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The
St. Regis Rome Hotel - The Ultimate in Luxury and comfort
Stay in a deluxe room when you choose the Ultra Deluxe Category
This private tour is yours to enjoy as you wish, beginning on any date
you wish. The itinerary given below is a proposed program. You may add
or omit stops, or spend more or less time, according to your personal
preference. We will make all the arrangements for you accordingly .
Compare with the
10-day edition or
the two weeks version .
Day 1 – Welcome to VENICE!
Our representative meets you at Venice Airport and assists
with the transfer to your hotel by private boat. Welcome to Venice,
your base for three nights. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy as
you wish, wandering the serpentine paths, bridges and canals of this
magical city.
Day
2 - VENICE and its ISLANDS
After breakfast, your local English-speaking guide meets you
at your hotel and takes you on a tour of St. Mark's Square, once called
the "gathering place of Europe." You enter and tour its two
outstanding landmarks: St Mark's Basilica, a triumph of Byzantine-style
architecture nicknamed the "church of gold," and the Palace
of the Doges, with it famous arcades.
Time for lunch. What will it be? Whatever you wish! Your guide can suggest
good restaurants in a variety of styles, or you can sit down in any
place that catches your fancy.
In the afternoon, your boat takes you on a private tour of the islands
of the Venice lagoon, including Murano, famous for its glass-blowing
artistry and Burano, known for the making of fine, delicate lace. After
your visit to the islands, your boat returns you to your hotel through
the canals of Venice, with the evening free to enjoy as you wish.
Day
3 - VERONA
Our representative meets you at your hotel after breakfast and assists
in your transfer by private boat to Venice’s Piazzale Roma, where
your private air-conditioned vehicle awaits you. Your English-speaking
driver takes you through the Italian countryside to Verona.
Arriving
in the fabled city of Romeo and Juliet, you meet your English-speaking
guide, who shows you Verona’s extremely well-preserved Roman amphitheater;
the Arena, still used for performances of opera; Piazza dei Signori,
the medieval square; Piazza delle Erbe , the center of Veronese life
in Roman times, and the city’s oldest square; and the famous Giulietta
balcony, straight out of Romeo and Juliet's love scene.
Sample the cuisine of Verona as you wish at lunch, choosing a restaurant
with the help of your knowledgeable local guide.
In late afternoon, you return to Venice and your hotel, with the evening
at leisure.
Day
4 – Introduction to FLORENCE
Our representative meets
you at your hotel after breakfast and assists with your transfer by
private boat to Piazzale Roma and Venice Railway Station, where you
board a high-speed train, take your seats in First Class, and enjoy
the ever-changing panorama of the Italian countryside as the train takes
you to Firenze (Florence), a trip of about two hours. At the Firenze
railway station, you rendezvous with our representative who assists
with your transfer by private air-conditioned vehicle to your hotel,
your home for the next four nights.
Lunch is as you wish, as usual. Dine at your hotel, or ask the concierge
for suggestions of a good place nearby.
In
the afternoon, your local guide meets you at your hotel and takes you
on a half-day tour of Florence. You visit the Academia Museum, with
its sublime statue of David by Michelangelo; admire the magnificent
façade of the Duomo, Florence's cathedral, and the famous bronze
doors of the Battistero di San Giovanni (Baptistery). You continue to
the Piazza della Signoria, the hub of Florence; and the best-known bridge
crossing the River Arno, the much-photographed Ponte Vecchio, lined
with shops as in medieval times.
The evening is yours to enjoy as you like, relaxing at your hotel or
wandering the beguiling streets of Florence.
Day
5 – The ART of FLORENCE
This morning you concentrate on Florence's claim to fame: some of the
history’s greatest works of art. You visit the Uffizi Gallery,
home of Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Leonardo da Vinci's Annunciation,
and then pay homage to some of Italy’s greatest artists, scientists,
authors and musicians with a visit to the beautiful Basilica of Santa
Croce, the burial-place of Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli and Rossini.
You’ve heard of culinary delights with “Florentine”
in their name. Here’s your chance to find your own delights: wander
through Florence on your own, find the restaurant of your choice, and
sit down to a memorable Florentine mid-day repast, followed by an afternoon
on your own, exploring or resting as you like.
Day
6 - LUCCA and PISA
After breakfast in your Florentine hotel, you drive in air-conditioned
comfort to the quaint walled city of Lucca, the birthplace of Puccini,
arriving mid-morning. You meet your private local English-speaking guide
and proceed to the city’s historical center for your tour of Lucca’s
top sights.
After lunch on your own, when you can find the differences between Luccan
and Florentine cuisine, you depart for the one-hour drive to Pisa.
In Pisa, you visit the famous Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles)
dominated by the Duomo (Cathedral) (outside view); its Baptistery (outside
view) and of course, the Campanile (Bell Tower) also known as the Leaning
Tower of Pisa (outside view).
With images of this world-famous landmark in your head—and in
your camera—you return to Florence by private vehicle in time
for dinner and an evening at leisure.
Day
7- SIENA and SAN GIMIGNANO
After breakfast, drive through the Italian countryside for less than
two hours to Siena, one of Italy’s most beloved cities. Your local
guide will show you all the points of interest in its historic center,
including the plaza that is the site of Siena’s most famous event,
the biennial horse race known as the Palio.
Siena is famous among Italians for its cuisine. Sample it yourself today
as you enjoy lunch, with restaurant suggestions from your guide.
After lunch we depart for the charming hillside town of San Gimignano,
known for its medieval architecture and encircling fortress-like walls
with numerous towers. After strolling along its historic streets and
squares, and enjoying views of the countryside from this hillside vantage
point, we return to Florence in time for dinner and an evening at leisure.
Day 8 - FLORENCE TO PERUGIA or TORGIANO VIA ASSISI
Depart for Assisi after breakfast, and after a drive of just over two
hours through the countryside, meet your local guide in the center of
Assisi. Take a leisurely walking tour of the town’s historic center,
the “birthplace of the Franciscan order,” visiting the San
Francesco Basilica (a World Heritage Site), and the massive Gothic Santa
Chiara Basilica. For lunch, find any restaurant that appeals to you,
assisted by restaurant suggestions from your guide.
In early afternoon, depart for Perugia (or Torgiano, if you prefer),
about an hour’s drive, to enjoy its famous hilltop views, narrow
winding streets, and "Baci" chocolates. Tour the historic
city center, including the elegant Renaissance Palazzo Capitano del
Popolo on the Piazza Matteotti, and the 14th-century Cathedral. In late
afternoon, return to Florence, and your hotel, for a restful evening.
Day 9 – FLORENCE & VICINITY AS YOU WISH
After breakfast—always included at your hotel—enjoy today
as you wish. Your private air-conditioned vehicle and private English-speaking
chauffeur are at your disposal from 9 AM until 6 PM for any touring
or shopping you wish to enjoy.
Day 10 - PERUGIA or TORGIANO TO ROME VIA ORVIETO
Meet your driver after breakfast and depart for the one-hour drive to
the dramatically-situated Umbrian town of Orvieto, surrounded by sheer
cliffs. Your local guide shows you the historic town center, including
the Romanesque and Gothic Cathedral which holds Luca Signorelli's frescos
of the Last Judgment; the Torre del Moro, the ""Tower of the
Moor"" (named after a figure on the building’s coat
of arms) which gives sweeping views of the city; and the Piazza del
Popolo, followed by some time to wander around on your own and enjoy
this charming setting.
After lunch on your own, as you like, you depart for the 2-1/2-hour
drive to Rome, arriving in the Eternal City, and your hotel, in the
late afternoon.
Day 11 - FULL DAY TOUR OF ROME - VATICAN CITY, PLAZAS & FOUNTAINS
After breakfast, your guide conducts you to the Vatican Museum, one
of the greatest in the world, featuring some of the most important masterpieces
of Renaissance art; the Sistine Chapel to see Michelangelo's crowning
artistic achievement, the ceiling frescoes; the massive and spectacular
St. Peter's Basilica, the holiest of Catholic sites and the greatest
building of its age.
After lunch on your own—lots of great restaurant choices in Rome!—your
guide takes you on a tour of Rome’s Plazas & Fountains. You
visit Piazza Navona, built on and following the shape of a 1st-century
stadium; the famous Baroque Trevi Fountain; the Spanish Steps, the widest
staircase in Europe and Rome’s most popular gathering-place; and
the vast Piazza del Popolo, which was once the traveler’s first
view of Rome. The evening is yours to enjoy as you wish.
Day 12 - HALF DAY TOUR OF ANCIENT ROME
Today you tour the timeless classics of ancient Rome: the Coliseum;
the Roman Forum, meeting-place of ancient Rome and now a site of archeological
wonder; and the Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli (St. Peter in Chains),
the home of Michelangelo's statue of Moses.
Now that you know your way around Rome a bit, after lunch at a restaurant
of your choice, on your own, the rest of the afternoon is yours for
your own explorations.
Day 13 - ROME AS YOU LIKE IT
Today is yours to design as you wish. Return to a landmark for a closer
look, plunge into Rome shopping, or take an excursion out of the city.
Your private air-conditioned vehicle and private English speaking chauffeur
are at your disposal from 9 AM until 6 PM for any touring or shopping
you wish to enjoy today.
Day 14 - FULL DAY TOUR OF TIVOLI
After breakfast, drive for about an hour to Tivoli for a full-day tour.
You reach Tivoli around 10 AM to visit the famous Villa Adriana, a huge
archaeological complex built originally as a retreat for the Roman Emperor
Hadrian.
After lunch on your own at your pleasure, you visit the magnificent
Villa d'Este a stunning Renaissance palace complete with spacious gardens
and numerous fountains. You return to Rome and your hotel in the late
afternoon, with the rest of the day at leisure.
Day 15: VIA POMPEII TO SORRENTO
Today your driver takes you on an excursion to Pompeii, less than three
hours’ drive from Rome. Your private local guide shows you the
historic town, preserved as it was in 79 AD when Mount Vesuvius erupted
and buried it in volcanic ash. The extensive ruins are a UNESCO World
Heritage Site and give a glimpse into the life of the ancient Roman
Empire.
Lunch is on your own, with your guide’s suggestions.
In the early afternoon you proceed to Sorrento, about an hour’s
drive, and check in at your hotel, with plenty of time to enjoy this
charming Italian paradise.
Day 16 - CAPRI ISLAND
From Sorrento harbor, your guide escorts you by hydrofoil to the Isle
of Capri, where you board a private motorboat for a cruise by the hidden
caves and along the island’s rugged coastline. You cruise by the
famous Faraglioni rocks and land at Marina Piccola, a small fishing
village, where your private Capri taxi takes you on a panoramic ride
up to Anacapri on the western side of the island.
Lunch is on your own, as you like it, with lots of choices, and recommendations
from your knowledgeable local guide.
After
lunch, your guide escorts you to La Piazetta, Capri’s famous little
square and popular gathering spot; and the beautiful Augustus gardens.
You then drive back to Capri Harbor iin mid-afternoon to catch the hydrofoil
to Sorrento, and the ride back to your hotel. The evening is yours to
enjoy as you like.
Day 17 - AMALFI COAST
Your guide meets you and you drive along the Amalfi coast for an hour
to the picturesque town of Positano, where you’re free to wander
the winding streets of this charming little village. From Positano you
head to the beautiful seaside town of Amalfi, a short 45- to 60-minute
drive.
In Amalfi you visit the marvelous 13th-century Cathedral, whose bell
tower is visible from the sea, then wander the streets of this famous
coastal resort.
Lunch is on your own, as you choose, followed by visits to the Villa
Rufolo, a 13th-century palace built on a ledge in Ravello, where Richard
Wagner found the inspiration for his opera Parsifal. In late afternoon
you return to Sorrento for an evening of relaxation or active fun, as
you choose.
Day 18 - SORRENTO TO REGGIO CALABRIA VIA NAPOLI
Today you drive to Naples, southern Italy's leading city, about two
hours away. You meet your local guide in late morning for a tour of
the city, once called the "Paris of the South." In the afternoon,
you board a high-speed train at Naples Railway Station for your First-class
trip to Reggio Calabria, on the “toe” of the "boot”
of Italy. When you reach Reggio in the evening, our representative will
be waiting with a sign bearing your name, and will assist with the transfer
by private air-conditioned vehicle to your hotel.
Day 19 - REGGIO CALABRIA TO TAORMINA
Your guide escorts you to the Archeological Museum of Reggio Calabria,
after which you board a ferry for the short 30-minute voyage to Sicily.
Arriving at noon in Messina, you enjoy a brief tour of the beach-side
town, then drive to Taormina, a town overlooking the Ionian sea, popular
for its warm-water beaches, lively cafes and fine restaurants. After
check-in at your hotel, and lunch as you choose, your local guide meets
you for a walking tour of the town, including its ancient Greek theater,
and notable churches and plazas.
You return to your hotel before dinnertime for an evening at leisure.
Day 20 - TAORMINA - SYRACUSE - TAORMINA
With your guide, you depart for the 2,700-year-old city of Syracuse,
once described by Cicero as "the greatest Greek city and the most
beautiful of them all."
Visit the archeological zone, including the ancient Greek Theater, one
of the largest ever built; and the huge limestone Dionisio Cave, known
as the “Ear of Dionysius” because of its shape. Mid-day
you head for Ortigia, the historic old town in the center of Syracuse,
to visit the Cathedral, which was once a Greek temple; and the Fonte
Aretusa, a freshwater spring that is supposedly the embodiment of the
nymph Arethusa.
After lunch (on your own, as you wish), your guide takes you back to
Taormina along the scenic route with panoramic views of Catania, one
of Renaissance Italy’s most important cultural centers, at the
foot of Mount Etna. Dinner and the evening are as you wish.
Day 21 - TAORMINA - HALF DAY ETNA VOLCANO TOUR (trekking dress)
Today is an exciting one, as you and your guide ascend by jeep one of
the world’s most active volcanoes: Mount Etna. Your tour begins
with the impressive Valley of the Ox, a massive depression left from
an eruption in 6000 BC, where you see a lava cave, one of the hundreds
of lava tubes on the slopes of Mount Etna.
Luncheon refreshments are available in the local refuge, as you like.
After your lunch break, you continue to the marvelous Alcantara Gorge,
a beautiful river gorge cut deep into narrow rock cliffs. By mid-afternoon
you are on your way back to your hotel for rest and any evening activities
you like.
Day 22 - TAORMINA - PIAZZA ARMERINA - AGRIGENTO
Your guide takes you on a tour of Piazza Armerina, a town famous for
the Roman mosaics in its Villa Romana del Casale. After the tour, your
guide takes you to a local farmhouse for Sicilian cooking lessons and
lunch (included). Enjoy some leisure on the farm in this bucolic setting
before departing, in late afternoon, for Agrigento, renowned as the
site of the ancient Greek city of Akragas. Arriving in Agrigento, you
check in at your hotel and enjoy the evening as you like.
Day 23 - AGRIGENTO - CEFALU' - PALERMO
The Valley of Temples, an Italian national monument and one of the finest
remaining examples of ancient Greek art and architecture, is first on
your program today. Then you drive to the lively beach town of Cefalu'
for lunch (on your own) and, after lunch, a visit to the fortress-like
Cathedral (1131) and this historic town’s winding medieval streets.
In the late afternoon you’re off to Palermo, where you check in
at your hotel by dinnertime.
Day 24 - PALERMO
This morning your guide takes you to see the sights of Palermo, including
the Cathedral, with its numerous architectural styles and the Palatine
Chapel, built in 1132 and known for its superb mosaics. Then it’s
off to the quaint town of Monreale for a look around, especially at
its stunning cathedral.
After lunch (on your own) you head back to Palermo, with the rest of
the day to spend as you like.
Day 25 - PALERMO - ERICE - PALERMO
A half-day tour of Erice, a town on top of Mount Erice, 2,400 feet above
sea level, is your morning adventure. You visit the Chiesa Madre, a
15th-century church known for its Baroque alters; and the Venus Castle
(outside view), built atop a Temple of Venus, before heading back to
Palermo for an afternoon at leisure in that city.
Day 26 - DEPARTURE - Palermo - Sicily
After breakfast, your English-speaking escort assists with your private
transfer from your hotel to Palermo Airport for your onward or homeward
flight. Bon Voyage!
Compare
with the two weeks version .
RATES per person in USD $
| |
Ultra
Deluxe
|
Category
A |
Category
B |
| Triple |
$
27,570. USD |
$
25,478. USD |
$
20,037. USD |
| Double |
$
28,968. USD |
$
25,988. USD |
$
20,466. USD |
| Single |
$
36,550. USD |
$
33,955. USD |
$
28,850. USD |
Child : Younger than 12 year of age
at time of travel must share with 2 adults to enjoy a 15 % discount
.
Prices
include:
- Locally
private guided sightseeing and all ground transportation always on
a private basis
( deluxe private air conditioned vehicle ) as indicated, private chauffeur
.
- An
English speaking tour escort.
- American
or buffet breakfast daily , plus 1 lunch .
- All
Entrance fees .
- First-class,
reserved-seat train tickets as indicated.
-
Ferry tickets as indicated.
Not
Included:
- Personal
expenses, beverages, and meals not specifically included.
- Gratuities
for local personnel
- porterage.
- Drinks/beverages
.
- Travel
insurance
- International
airfares from/ to home country.
Sample
Hotels or similar :
Hotel Danieli Venice : 5 star Deluxe Hotel
Located in one of the most prestigious locations in Venice, just a few
steps from Saint Mark’s Square, overlooking the lagoon and its
myriad islands.
Florence : Grand Hotel Villa Medici : 5 star Hotel
An historical residence located in the center of Florence,
walking distance from all major art sites and shopping.
Torgiano /Perugia : Hotel Brufani Palace : 5 star Deluxe hotel
Situated in the heart of Medieval Perugia in a panoramic position.
Torgiano /Perugia : Le Tre Vaselle Hotel : 5 star hotel
This 17th century building rises within the medieval wall of Torgiano,
a peaceful village in the hearth of Umbrian countryside.
Rome Hotel Eden : 5 star Deluxe Hotel
Just a few steps away from the hotel you will discover such attractions
as Via Veneto, the Spanish Steps and Via Condotti.
Rome Hotel Majestic : 5 star Hotel
Prestigious location in the heart of the Eternal City on Via Veneto.
Sorrento Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria : 5 star Hotel
A historic Grand Hotel with a unique location, overlooking the sea and
facing Mount Vesuvius
Reggio Calabria Hotel Alta Fiumara :
Historical palace located in the Scylla district, a few steps from the
sea and a 2-minute walk from the town’s little harbor
Scilia / Reggio Calabria Hotel Principe Di Scilia : Historical residence
Historical palace located in the Scylla district, a few steps from the
sea and 2 minute walk from the town’s harbor
Hotel San Domenico DI Taormina : 5 star Deluxe Hotel
Centrally Located, approximately 10 minutes’ walk from the city
center
Agrigento Villa Athena Hotel : 5 star Hotel
Right in the Valley of the Temples archaeological park, a UNESCO World
Heritage site, Villa Athena is situated only 200 meters from the Concordia
Temple, an ancient Doric masterpiece and one of the best-preserved Greek
temples outside of Greece.
Palermo Villa Igiea : 5 star Deluxe Hotel
Hilton Villa Igiea is located in the Acquasanta district of Palermo,
overlooking the bay and at the foot of Monte Pellegrino. The hotel is
approximately 3 kilometres from Palermo's historic city centre.
More
Choices :
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