Your itinerary
13 Days ~ Italy ~ Switzerland
Tour Pace
Leisurely. This tour features
two-night stays
throughout, except for Lugano. This
means plenty of free time to explore at
your
own pace. Can be combined with a
relaxing river cruise to create a
‘Scenic
Grand Tour’.
DAY 1 – TUE – UK -
ROME
Welcome to Rome - the ‘Eternal
City’.
After your scheduled flight to Rome's
Fiumicino Lenardo de Vinci Airport,
there are complimentary transfers to
your hotel 09.30, 12.30 & 15.30
hours. This evening,
join your Tour Director and fellow
passengers for a Welcome Drink. Hotel:
Grand Hotel Palatino. (BB)
DAY 2 – WED – ROME
SIGHTSEEING
Begin your guided sightseeing tour
with a visit
to the Vatican Museums and Sistine
Chapel. Afterwards, visit St Peter's
Basilica,
built around the tomb of St Peter, and
designed by some of history's greatest
architects.
Later, enter the Colosseum, where
gladiators fought against wild beasts.
Then overlook
the Roman Forum, once the bustling
centre of commerce, law and religion.
(BB)
DAY 3 – THU
– ROME – FLORENCE
Travel northwards along the Tiber
Valley. Stop
in beautiful Montepulciano, one of
Tuscany’s highest hill towns,
it’s
fortifications offering fine views over
Umbria and southern Tuscany. Continue
through
Chianti vineyards to Piazza Michelangelo
overlooking Florence and the Ponte Vecchio,
spanning the River Arno. Hotel: Palazzo
Ognissanti. (BB,D)
DAY 4
– FRI – FLORENCE
SIGHTSEEING
This morning your walking tour
includes the magnificent
cathedral, Ghiberti's ‘Gates of
Paradise’, and Signoria Square.
Experience
more artistic wealth of this great city
with a visit to the Academy Gallery, to
see the most controversial sculpture in
Italy - Michelangelo's David. The rest
of the day is at leisure to explore.
Perhaps visit the Uffizi Gallery, with
masterpieces
by Titian and Giotto? (BB)
DAY 5 – SAT –
FLORENCE – LA
SPEZIA
After a leisurely morning, your first
stop is
at the Leaning Tower of Pisa, from where
Galileo conducted experiments on velocity
and gravity. See also the splendid
Cathedral and Baptistry, decorated with
mosaics
and designs in solid marble. Now
onwards, past the quarries at Carrara,
its milky
white stone attracting everyone from
Michelangelo to Mussolini. Stay tonight in
La Spezia at the eastern end of the
enchanting Italian Riviera. Hotel:
Jolly. (BB,D)
DAY 6 –
SUN – CINQUE TERRE
EXCURSION
Today is devoted to the Cinque Terre,
or ‘five
villages’, which were for years
only accessible by donkey. Luckily,
today you
can take the train! A local expert will
guide you around two of these villages,
which both retain their charm and
reputation for producing one of
Italy’s most
sought after and exclusive wines. (BB)
DAY 7 – MON –
LA SPEZIA – LUGANO
Drive inland to the vibrant
commercial city of
Milan. Sightseeing here includes the
magnificent Gothic Milan Cathedral, its
marble
facade bristling with 135 pinnacles and
over 2000 statues! Also see the massive
Sforza Castle and world famous La Scala
Theatre too before continuing to Lugano,
an elegant Swiss resort with a decidedly
Italian ambiance. Hotel: Grand Hotel Eden.
(BB)
DAY 8 – TUE
– LUGANO – ZERMATT
A beautiful drive along the shores of
Lake Maggiore
takes you past splendid villas set amid
luxuriant gardens, with views over the
exotic
Borromean Islands. Now climb the
spectacular Simplon Pass (2005m) into
the Swiss
Alps, and follow the narrow valley to
Tasch. Here you must abandon your coach to
board mini-buses and electric taxis
which takes you to Zermatt - a traffic free
haven at the foot of the Matterhorn!
Enjoy a Highlight Dinner of Swiss
cuisine tonight.
Hotel: Alpen Resort.
(BB,HD)
DAY 9 – WED
– ZERMATT AT LEISURE
A whole day to relax in the clean
mountain air.
Perhaps take an excursion on the
Gornergrat rack railway, (highest in
Europe), or
conquer a mountain by cable car?
(BB)
DAY 10 – THU
– ZERMATT –
INTERLAKEN
A scenic symphony awaits you
today! Rejoin
your coach to follow the ever narrowing
gorge of the Upper Rhone almost to its
glacial
source. Now climb the winding hairpin
bends of the Furka Pass (2431m), enjoying
spectacular views across the Bernese
Oberland before commencing your descent via
the resort of Andermatt. Continue over
the Susten Pass, (2224m) admiring the
glaciers
and rocky peaks of the Steingletscher in
the late afternoon light to reach
Interlaken.
Hotel: Royal St Georges. (BB,D)
DAY 11 – FRI –
‘VALLEY OF
THE WATERFALLS’
More snowy peaks and rushing rivers
today! First
marvel at the Wetterhorn Peaks as you
travel along the Grindelwald Valley. Then
follow the sparkling Lutschine River to
Lauterbrunnen at the head of the
‘Valley
of Waterfalls’. See the Staubbach
Falls, plunging 300 metres, and optional
funicular ride up to Trummelbach Falls!
(BB)
DAY 12 – SAT
– INTERLAKEN
– ZURICH
A delightful drive along the shores
of Lake Brienz
brings you to a wood-carving workshop.
Continue over the Brunig Pass, to the
beautiful
14th century city of Lucerne. Explore
the covered wooden bridges, painted gables,
Lion Monument, lakeside walks and maybe
even spend some time in the excellent
shops.
Finally, continue to thriving Zurich.
Hotel: Courtyard Marriott. (BB,D)
DAY 13 – SUN –
ZURICH - UK
There are complimentary transfers to
the airport
today 08.30 & 12.30 hours.. (BB)
Optional Castles Along the
Rhine Cruise
DAY 13 – SUN –
EMBARK CRUISE IN
BASEL
Transfer to Basel to embark your
cruise. (BB,D)
DAY 14
– MON – CRUISING TO
STRASBOURG
Alsace Wine Route sightseeing
excursion. (B,L,D)
DAY 15
– TUE – CRUISING TO
SPEYER
See the sights of Strasbourg on a
canal cruise.
(B,L,D)
DAY 16 – WED
– SPEYER
Speyer walking tour with a visit to
the Cathedral.
(B,L,D)
DAY 17 – THU
– CRUISING TO
RüDESHEIM
Visit Castle Vollrads for a wine
tasting. (B,L,D)
DAY 18
– FRI – CRUISING TO
KOBLENZ
Rhine Gorge cruise to Koblenz for a
walking tour.
(B,L,D)
DAY 19 – SAT
– CRUISING TO
COLOGNE
Cologne walking tour
& Cathedral visit.
(B,L,HD)
DAY 20 – SUN –
CRUISING TO
AMSTERDAM - UK
Disembark and transfer to Amsterdam
airport. (B)
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