***Air prices vary depending upon time of year and market conditions. Prices from and to other gateways in U.S.A. may be somewhat higher than for NYC.

• (except for Basic Category 3)
• Rooms for 9 nights in first class, superior, or deluxe hotels or villa
• Daily breakfast (continental or buffet depending upon hotel)
• Evening cooking school with dinner
  Meet, greet and transfer with trip adviser at Venice airport
• Full day photography walking tour of “backstreet Venice” with a
  professional photographer/English speaking guide
• First class rail tickets from Venice to Florence and Florence to Rome
• Half day private sedan with driver among the hills and villas of Florence
• Half day walking guided tour of the medieval center of Florence
• Pre-paid reservations at the Uffizi and at the Accademia in Florence
• Full day private sedan with driver among the hills and villas of Rome
• Two half day tours with English speaking guides in Rome
• Detailed Trip Packet with maps and guidebooks
• Extensive Pre-trip consultation

U.S.A. / European gateway city / Venice
Day 1
Depart U.S.A. for Italy. Meals Aloft

Venice
Day 2
After changing planes at one of the major European airports, you will land this morning in Venice, which we believe is the most uniquely beautiful city on earth. Our rep will meet and greet as you emerge from baggage claim and will escort you to the hotel that you have chosen from our list. You will take a van to Piazzele Roma and take a water taxi to the dock closest to your hotel. The water taxi travels most of the length of the Grand Canal and you will want to be positioned on the left side, camera ready. Ask our rep to point out the Rialto Bridge and the Accademia Bridge as you pass under, because these are important landmarks that will help you navigate your exploration of Venice and over the next three days the bridges will provide spectacular vantage points for photographs. Also ask the rep to note some of the vaporetti (water bus) stations on the Grand Canal, because you can use the vaporetti system as your principle means of transportation and the views of Venice from the vaporetti are magnificent.
Our rep will help you check in at the hotel and will counsel with you about the Venice portion of your trip. You have a full day photography guided tour Day 4 and our rep will give you detailed instructions for meeting your guide. If at all possible, stay active until mid-evening today so that your body can adjust to the Italy time zone. You can explore Piazza San Marco, the Basilica, Doge’s Palace and Bridge of Sighs this afternoon and early evening. Ask our rep or the hotel for directions back to the water bus station and take the water bus to San Marco.
The cathedral (Basilica di San Marco) and the Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale) both close at 5 P.M., so plan your afternoon accordingly. After five, it is a very short walk from San Marco to the Bridge of Sighs. Go to the Grand Canal side of Palazzo Ducale. Walking away from Piazza San Marco (Doge’s Palace is on your left), you will walk up onto a bridge and the Bridge of Sighs is on your left. Walk a couple of blocks further and the Hotel Daniele is on your left. Go inside and see the lobby and common areas, which are magnificent.
Piazza San Marco is perhaps the most famous square in Europe and, when the open-air orchestras begin playing early this evening, you should have coffee or wine at either Florian’s or Quadri and observe the vibrant Venice scene. Meals Aloft

Venice
Day 3

You can take a half day guided tour this morning if you wish (extra cost). If not, we suggest that you walk or take the water bus to Accademia Bridge and visit the Accademia, with a fabulous collection of Venetian paintings spanning 500 years, and possibly the Peggy Guggenheim Museum, which features modern art. After departing the museum(s) cross the Accademia Bridge and walk straight ahead to Campo St. Stefano. This is a small square, with interesting shops and ristorantes. There is an Internet café on this square if you want to check e-mail, etc. The church Santo Stefano on the east side of the square (right side if the bridge is at your back) has a beautiful and unique interior. Leaving Campo S. Stefano northbound, continue straight and follow Calle dei Fratti to Campo S. Angelo for more shops, ristorantes and more Venetian architecture. From Campo S. Angelo it is ten minute walk to the Rialto Bridge or you can return to the Accademia Bridge and take the water bus to Rialto.

If you walk to Rialto Bridge, there are many turns because the streets are often blocked by buildings and canals. When you are forced to turn, return to a northerly course as soon as you can. Keep in mind that many of the corner buildings have signs (about two feet above your head) directing you toward Rialto. You will pass near Corte Teatro, the location of La Fenice, the world famous and recently restored Venetian Opera House. If you are not attending a performance of the symphony or opera, you may want to take a quick tour of the facility, which is magnificent.

When you reach Rialto, take pictures from the bridge and then explore the shops on the side of the bridge from whence you came. Campo San Bartomoleo is a couple of blocks east of Realto Bridge and you will want to explore the maze of narrow streets, shops and canals in that area. A short walk northeast of Rilato will take you to Santa Maria dei Miracoli, an exquisite church built during the Renaissance and an extremely popular spot for Venetians weddings. Retrace your steps to Rialto to catch the water bus.

For the balance of this day, you are faced with an seemingly endless selection of historic palazzo, churches, museums, architecture, and open markets. Select your favorites from the Eyewitness Travel Guide that we will send and we will help you schedule your day. B

Venice
Day 4

A Venice resident professional photograher and guide will escort you on a full day “discovery tour of the Medieval labyrinth” of Venice and you will get magnificent pictures and views not available to most tourists. If you choose not to include this tour in your package, we will adjust the price accordingly.

An hour before sunset this evening, you should board your gondola (extra cost). Best way to find your gondola: go to Piazza San Marco, exit past the shops on the opposite side of the square from the cathedral (put the front door of the cathedral at your back, walk entirely across the piazza and exit Piazza San Marco, bearing left). Keep bearing left and shortly you will arrive at a side canal with a gathering of gondolas. Do not cross the Grand Canal to hire a gondola because those gondoliers will take you on the side canals winding through the wrong side of the Grand Canal. Hire your gondola near San Marco and tell the gondolier that you want to pass under the Bridge of Sighs. B

Venice/Florence
Day 5

Check out of the hotel and a porter will take your luggage to the water bus, which you will disembark at the train station. You have first class tickets for the train to Florence that departs Venice mid morning and arrives Florence early this afternoon. It is a short taxi ride to the hotel that you will select from our list.

This afternoon, take the short walk to the Duomo (Santa Maria dei Fiori Cathedral), home to one of the largest Renaissance paintings – The Last Judgement by Vasari and Zucari – and distinguished by Brunelleschi’s unmistakable Dome (the model for all subsequent Renaissance domes). Outside in the Baptistry Square, you will be spoilt for significant details to view, from Ghiberti’s bronze doors, described by Michelangelo as “fit to be the gates of paradise”, to Giotto’s Tower. Have Espresso at an outdoor café in Piazza della Signoria and observe the local scene.

Early this evening you will attend a cooking school and then consume the product of your labor. B/D

Florence
Day 6
After breakfast, you have reservations to visit the Galleria degli Uffizi, world famous for its unparalleled collection of Renaissance art and hosting masterpieces by Michelangelo da Vinci, Botticelli, Uccello, Giotto, Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio and others. If time permits, also visit the Vasari Corridor. Running for almost a kilometre from the Pitti Palace, over the Ponte Vecchio to the Uffizi, this corridor was originally built for Francesco I de Medici to connect his palace with his offices at the Uffizi. Aside from the spectacular views afforded from its numerous windows, the corridor contains a collection of over 700 paintings.

This afternoon, you have reservations at the Accademia (Academy of Fine Arts) to see Michelangelo’s David, followed by a visit to the Gallery of Modern Art. Then, on to Santa Croce, a 14th Century Franciscan church decorated with numerous precious works of art (not least of which are the famous frescoes by Giotto and his school) and containing the tombs of great Florentines, including Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli and Rossini. Other options this afternoon include the famous Leather School and Casa Buonarroti, Michelangelo’s house, which contains some of his early, less monumental statues and sketches.

Florence (with optional excursion to Tuscany)
Day 7

This morning, a driver (with private sedan) will escort you to the Medici villas and gardens of Castello and Petraia and then on to the Certosa del Galluzzo, situated on the summit of a hill overlooking the city. It was once one of the most powerful monasteries in Europe, with a collection of over 500 important works of art, before the arrival of Napoleon Bonaparte and his army, who unceremoniously looted the Certosa. Today the monastery presents many significant sites, not least of which is the church of San Lorenzo, with its Mannerist architecture, wonderful frescoes, paintings and 16th Century marble altar. Depending on the pace of your morning, you may also have time for Fiesole with its gardens, villas, monastery and magnificent views of Florence.

As you return to Florence, you will visit the Romanesque church of San Miniato, once a Mithras temple before being Christianised in the 6th century, to discover the mosaics and frescoes. Descend to the 19th century Piazzale Michelangelo, with its copy of David, where you can take magnificent pictures of the skyline of Florence.

The remainder of the afternoon is free to relax, shop, or explore more of the Old City. As an alternative, your driver could extend todays tour to a full day and include a wine tasting excursion into the Chianti Classico region of Tuscany. B

Florence/Rome
Day 8

After checking out of the hotel, take a taxi to the train station in Florence and board your early morning train. Travel through the enchanting countryside of Tuscany and Umbria, arriving in Rome by late morning, and take a taxi to your hotel.

After lunch, you begin a three hour guided walking tour of Ancient Rome. Your English speaking guide will regale you with history, facts, legends, and myths as you visit the following world famous sites:

The Colosseum - the symbol of Rome’s eternity and the location at which Gladiators did battle and where Christians were eaten by lions.
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Roman Forum - popularly referred to as the “ruins”, but the stones still give testimony to the roots of Western Civilization

Capitoline Hill - the spiritual center of ancient Rome and today the seat of Rome’s civil government. But it is the mind of Michelangelo that continues to dominate the experience of this space.

Trevi Fountain – with water flowing since 19 B.C. and immortalized in literature, film, and song.

Pantheon - a temple built in 27 A.D., the best preserved of the ancient buildings and the one which speaks most clearly of the Roman spirit.

Piazza Navona – built above the stadium that hosted chariot races and the home to modern day cafes that are the social heart of Rome.

This evening, you can return to any or all of these attractions, take a leisurely stroll through the fashionable shopping district, explore Rome on your own, or simply relax. If you visit the Ancient City at night, you will be struck by the magnificent effect of the lights..B

Rome
Day 9

This morning, you take a half day tour of the Vatican City, visiting the following:

St. Peter’s Square and Basilica - Here the work of Bramante, Michelangelo, and Bernini continues to shape the experience of this majestic space. From the welcoming arms of Bernini’s colonnade, to the hush imposed by Bramante’s towering piers over the main altar, finishing with the awe inspired by Michelangelo’s dome, the walk through the square and the basilica is one of the most dramatic journeys in Rome. You should be aware that on most Wednesdays there is a papal audience in an auditorium that adjoins St. Peter’s. If you are interested in attending, we will rearrange your schedule and arrange tickets for you to attend the audience.

Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel – This is one of the most important artistic repositories in the world and features the work of Raphael and Michelangelo, both of whom worked at the same time for the strong-willed Pope Julius II. With the cleaning of the frescoes in the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo’s magnificent vision is more clearly displayed than ever.

This afternoon, assuming that you have selected a hotel near Via Veneto (made famous by Fellini’s movie, La Dolce Vita), walk past the American Embassy and the intriguing “church of the bones” to the Piazza Barberini, the location of two fountains by the baroque master, Gian Lorenzo Bernini. From here an easy stroll brings you to the top of the Spanish Steps for a panoramic view of the city. At the base of the steps is Rome’s most fashionable shopping district. If you are staying near the Spanish Steps, simply reverse the walk.

Transfer by taxi early this evening to Rome’s medieval Jewish ghetto section. Dating back to the second century BC, its narrow streets are now filled with trendy shops and restaurants and some fine historic buildings, including the Palace of Pope Pius XVI. Return to your hotel in Rome this evening. B

Rome
Day 10

A driver with private car will collect you at the hotel this morning and will take you for a full days tour of fabulous, somewhat lesser known features of Rome which we will help you select from the following list:

Via Appia Antica, flanked by such important sites as the catacombs and the Roman tombs; Villa Giulia, the country home of Pope Julius III, which now houses a remarkable Etruscan Museum displaying the well-known Married Couples sarcophagus from Cerveteri, spectacular jewelry, and a fine 5th-century terra cotta statue; the expressive fifth-century mosaics on the triumphal arch of the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore; Bernini’s Cornaro Chapel; Borromini’s Church of San Carlo; Baroque Sant’Andrea al Quirinale, one of Bernini’s finest architectural marvels; the Ara Pacis, commemorating Emperor Augustus’ military victories; the marble-girded Augustum; the fifteenth-century Church of Sant’Agostino, housing Sansovino’s “Madonna”, Caravaggio’s altarpiece “Madonna of Loreto”, and Raphael’s “Isiah”; Church of San Liugi dei Francesi, displaying the magnificent Caravaggios; Borromini’s masterpiece Sant’Ivo alla Sapienza Church; or other attractions that may interest you.

This evening at your hotel in Rome is the last night of your Italy vacation and we will be pleased to make arrangments for dinner, shows, or other events. B

Rome/ U.S.A.
Day 11
Departure from Rome FCO for home. B/Meals aloft