Day 1   Arrive in Rome
 
Today we arrive in Rome and transfer to our hotel. Few cities in the world are as beautiful as Rome, and few are as glamorous. The Eternal City's ancient monuments and spectacular galleries--over the centuries a major draw on the international tourism map--are looking more magnificent than ever after an extensive restoration programme. A NOTE ON SUITABILITY: Though we do not rate this tour "strenuous", it is a busy programme with numerous city / town walking tours featuring uneven surfaces, inclines and / or stairs. You must be able to spend several hours on your feet per day, walking at a leisurely pace. There may not be porters available in all locations. If you are unsure of your suitability for this trip, please contact one of our destination specialists. Overnight in Rome. Dinner if required. 
 
Day 2   Rome: City Tour
 
We begin our guided tour of Rome at the 2,000 year old colosseum. Built to seat 55,000 spectators, this arena staged Rome's most brutal gladitorial combats. Next we walk throught the Roman Forum where we will see the Curia, the Rostra, the Temple of Vesta, the Basilica of Constantine, and the Arch of Titus. Continuing onwards and upwards we reach the Campidoglio (Capitoline Hill), seat of the Roman Senate since the 12th century and the original citadel of the city. This beautiful square was redesigned by Michelangelo in the 16th century. Our lunch break is spent close to Largo Argentina which is the site of the assasination of Julius Caesar. After lunch we continue our tour focusing on Baroque Rome. In Piazza Navona we can admire the impressive Fountain of the Four Rivers, with detailed figures representing the Nile, Ganges, Danube and Palata rivers. We will also visit the famous Trevi Fountain, designed by Nicholas Salvi in 1732. It's water was supplied by one of Rome's earliest aquaducts. Throwing a coin into the fountain ensures your safe return back to Rome. We pass the temple-turned church called the Pantheon, and have the opportunity to admire its perfect proportions on our way to the Spanish steps, where we finish our tour. Balance of the day at leisure. Overnight in Rome. Breakfast and dinner. 
 
Day 3   Rome - Portoferraio (Elba)
 
Travelling northward from Rome we pass through traditional Italian towns on our motor coach. We board our hour-long ferry to Portoferraio, the main port of Elba, an island that at one point was attached to the Italian mainland. Elba is the largest of the Tuscan Archipelago with an area of 225 sq km (87 sq miles). NOTE: Ferry schedules can change without notice; some itinerary adjustments may be necessary at the discretion of your Tour Leader. Uncontrollable factors such as weather may result in delays; a flexible attitude will enhance the enjoyment of your adventure. PORTERS ARE GENERALLY NOT AVAILABLE AT HOTELS OR ON FERRIES. You MUST be able to carry / wheel your baggage on and off ferries. Overnight in Portoferraio. Breakfast and dinner. 
 
Day 4   Portoferraio: Tour - Pisa: Town Tour
 
Portoferraio is a fortified sixteenth century town built by the Medici Grand Duke Cosimo I. Pink and green are the predominant colours on this island of over 150km (93 miles) of beaches: green because Elba is heavily forested; pink because of the granite mountains grouped around Monte Capanne. Today we visit the Palazzina Napoleonica dei Mulini, Napoleon's house, designed to reflect his simple taste. Inside the dwelling we can see Napoleon's books, other writings and the flag, embroidered with three golden bees, later bestowed to the Elbans. Later we will visit the quiet village of Marciana. In the afternoon we travel back to the mainland and onwards to Pisa. Upon arrival in Pisa we make our way to the Campo dei Miracoli (Field of Miracles), where we visit the Duomo church and Baptistry. Situated near the mouth of the Arno River, Pisa was a great sea-faring power from the ninth until the thirteenth century. The magnificent cathedral the Pisans commissioned took nearly two centuries to build. The marble pulpit, completed in the early fourteenth century, is considered a masterpiece of Italian Gothic sculpture. It was from the famous "Leaning Tower" that Galileo carried out his experiments into the speeds of falling objects. We will take ample time to view and photograph the tower from the outside (to climb the tower requires advance reservations and a considerable amount of time to queue for entry; time constraints make this impractical for our tour). Overnight in Pisa. Breakfast and dinner. 
 
Day 5   Pisa - Livorno, Italy - Bastia, Corsica, France - Ajaccio
 
We continue our journey to Livorno where we catch our ferry to Bastia, Corsica, arriving four hours later. On arrival we proceed by road to Ajaccio. Corsica comprises two Departementes Metropolitan du France, and is an integral part of that country. Over 160km (100 miles) in length, much of Corsica is mountainous, covered with a tangle of scrubby 'Maquis' undergrowth whose fragrance carries far out to sea. Napoleon is said to have declared, "I would recognise Corsica blindfolded, by her scent alone." This aromatic vegetation mantle consists of holmoak, juniper, gorse, cistus, lentisk, buckthorn, rosemary, privet, laurel, heather, blackberry, lavender and myrtle. Maquis is accompanied by a host of other scented herbs and ground plants used by villagers for cooking and curative purposes. Overnight in Ajaccio. Breakfast and dinner.

Day 6   Ajaccio: City Tour
 
Corsica's history is a succession of colonisations, occupations, and foreign military intervention. First there was Phoenicia, then came Carthage and Rome, followed by the Vandals, the Lombards, Byzantium, and later Pisa and Genoa, who held portions of the island for over 300 years despite periodic uprisings led by local patriots such as Pasquale Paoli and Sampiero Corso. Corsica was ceded to France in 1768, but with the help of the British, Paoli expelled the French in 1793 and, in 1794, Corsica voted for union with the British Crown. The French recovered Corsica in 1796 and French possession was guaranteed by the Congress of Vienna in 1815. More recently, Corsica was occupied by Italian and German troops during WWII. In late 1943 the Corsicans revolted and the island was liberated on 04 October 1943. Our Ajaccio sightseeing today includes the Musee Napoleonien which contains portraits of the Bonaparte family. In the Maison Bonaparte we see the couch on which Napoleon was born. Our local guide today is able to give us an in-depth narration of the life and times of France's most famous son. We also visit the Musee Fische. Overnight in Ajaccio. Breakfast and dinner.

Day 7   Ajaccio - Sartene - Bonifacio
 
Today we travel from Ajaccio into the Corsican countryside, or compagne. We will travel into the mountainous area of the island with its charming villages. Corsica consists of heaths, forests, granite, snow, sand beaches and orange trees. En route we stop in Sartene. We walk up to main square, visit the Church and walk again through the narrow streets of the fortified old town. This is a fascinating little place where a Procession of Christ that takes place every year. The cross and photos can be seen inside the church off the main square. The square itself is a relaxing place for a coffee; the narrow streets around the square make for great exploring and photo opportunities. We continue to spectacular Bonifacio and have a leisurely walking tour upon arrival. We explore the haute ville from the inside, head up montee Rastello, the steep, wide staircase halfway down the port, which gives excellent views of the harsh cliffs stretching east from Bonifacio. We continue up to the lookout at Porte de Genes, constructed with a drawbridge in 1588 to be the town's only entrance. Eager to overthrow the colonizing Italians, Corsican nationals joined forces with King Henri II to besiege the town. After successfully destroying the Genoese fortress, the triumphant rebels rebuilt a more elaborate one on the ruins of the original. The Porte de Genes and the Bastion de L'Etendard next door are built in French military style rather than that of the hated Genoese--the first hint of Corsica's future encroachers. After soaking up all this history, we head left to pl. du Marche for the best views of Bonifacio's cliffs and limestone formation, Grain de Sable. The little mound just out of reach is Sardinia, 12km away. We turn right on rue Cardinal and then left on rue du Sacrement to reach the Eglise Ste-Mairie-Majeure, Bonifacio's oldest building. This 12th-century church guards one of the town's most important objects: a morsel of the true cross, stripped from a shipwreck. Overnight in Bonifacio. Breakfast and dinner. 
 
Day 8   Bonifacio, Corisca (France) - Castelsardo, Sardinia (Italy)
 
Today we travel by ferry to Sardinia, the second largest of Italy's islands. If there is one characteristic that dominates the history and geography of Sardinia--its isolation. In fact Sardinia is closer to North Africa than mainland Italy, and has hence developed its own unique culture which dates back before Roman times. The low scrub vegetation we pass is called "garriga" and the forests are confined to elevations above 800 m (2,625 feet). Above all, Sardinia is a land of shepherds: their flocks, constantly on the move, are visible almost everywhere. Sardinia has a unique, wild, barren landscape. DH Lawrence summed it up in Sea and Sardinia: "A savage, dark-bushed, sky-exposed land, forsaken to the sea and the sun... with no life in sight, even no ships on the pale blue sea." Our destination today is Castelsardo, located on the height of a narrow promontory. Renowned across the island for its beauty, the town was once described by a Sardinian poet as, "a flower of light that smiles from the top of a sharp promontory upon the glimmering sea." A large, well-preserved, and well-situated castle crowns the village. Overnight in Castelsardo. Breakfast and dinner.

Day 9   Castelsardo - Sassari - Alghero
 
We depart Castelsardo and travel to Alghero via Sassari, Sardinia's second largest city. In Sassari we visit the Museo Giovanni Antonio Sanna, which has a lovely rose garden in front and houses nuraghi models, Sardinian paintings, skulls with holes drilled into them, and petrified tree stumps. We will also see the Sassari's duomo, Cattedrale di San Nicolo. This 15th-century Gothic Catalan-style structure has a Baroque facade. Renovations have uncovered early frescoes. We continue to Alghero. Overnight in Alghero. Breakfast and dinner. 
 
Day 10   Alghero - Cape Caccia - Alghero
 
The Cape Caccia region around Alghero is beautiful as it is rugged. We visit the Nuraghedi di Palmavera, one of the 7,000 cone-shaped buildings thought to have served as fortresses throughout Sardinia. The main nuraghe is constructed of stone stacked without the aid of mortar and sits in the center of the site. This nuraghe, and the site in general, is interesting because it exhibits two distinct building styles and is thought, therefore, to have been rebuilt around 880 BC, toward the end of the nuraghe civilization (1500-500 BC). The coastline southwards to Bosa is stunning with rugged cliffs falling down to isolated beaches; this is one of the last habitats of the griffon vulture. We stop at Bosa and walk into town and along the main street for a break for lunch and a chance to explore the labrinth of streets and the citadel for fabulous views of the town. Odd that a town with a 12th-century castle perched atop a hill overlooking the sea could remain largely untouristed--but sleepy Bosa remains refreshingly untouched. We return to Alghero. Overnight in Alghero. Breakfast and dinner.

Day 11   Alghero: Day at Leisure
 
Today you are free to enjoy this Medieval town with its towering walls and narrow cobblestone streets. An optional possibility is a three hour boat excursion boat visit to Grotto Neptune, an underwater cavern. A leisurely walk through Alghero's centro storico reveals tiny alleyways, half-hidden churches, and the ancient town walls. Don't leave without seeing Alghero's Chiesa di San Francesco. From P. Sulis, take V. Carlo Alberto to the intersection with V. Machin. The heavy, 14th-century Neoclassical facade of this church conceals a graceful Gothic presbytery. Alghero's duomo, on V. Roma, was begun in 1552 and took 178 years to construct, resulting in a motley Gothic-Catalan-Renaissance facade. Rebuilt in the 19th century, the cathedral has Gothic choirs and a mosaic of John the Baptist. Your Tour Leader can help you plan your day. Overnight in Alghero. Breakfast and dinner.

Day 12   Alghero - Cagliari - Rome
 
Today we travel by road to Cagliari from where we fly to Rome.* The remainder of the day is free in the Eternal City. *NOTE: Your Tour Leader will not accompany you to Rome. S/he will continue to Sicily with travellers on a longer tour option (code IL2). Your arrival in Rome, dinner, and transfer to the airport tomorrow (if applicable) will be managed by a local agent. Overnight in Rome. Breakfast and dinner. 
 
Day 13   Departure
 
Departure from Rome. Breakfast. VIAGGIO BUONO!

9/09