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Day 1
ARRIVE ROME (2 NIGHTS)
Welcome to Rome, the Eternal City! Unwind or take a stroll through ancient streets and soak up the ambience. This evening, meet for a Welcome Reception with your fellow travellers and Travel Director.
M: Moderate, D: Deluxe, SF: Superior First Class, F: First Class. For further details please see the notes section below.
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Day 2
ROME SIGHTSEEING AND FREE TIME
See the sights with your expert Local Guide. Visit the magnificent St. Peter's Square, designed so the greatest number of people could see the Pope give his blessing. Explore the Basilica, one of the largest and most important religious sites on earth. On your way to Trastevere, see Tiburtina Island. Admire the Circus Maximus, the ancient site of chariot racing, set in a valley below the Aventine and Palatine Hills. Learn about gladiatorial combat and other public events that took place at the Colosseum on your guided visit. Spend the rest of the day as you choose. You might like to visit the ancient Catacombs along the old Appian Way.
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Day 3
ROME SIGHTSEEING - VENICE (2 NIGHTS)
Visit the Sistine Chapel with your expert Local Guide and see Michelangelo's frescoed ceiling, believed by many to be his crowning achievement. Admire the scenery as you drive north from Rome past the hilltop towns of Orte and Orvieto into Tuscany. See the Chianti vineyards and the extensive olive groves before crossing through the Apennine hills and eventually reaching the flat plains of the Veneto region and magical Venice.
M: Moderate, D: Deluxe, SF: Superior First Class, F: First Class. For further details please see the notes section below.
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Day 4
VENICE SIGHTSEEING AND FREE TIME
Venice − Queen of the Adriatic − was a maritime power and staging post for the Holy Crusades, and played a significant part in the Renaissance. The history and culture of this unique city is revealed as you cruise by private launch to St. Mark's Square. See the Byzantine Basilica, Bridge of Sighs and Doges' Palace. Visit a Murano glass-blowing workshop to see a Local Speciality demonstration of this ancient craft. Your afternoon is free to discover the delights of Venice or perhaps consider a seafood lunch at a local restaurant.
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Day 5
VENICE - VERONA - FLORENCE (2 NIGHTS)
A leisurely drive brings you to Verona, the setting for Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. See the impressive Roman arena, the third largest in Italy, and Juliet's balcony, close to Piazza della Erbe. To the south, through the beautiful landscape of Tuscany lies Florence, birthplace of the Renaissance. Explore Piazza della Signoria and see the Ponte Vecchio during your walking tour, with commentary from your expert Local Guide. See the multi-coloured Duomo, with a dome engineered by Brunelleschi, and see the Baptistery, with its towering bronze doors and relief sculptures. Tonight enjoy a Highlight Dinner in a local restaurant.
M: Moderate, D: Deluxe, SF: Superior First Class, F: First Class. For further details please see the notes section below.
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Day 6
FLORENCE - DAY TO EXPLORE
Plan your day's sightseeing as you wish. There are endless things to see in this fascinating city including the Academy of Fine Arts featuring Michelangelo's statue of David, and the world-famous Uffizi Gallery. Florence is also renowned for luxury leather goods and 18-carat gold jewellery. This afternoon, you have the opportunity to take an excursion to San Gimignano, whose tall medieval towers can be seen from miles around.
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Day 7
FLORENCE - MONTE CASSINO - SORRENTO (2 NIGHTS)
Visit the Commonwealth Cemetery in Monte Cassino which lies below the famous Abbey that was the site of a fierce battle in May 1944. Continue south through the fertile Campania region to the Bay of Naples in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, and along the coast to Sorrento. Dine tonight at your hotel.
M: Moderate, D: Deluxe, SF: Superior First Class, F: First Class. For further details please see the notes section below.
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Day 8
ISLE OF CAPRI EXCURSION AND FREE TIME
Accompanied by a Local Guide, cross the Bay of Naples by ferry to the Isle of Capri, where Emperor Tiberius built a series of villas and governed the Roman Empire for the last ten years of his life. Spend the afternoon sightseeing or consider an excursion to Anacapri which features magnificent views. Later in Sorrento, visit an inlaid wood-work factory for a short demonstration on the production of this Local Speciality. This evening, join your fellow travellers for a memorable Be My Guest dinner of delicious local ingredients prepared by a local family on a lemon farm.
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Day 9
SORRENTO - POMPEII - ROME
Explore the excavations at Pompeii which was preserved by lava when Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. Your expert Local Guide gives an historical commentary of day-to-day life in the city on your Small Group Sightseeing tour. Your Italian odyssey ends in Rome where you enjoy a Farewell Dinner with your Travel Director and companions.
M: Moderate, D: Deluxe, SF: Superior First Class, F: First Class. For further details please see the notes section below.
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Day 10
DEPART ROME
Say 'arrivederci' to Italy, your travelling companions and your Travel Director at the end of this memorable adventure. Airport transfers are available to Rome Fiumicino. Conditions apply.