USA
Wednesday, September 17th - Special Bella Italia bon voyage party in Los Angeles, Atlanta, & New York.
Thursday, September 18th - Depart the USA for your overnight flight to Italy
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 Italy. You will then be transferred by private deluxe motor coach to your welcome/orientation lunch in Rome. After lunch and hotel check-in 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 Spanish steps and Trevi Fountain with the tour leader. Later return to the hotel for a Bella Italia mixer at the hotel before an evening of late night dancing at the Coyote Bar.
Saturday, September 20th - After enjoying breakfast you will enjoy the entire morning exploring the rich heritage of the Vatican. Your tour begins at the Vatican Museum where your expert guide will lead you through the many galleries, which lead up to the Sistine Chapel. Here you will have a chance to admire Michelangelo's recently restored frescoes which adorn the vault of the Chapel and his famous "Last Judgment".
From the Sistine Chapel, exit directly into the Basilica of St. Peter's where you will see Bernini's great bronze altar canopy, the great dome and, of course, Michelangelo's delicately sculptured "La Pieta."
After the tour, enjoy lunch together then you're free to continue exploring the city on your own or in small groups. Return to the hotel for a Bella Mixer and then you're off to dinner (included) and a big night of dancing at another hot nightclub in a special reserved Bella Italia section.
Sunday, September 20st - Today you are on your own or in small groups to roam Rome or for a afternoon of shopping at some of the best designer stores and outlets. After your day of fun and shopping it's back to the hotel for a Bella Mixer and then off for a night of dancing at another hot night club in the special reserved Bella Italia section.
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 for dinner and a party at hot nightclub.
Florence & Pisa
Tuesday, September 23rd -After Breakfast, partake in a walking tour of Florence. Visit the magnificent Brunelleschi's Duomo, Gates of Paradise, Piazza Signoria, Ponte Vecchio (a bridge lined with wonderful shops), Famous Paintings & Sculptures, Medieval Florence and the times of the Renaissance. After the tour, you are free to visit museums or explore the city on your own or take the option day tour of Pisa, renowned worldwide for its Leaning Tower. In the evening meet back at the hotel for a night of dancing at a hot nightclub in a special Bella Italia section.
Venice
Wednesday, September 24th - Grab your boxed breakfast and head to the bus for your early morning departure to Venice. 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. Upon your arrival in Venice, you will ride the Vaporetti (water bus) from Piazza Roma to one of the islands for a lite lunch. After lunch you're off to the Island of Murano in a private water taxi. The island is home of world-renowned Venetian Blown glass. Here you'll tour a famous glass factory and seeing an example of Glass-blowing while at Murano. Next you are off to 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. Later enjoy a romantic sunset gondola ride through the scenic canals. Then it is dinner on your own at one of the many wonderful eateries in the square. We suggest the centuries-old Florian. At night Piazza San Marco is filled with people as music fills the softly lit square and orchestras play for the outdoor restaurant and cafes. The day will end with your evening transfer to Milan.
Milan
Thursday, September 25th - Wake-up in the Fashion Capital of Italy and home of the world's first Prada store! Milan is the biggest city of North Italy. Milan is the powerhouse of the country and one of the most stylish cities on the planet. Shopping is of almost religious significance. 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"! After breakfast you will explore Milan with your tour leader. After seeing the city, it'a time to SHOP! Your motor private couch will wisk you away for an afternoon of shopping at the designer outlet mall, followed by a visit 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 of dancing at a local nightclub where you will enjoy the evening in a special Bella Itaila reserved secton.
Thursday, September 19th - Following breakfast at the hotel is a free day to explore Milan on your own or in small groups. 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.
Later enjoy dinner together followed by our bon voyage party at one of Milan's hottest nightclubs in the special reserved Bella Italia section.
Milan/USA
Friday - September 21st -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!
