ITALIAN SOJOURN May 2017 Revised
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ITALIAN SOJOURN May 2017 revised May 3 Arrival from USA at Venice International Airport Private transport from airport to your hotel (combination shuttle / private boat) Upon arrival at Venice Marco Polo Airport, our Representative will be waiting for you, holding a sign with your name on it. You will be transferred to the Piazzale Roma area of Venice Island by private vehicle and then from here, to your accommodation in Venice Island by private boat. The supplier may also decide to depart from Venice Airport Pier directly by boat. This Transfer is suitable for clients booked at hotels with a water door in an internal canal, as your boat driver will take you up to your hotel. If due to adverse tide conditions the canal is not reachable, Porterage Service will be arranged to ensure you an easy journey to your hotel. HOTEL: Liassidi Palace 4-stars note: walking distance of St Mark’s Square Take the rest of the day at leisure to explore, nap, wander. May 4 Take a journey into the history and culture of Venice on our Best of Venice Tour with Gondola Ride highlighting the city's most acclaimed and lesser known sights. Explore Venice's most important attractions: Saint Mark's square and Skip the line entrance to St. Mark Basilica and its terrace, Grand Canal, Rialto Bridge, Bridge of Sighs and much more! Duration of tour: 2 hours 45 mins Nowhere else on the planet is quite like Venice. Our two-and-a-half-hour Best of Venice Tour with Gondola Ride shows off the grandeur and mystique of this once-powerful maritime republic from two entirely different perspectives. First, we'll seek out the Floating City's most sought after sights on foot, enjoying skip-the-line entry to spectacular St. Mark's Basilica, as well as special access to the Basilica's terrace. We'll also explore some lesser-known corners of the city where the essence of Venetian living is writ large, before hitting the canals for that most quintessential of Venetian experiences, an unforgettable gondola ride to explore the city's beauty from the water. After the guided tour, you will have the afternoon at leisure to shop, keep exploring, visit some museums if desired (there is a Guggenheim there!) or take a boat ride to Murano Island to see the glass blowing. Venice is a city “to get lost in” so I don’t advise booking an additional formal activity for this afternoon – your hotel can arrange a small afternoon tour if you wish or you may find something spontaneously , and I encourage you to leave this afternoon/evening free in order to allow time for this spontaneity! May 5 Today you’ll take the train to Florence and begin to explore the beautiful Tuscan region. Included: an escorted transfer by boat from your hotel to the Venice train station. The escort guide will help you find your train platform and explain how to find your seats. 05/05/2017: 9981 VCE-FLR 09:00 11:05 Class: 1st Class Adults: 2 Train# From To Depart Arrive 9981 VENEZIA S LUCIA FIRENZE S M N 09:00 11:05 Upon arrival at Florence station, our local representative will be waiting for you holding a signboard with your name on it. You will then be escorted to your private vehicle and transferred directly to your accommodation in Florence. Our local representative will remain with you throughout to provide any local information you may require and will help you check-in at your accommodation. You do not need to worry if your train is delayed, as we will check arrival information in advance and adjust your pick up time accordingly if required. Hotel: Bernini Palace (5 stars) You should reach your hotel well before 12 noon – possibly by 11:30, as the train station isn’t much more than 15 minutes away . After settling in, take a privately guided walking tour of Florence, ending at the Uffizi Galleries to see some of Italy’s most famous artwork. The total time with your guide will be about 3 hours. You must meet your guide outside the hotel but it is only 5 minutes’ walk away. • Walking tour including Skip the Line Uffizi Gallery Entrance with expert guide. During this walk we will see the heart of the city, where you can admire the imposing and singular Orsanmichele Church a masterpiece of Florentine gothic art. Then we reach the Mercato della Paglia, the picturesque Ponte Vecchio, the oldest bridge in Florence, with its renowned jewelry shops. Finally we arrive in Piazza Signoria. We will visit one of the most famous art galleries in the world: Uffizi Gallery. Here you can admire numerous works of art by Botticelli, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raffaello, Giotto, Cimabue, and many others May 6 You’ll continue your stay in Florence (additional suggestions for activities will be provided such as climbing Giotto’s Belltower), and this time lunch will be part of the activities! Today you’ll take a cooking lesson! I’ve chosen a pizza and gelato making class to accommodate a more vegetarian option. The pizza class is at 3pm, which leaves a lovely morning for exploring the city (it’s very walkable) as well as some shopping! Florence is well known for its leather! Go learn to make Pizza and Gelato just like the Italians do! Join our late afternoon class! Our chef will be happy to introduce you to the history of these Italian glorious creations! Make pizza in oven with our professional pizza chef, called pizzaiolo. You will learn how to make tender, flexible yeast dough that stretches to almost paper-thinness, even the trick for a flavorful yet light tomato sauce. Even if you bake pizza in your own oven, these techniques are universal and using them really makes a difference. With the pizzaiolo, you'll make your very own pizza, you'll stretch it, sauce it, bake it, slice it. It will be the best pizza you ever tasted, and you made it yourself! Come to make pizza in Florence! After Pizza It's time for Gelato, chef will tell participants why gelato remains Italy's favorite dessert while giving an insight to the 'gelato culture' that continues grow, then we continue describing the principle raw ingredients used for base sand selecting the best products available according to specific principles followed by a presentation and tasting of many of the flavors used in gelato making. Participants will learn development and application of natural colors, the heating and freezing techniques and how they have different effects on ingredients. It is always a great day to discover the recipe of the world most loved dessert! May 7 Today you’ll take a group tour to the stunning Tuscan countryside! • Best of Tuscany tour – includes Pisa AND Chianti Famous for its wealth of art, history, striking landscapes, delicious food and superb wines, Tuscany really does have it all! See the Best of Tuscany on this full-day guided coach trip from Florence!View Siena through the eyes of a local as you join a guided walking tour through the medieval city made up of yellow-ochre buildings, terracotta rooftops and green shutters. Learn about the world's oldest bank, see Piazza del Campo, the site of the 600 year old Palio horserace, and admire the interior of the Duomo, a treasure chest of artworks. Afterwards, enjoy Siena at your own pace with free time for relaxing.Next visit an organic family run wine estate , the highlight of the day! Visit the farm, enjoy an informal wine tasting lesson and a traditional Tuscan lunch with plenty of wine, in the most gorgeous location overlooking stunning views of the surrounding countryside. After lunch we visit the enchanting hilltop town of San Gimignano where you have free time to roam the picturesque streets and squares, browse the local shops, try an award-winning gelato and walk among the town's famous medieval towers.A scenic drive through classic Tuscan countryside will take you to your final stop, Pisa. Here, take a close inspection of the iconic Leaning Tower, the Cathedral and the Baptistery (outside view). A brief tour of the historic heart of Pisa will show you another side of the city. MAY 8 A local representative will pick you up at your hotel and accompany you to the train station and help you locate your train platform. 05/08/2017: 9509 FLR-RMA 09:08 10:28 Class: 1st Class Adults: 2 Train# From To Depart Arrive 9509 FIRENZE S M N ROMA TIBURTINA 09:08 10:28 You will be met at the train station and driven to your hotel. Upon arrival at Rome station, our local representative will be waiting for you holding a signboard with your name on it. You will then be escorted to your private vehicle and transferred directly to your accommodation in Rome. Our local representative will remain with you throughout to provide any local information you may require and will help you check-in at your accommodation. You do not need to worry if your train is delayed, as we will check arrival information in advance and adjust your pick up time accordingly if required. Hotel: Palazzo Navona (4 stars – able to walk to many sites, so it will make it easy to stroll in the evenings and to soak up the culture). It also has a beautiful rooftop terrace where they serve breakfast in nice weather! • The innovative Palazzo Navona Hotel fully deserved of its role as being amongst one of the most qualified 4 star Hotels within the city "centro", capable of fulfilling its own lifestyle qualities to satisfy even the most demanding guest.