iExplore Italy in Style

Tour Description

A visit to Italy is a lesson in living well. Open-air vegetable and fruit markets, neighborhood bakeries and fresh cheeses made daily are fixtures of Italian life. Tradition reigns: Neighbors still meet in the piazza to discuss the day, laundry is still line-dried, even in the largest of cities, and the passeggiata (leisurely stroll) is still made in the evening air - preferably with a gelato in hand. From the mountains to the coasts, the emphasis is on simple pleasures and high quality.

On this essential highlights tour, visit Italy's most magical cities: Venice, Florence and Rome. Built on over 100 islets, linked by 400 bridges, Venice is the only city in the world that is built entirely on water. The city has captivated poets, painters and writers for centuries and continues to charm visitors with its fragile beauty. Florence, birthplace of the Renaissance, is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Its palaces, churches and museums overflow with masterful paintings and sculpture. The Eternal City of Rome, sprawling among its seven hills, is fascinating for both its ancient and its modern wonders. All that surrounds a visitor in Rome - the stunning art and architecture, the grandeur of scale and the city's lively citizens - guarantee an unforgettable visit.

Itinerary

Day 01 - Venice, Italy

Upon arrival at the Venice airport, you will be met in the arrivals hall and will be privately transferred to your hotel and assisted with check-in.

Your local customer service coordinator is part of a unique network of one of over 20 representatives throughout Italy to ensure your vacation operates smoothly and to your absolute satisfaction. Your CSC is there on the ground to ensure that your travel arrangements run perfectly.

You will be confirmed for two nights at the Hotel Bonvecchiati Palace (or similar) in a Superior Room inclusive of buffet breakfast.

Centrally located in the heart of the city close to St. Mark's Square, the Hotel Bonvecchiati Palace is a brand new unique 4-star boutique hotel. Modern, functional, cosmopolitan, with comforts and the latest modern services, it is a perfect base for leisure travelers. The hotel features richly appointed rooms furnished with luxurious contemporary décor, attentive service, and an exclusive fitness center with outside views of Venice, enriched with Turkish bath, sauna, Jacuzzi and massages. The reading room, breakfast room (American buffet with Venetian specialties), and the restaurant are places of exquisite charm perfect for socializing and relaxing.

Venice is one of the few cities in the world that can be described as truly unique. It survives against all the odds, built on a series of low mud banks amid the tidal waters of the Adriatic, and regularly subject to floods. Millions visit the city each year and succumb to the magic of this improbable place whose "streets are full of water" and where the glories of the past are evident at every turn.

In the early evening before sunset you will head towards the closest gondola pier where you will begin a 45-minute ride through the enchanting city accompanied by the renowned sound of your gondolier serenading with traditional Venetian songs.

Hotel Bonvecchiati Palace or similar

Day 02 - Venice

This morning you will be met at your hotel by your local English-speaking guide for a half-day walking tour (3-hours) of Venice. Your tour will include visits to St. Mark's Basilica, with its rich decoration of marbles and golden mosaics, and the Doge's Palace, once the seat of government and residence of the doges.

Breakfast

Hotel Bonvecchiati Palace or similar

Day 03 - Venice- Florence

Today you will be met at your hotel and privately transferred to the Venice railway station to begin your rail journey. Here you will be shown to your pre-reserved standard class seating and your luggage will be handled onboard for you.

Upon arrival at the Florence railway station you will be met by your English-speaking driver and transferred to your hotel where you will be assisted with check-in.

You will be confirmed for three nights at the Hotel Gallery Art (or similar) in a Superior Room, inclusive of buffet breakfast.

Created by the talented Ferragamo Family, the Hotel Gallery Art, located just steps from the Ponte Vecchio in the heart of Florence, offers an innovative concept among Florentine Hotels. The hotel has a completely modern, open and uncluttered look, which provides the perfect backdrop for the hotels décor, consisting of original art- on loan from galleries- that is changed every few months. All rooms are fully equipped with individual temperature control, satellite television, and beds that are so comfortable you never want to get up! Facilities at the hotel include a library (and not just for reading!), salon, and the unparalleled Fusion Grill Restaurant, another new concept in Florence. In fact, it is THE place to be seen in Florence, especially on Sunday evenings when there is jazz and the line for admittance stretches around the block.

After check in meet your guide who will introduce you to the Renaissance city of Florence: your tour will include a visit to the Galleria dell'Accademia to see Michelangelo's David and the ancient pharmacy of Santa Maria Novella. This historical Antica Farmacia dates back to the Dominican friars who in 1221 settled in Florence and was officially founded in 1612.

Florence is a vast and beautiful monument to the Renaissance, the artistic and cultural reawakening of the 15th century. Writers such as Dante, Petrarch and Machiavelli contributed to its proud literary heritage, though it was the paintings and sculptures of the artists such as Botticelli, Michelangelo and Donatello that turned the city into one of the world's greatest artistic capitals.

Breakfast

Hotel Gallery Art or similar

Day 04 - Florence

This morning you will enjoy a half-day walking tour of Florence (4-hours) with your local English-speaking guide. Your tour will include visits to the Ufuzzi Gallery, housing some of the world's most important art treasures, and the Church of Santa Croce, where many famous Florentines are buried such as Michelangelo and Galileo. You will have the opportunity to view the remarkable exterior of the Palazzo Vecchio before walking through the Piazza Signoria

Breakfast

Hotel Gallery Art or similar

Day 05 - Florence- Pisa- Florence

This morning meet your English-speaking driver for a half-day sightseeing tour by private vehicle to Pisa. When you arrive in Pisa you will meet your local English-speaking guide for a two-hour walking tour, which will include the Piazza dei Miracoli and the famous leaning tower*.

*Note: children under 8 years old are not allowed to climb the tower; an adult must accompany children up to the age of 18.

After lunch at leisure (not included, payable locally) you will be driven back to your hotel in Florence.

Breakfast

Hotel Gallery Art or similar

Day 06 - Florence to Rome via Perugia

This morning let your private chauffeur transfer you to the historical city of Rome. Stop en-route in the medieval hilltop city of Perugia. Upon arrival there you will meet your English-speaking local tour guide who will welcome you and introduce you to the beauty of the city.

Here you will visit the Collegio del Cambio (Exchange Guild) where elaborate frescoes decorate the meeting room and chapel of the guild of bankers and moneychangers. The imposing Palazzo dei Priori houses the National Gallery of Umbria with magnificent paintings, frescoes and sculptures.

After enjoying a leisurely lunch in a local "tattoria" (not included, payable locally) you will continue your journey to Rome.

Rome grew to rule a vast empire and as that empire began to divide, the region became the center of the Christian world. Artists and architects flocked to work for the popes and their families, notably in the Renaissance and Baroque periods when some magnificent architectural works were created. The legacy of this uninterrupted history can be seen all over the city and surrounding area.

You will be confirmed for three nights at the Hotel Rose Garden (or similar) in a Superior Room, including buffet breakfast daily. Located in via Buoncompagni in the most exclusive area of Via Veneto, this new and elegant hotel has opened its doors in a 19th century building. A stylish design combines the classic and modern characteristics of the 59 rooms and 6 suites, all with minibar, safety deposit box, satellite TV, air-conditioning and bathrooms with precious marbles. Set in a unique rose garden in the center of Rome, you can enjoy the hotels restaurant that offers seasonal menus, which capture all of the flavors of Italy and the creative interpretation of the hotel's expert chef. The hotel also has a fitness center with plunge pool, cardiovascular machines and a sauna. From the Hotel Rose Garden it is an easy walk to reach the Villa Borghese, the Spanish Steps, the stylish shops of Via Condotti and the bars of Via Veneto.

Breakfast

Hotel Rose Garden Palace or similar

Day 07 - Rome

This morning you will be met by your driver and private vehicle and escorted to the Vatican City where you will be met by your local English-speaking guide for a half-day sightseeing tour (4 hours).

Created as a result of the Lateran Treaty of 1929 between Pope Pius XCI and the Italian government, the Vatican is the smallest independent state.

Explore the treasures of the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel with its famous frescoes by Michelangelo. Visit St. Peter's Basilica, the dominant structure of the Vatican that was erected on order by Constantine, over the tomb of the crucified St. Peter. The present structure is mostly Renaissance and Baroque, formed under the hands of such masters as Michelangelo, and the inside is an elaborate and detailed display of marble, mosaic, gilt and bronze.

The afternoon is at leisure.

Breakfast

Hotel Rose Garden Palace or similar

Day 08 - Rome

Meet your private car and English-speaking guide for a half-day sightseeing of Imperial Rome. Your tour will include a visit to the famous Colosseum, scene of gladiator battles, the Roman Forum and Palatine, which was the center of Roman Life.

The afternoon is at your leisure.

Breakfast

Hotel Rose Garden Palace or similar

Day 09 - Day of Departure

Today you will be privately transferred to the Rome airport.

Breakfast

Departures

Depart any day! Contact an iExplore Adventure Consultant for details.

Pricing Information

2011 Prices:

April 5-11; May 3 to July 4; September 6 to November 7 and December 28 to January 4, 2012:

$7,849 per person double occupancy.

$5,499 per person double occupancy, based on 4 people traveling together.

$14,709 solo traveler.

February 15-21; March 22 to May 2; July 5 to September 5; November 8-21:

$6,849 per person double occupancy.

$4,849 per person double occupancy, based on 4 people traveling together.

$12,789 solo traveler.

January 5 to February 14; February 22 to March 21 and November 22 to December 27:

$6,629 per person double occupancy.

$4,339 per person double occupancy, based on 4 people traveling together.

$12,419 solo traveler.

Holiday surcharges may apply. Please note program is based on weekday arrivals. If you arrive on a Friday or Saturday a weekend supplement will apply. Ask for details.

Prices for your dates of travel may vary- please contact iExplore for an exact quote. Quoted prices are based on current rates of exchange, tariffs and taxes as of October, 2010. iExplore reserves the right to increase tour prices to cover increased costs, tariffs and taxes received after prices are published, and to reflect fluctuations in foreign exchange rates. iExplore is under no obligation to give breakdown costs involved in any package.

Inclusions:

· Accommodations in a Superior Room at the Hotel Bonvecchiati Palace (or similar), Venice.

· Accommodations in a Superior Room at the Hotel Gallery Art (or similar), Florence.

· Accommodations in a Superior Room at the Hotel Rose Garden Palace (or similar), Rome.

· Breakfast each day.

· The services of a customer service representative upon your arrival in Venice.

· Services of an English-speaking guide where listed.

· Private transport with a private motor launch in Venice for up to 1-4 passengers.

· Private transportation with Mercedes E Class or similar for 1-2 passengers; deluxe 8-seater minibus or similar vehicle for 3-4 passengers. Please note the vehicle provided allows for two pieces of luggage per person. For additional luggage, larger vehicles can be provided for a supplementary cost.

· Standard Class train tickets from Venice to Florence.

· Stated entrance fees on excursions.

· All taxes.

· Welcome pack (one per room).

· 24 hour emergency contact service

Exclusions:

· All air travel and related costs.

· All meals and beverages, other than breakfast.

· Tips and gratuities.

· Porterage.

· Entrance fees to non-stated sites.

· Any/all items of a personal nature (phone calls, room service, etc.).

· Holiday Surcharges.

· Cost of a visa, if required.

All prices are in US dollars and do not include international airfare, unless otherwise noted.

Prices displayed are based on the lowest season base price and assume double occupancy. Prices are shown in U.S. dollars and may or may not include administrative fees, taxes, meals, airfare (where applicable) and Single Supplements. Cancellation penalties, blackout dates and other restrictions may apply.

Options and Extras

Tour Notes