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Taliaferro Group
Grand Tour of Italy & Sicily
Dates of Travel: March 17 - April 1, 2007
16 days incl. air,
or 15 days
This traditional grand vacation of 16 days is
perfect for those who with to see all of Italy,
including Sicily. In the cities of Rome, Florence
and Venice, highlight visits are included to St.
Peter’s, the Sistine Chapel, the Colosseum,
Michelangelo’s David, St. Mark’s Basilica,
and the Doges’ Palace with the Bridge of Sighs.
Admire the Leaning Tower of Pisa and St. Francis’
Basilica in Assisi. After visiting Pompeii, board
the overnight ferry to Sicily and stay there for
four nights. Visits to Palermo’s Palatine Chapel and
the Norman Cathedral in Monreale, the spectacular
Valley of Temples and the 4th-century Roman Villa of
Casale await you. A ferry brings you across the
Straits of Messina to Calabria. Two nights in
Sorrento include a visit to the Isle of Capri with a
visit to Villa San Michele in Anacapri. On the way
back to Rome, stop at the medieval Abbey of
Montecassino.
Sightseeing
Highlights
-
ROME
Welcome dinner; guided sightseeing including
headsets; visit St. Peter’s Square and Basilica,
Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, Colosseum
and Roman Forum
-
PISA
Picture stop at the Leaning Tower
-
FLORENCE
Guided sightseeing including headsets; visit the
cathedral, Michelangelo’s David, and Signoria
Square
-
VENICE
Private boat ride; guided sightseeing including
headsets; visit St. Mark’s Square and Basilica,
Doges’ Palace, and the Bridge of Sighs; glass
blowers’ demonstration
-
BAVENNA
Orientation, visit St. Apollinaris in Classe
-
ASSISI
Orientation, visit St. Francis’ Basilica
-
POMPEII
Guided visit of the excavations including
headsets
-
NAPLES-SICILY
Overnight cruise in two-berth cabins with
private facilities
-
PALERMO
Guided sightseeing; visit the cathedral, the
Palatine Chapel, the Norman Cathedral in
Monreale and Mondello
-
AGRIGENTO
Guided walking tour of the Valley of Temples
-
PIAZZA ARMERINA
Visit Roman Villa of Casale
-
STRAITS OF MESSINA
Ferry crossing
-
CAPRI
Jet/hydrofoil ride; guided sightseeing; visit
Villa San Michele in Anacapri
Special Rates for this Group
| 8 spaces allocated |
Air &
Land Rate |
Total |
| book by January 5 |
Included |
$2,584.00 |
|
|
Call
our group department to book into this group or to book a
group of your own. 1-866-475-7023 |
Included:
-MEALS:
14 buffet
breakfasts (BB); 7 three-course
dinners (D), including a special
welcome dinner with wine in
Rome
-AIRPORT
TRANSFERS
Airport transfers may be
included when you make your
flight arrangements with the
tour company
-INSIDE VISITS
are
shown in UPPERCASE in the tour
description, including admission
charges when applicable
-Hotel Accommodations
Twin-bedded rooms with private
bath or shower, hotel taxes,
service charges, and tips for
baggage handling
Quality Hotels:
ROME
Cicerone
(SF),
FLORENCE Grand Hotel
Majestic (F),
VENICE
Ambasciatori (F) at
Mestre or Plaza (F) at Mestre,
ASSISI
Giotto (F),
PALERMO
Jolly Foro Italico (F),
AGRIGENTO
Jolly Della Valle (F),
TAORMINA
AREA Caesar Palace (F) at
Giardini Naxos,
SORRENTO
Conca Park (F),
ROME
Cicerone (SF) or Jolly
Midas
(F)
-Professional Tour Director
while touring, cruise director
on River cruises, host services
on Independent Vacations, and 50
hosts in London alone to assist
you at airports and hotels
-Private deluxe motorcoach
with air-conditioning, extra leg
room, and emergency washroom
while touring
-Travel bag and travel documents
TOUR ITINERARY
Day 1
Board your
overnight
transatlantic
flight.
Day 2 Arrival
in Rome, Italy.
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 Rome’s lively
restaurants. (D)
Day 3 Rome.
Sightseeing with
your Local Guide
starts with a
visit to the
VATICAN MUSEUMS
and SISTINE
CHAPEL, world
famous for
Michelangelo’s
ceiling
paintings and
The Last
Judgement.
Continue to
monumental ST.
PETER’S SQUARE
and BASILICA.
Cross the Tiber
and visit the
COLOSSEUM and
the ROMAN FORUM,
where Roman
Legions marched
in triumph. Then
time for
independent
activities and
exciting
optional
excursion
possibilities.
(BB)
Day 4 Rome-Florence.
A smooth
drive past the
Chianti hills
takes you to
Florence,
capital of
Tuscany and home
of the
Renaissance.
Follow your
Local Guide to
the magnificent
CATHEDRAL,
Giotto’s Bell
Tower, the
Baptistry’s
heavy bronze
“Gate of
Paradise,”
sculpture-studded
SIGNORIA SQUARE,
and
Michelangelo’s
celebrated David
in the ACADEMY
OF FINE ARTS.
Time afterwards
to shop for
Florentine
leather goods
and gold
jewelry. (BB,D)
Day 5 Florence-Pisa-Venice.
The morning is
dedicated to
Pisa, where you
can take your
pictures of the
amazing Leaning
Tower, before
you head across
the wooded
Apennine
Mountains to the
northern tip of
the Adriatic
Sea. Tonight is
your chance to
sample Venetian
fare. (BB)
Day 6 Venice.
Enter in style
by PRIVATE BOAT
to meet your
Local Guide.
Highlights of
your walking
tour are ST.
MARK’S SQUARE
and the
BYZANTINE
BASILICA, lavish
DOGES’ PALACE
and the BRIDGE
OF SIGHS. Also
watch skilled
GLASS BLOWERS
fashion their
delicate objects
in an age-old
traditional
manner. Then
enjoy Venice at
your own pace or
join an optional
gondola ride. (BB,D)
Day 7 Venice-Ravenna-Assisi.
Along the
coastline of the
Adriatic Sea to
Ravenna. Here
see the famous
mosaics in the
6th-century
BASILICA OF ST.
APOLLINARIS IN
CLASSE. In the
afternoon arrive
in Assisi and
visit the
massive
13th-century
lower BASILICA
OF ST. FRANCIS
built above the
Saint’s grave.
Time afterwards
to enjoy the
peaceful town at
your own pace. (BB,D)
Day 8 Assisi-Pompeii-Overnight
Cruise to
Palermo.
Meet your Local
Guide and enter
POMPEII, the
Roman city both
destroyed and
preserved by an
eruption of
Mount Vesuvius
in 79 A.D. See
patrician
houses, public
baths, and
commercial
districts
strikingly
recalling
day-to-day life
when Rome was at
the apex of her
power. Tonight
board your FERRY
in Naples for
the overnight
cruise to Sicily.
(BB)
Day 9 Palermo.
After
disembarkation
start your
sightseeing with
a Local Guide.
Visit the ornate
Piazza Bellini,
the CATHEDRAL,
and the
Arab-Norman
PALATINE CHAPEL
in the Royal
Palace. After
lunch drive up
to Monreale for
a panoramic view
of the Conca
d’Oro and a
visit to the
12th-century
NORMAN CATHEDRAL
(on Sundays
inside guided
visit not
permitted),
famous for its
50,000 square
feet of precious
Byzantine
mosaics. Your
first day in
Sicily ends with
a visit to the
typical and
picturesque
village of
Mondello, before
returning to
Palermo.
(BB,D)
Day 10 Palermo-Agrigento.
Along the
western coast of
Sicily all the
way down to the
saltbeds, famous
since Roman
times, to
Marsala, known
for its wine.
Then continue to
Agrigento, where
your Local Guide
will take you
for a
spectacular walk
through the
VALLEY OF
TEMPLES. Even
travelers who
have visited
Athens and
Delphi are awed
by the gigantic
yet graceful
Greek structures
which
miraculously
survived 24
centuries of
tormented
history. (BB,D)
Day 11 Agrigento-Taormina
Area.
This morning
focus on the
4th-century
ROMAN VILLA OF
CASALE near
Piazza Armerina.
Its colorful and
perfectly
preserved
mosaics depict
mythological
themes and
hunting scenes.
Enjoy the scenic
beauty and
treasures of the
island’s heart
on your way to
the Taormina
area. (BB,D)
Day 12 At
Leisure in
Taormina Area.
Full day to
enjoy this
beautiful resort
at your own
pace. In the
morning you may
wish to join the
half-day
optional
excursion to
Mount Etna. (BB,D)
Day 13 Taormina
Area-Sorrento.
Today board a
FERRY and cross
the Straits of
Messina to land
at the toe of
the Italian boot
in Calabria.
Tonight you are
in the charming
resort of
Sorrento,
delightfully
situated on the
Bay of Naples.
(BB)
Day 14 Sorrento.
Excursion to
Capri. Speed
across the Bay
of Naples to the
Isle of Capri,
an ancient
retreat for
Roman emperors
and renowned
ever since that
time for its
beauty.
Sightseeing with
a Local Guide
includes a visit
to VILLA SAN
MICHELE in
Anacapri. Time
to stroll around
before returning
across the bay
to Sorrento. The
remainder of the
day is at
leisure. (BB)
Day 15 Sorrento-Montecassino-Rome.
Interrupt the
journey back to
Rome to visit
the ABBEY OF
MONTECASSINO,
rebuilt to
medieval plans
after near total
destruction by
Allied bombers.
An optional
festive dinner
at one of Rome’s
fine restaurants
may be just the
way to celebrate
the success of
your Italian
vacation. (BB)
Day 16
Your homebound
flight arrives
the same day.
(BB)
|
Call our group department to
book into this group or to book a group of your own.
1-866-475-7023
|
|
|
 |
