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Trip Itinerary:

• Day 1 - Sorrento

  Arrive in Rome and travel to Sorrento

  This comprehensive Italy tour departs at 10:00 AM from Rome's Leonardo da Vinci Airport in Fiumicino. Travel through the Campania countryside to the southern resort town of Sorrento, where your hotel overlooks the beautiful Bay of Naples and powerful Mt. Vesuvius.

  Get to know fellow travelers at a welcome cocktail reception and dinner.

  Hotel

  Lodging: Grand Hôtel Excelsior Vittoria / Hilton Sorrento Palace, Sorrento, Italy. Meals: Lunch, dinner

  

• Day 2 - Amalfi

  Amalfi Coast drive – a southern Italy tour highlight.

  Sightseeing

  Drive along the Amalfi Coast, one of Europe’s most dramatic shorelines. Stop for visits in Amalfi with some houses dating to the 10th century, and Ravello, perched on towering cliffs above the sea. Explore Sorrento’s piazzas as you please upon your afternoon return.
  Meals: Breakfast, lunch
  

  Hotel

  Lodging: Grand Hôtel Excelsior Vittoria / Hilton Sorrento Palace, Sorrento, Italy

  

• Day 3 - Rome

  Explore Pompeii, then on to the Eternal City of Rome.

  Sightseeing

  Your Italy tour next explores the excavated ruins of Pompeii, buried in volcanic ash when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. Walk through city streets with a local expert to discover the way of life in ancient Italy. Visit the temple, the forum, and a home adorned with frescoes.

  Hotel

  The next three nights are spent at The Westin Excelsior, Rome, one of the most prestigious addresses on the famed Via Veneto. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Lodging: The Westin Excelsior, Rome, Italy

• Day 4 - Rome

  Visit the Vatican.

  Sightseeing

  Visit Vatican City, where an early arrival means you avoid the long lines found later in the day. Explore the rich treasures in the Vatican Museums – and in the Sistine Chapel, gaze in amazement at Michelangelo’s masterpiece. Tour St. Peter's Basilica to view the art and architecture, and explore St. Peter's Square. Choose to see more in Vatican City in the afternoon, or visit other attractions in the city. Meals: Breakfast, dinner

  Dine at a traditional restaurant in the evening.
  

  Hotel

  Lodging: The Westin Excelsior, Rome, Italy
  Meals: Breakfast, dinner

• Day 5 - Rome

  A day in Rome of the Caesars.

  In Rome, capital of Italy tour the Colosseum; see Circus Maximus, the 4th-century BC stadium where chariot races were held, and the ruins of the Palace of Caesar. View the Roman Forum from above, and see Michelangelo's statue of Moses at San Pietro in Vincoli. Pursue your own passions in Rome during the afternoon.
  Meals: Breakfast

  Hotel

  Lodging: The Westin Excelsior, Rome, Italy

• Day 6 - Italy

  Your Italy tour continues in Orvieto – and with a wine tasting.

  Sightseeing

  Journey to Orvieto, set on a 984-foot plateau overlooking vineyards below. Visit the Duomo of Orvieto, a notable Romanesque-Gothic cathedral built over a span of 300 years. After a trattoria lunch near the Piazza del Duomo, continue through the wine-producing regions of Umbria.

  Hotel

  Arrive in Torgiano, a small village in the Tiber Valley. Hotel Le Tre Vaselle, your home for the next two nights, is a 17th-century country house hotel with its own private vineyard - an opportunity to experience Italy's privileged country life. Lodging: Hotel Le Tre Vaselle, Torgiano, Italy

  Wine

  Tonight you'll attend a wine tasting and sample the best from their vineyards. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

• Day 7 - Assisi

  Step back in time in medieval Assisi – and a chef "shares".

  Sightseeing

  Drive to Assisi, a well-preserved medieval town designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its art and architecture. Visit the Basilica di San Francesco, the burial place of St. Francis, the beloved patron saint of animals. Gaze at the impressive 13th- and 14th-century frescoes, some of Italy’s finest, and enjoy some free time in the center of town.

  This evening, you'll discover the secrets of great Italian cuisine from an Umbrian chef who shares insights into the nuances of Italian cooking at a demonstration. This is a special Italy tour highlight that you'll long remember. Meals: Breakfast, dinner Lodging: Hotel Le Tre Vaselle, Torgiano, Italy

• Day 8 - Italy

  Towers of San Gimignano.

  Sightseeing

  In the hilltop town of San Gimignano, see 13 medieval towers that were built in the 12th century by the nobility as both private fortresses and symbols of wealth. Stroll along the narrow streets and visit Piazza della Cisterna, one of Italy’s most picturesque town squares. Drive by Pisa where you'll catch a glimpse of the famous Leaning Tower, and arrive in the seaside resort town of Viareggio for the night.
  Meals: Breakfast, dinner

  Hotel

  Lodging: Grand Hotel Principe di Piemonte, Viareggio, Italy.

• Day 9 - Florence

  Cinque Terre villages.

  Sightseeing

  Visit Cinque Terre, accessible only by sea for hundreds of years. Journey by train to one of the villages for a look at daily life in this remote part of Italy. You'll have time to yourself to wander through the cobblestone streets of one of these towns, perhaps sampling the unique flavors of the local cuisine. Aboard a private boat, cruise along the Mediterranean shores the Italian Riviera for an extraordinary view of these centuries-old villages set on rocky bluffs, hemmed in by steep cliffs.

  Hotel

  Journey on to the Renaissance city of Florence for a three-night stay at one of Italy's grand hotels. Meals: Breakfast, dinner. Lodging: Grand Hotel, Florence / Hotel Helvetia & Bristol, Florence, Italy

• Day 10 - Florence

  Become an art aficionado in Florence.

  Experience Florence, where the arts flourished between the 13th and 16th centuries. Learn about art history from a local university professor who is an art expert, then take a walking tour of the Galleria dell’Accademia, home of Michelangelo’s marble statue of David.

  Sightseeing

  You'll have time on your own in Florence this afternoon; your hotel is right in the heart of the city, which makes it easy to explore!

  Hotel

  Meals: Breakfast. Lodging: Grand Hotel, Florence / Hotel Helvetia & Bristol, Florence, Italy

• Day 11 - Florence

  Masterpieces of the Uffizi.

  Sightseeing

  Join a local expert for a guided tour of the Uffizi Gallery, Italy’s extraordinary art museum. Admire some of the world’s greatest art masterpieces, including works by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Botticelli, and more. The remainder of the day is for you to do as you please: you may want to visit the Pitti Palace, the Medici Chapels or stroll across the Ponte Vecchio to the lovely Boboli Gardens.
  Meals: Breakfast
  

  Hotel

  Lodging: Grand Hotel, Florence / Hotel Helvetia & Bristol, Florence, Italy.

• Day 12 - Venice

  Rail trip to Venice and a serenade aboard a gondola.

  Sightseeing

  Italy travel by rail is fast; arrive in Venice, built on 118 small islands traversed by a canal network – and it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After lunch, head to St. Mark’s Square, the heart of Venice, with a local guide for a walking tour. Visit St. Mark’s Basilica, one of the greatest buildings in Europe, featuring exquisite mosaics and detailed carvings; and the Doges’ Palace, a pink marble Gothic masterpiece.

  River or Barge Cruise

  Take a canal cruise by gondola, complete with a serenade by local musicians, to round up a busy day.

  Dinner is on your own tonight – from fine dining to intimate trattorias, dining in Venice is an Italy tour pleasure.
  Meals: Breakfast, lunch

  Hotel

  Lodging: The Westin Europa & Regina, Venice, Italy

• Day 13 - Venice

  The romance of Venice.

  Sightseeing

  The day is open so you can take in the sites you choose. Perhaps tour the Galleria dell'Accademia or the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, or take a boat ride to islands in the lagoon. Meals: Breakfast, dinner

  Share favorite Italy tour highlights with travel companions at the farewell reception and dinner.
  

  Hotel

  Lodging: The Westin Europa & Regina, Venice, Italy.

• Day 14 - Venice

  Ciao – Tauck's Italy tour concludes.

  Your two-week Italy tour ends at 7:30 AM at Venice Marco Polo Airport. If you are departing at other times, you must secure your own transportation to the airport. You should allow a minimum of 2 1/2 hours for flight check-in.
  Meals: Breakfast

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