USA
Tuesday, September 16th - Special Bella Italia bon
voyage party in Los Angeles.
Thursday, September 18th - Depart the USA for your
overnight flight to Italy
LIMIT luggage 1 checked suitcase and 1 small carry on due
to coach size, if you have more than 1 suitcase and 1 small carry on you
may need to arrange your own transportation throughout the entire tour.
If you do not fly with the group, or if your luggage
is delayed, you will need to arrange your own transportation to the
Hotel.
Rome
Friday, September 19th - Upon arrival in Rome you
will meet your Italian/English-speaking escort who will remain with you for
the remainder of your stay in Rome. You will then be transferred by private
deluxe motor coach to your welcome/orientation lunch (lunch not included)
in Rome where you will receive your 3 day Metro tickets. After lunch and
check-in at the Hotel Clodio,
you will embark on an accompanied Vespa (motor scooter) ride/tour which
will show you the sights and sounds of Rome. After the ride return to the
hotel for some rest or for those who can hang (smile), enjoy a subway ride
to the Trevi Fountain with the tour leader. Later return to the hotel for a
little R&R before the hotel before an evening of late night dancing.
Saturday, September 20th - After enjoying
breakfast you will enjoy the entire morning exploring Rome on your own or
join the group as we take the metro to the Vatican and St. Peter's
Basilica. On the way back to the hotel we will stop by Spanish Steps
(Piazza di Spagna) which is also home of many of Rome's designer shops and
have wonderful eateries.
Return to the hotel for a little R&R before a big
night of dancing and birthday celebrations at GILDA’S (included
entrance fee) in a special reserved Bella Italia section.
Sunday, September 20th - Today you
are on your own or in small groups to roam Rome. :-)
After your day of fun join us back to the hotel to share stories before
enjoying happy hour one of the many choices in this magnificent
city.
Florence
Monday, September 15th - This morning you will
check-out and depart for Florence. Florence is located in the Tuscany
region and is one of the most beautiful and ancient cities in Italy and the
world. Its striking buildings, formidable museums and treasure-crammed
churches attest to the Florentine love of display. The city is the home of
Michelangelo's David, the Venere of Botticelli, the Uffizi Gallery, Pitti
Palace, the Bobo Gardens, and the Brunelleschi's Dome, etc., etc. As a
matter of fact, there are few places in the world
with such a huge concentration of monuments. On way to Florence you will
"STOP TO SHOP", ... can you say "CHARGE IT", as you are
off to an afternoon of shopping at the outlet mall in Barberino del
Mugello. This huge outlet lies in the heart of Tuscany.
There are more than 90 shops featuring the best
designer brands with fashion products from previous seasons at prices cut
by 30 to 70% all year round. After an afternoon of shopping on to Florence
and check-in at Hotel
Machiavelli for little R&R before heading to Jimmyz for
drinks.
Florence & Pisa
Tuesday, September 23rd -After Breakfast, partake
in a walking tour of Florence with Fleace. Visit the magnificent
Brunelleschi's Duomo and Ponte Vecchio (a bridge lined with wonderful
shops). After the tour, you are free to visit museums, explore the city on
your own or take the optional day tour of Pisa, renowned worldwide for its
Leaning Tower. In the evening meet back at the hotel or head to a local bar
for Happy Hour.
Milan
Wednesday, September 24th - After breakfast you
are off to the Fashion Capital of Italy and home of the world's first Prada
store! Milan is the powerhouse of the country and one of the most stylish
cities on the planet. Shopping is of almost religious significance. Your
motor private couch will stop for an afternoon of shopping at the designer
outlet mall.
After an afternoon of shopping, check-in to the hotel and
enjoy your FREE 4 star hotel upgrade
to The
Grand Milan Hotel! This beautiful hotel is
well connected with the centre via the metro. Milan is the biggest city of
North Italy.
Theatre and cinema flourish in this fashionable milieu, as does a hopping
club scene and a slew of tempting restaurants. But it is also a city with
many important museums and wonderful monuments. See the Castello Sforzesco,
the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie (which displays Leonardo's Last
Supper), the Brera Museum (Madonna and Child and Pieta by Bellini), and
many other museums monuments and churches. It is a city full of
contradictions, ancient and modern, trends and counter-trends, fashion and
underground, middle class and working class, but always simply
"cool"!
Take the metro
to the Duomo Square and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, the mother of all
shopping malls: upscale shops in a splendid 19th- century palace surrounded
by eateries and small shop. Enjoy dinner in the
square, then return to the hotel for a little R&R before a night on the
town.
Thursday, September 25th - Following breakfast at
the hotel is a free day to explore Milan on your own or in small groups
with you Metro pass. A must see is Leonardo da Vinci's "Last
Supper" in the refectory in the Church of Santa
Maria delle Grazie. After admiring this masterpiece, go on to the nearby
Piazza Cadorna where you will find the subway to take you to the Pinacoteca
di Brera. Get off at Cairoli (1 stop) and continue on foot. After you have
visited the wonderful Pinacoteca, spend a bit of time exploring Brera, one
of the most charming areas of Milan. For the adventurers, we suggest a day
trip to the beautiful and romantic city of Verona, home of Romeo and
Juliet.
Venice
Friday, September 26th - Explore Milan on your
own or for those of you wanting to visit Venice, you can take the train
from Milan for only for around about $120 per-person 2nd class roundtrip (2
hours ride). The Vaporetto (water bus) is about $12 USD one-way from train
station to San Marco square. No words can truly prepare you for the beauty
and uniqueness of Venice. Venice is one of Italy's most beautiful and
romantic cities, built on the water in a lagoon. It's small,
traffic-free streets along the winding canals. It actually consists of
117 bodies of land connected by more than 400 bridges over its 150 canals.
St Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco). This great square overlooking
the water is a mixture of spaces, volumes and styles: Fashionable
boutiques, St Mark's Basilica, the Procurator's residence,
the bell tower and the Doge's Palace are just a few of the sights
you can explore. You can visit the Island of Murano in a via a water taxi.
The island is home of world-renowned Venetian Blown glass. Later why not
enjoy gondola ride through the scenic canals. Have dinner on your own at
one of the many wonderful eateries before taking the train back to
Milan.
That night bon voyage party at one of Milan's hottest
nightclubs in the special reserved Bella Italia section.
Milan/USA
Friday - September 27th -Today your
Italian sojourn is brought to an end. This morning after breakfast, you'll
be transferred the airport to board your flight back to the USA, returning
with fond memories of your time spent in this most special destination.
Buon Viaggio!
