| Wednesday - Depart LA 8AM for Rome | First to NY and then NY to Rome |
| Thursday - Arrive in Rome | Check into our Room and on our own all day. |
| Friday - Rome | Time to rest or start exploring the Eternal City. At 6 p.m. meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and leave the hotel for a special welcome dinner with wine in one of Romes lively restaurants. (D) |
| Saturday - Rome | Sightseeing with your Local Guide starts with a visit to the VATICAN, the Vatican MUSEUMS and SISTINE CHAPEL , world famous for Michelangelos ceiling paintings and The Last Judgement. Continue to monumental ST. PETERS SQUARE and BASILICA. Cross the Tiber and visit the COLOSSEUM and the ROMAN FORUM, where Roman Legions marched in triumph. This afternoon explore the city on your own, relax, or join your local guide for an optional walk that takes you to the magnificent marbled Trevi Fountain, Navona Square, the well preserved Roman Pantheon, the Spanish Steps, and finishes with a Roman dinner party. |
| Sunday - Rome | Full day to savor la dolce vita and enjoy independent activities. Take a stroll along beautiful Via Condotti, discover Romes hidden treasures at your own pace, or if you feel like traveling, join an optional excursion to Pompeii, the Roman city both destroyed and preserved by a volcanic eruption in 79 AD. |
| Monday - Rome-Siena-San Gimignano-Florence | This morning a pleasant drive north on the Highway of the Sun to Siena. A 30-minute walk through ancient, narrow lanes brings you to beautiful PIAZZA DEL CAMPO, site of the biannual Palio, Siena's spectacular medieval-style horse race. Free time for lunch. Later stop in hilltop San Gimignano, the most picturesque of Italy's perfectly preserved medieval towns. Then on to Florence, the splendid capital of Tuscany and birthplace of the Renaissance. |
| Tuesday - Florence | Follow your Local Guide to the magnificent CATHEDRAL, Giottos Bell Tower, the Baptistrys heavy bronze Gate of Paradise, and sculpture-studded Signoria Square. To top it off, admire Michelangelos celebrated David in the ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS. Afternoon for independent sightseeing and browsing through the shops. Florentine leather goods and gold jewelry sold by the ounce are attractive buys. Tonight, why not try the culinary delights of a fine Florentine restaurant? |
| Wednesday - Florence. Excursion to Pisa and Verrazzano Castle | Drive to Pisa and take pictures of the amazing Leaning Tower, 180 feet high and no less than 12 feet out of the perpendicular. At VERRAZZANO CASTLE enjoy WINE TASTING and lunch and hear about the fine art of blending four types of grapes to obtain the famous Chianti Classico. |
| Thursday - Florence to Venice | An easy morning drive through the wooded Apennine Mountains to Venice, a powerful magnet for romantics and art lovers from around the globe. Enter its glittering maze of islands, canals, and bridges in style by PRIVATE BOAT to meet your Local Guide. Highlights of your walking tour are ST. MARKS SQUARE and the BYZANTINE BASILICA, lavish DOGES PALACE, and the BRIDGE OF SIGHS. Then enjoy Venice at your own pace or join an optional gondola ride. |
| Friday - Venice. Murano and Burano Islands Excursion | Start your day with an unforgettable Venetian LAGOON CRUISE to the islands of Murano and Burano. Glide past the islands of San Giorgio and Santa Elena, and along the banks of the famous Lido. In Murano watch skilled GLASS BLOWERS fashion their delicate objects in an age-old traditional manner. Then continue on to the picturesque fishing village of Burano, renowned for its bright pastel-colored houses and for its lace-making. Take pictures of traditional fishing boats, still used by the island inhabitants, and enjoy an included lunch. Return to Venice in the early afternoon. |
| Saturday - Venice, Verona, Milan | Via the lush plains of the Po River to Verona, medieval setting of Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet. See Juliets Balcony and stroll around the lovely market square. Don't miss the Arena, an incredibly well-preserved pink marble Roman amphitheater. Built in the 1st century AD., it is now the magical venue for world-famous opera performances. Then on to the dynamic city of Milan, hub of Italy's economic miracle with its famous Scala Opera House, glass-domed GALLERIA, and magnificent GOTHIC DUOMO. An optional farewell dinner may be the perfect way to celebrate the success of your Italian vacation. |
| Sunday - Milan to LA | Back home after our wonderful trip |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Hotels | ||
| Wednesday | Sep 19 | None - in Transit |
| Thursday | Sep 20 | Grand Hotel Beverly Hills Largo Bened.Marcello 220 Rome I-00198 Tel: 39 06 8542141 Map |
| Friday | Sep 21 | |
| Saturday | Sep 22 | |
| Sunday | Sep 23 | |
| Monday | Sep 24 | Starhotel Michelangelo Viale F.LLI Rosselli 2 Florence I-50123 Tel: 39 055 2784 Map |
| Tuesday | Sep 25 | |
| Wednesday | Sep 26 | |
| Thursday | Sep 27 | Starhotel Splendid Venice San Marco 760 Venice I-30124 Tel: 39 041 5200755 Map |
| Friday | Sep 28 | |
| Saturday | Sep 29 | Starhotels Ritz Via Spallanzani 40 Milano I-20129 Tel: 39 02 2055 Map |