Italian Lakes, Venice, Florence and Rome

•   16 meals (9 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 5 dinners), service charges, gratuities to local guides, admission fees, taxes and porterage

Day 1: Welcome to the pleasures of the Italian Lakes
A transfer is included from Milan's Malpensa Airport to Grand Hotel Eden in Lugano. As you travel Italy Tauck-style, you'll see the best of this ancient country, from great cities to countryside villages and towns that are off-the-beaten track! Begin by heading through the beautiful northern Italian countryside from Milan to Lugano, Switzerland – an Italian-style city set on the edge of a bejeweled lake with views of the not-too-distant Alps. Enjoy free time to explore the waterfront promenade, then meet fellow traveling companions at a welcome cocktail reception and dinner.
Overnight: Grand Hotel Eden, Lugano, Switzerland
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Villa delights and a cruise on Lake Como
Your travels take you to Tremezzo to visit Villa Carlotta, built in the 18th century, and noted for garden landscaping and sculpture. Admire the dramatic views of the Alps silhouetting the famous villas along the shores of Lake Como on a private boat cruise to Bellagio; enjoy free time to explore the picturesque town as you please. Another private boat cruise takes you past some of Italy's most elegant lakeside villas to Como. Return to Lugano, where the evening is free to spend as you wish.
Overnight: Grand Hotel Eden, Lugano, Switzerland
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 3: Travel Italy from the fabulous lakes to Venice
Journey to Venice, designed along an intricate system of canals within a lagoon. After lunch, head to St. Mark's Square, the heart of Venice, with a local guide. Visit Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square) and St. Mark's Basilica, one of the greatest buildings in Europe with its exquisite mosaics and detailed carvings. See the Doges' Palace, a pink marble Gothic masterpiece containing a precious art collection. A serenade aboard a gondola cruise through the canals, and dinner at a popular Venetian restaurant, are the perfect endings to a perfect day.
Overnight: Hotel Danieli, Venice, Italy
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 4: Explore Venice as you please
Spend the whole day exploring the museums and sites that interest you most in remarkable Venice, a highlight as you travel Italy with Tauck. Perhaps tour the Galleria dell'Accademia or the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, or take a boat ride to the many islands in the Venetian lagoon.
Overnight: Hotel Danieli, Venice, Italy
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 5: By Rail to Florence, home of David and the Renaissance
Travel Italy by high-speed Eurostar rail today from Venice to Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance. Get an introduction to the city’s architectural landmarks and great artists from a local art historian; view Lorenzo Ghiberti's bronze doors with detailed panels at the Baptistry, part of the Duomo of Santa Maria del Fiori complex. Your art lecture is great prepartion for today's visit to Galleria dell'Accademia, home to many of the world's most beloved paintings and sculpture. Later, a walking tour explores the historical center of Florence, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Overnight: The Westin Excelsior, Florence, Italy
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 6: Masterpieces of the Uffizi
Gaze at some of the world's greatest art masterpieces at the extraordinary Uffizi Gallery, Italy's largest art museum, on a guided tour with a local expert. Admire works by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli, and more. Following your tour, you can spend as much time as you like looking at the art. During your free afternoon you can explore as you please; perhaps you may want to visit the Pitti Palace, the Medici Chapels or stroll across the Ponte Vecchio to the lovely Boboli Gardens.
Overnight: The Westin Excelsior, Florence, Italy
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 7: Across lush landscapes and on to eternal Rome
Travel Italy through the verdant landscapes of Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio today, featuring olive groves, cypress trees, and vineyards, including the region that produces Chianti wine. Stop in the medieval hill town of Siena, and wander through its narrow centuries-old streets. See the Piazza del Campo where the Palio bareback horse race is held, and visit the Duomo, one of Italy's great cathedrals, with scenes inlaid in the marble floors and sculpture by Michelangelo. Continue through scenic Tuscany to your final destination – Rome, the Eternal City that was the center of the once-powerful Roman Empire, and is today the capital of modern Italy.
Overnight: The St. Regis Grand Hotel, Rome, Italy
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 8: Discover the Vatican's treasures on an exclusive private tour
A Tauck Exclusive today – an after-hours guided visit to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel! See the Candelabra Gallery, Map Gallery and the Tapestries; it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see some of the world's great masterpieces, including Michelangelo's famous Sistine Chapel ceiling frescoes, without the usual crowds. Up close and unhurried, you'll have a chance to see first-hand why the chapel's floor is as famous as its celebrated ceiling! Please note that the day of this tour may vary.
Overnight: The St. Regis Grand Hotel, Rome, Italy
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 9: An extraordinary day in Imperial Rome
Get an insider's view of Rome from a local guide as you see such can't-miss sights as the Roman Forum, Piazza Venezia, the Circus Maximus and many others. You'll avoid long lines with pre-arranged reservations at the Colosseum, opened in AD 80 for gladiator combat, and visit St. Peter's Square and one of the world's most famous houses of worship, iconic St. Peter's Basilica (day may vary). Enjoy some more free time to check out what interests you most in Rome before gathering to share your favorite experiences at the farewell cocktail party and dinner - a special finale when you travel Italy with Tauck.
Overnight: The St. Regis Grand Hotel, Rome, Italy
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 10: Arrivederci Rome
Your travel Italy days end in Rome. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from The St. Regis Grand Hotel, Rome to Leonardo da Vinci Airport in Fiumicino; allow 2 1/2 hours for check-in.
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast

Don't miss our current specials: Tauck Tour Deals Traveling with a group of friends or family can add to the joy of any journey. Book a group of 10 on any Tauck land journey or cruise and the 11th guest travels FREE. Book a group of 8 on any Tauck Bridges family adventure and the 9th guest travels FREE Tauck Single Specials For those seeking singles tours, we are pleased to offer special values on select departures to our guests who choose to travel solo. You can travel with peace of mind, knowing that you are among like-minded travelers and will have all the day-to-day details handled for you! While everyone is welcome, on these select dates we offer special arrangements to those traveling solo at a reduced cost. Tauck Single Specials in North America Best of the Canadian Rockies Michigan's Lakes & Mackinac Island Charleston/Savannah Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia San Fransisco, Sonoma & Napa Valleys Tauck Single Specials in Europe A Week in Ireland A Week in Spain Mediterranean Discovery Istanbul and the Black Sea Treasure of the Mediterranean Cruising Mediterranean Shores The Blue Danube Holland Belgium in Spring Strasbourg to Prague Serenade The Rhine and Moselle Budapest to Amsterdam by Riverboat Budapest to the Black Sea Classic Italy Bellissima Northern Italy Italian Lakes, Venice, Florence and Rome A Week in Paris and Provence Tauck Singles Specials in Latin America Panama Canal & Costa Rica
Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
8/12/2010 - 8/22/2010	$5,690
8/24/2010 - 9/3/2010	$5,690
9/4/2010 - 9/14/2010	$5,990
9/11/2010 - 9/21/2010	$7,330
9/16/2010 - 9/26/2010	$5,990
9/23/2010 - 10/3/2010	$5,990
9/28/2010 - 10/8/2010	$5,990
10/5/2010 - 10/15/2010	$7,330
10/9/2010 - 10/19/2010	$5,990
10/16/2010 - 10/26/2010	$5,690
10/21/2010 - 10/31/2010	$5,690
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.

Lake Como ~ Lake Lugano ~ Venice ~ Tuscany ~ Florence ~ Siena ~ Rome ~ The Vatican

Tauck Tour Deals

Tauck Single Specials

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