Flavours of Italy
Day 1 - Depart USA Overnight flight to Rome.
Day 2 - - Arrive Rome (2 nights) On arrival at Rome Fiumicino Airport you are met and transferred to your hotel, where you will have time to relax and unwind before we meet with our Tour Director and fellow travellers this evening. Find out more about your tour and your travelling companions at a Welcome Dinner and drink in a convivial Roman Trattoria. ("Welcome Dinner)
Day 3 - Rome sightseeing & at leisure This morning we will enjoy an included sightseeing tour with a local guide using our effective audio system to highlight our walking tour seeing the Forum, Colosseum and Circus Maximus and enhance our visit of St. Peter's Basilica. After there's free time to sightsee further or just wander the backstreets of the city. Later, we get together for an evening drive ending at the baroque splendour of Piazza Navona, where we will be treated to a drink or ice-cream of our choice! Then time is your own to sample the local cuisine in one of the many restaurants, which are to be found in this area. (Buffet Breakfast)
Day 4 - Rome — Greve in Chianti — Florence (4 nights) This morning we travel into the northern Lazio and continue over the border into the rolling hills of Umbria and into Tuscany where we visit the capital of its food and wine — the charming town of Greve. Here we visit a wine and olive oil outlet, where we can taste a plethora of excellent Chiantis and extra virgin olive oils. On the town's main square are some of the finest food shops in Europe where you have the chance to taste the 'salumeria'. Then we drive east to Vignamaggio where the Mona Lisa was born and where 'Much Ado about Nothing' was filmed. Finally after an exhilarating drive through the Chianti hills we arrive at our hotel in Florence. This evening, over a glass of wine in a well known restaurant, we will have a short lecture on the basic principals of Italian cuisine and learn a few words of Italian, in preparation for our shopping and cooking day! Tonight we will have a dinner of Tuscan cuisine in a local restaurant. (Buffet Breakfast / Highlight Dinner)
Day 5 - Tuscan lifestyle experience Our day begins first at a fruit and vegetable market where we buy fresh produce for our cooking lesson. Having selected the best produce available at this time of year, we will proceed to the restaurant where we have use of the kitchen and where we will all participate in the preparation of today's midday meal and the purchasing of the wine to go with it! After a hopefully delicious meal washed down with the chiantis which we have selected, we return to our hotel for the night. Your evening is at leisure to do as you please. (Buffet Breakfast / Highlight Lunch)
Day 6 - Florence sightseeing After breakfast, we will enjoy a walking tour with a local guide, using our effective audio system, which takes us to the Accademia to see the recently restored 'David' of Michelangelo as well as Piazza Signoria and the multi-coloured marble Duomo. The afternoon is free to relax or to perhaps visit some of the other fine museums the city has to offer. This evening we enjoy a Tuscan style barbecue in a farmhouse restaurant. (Buffet Breakfast / Highlight Dinner)
Day 7 - - Excursion to Pisa Today we will travel into the Tuscan countryside and to the once maritime city of Pisa, where we visit the Square of Miracles with its monumental Cathedral and famous Leaning Bell Tower. Time to explore the other monuments in the square or enjoy a glass of wine before driving to a nearby olive-oil mill for a delicious lunch and an olive-oil tasting. We return to our hotel with your evening at leisure. Your Tour Director will be happy to suggest dining options. (Buffet Breakfast / Highlight Lunch)
Day 8 - Florence — Venice (Grand Canal) (3 nights) Enjoy the morning at leisure with time to participate in various optional activities which you can book through your Tour Director. Choose from either more sightseeing in Florence, or an excursion to San Gimignano or a guided walking tour through the Tuscan countryside. Later, we will drive to the floating city of Venice. This evening we will have the pleasure of dining on local specialities as we sit alongside the Grand Canal. (Buffet Breakfast / Highlight Dinner)
Day 9 - Venice orientation & at leisure After breakfast this morning our visit to the magical city of Venice would not be complete without an orientation cruise by private motor launch along the Giudecca and over to St. Mark's Square. Here we will witness a demonstration of the ancient art of Murano glass-blowing in one of the city's oldest workshops. Then there's time on your own to perhaps join the various optional activities on offer. This evening, dinner is served at our hotel. (Buffet Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 10 - Secret Venice walking tour & visit to the market Today with our local guide we enjoy a guided commentary using our effective audio system, which will bring the city to life, as we cruise along the Grand Canal to the Rialto Bridge. We cross the Rialto and visit the staggering fish market which has existed for centuries, and then enjoy a walking tour through the 'calle' seeing sites such as the house of Marco Polo and other curious as well as, beautiful architectural works of Art. The balance of the day is at leisure to perhaps take a trip to Burano and enjoy eating some of the local seafood. This evening why not join your fellow companions and celebrate your last night of your touring experience at a local restaurant" (Buffet Breakfast)
Day 11 - Venice (Grand Canal) - USA It's time to say 'arrivederci Italia' and 'till we meet again' to our newly made friends. Your Trafalgar Tour Director organises your transfer to Venice Airport arriving at approximately 8.00am for your return flight to America. (Buffet Breakfast)
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