TUSCANY & ROME 2010
April 29 - May 7, 2010
STEP INSIDE THE BEST
OF TUSCANY & ROME
(with optional post-tour 3-night extension to Torino, including Shroud of Turin Exhibit)
$1,899 per person twin, land
We will help find flights from your gateway city to Florence & back from Rome.
Our Tuscany & Rome adventure is a picture-perfect getaway to the beautiful heart of the rolling Tuscan countryside, capped by two exciting days in the center of historic Rome. Enjoy 5 nights in our “home-base” our Italian guide Paola, we experience the magic of the best of Tuscany by private minibus. Amble through cypress & olive tree-lined country lanes, Frances Mayes’ Cortona, breathtaking Siena, medieval hill-town San Gimignano, the “EternalCity” Rome & much more by bus & on foot. Marvel at inspiring St. Peter’s Montecatini family-run hotel, with a reputation for fantastic cuisine. With & the ancient Colosseum, dodge buzzing Vespas, savor tasty & surprisingly affordable trattoria cuisine, wander through the Palatine ruins, & take in Italy’s “la dolce vita” like few tourists do. Come with us to la bella Italia! Our special tour is limited to 8 travelers! Your Tuscany & Rome vacation includes:
- 5 Nights’ twin-bedded Montecatini lodging with breakfast (B)/dinner daily (D) - 2 Nights’ twin or triple-bedded lodging in Rome centrally-located hotel - 2 Breakfasts in Rome (B) - Roundtrip airport train transfers - Services of trained, English-speaking local Tuscan tour guide/minivan driver - Guided private touring (Pisa, Lucca, Siena, San Gimignano, Florence, Arezzo & Cortona) - Daily trattoria eating tips in Rome - Top sights in Rome & walk (Colosseum, Forum, Pantheon, Palatine ruins, Vatican, Trevi Fountain, & Spanish Steps) - Step on/off 1-day multi-lingual Rome tour bus pass - Free time to wander, shop, snap photos, & explore
Daily Itinerary:
Day 1 U.S.A. - Florence Depart on your overnight transatlantic flight to Florence. (D)
Day 2 Florence - Montecatini Welcome to Italy! Meet Ann at the airport & then catch the train for the short ride to the heart of Tuscany, Montecatini. In this lovely spa town of thermal springs, parks, & gardens, settle into our comfortable hotel, our home base for the next five nights. Breathe in the fresh Tuscan air, rest up from jet lag, or stroll through the town. A delicious welcome dinner awaits us tonight! Early to bed with dreams of olive groves & splendid medieval towns. (B/D)
Day 3 Montecatini - Florence After enjoying breakfast together, head to Florence by minibus with our guide Paola. Beautiful “Firenze” boasts one third of all the UNESCO World Heritage sites in Italy. Today we have the chance to roam the Duomo & gaze at Brunelleschi’s massive dome, admire Michelangelo’s David in the Accademia, & skip over to the Oltrarno district with 5th generation artisans practicing their craft near the historic bridge, Ponte Vecchio. When in Florence, we have to sample the exquisite gelato & haggle for leather. Return to Montecatini for dinner at our hotel. (B/D)
Day 4 Montecatini – Pisa - Lucca (B/D) Meet Paola today for another outstanding day trip. In coastal Pisa, once one of the most important Mediterranean ports, we visit the popular, ever-tilting LeaningTower. Take a peek at the white marble cathedral & baptistery before continuing on to delightful Lucca, the most graceful of Tuscany’s provincial capitals. Lucca dazzles: perfectly-preserved churches, medieval squares, & palaces set inside a ring of Renaissance ramparts. On the way back to Montecatini, stop at an olive oil farm for tasting. Back to Montecatini in time for dinner. (B/D)
Day 5 Montecatini – Siena – San Gimignano Today Paola leads us to the “living museum,” pedestrian-friendly town of Siena, a perennial favorite of travelers to Italy. Founded by the Etruscans & known for its impressive Gothic architecture, 12th c. monasteries, & striking Campo Square, the town is a great place for strolling. From its elaborate cathedral to its dramatic town hall tower, Siena is especially picturesque. Continue on to the stunning medieval hill-town San Gimignano, with its fortress towers & still enticingly rural ambiance. End the evening with dinner at our Montecatini hotel. (B/D)
Day 6 Montecatini – Arezzo - Cortona Occupying a strategic site in the central Apennine Mountains, Arezzo shows off its prized Renaissance monuments & its world-famous 14th c. San Francesco basilica. From the valley floor our road to “Under the Tuscan Sun” Cortona winds through terraces of vineyards & olives, past prized cattle (bistecca) pastureland. Medieval art treasures, steep streets so typical of ancient hill-towns, remarkable Renaissance churches make our scenic day with Paola a time to remember. Dinner at our Montecatini hotel. Tomorrow we make a beeline for Rome! (B/D)
Day 7 Montecatini – Rome It’s “ciao” to Tuscany as we travel by train to ancient Rome, vibrant Italian capital city. Our welcoming 3* star hotel is a stone’s throw from the train station. Meander past the Colosseum, Pantheon, & Forum to get a feel for some of the most overpowering sights in the world. Tonight for supper, Ann introduces us to her favorite 15 Euro trattoria, right down the street from our hotel. (B)
Day 8 Rome Today we use our all-day passes to jump on our “hop on/hop off tour bus” for a wonderful overview of the city. Get off at any of ten different stops. St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City is one of the “musts!” Return to our hotel in time for supper on our own. (BB)
Day 9 Rome Termini - Rome Airport Breakfast on your own. Take the Rome Termini train to RomeFiumicinoAirport or fly to Turin for 3 night trip extension. Arrivederci, Roma!