A tour combining some wonderful highlights of Italy. Taking in the main art and fashion cities, inspirational Capri and the spectacular Cinque Terre. The tour includes a visit to an exclusive hand-woven textile atelier in Perugia,a guided tour of fashion houses in Emilia Romagna and Milan and Romeo and Juliet's Verona.
(B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
Day 1 Depart Australia
Depart Australia for Rome.
Day 2 Arrive Rome (D)
Upon arrival at Rome's airport, be met by our representative and
board the coach. Have a half day sightseeing tour with English
speaking guide of Ancient Rome, with the Coliseum (entrance fee is
included), Arch of Constantine, Roman Forum... See and experience
the
great history of this city, evident in every monument, street or
building.
Transfer to your hotel and check in to your rooms. This evening have
a "Welcome to Italy" dinner in folkloristic Trastevere, a
picturesque old quarter whose inhabitants consider themselves to be
the only true Romans.
Day 3 Rome (B, D)
In the morning, you'll be visiting the Vatican with Vatican Museum
and the Sistine Chapel (entrance fee is included), the official
residence of the Pope, in the Vatican City. Its fame rests on its
architecture, which evokes Solomon's Temple of the Old Testament,
its decoration, frescoed throughout by the greatest Renaissance
artists, includingMichelangelo whose ceiling is legendary.
In the afternoon, continue your guided tour by visiting Baroque
Rome: you'll have a "Fountain walk" during which we'll see the
"Triton Fountain" by Bernini, the famous "Trevi Fountain" the
awesome "Pantheon", and Piazza Navona where three other beautiful
17th century fountains are located, including the "Fountains of the
Rivers".
Dinner and overnight Rome.
Day 4 Rome, Capri,Rome (B, D)
Breakfast in hotel. An early departure today driving south to
Naples, where you will catch the hydrofoil to Capri. Capri is a
Mediterranean island of calcareous origin that has been visited over
the centuries by intellectuals, artists and writers, all enthralled
by its magical beauty. A mix of history, nature, worldliness,
culture and events that daily blend together and bring the Legend of
Capri to life; a legend that sees no comparison anywhere in the
world.
In the afternoon return to Naples by hydrofoil and board the coach
back to Rome. Overnight Rome.
Day 5 Rome, Perugia, Florence (B, D)
Breakfast in hotel. This morning you will depart Rome to Perugia, in
the central region of Umbria, to visit a workshop of hand-woven
artistic textiles. The exclusive workshop is located in the
fascinating deconsecrated Romanesque church of San Francesco delle
Donne: built in 1212, it's the oldest Franciscan church in Perugia.
The founder of the workshop was a major figure in the female
entrepreneurial scene of the early 1900s. Inspired by women's
tradition of producing at home the necessary materials and textiles
for the household, she sought out all the Umbrian traditional
designs and founded in 1921 the workshop/school dedicated to the
production of high quality artistic textiles for the house. Ever
since, the passion for the art of hand-weaving on antique wooden
looms has been passed on from mother to daughter with each
generation personalizing the production according to her particular
vocation and professional studies. Today, the workshop is one of the
few remaining atelier of hand-weaving on antique "jacquard" frames
in Italy. Eighty years from its foundation, using the original
antique looms and following the same traditional techniques,
tapestries, draperies, tablecloths, bedspreads, centerpieces,
lampshades and textiles for interior decorating are faithfully
produced. You will have a guided visit of the workshop, and also a
brief course of weaving.
Continue on to Florence in the afternoon and check in to your hotel.
Dinner and overnight Florence.
Day 6 Florence (B, D)
Breakfast in hotel. This morning you will have a guided visit of
Florence, a vast and beautiful monument to the Renaissance. You'll
visit the Accademia (entrance fee is included) to see Michelangelo's
David and his unfinished "Prisoners". You'll have a walk through the
town and see the Ponte Vecchio, the Duomo, the Giotto's Campanile,
the Baptistery with the "Gates of paradise" and more.
In the afternoon, you will go by coach to visit a renowned Italian
fashion house, which is located not far from Florence.
Return to Florence for dinner and overnight.
Day 7 Florence, Venice Area (B, D)
Breakfast in hotel. This morning depart Florence to Venice. On the
way you will stop for a guided visit of another renowned fashion
house located in Emilia Romagna (in between Tuscany and Veneto).
In the afternoon you will arrive at your hotel in the Venice area.
Dinner and overnight.
Day 8 Venice (B, D)
Breakfast in hotel. This morning go to meet your guide and have a
guided tour of Venice. You'll be able to see Rialto Bridge, the Grand
Canal, the Bridge of Sighs, and St. Mark's Basilica.
You will also visit the Doges Palace (Entrance included) and view
paintings by Tintoretto, Veronese and Bosch.
In the afternoon, go to Murano and Burano Islands and visit a glass
blowing factory and a lace factory.
Dinner and overnight the Venice area.
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Day 9 Venice, Verona, Milan (B, D)
Breakfast in hotel. This morning you will board the coach and depart
to Milan, stopping in Verona for a guided visit. Its ancient centre
boasts many magnificent Roman ruins, second only to those of Rome
itself, and fine palazzo built of rosso di Verona, the local pink-tinged limestone. Here you will see the massive 1st century AD
Arena, Piazza delle Erbe, with its colorful market, and Juliet's
balcony.
Continue on to Milan and check in to your hotel.
Dinner and overnight Milan.
Day 10 Milan & Fashion House (B, D)
Breakfast in hotel. This morning meet your guide and have a guided
tour of Milan, the regional capital, Italy's financial centre, a
shopper's paradise and the main gateway to Lombardy, renowned
worldwide for its fashion shows. During your guided activities
you'll admire the Duomo, Sforzesco Castle, and Vittorio Emanuele
Gallery. You will also visit La Scala Opera House (entrance fee is
included).
In the afternoon you will go by coach to an Italian fashion house
located not far from Milan and you will have a guided visit.
Dinner and overnight Milan.
Day 11 Milan, Cinque Terre, Milan (B, D)
Breakfast in hotel. This morning transfer Liguria to discover the
"Cinque Terre". The Cinque Terre is a stretch of rocky coastline on
the Riviera di Levante that extends from Monterosso al Mare to
Riomaggiore at its south eastern tip. The name refers to five self-contained villages that seem to dramatically cling to the very edge
of vertiginous cliffs: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia,
Manarola and Riomaggiore. The villages were once only accessible by
sea, and today there is still no road that links them all (entrance
fee to the natural park is included).
Then, return to Milan and have some free time at leisure before
dinner and overnight.
Day 12 Milan, Lake Como, Milan (B)
After breakfast depart for a full day excursion to Lake Como. The
first stop is Cernobbio, famous for the Villa d'Este, the opulent
16th century residence which has now been transformed into one of
the most luxurious hotels in Europe. Continue on to Tremezzo to
visit "Villa Carlotta", world famous for its splendid park with
flowers and rare plants. Your last stop is Menaggio, located at the
centre of the lake on the western shore with the mountains providing
a background to the old town.
Return to Milan and go the train station to catch your overnight
train to Paris.
Overnight on board.
Day 13 Paris (D)
This morning arrive at Paris' train station, board the coach and go
to meet your local guide. You will have a sightseeing tour of that
takes you around the major monuments of Paris: the Tour Eiffel, the
Arc de Triomphe, the Madeleine, the sumptuous Opera Garnier, the Ile
de la Cite with Notre Dame and la Sainte Chapelle and many other
sights. You will also go to the third level of the Eiffel Tower
(entrance fee is included). Transfer to your hotel and check in to
your rooms.
Dinner and overnight Paris.
Day 14 Paris (B, D)
Breakfast in hotel. This morning board your coach for the excursion
to the Palace and Grounds of the Sun King at Versailles (entrance
fee is included) for a guided tour. See the Grands Appartements of
the royal living quarters and the beautiful Galerie des Glaces also
known as the Hall of Mirrors. You will time to wander through parts
of the exquisitely landscaped grounds with the many fountains.
Return to Paris and have some free time at leisure.
Dinner and overnight Paris.
Day 15 Paris, London (B, D)
Breakfast in hotel.
This morning you will have a guided visit of the Louvre, where you
will see the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. Then, board the coach
and transfer to Paris' train station to catch your train to London.
Upon arrival at London's train station, board the coach and transfer
to your hotel.
Dinner and overnight London.
Day 16 London (B, D)
Breakfast in hotel. This morning meet your London guide for a
sightseeing tour of the highlights of the city on foot and by Tube.
First stop will be to see one of the most historic buildings in
London- Westminster Abbey. The Abbey dates from the 11th century and
the start of the Norman Conquest of William the Conqueror; you will
see a cavalcade of the ages on tombs and portraits. See Big Ben, the
Parliament Buildings, #10 Downing Street and continue down Whitehall
past the Admiralty where you will see the famous Horse Guards.
Continue through St. James's Park and up the Mall to Buckingham
Palace. If today is a guard change day, you will watch the ceremony
of the Changing of the Guard. You will walk past the palace; to Hyde
Park Corner there you will take the Tube to Covent Garden, the
former market square of London. Time for lunch, before, you continue
walking to the Tower of London where your guided visit includes
entrance to the Jewel House to see the Crown Jewels of the Royal
Family. You will have dinner and then overnight at the hotel.
Day 17 London (B, D)
Breakfast in hotel. Today you have a reservation and entrance to
visit Madame Tussaud's famous waxworks.
The afternoon is at leisure: this is your last day to make the most
of London. You may have made choices to do some of the following. A
visit to the British Museum should not be missed. Here you will see
a copy of the Magna Carta and Admiral Nelson's logbook amongst other
famous papers and manuscripts. You will find priceless collections
of Egyptian, Greek and Roman antiquities including the Elgin Marbles
from the Parthenon in Athens and the Rosetta stone which assisted
archaeologists interpret Egyptian script. Visit the Mummy halls
where sarcophagi are stacked almost ceiling high and the
mummification process is clearly illustrated. Look for mummies with
even their fingers and toes individually wrapped. Shoppers in the
group will no doubt want to spend time in the famous department
stores Harrod's and Selfridge's. Oxford Street and Regent Street and
Camden Lock are also popular shopping destinations. You could visit
the Portobello Road Market and you may also decide to visit the War
Museum. Dinner and overnight in London.
Day 18 Departure (B)
Breakfast in hotel. Board the coach and transfer to London's airport
for your return flight.
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