ITALY AT LEISURE (LK2010)

Hotels


Rome
Grand Hotel Beverly Hills (F),

Tuscany
Relais La Cappuccina (SF) at San Gimignano,

Venice
Residence Palazzo Selvadego (F)

Meals
Full buffet breakfast (B); one lunch (L) with wine tasting at Verrazzano Castle; 3 three-course dinners (D), including a special welcome dinner with wine in Rome and a farewell dinner with wine in Venice.

Day 1:
Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

Day 2:
Arrive in Rome, Italy. (Sat.) Time to rest or start exploring the “Eternal City.” At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a special welcome dinner with wine at one of Rome’s lively restaurants. (D)

Day 3:
Rome. (Sun.) Sightseeing with your Local Guide this morning concentrates on ancient Rome: visit the COLOSSEUM and the ROMAN FORUM, where Roman legions marched in triumph. Then, time to explore the city on your own, relax, or join your Local Guide for an optional walk that takes you to the magnificent marbled Trevi Fountain, Navona Square, the well-preserved Roman Pantheon, and the Spanish Steps. (B)

Day 4:
Rome. (Mon.) Start with a guided visit to the VATICAN MUSEUMS and SISTINE CHAPEL, world famous for Michelangelo’s ceiling paintings and The Last Judgement. Next, visit monumental ST. PETER’S SQUARE and BASILICA. Balance of the day is at leisure. Savor la dolce vita and enjoy independent activities. Take a stroll along beautiful Via Condotti, discover Rome’s hidden treasures at your own pace, or just sit on a terrace and watch people go by. Tonight, why not join an optional dinner with local specialties at one of Rome’s famous restaurants? (B)

Day 5:
Rome–Verrazzano Castle–San Gimignano. (Tue.) Travel north into Tuscany through the lush Apennine Mountains. Leave the highway and enter the Chianti wine area. Visit VERRAZZANO CASTLE, where you will hear about the fine art of blending four types of grapes to obtain the famous Chianti, and enjoy WINE TASTING and lunch. Continue to charming San Gimignano with its medieval towers, and join your Tour Director for an orientation of this pretty town. (B,L,D)

Day 6:
San Gimignano. Excursion to Florence. (Wed.) All day is dedicated to Florence, “Cradle of the Renaissance.” Follow your Local Guide to the ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS with Michelangelo’s celebrated David and the magnificent CATHEDRAL. Admire Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistry’s heavy bronze “Gate of Paradise,” and sculpture-studded SIGNORIA SQUARE. Time for independent sightseeing and browsing through the shops. Florentine leather goods and gold jewelry sold by the ounce are attractive buys. (B)

Day 7:
San Gimignano. Excursion to Siena. (Thu.) This morning focus on Siena, Italy’s best-preserved medieval town. Your guided walking tour takes you inside its historic ramparts to the PIAZZA DEL CAMPO, famous for the twice-yearly festival, the Palio. Enjoy free time here, then, the highlight of your day: an OLIVE OIL TASTING. Return to San Gimignano with enough time to relax at the pool. In the evening, an optional excursion is available to Volterra, beautifully located on top of a rocky plateau. (B)

Day 8:
San Gimignano–Padua–Venice. (Fri.) A scenic drive through the Apennine Mountains and the fertile Po area to Padua, city of St. Anthony, for a visit to the majestic six-domed BASILICA. In the afternoon, a scenic drive following the Brenta Canal brings you to Venice. Enter in style by PRIVATE BOAT. You may want to join an optional dinner tonight. (B)

Day 9:
Venice. (Sat.) Highlights of your walking tour with a Local Guide 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. Afterwards, a Globus Platinum Exclusive, CHOOSE YOUR EXPERIENCE: enjoy a GONDOLA RIDE or have a drink at the world-famous CAFÉ FLORIAN on St. Mark’s Square. (B)

Day 10:
At Leisure in Venice. (Sun.) A full day to enjoy Venice at your own pace. This city has attracted and inspired photographers from all over the world because of its setting and translucent light. You may also wish to take an optional cruise through the lagoon and have lunch on one of the islands. This evening an included farewell dinner at a local restaurant celebrates the success of your Italian vacation. (B,D)

Day 11:
(Mon.) Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (B)

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Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
7/30/2010 - 8/9/2010	$2,779
8/6/2010 - 8/16/2010	$2,779
8/13/2010 - 8/23/2010	$2,779
8/20/2010 - 8/30/2010	$2,799
8/27/2010 - 9/6/2010	$2,819
9/3/2010 - 9/13/2010	$2,819
9/10/2010 - 9/20/2010	$2,819
9/17/2010 - 9/27/2010	$2,819
9/24/2010 - 10/4/2010	$2,799
10/1/2010 - 10/11/2010	$2,799
10/8/2010 - 10/18/2010	$2,799
10/15/2010 - 10/25/2010	$2,799
10/22/2010 - 11/1/2010	$2,779
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

City Highlights
Headsets throughout the tour

Rome:
Welcome dinner at a local restaurant; guided sightseeing, visit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Square and Basilica, and the Colosseum and Roman Forum

Verrazzano Castle:
Wine tasting and lunch

San Gimignano:
Orientation

Florence:
Guided walking tour, visit Michelangelo’s David, the cathedral, and Signoria Square

Siena:
Guided walking tour including Piazza del Campo; olive oil tasting

Padua:
Visit St. Anthony’s Basilica

Venice:
Private boat ride; guided walking tour, visit St. Mark’s Square and Basilica, Doges’ Palace and the Bridge of Sighs; glassblowers’ demonstration; farewell dinner at a local restaurant; Choose Your Experience Enjoy a Venetian gondola ride or have a drink at the world-famous Café Florian on St. Mark’s SquareChoose Your Experience in Venice: Enjoy a gondola ride or have a drink at the world-famous Café Florian

Price Details US
Single room supplement: $470Triple room reduction per person: $113Extra nights per person in Rome:in single room $225, in twin room $160, in triple room $145Extra nights per person in Venice:in single room $230, in twin room $185, in triple room $168

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Standard Offers and Specials provided by Globus Tours

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