, with its Brunelleschi-designed dome, the renowned "Gates of Paradise" of the Baptistery by Ghiberti and Giottos Bell Tower. Youll be enchanted as you walk through the open-air art museum of Signoria Square, with its Palazzo Vecchio, first residence of the Medici family that today houses the seat of the city government. Continue to the splendid Ponte Vecchio, also known as the "Old Bridge". Florence is indeed the center of the worlds finest art and architecture. Spend the afternoon in this spectacular Renaissance city to savor its unique atmosphere, between a gelato and a cappuccino. Tonight, you are invited to participate in Dinner at a Tuscan Restaurant, Come join in a Tuscan Feast tonight An enjoyable ride through the lovely Tuscan hills will take you to a restaurant where a sumptuous Tuscan dinner will be served. As you enjoy the appetizers, the home-made pastas, the meats and dessert, let the wine flow and the music accompany your experience Includes round-trip transportation, 5-course dinner with entertainment, and unlimited wine.
- Overnight: Florence
- Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
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DAY 6: Medieval Assisi City Tour en route to Rome
- Depart Florence and venture on to the quaint medieval town of Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis-patron saint of Italy, and perched high on a hill in the Umbria region with its rugged, winding streets and sacred shrines. Upon arrival, join your local guide for a walking tour of Assisi, which has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its significant art and architecture. Its main attraction is the 13th-century Basilica di San Francesco, an artistic highlight of medieval Europe containing the sacred relics of St. Francis and Giottos frescoes. Afterward, continue to Rome, the astonishing city built on seven hills. Tonight, savor dinner together
- Overnight: Rome
- Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
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DAY 7: Vatican Museums & Michelangelos Sistine Chapel, Piazzas of Rome
- Today visit the Vatican Museums and Michelangelos masterpiece, the Sistine Chapel. Stroll through one of the most important art collections of the world. Admire the Gallery of Tapestries and the Geographical Maps before arriving to the Sistine Chapel, with its great frescoes by Michelangelo. Continue to St. Peters Square, passing Berninis famous colonnade to view St. Peters Basilica, built on the burial site of Saint Peter. Spend the afternoon in Piazzas of Rome, This half day walking tour takes you to explore the grand piazzas of the Eternal City. Stand in awe in front of the majestic Spanish Steps, the longest and widest decorative steps in Europe, and with your local guide stroll through the most characteristic "piazzas and vias " of Rome. Stop to admire the breathtaking grandeur of the Trevi Fountain and take the opportunity to toss in one, two, or three coins, each of which is supposed to bring a unique kind of good fortune. View the monumental Pantheon, the best preserved of any Roman building and admire the baroque Piazza Navona, which follows the shape of the ancient Roman Domitian Stadium, with Berninis Fountain of the Four Rivers and the Egyptian Obelisk.
- Overnight: Rome
- Meal: Breakfast
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DAY 8: Depart Italy
- Arrivederci Roma Transfer to the airport for your departure flight
- Meal: Breakfast
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