Italy Plus
Day 1 - Depart USA Overnight transatlantic flight to Rome
Day 2 - Arrive Rome (2 nights) Greetings from your Trafalgar Tour Director as you are met and taken to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax. Later, meet up with your Tour Director and the rest of your group to perhaps visit the city by night.
Day 3 - Rome sightseeing and at leisure This morning, you may wish to join an optional excursion to visit Michelangelo's most impressive work — the ceiling of the Sistine chapel. Later, our included sightseeing tour with a local city expert will visit Vatican
City and the awe-inspiring Basilica of St. Peter where we will see the famous 'Pieta'. Then on to Rome to see the Forum and the Colosseum, where Christians were fed to the lions! The rest of the day is at
leisure — perhaps discover the Catacombs and the medieval city walls or the Pantheon (reminiscent of Dan Brown's 'Angels and Demons') and Piazza Navona. (Buffet Breakfast)
Day 4 - Rome — Florence — Montecatini (Tuscan Hills) This morning we travel through the hills of the Latium and into the rolling hills of the Umbria. We drive through the fields of Tuscany to the Renaissance city of Florence — nestled on the river Arno. We enjoy a walking tour of the city with a local guide which takes in the statue-lined Piazza Signoria, the Piazza del Duomo with its Cathedral and Baptistry and the Piazza Santa Croce. Time to shop for quality leather goods and gold jewellery before leaving the city to head into the Tuscan hills and to the spa resort of Montecatini. Here we'll enjoy dinner at our hotel. (Buffet Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 5 - Montecatini (Tuscan Hills) — Pisa — Italian Riviera (Arenzano) (2 nights) Today we drive to Pisa to see the world famous Leaning Tower. Time to admire the other fine buildings in the Square of Miracles, before heading for Genoa — the most important seaport in Italy and birthplace of Christopher Columbus. Orientation will show us some of the great palaces of the city, before we continue to the resort of Arenzano on the Ponente Riviera. (Buffet Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 6 - Italian Riviera at leisure — Excursion to Portofino This morning we drive to the wonderful resort of Santa Margherita on the Tigullio Gulf. Time to explore the elegant streets and perhaps visit the Cappuccini Church with its 12th century statue of the Virgin Mary. Then by ferry (or minibuses when not available) we go to the Rivera's most elegant resort — Portofino — one of Italy's most romantic destinations. Renowned for its multicoloured houses in a spectacular setting — it is one of the most exclusive resorts in Europe. We return to our hotel for dinner. (Buffet Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 7 - Italian Riviera — Chamonix — Geneva We take the highway northwards and head toward the Alps. We travel via Alessandria and into the attractive skiing area of the Val d'Aosta to France. Here, in the shadow of Europe's tallest mountain — Mont Blanc — we stop in the resort of Chamonix, high in the French Alps. Time perhaps to sample some delicious raclette cheese before making our descent to Lake Geneva. Partly located in Switzerland and partly in France, the city of Geneva itself is Swiss. This is where we spend the night. (Buffet Breakfast)
Day 8 - Geneva — Montreux — Zermatt (2 nights) This morning our orientation of this international city shows us the impressive Jet d'Eau, the Reformation Monument and the United Nations Building. Then we drive out of the city towards Lausanne and begin to drive along the lakeshores — passing through the resort of Vevey one-time home of Charlie Chaplin — on the way to Montreux. Here we will stop to take a picture of Chateau Chillon before making our way up to the upper Rhone valley. We arrive in Tasch and from here our scenic journey in the shadow of the Matterhorn up to Zermatt by mini-bus begins. Finally we arrive in the traffic-free resort where we will stay for the next two nights. (Buffet Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 9 - Zermatt at leisure The quiet atmosphere of this chalet filled mountain village will take you back in time as the only vehicles to traverse the streets are horse drawn carriages — (and a few electric vans to transport luggage). You will delight in the atmospheric restaurants and cafés, the gorgeous boutiques and the green meadows surrounding the village as you have plenty of time to relax and explore. You can take in even better views of the Matterhorn by taking a cable-car trip to one of the surrounding peaks! (Buffet Breakfast)
Day 10 - Zermatt — Italian Lakes — Venice (Main.) (2 nights) Cameras at the ready for a day of stunning scenery! First, over the Simplon Pass high in the Alps and then down towards the Italian Lakes, entering Italy near Domodossola. We stop in the glorious resort of Stresa on Lake Maggiore — a town of elegant villas facing the picturesque Borromean islands. Then first via lake Como and then Milan we take the 'autostrada' to Venice — a unique city of over 200 islands built on wooden piles in a glassy lagoon. (Buffet Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 11 - Venice orientation and at leisure First we cruise along the Giudecca canal past Palladian Churches and gothic architecture to St. Mark's Basin where we will be dumbstruck by the beauty of the buildings around us — St. Mark's Basilica, the Doges' Palace, the Bridge of Sighs and the Customs House at the end of the Grand Canal.
We disembark and stroll across St. Mark's square to visit one of the oldest Murano glass workshops in Venice. Here we will witness the craft of glass blowing by one of the few craftsmen able to produce this fine glassware. Then you are free to perhaps explore some of the other islands in the Venetian Lagoon or to while away the hours at one of the extravagant cafés on St. Mark's Square. Later you may wish to enjoy a gondola serenade along the quiet back canals to see how the Venetians really live. (Buffet Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 12 - Venice (Main.) — Orvieto — Rome We cross the Veneto Plain, passing the towns of Padua and Ferrara, and ascend into the Apennine Mountains near Bologna. As we enter the Umbria we stop to visit one of its most attractive hilltop towns — Orvieto, which lies on top of an extinct volcano. The volcanic soils have made the town famous for its delicious white wines produced from the vineyards surrounding the town. We ascend to the centre by funicular and then we are free to explore. The Cathedral is one of Italy's greatest and has a sumptuous 170 foot façade resembling a giant triptych. You may wish to visit this great monument or perhaps spend time shopping for ceramics or wine. It is now but a short drive to Rome, for the final night of our tour. This evening, why not throw a coin into the Trevi fountain to ensure your return to the Eternal City one day" (Buffet Breakfast)
Day 13 - Rome - USA This morning its time to say 'arrivederci' to your new-found friends and Tour Director, as we transfer you to Fiumicino airport for your flight home. (Buffet Breakfast)
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