A leisurely vacation with two-night stays in Rome, Venice, Florence, Nice, and Paris. Enjoy a special welcome dinner in Rome with wine in a local restaurant, and sightseeing including St. Peter’s, the Sistine Chapel, the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. Continue via St. Mark’s Square, its Basilica, and the Doges’ Palace in Venice to Tuscany and Michelangelo’s David in Florence. Next, enjoy a scenic drive along the Mediterranean via Pisa and its Leaning Tower, to Nice on the French Riviera for a relaxing 2-night stay. An exciting ride on the fastest “TGV” train to Paris follows. And of course in Paris a visit to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower has been included.

Itinerary

Day 1
Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

Day 2 Arrival in Rome, Italy
Time to rest or start exploring the Eternal City. At 6 p.m. meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and leave the hotel for a special welcome dinner with wine at one of Rome’s lively restaurants. (D)

Day 3 Rome
Sightseeing with your Local Guide starts with a visit to the VATICAN MUSEUMS and SISTINE CHAPEL, world famous for Michelangelo’s ceiling paintings and The Last Judgement. Continue to monumental ST. PETER’S SQUARE and BASILICA. Cross the Tiber and visit the COLOSSEUM and the ROMAN FORUM, where Roman Legions marched in triumph. Then time for independent activities and exciting optional excursion possibilities. (BB)

Day 4 Rome–Assisi–Venice
Morning break in peaceful Assisi. Visit the massive 13th-century BASILICA OF ST. FRANCIS built above the saint’s grave. A kaleidoscope of Italian landscapes parades past the coach windows on the way to the Adriatic coast and across the Po Delta to Venice. Why not join an optional dinner Venetian-style tonight? (BB)

Day 5 Venice
Start morning sightseeing in style by PRIVATE BOAT to meet your Local Guide. Highlights of your walking tour are ST. MARK’S SQUARE and the Byzantine BASILICA, lavish DOGES’ PALACE and the BRIDGE OF SIGHS. Also watch skilled GLASSBLOWERS fashion their delicate objects in an age-old traditional manner. Then enjoy Venice at your own pace or join an optional cruise to Burano Island. (BB)

Day 6 Venice–Ferrara–Florence
First stop this morning is Ferrara. Stroll past the imposing Este Castle and visit the marble CATHEDRAL before continuing through the wooded Apennine Mountains into Tuscany to Florence, cradle of the Renaissance. Time to wander at whim or to check out the enticing shops with Florentine leather goods and gold jewelry. You may want to join one of the exciting evening optionals. (BB)

Day 7 Florence
Follow your Local Guide to visit the ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS with Michelangelo's celebrated David, the magnificent CATHEDRAL, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistry’s heavy bronze “Gate of Paradise,” and the sculpture-studded SIGNORIA SQUARE. Afternoon at leisure. (BB,D)

Day 8 Florence–Pisa–Nice, France
Focus on Pisa this morning for pictures of its amazing Leaning Tower, 180 feet high and 12 feet out of the perpendicular. Then a scenic drive past a string of Italian and French Riviera resorts towards the Principality of Monaco. Here leave the highway for the panoramic Moyenne Corniche. Before arriving in Nice, visit one of the PERFUME FACTORIES for which the area is famous. (BB)

Day 9 Nice. Excursion to St. Paul de Vence
This morning enjoy an included visit to the picturesque hilltop town of St. Paul de Vence. Then a lazy afternoon to dabble in the blue Mediterranean or stroll along the elegant Promenade des Anglais. An optional outing is available tonight to Monte Carlo. (BB)

Day 10 Nice–Paris
Transfer to the railway station and board the high-speed “TGV” TRAIN to Paris. You may wish to try out one of Paris’ fine restaurants and to explore the City of Light! (BB)

Day 11 Paris
Discover the world capital of chic and style with a Local Guide and admire its most famous sights: the Opéra, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysées, Notre Dame Cathedral, and more. For a bird’s-eye view take the elevator to the second floor of Paris’ most famous landmark, the EIFFEL TOWER. An optional excursion to the lavish baroque Palace of Versailles is available. Tonight a lively cabaret show might just be the ticket. (BB)

Day 12
Your homebound flight from Paris arrives the same day. (BB)

Highlights

ROME
Welcome dinner at a local restaurant, guided sightseeing including headsets, visit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Square and Basilica, the Colosseum and Roman Forum

ASSISI
Visit the Basilica of St. Francis

VENICE
Private boat ride; guided sightseeing including headsets, visit St. Mark’s Square and Basilica, Doges’ Palace and the Bridge of Sighs; glassblowers’ demonstration

FERRARA
Orientation, visit the cathedral

FLORENCE
Guided sightseeing including headsets, visit Michelangelo’s David, the cathedral, and Signoria Square

PISA
Picture stop at the Leaning Tower

NICE
Visit a perfume factory; excursion to St. Paul de Vence

NICE-PARIS
By high-speed “TGV” train (first-class)

PARIS
Guided sightseeing, ascend the Eiffel Tower

INSIDE VISITS
Inside visits and special features are shown in the description, including admission charges when applicable.

12/08