About your tour
Map
Hotels
There is a diverse mix of hotel
styles, with the
modern Sheraton in Florence contrasting
with the Venice Continental, built on the
Grand Canal in the 15th century, and the
tranquil setting of the Simplon hotel
overlooking
Lake Maggiore.
Fellow Passengers
This popular itinerary suits both the
first-time
traveller looking for a well-paced and
comprehensive tour of mainland Italy, and
the seasoned traveller who wishes to
really concentrate on one country. It also
suits lovers of history, art and
architecture.
Highlights
There are many highlights: walking
through the
cobbled streets of Pompeii; the ancient
and religious history of Rome; the artistic
heritage of Florence; the beauty of the
Italian Lakes; the waterscape of Venice;
and the stunning beauty of Assisi and
Capri.
Enjoy
our Premium Highlights plus
these extra tour features
Excursions &
Sights
- Visit the Spanish Steps in Rome
and tour St Peter’s
Basilica in the Vatican City
- See Siena’s striped
cathedral, Fountain of Joy
& vast Campo Square
- See Florence’s Duomo,
‘Gates of Paradise’ &
Signoria Square
- Visit the tomb of Michelangelo in
the Church of Santa Croce,
Florence
- See the Leaning Tower of Pisa and
the equally impressive cathedral
& baptistery
- See
La Scala Opera House and Gothic
cathedral in Milan
- Visit the Swiss lakeside
resort of Lugano
- See Juliet’s Balcony and the
ancient Roman Arena in Verona
- Venice cruise to St Mark’s
Square to see the Basilica, Bridge of
Sighs &
Doges’ Palace
- Visit the mosaics of St
Apollinaris in Classe
- Guided visit to
Assisi’s Basilica of St
Francis & see the Church of St
Mary of the
Angels
- Visit the Commonwealth War
Cemetery at Cassino
- Demonstration of Venetian
glass-blowing
- Demonstration of traditional
leatherwork in Florence
- Demonstration
of ‘Intarsio’ inlay
woodwork in Sorrento
Scenic drives
- Apennine Hills,
Italian Lake District, Cliff top
drive to Sorrento
Guided City Tours
- Indepth sightseeing tours in Rome,
Florence, Assisi
& Pompeii
- Orientation tours in Siena, Milan,
Lugano, Verona, Venice & Sorrento
Insight's First Class Services
- Escorted by a professional Tour
Director
- Luxury
air-conditioned 40 seat coach with
onboard toilet
- First-class hotels with all service
charges, taxes and porterage
- Travel bag, document wallet, map
book journal and information
pack
- Complimentary arrival transfer on
Day 1 and departure transfer on Day 13
Quality Dining
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Your itinerary
Map
13 Days ~ Italy ~ Switzerland
Tour Pace
This is a perfectly paced tour with
two-night
stays in Rome, Florence, the Italian
lakes, Venice and Sorrento, and
one-night in
Assisi. All travelling days are of a
reasonable length with interesting stops en
route for refreshments & photo
opportunities.
DAY
1 – UK - ROME
Welcome to Rome, one of the greatest
centres of
Western Civilisation, thickly studded
with ancient monuments. After your
scheduled arrival at Rome’s
Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport,
there are complimentary transfers to
your tour
hotel departing at 09.30, 12.30 &
15.30 hours. Relax or spend the rest of
the day exploring this wonderful city.
As evening
falls, join your Tour Director and
fellow passengers for a Welcome Drink.
Hotel: Grand Ritz/Grand Hotel Palatino.
DAY 2 – ROME
SIGHTSEEING
With a local guide, visit the Vatican
Museums,
the treasure house of the Catholic faith
with vast collections of ancient and
Renaissance
art. Continue to the Sistine Chapel, a
masterpiece of Michelangelo’s fresco
skills. Then enter St Peter’s
Basilica to see Bernini’s
‘Popes’
Altar’ above the spot where St
Peter is reputed to have been crucified.
Afterwards,
cross the River Tiber to ancient
classical Rome and visit the
world’s largest
Roman arena, the Colosseum, the scene of
many gladiatorial contests, and overlook
the Forum, the centre of ancient public
life. The afternoon sees time set aside
for sightseeing at your own pace. As
night falls, why not enjoy a night out with
splendid Italian food and wine. (BB)
DAY 3 – ROME –
FLORENCE
Travel north to the picturesque
medieval town
of Siena and stroll through its cobbled
streets to the vast Campo Square, where
the Palio horse race takes place amid
great festivities. See the ‘Fountain
of Joy’ and then walk up to the
black and white striped cathedral.
After
some free time, continue through the
cypress clad hills and vineyards of Tuscany
to Florence. Hotel: Sheraton. (BB,D)
DAY 4 – FLORENCE
SIGHTSEEING
A guided tour takes you inside the
Academy Gallery
to see Michelangelo’s original
statue of David, then continue to the
Cathedral
to see Giotto’s belltower and the
‘Gates of Paradise’ adorning the
Baptistery. Visit the political stage of
Florence, Signoria Square, filled with
works of art, and finally see the tombs
of Galileo and Michelangelo in Santa Croce
Basilica. After watching a leatherwork
demonstration, you have spare time to shop
or continue sightseeing. (BB)
DAY 5 – FLORENCE
– ITALIAN
LAKES
Travel to Pisa to see the famous
Leaning Tower,
the white marble cathedral and
Baptistery before heading north to Milan
to admire
the Gothic Cathedral and famous La Scala
Opera House. After some time here, head
to the beautiful Italian Lake District
for a two-night stay at a lakeside holiday
resort on Lake Maggiore. Hotel:
Simplon/Splendid.
(BB,D)
DAY 6 –
ITALIAN LAKES AT LEISURE
The day is set aside to relax and
enjoy all the
fantastic sights this beautiful lakeland
area has to offer. Why not take a cruise
over to Isola Bella, one of the
picturesque Borromean Islands?
(BB,D)
DAY 7 –
ITALIAN LAKES – VENICE
Briefly enter Switzerland to visit
the mountain
ringed resort of Lugano. Take time to
stroll by the lake’s shores and shop
for watches or fine chocolate. Continue
to Verona to see Juliet’s balcony and
the ancient Roman Arena. Then it’s
off to romantic Venice, 'Queen of the
Adriatic'.
Hotel: Continental/Sant'Elena/Bellini.
(BB,D)
DAY 8 –
VENICE SIGHTSEEING
What better way to see Venice than
from our private
launch, cruising past palazzos and
churches to St Mark’s Square? See
the Basilica,
the Doges’ Palace and Bridge of
Sighs. Watch a demonstration of
glass-blowing
before enjoying a highlight ride by
traditional gondola along the
picturesque canals.
Spend time at leisure exploring at your
own pace. As night falls, why not enjoy
a traditional Venetian dinner with
music? (BB)
DAY 9 –
VENICE – ASSISI
Skirt the Venetian Lagoon and cross
two of Italy’s
most important rivers, the Adige and Po,
before approaching the city of Ravenna.
Stop to visit the Church of St
Apollinaris in Classe with its dazzling
mosaics.
Then the scenery changes dramatically as
you drive through the Apennines to Assisi
to see the Church of St Mary of the
Angels and enjoy a guided visit inside
the Basilica
of St Francis. Hotel: Grand Hotel.
(BB,D)
DAY 10 –
ASSISI – SORRENTO
Drive past the vineyards of Frascati
and Castelli
Romani to the Commonwealth Cemetery in
the shadow of the brooding hilltop
monastery
of Cassino. Continue along the clifftops
to the picturesque holiday resort of
Sorrento,
which bustles with life until late each
night. Hotel: Corallo/Crowne Plaza di
Stabiae
(Pozzano). (BB)
DAY 11
– ISLE OF CAPRI EXCURSION
Visit Sorrento’s Piazza Tasso
and watch the
art of ‘intarsio’ wood
inlaying. Cruise to the island of Capri
and ascend
to Capri town by funicular railway.
There is time to explore before
returning to
Sorrento. (BB,D)
DAY 12
– SORRENTO – ROME
Drive to the ancient Roman city of
Pompeii, eerily
preserved by the eruptions of Mount
Vesuvius in AD79, and walk with a local
guide
through cobbled streets to explore some
of the shops, villas and temples. Return
to Rome where you stroll to the Spanish
Steps before your Highlight farewell dinner
including pasta, wine and music. Hotel:
Crowne Plaza St Peters/Tiberio.
(BB,HD)
DAY 13 –
ROME
The tour ends with complimentary
transfers to
Rome Airport at 07.00 & 09.30 hours.
(BB)
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