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| Day 1 |
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DEPART U.S.
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Leave the U.S. on your flight to Naples.
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| Day 2 |
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ARRIVE NAPLES - AMALFI COAST
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Arrive in Naples, Italy. Transfer to your hotel, which overlooks the sea by the mountain road to Ravello. Welcome dinner at a nearby restaurant. WD
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| Day 3 |
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AMALFI - RAVELLO
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Weather permitting, cruise the spectacular Amalfi Coast.* Visit Amalfi and its great 9th-century Cathedral, have lunch on your own, and drive up to Ravello to enjoy its splendid gardens and coastal views. B/D
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| Day 4 |
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POMPEII - AMALFI COAST -SORRENTO
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Have a guided tour of Pompeii,* where shops, temples and first-century vacation homes hint at how people lived 2000 years ago. After lunch, drive the winding road above the azure Mediterranean. Have dinner on your own. B/L |
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| Day 5 |
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MONTECASSINO - ROME
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En route to Rome visit the Benedictine Abbey at Montecassino to see its medieval art. In Rome, take an informal walking tour of the Piazza Navona and other sites near your hotel. B/L |
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| Day 6 |
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ANCIENT ROME
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Visit monuments of ancient Rome* including the Colosseum and the Forum. Take the afternoon to explore Rome’s shops, cafés, fountains and piazze on your own. B/D
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| Day 7 |
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VATICAN: ST. PETER'S AND THE SISTINE CHAPEL
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Cross the Tiber for a visit to the Vatican. See Michelangelo’s Pietà in St. Peter’s Basilica and his great Biblical frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. Afternoon in Rome on your own. B/L
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| Day 8 |
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ORVIETO - TODI
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Travel through pastoral landscapes to the small Umbrian city of Orvieto, arriving by funicular! Attend a cooking demonstration, with dinner at the Restaurant Zeppelin. Stay at a charming hotel in Todi. B/D |
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| Day 9 |
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TODI
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Visit Todi’s fine medieval square and lovely Gothic church. Enjoy the town, the Umbrian hills, that surround it, and the regional cuisine. B |
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| Day 10 |
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ASSISI
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In nearby Assisi, visit the Basilica di San Francesco,* the pilgrimage site where St. Francis is buried. After a lunch of local specialties, enjoy the views from the piazze; then return to Todi. B/L
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| Day 11 |
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PERUGIA - SIENA (POGGIBONSI)
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Travel to Villa Lecchi, a restored 18th-century villa hotel near Siena, stopping en route in Perugia. Tonight’s dinner features savory Tuscan fare. B/D
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| Day 12 |
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SIENA
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Have a guided walking tour of Siena’s highlights including the Piazza del Campo, one of Europe’s greatest public squares. Dinner at Villa Lecchi. B/D
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| Day 13 |
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FLORENCE
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Florence* is the heart of Renaissance Italy. On a morning walking tour view Michelangelo’s David, the Cathedral (Duomo) crowned with Brunelleschi’s famous dome, and Giotto’s bell tower. The afternoon is free for your choice of activities. B/D |
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| Day 14 |
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SAN GIMIGNANO - CHIANTI REGION
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Visit the Tuscan hill town of San Gimignano,* known for the medieval watchtowers that grace its skyline. Later travel Tuscany’s acclaimed “Wine Road” and enjoy a wine tasting in this land of authentic Chianti Classico. B/D |
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| Day 15 |
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VENICE
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Travel to Venice, check into your small historic hotel, and explore this unique environment of canals, boats and bridges. Have dinner on your own at one of the city’s many restaurants. B/L
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| Day 16 |
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VENICE
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Take an informal guided walk through St. Mark’s Square and tour the Doge’s Palace. Enjoy an afternoon on your own and the Farewell Dinner. B/FD
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| Day 17 |
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RETURN TO U.S.
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Leave after breakfast for the Venice airport and your flight home. B
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