Italy: Tuscany, the Alps & the Riviera 2017 14-Day Grand Circle Tour{TRIPOperatedBy}
Extend your trip
Post-Trip Venice, Italy
Your Day-to-Day Itinerary Grand Circle Travel
Grand Circle Travel, founded in 1958 to serve the American Association for Retired Persons (AARP), is the leader in international travel and discovery for Americans over age 50. Grand Circle vacations have been recommended by The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, The Los Angeles Times, Travel + Leisure, The Wall Street Journal, Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel, and oth- ers. But our most impressive reviews come from our travelers. More than one million people have traveled with us, and 96% say they’d gladly do so again.
Included in Your Price
»» Choose to purchase Grand Circle’s »» Baggage handling for 1 piece of luggage airfare, and your airport transfers, per person, including tips government taxes, fees, and airline fuel »» 5% Frequent Traveler Credit applicable surcharges are included. Or, make your toward your next Grand Circle trip—an own air arrangements average of $249 »» Accommodations for 13 nights in comfortable rooms with private baths
»» 23 meals: 13 breakfasts, 3 lunches, and 7 dinners (including 1 Home-Hosted Dinner)
»» 15 included features: 9 guided tours and 6 exclusive Discovery Series events: Italian With & Without Words language lesson • The Art of the Renaissance discussion • Home- Hosted Dinner • Soccer school visit • Immigration in Italy Today discussion • History of South Tyrol discussion
»» Exclusive services of a local Grand Circle Program Director (assigned to no more than 42 travelers)
»» Gratuities on your main trip for local guides and motorcoach drivers
»» Personal headset for all included and optional tours on your main trip
»» Private motorcoach land travel
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. What This Trip is Like
Pacing »» Expect strong, cold winds in the Dolomite »» 5 locations in 14 days, including 2 single- Alps in April-May and September-October night stays
Physical Requirements »» Walk 3 miles unassisted and participate in 3-5 hours of physical activities daily, including stairs
»» Balance and agility are required to board boats in Venice and Sirmione
»» Not accessible for travelers using wheelchairs or scooters
»» Travelers using walkers, crutches, or other mobility aids must travel with a companion who can assist them
»» We reserve the right for Program Directors to restrict participation, or in some circumstances send travelers home, if their limitations impact the group’s experience
Terrain & Transportation »» 1 full day at altitudes between 3,000- 6,000 feet
»» Uneven walking surfaces, unpaved paths, hills, stairs, and cobblestones
»» Travel by 45-seat motorcoach and 100- seat ferry boat
Climate »» Daytime temperatures range from 51- 89°F during touring season
»» June-August are the warmest months, and some days may reach extremely high temperatures
»» March and November weather can be unpredictable and change quickly
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. Italy: Tuscany, the Alps & the Riviera 2017
Extend your trip
Pre-Trip Rome, Italy
Post-Trip Venice, Italy
One of the miracles of Italy is that a relatively small country contains such a wealth of stunning scenery and beautiful cities. This vacation is your opportunity to savor both. You’ll visit Tuscany, the Italian Riviera, and the Alps—ageless, evocative regions that brim with history, striking vistas, and rich tradi- tions. Bookended by one night in both Rome and Venice, it’s a superb opportunity to experience Italy’s treasures.
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. Detailed Itinerary
Your Grand Circle Program Director
During your exclusive Grand Circle vacation, you’ll have reliable assistance available at all times from an on-site Grand Circle Travel Program Director. Your Program Director is fluent in English and can give you an inside perspective on your destinations. He or she is supported along the way by local tour guides, who guide you expertly through particular sites and cities.
Many Grand Circle Program Directors are graduates of professional education programs for travel guides. In addition, they receive specialized training directly from Grand Circle, training that is based on what we’ve learned from thousands of past travelers about how to make the trip most enjoyable. Your Program Director offers both a deep knowledge of the region and a commitment to make this a very pleasant, informative, and rewarding travel experience for you.
Your Program Director will provide sightseeing trips, handle all travel details, reserve optional tours you choose to take, oversee your Discovery Series events, and provide any other as- sistance you may need. You will be in the company of a Program Director throughout your vacation.
DAY 1 Depart U.S. Director over a Welcome Drink followed by Begin your travel to Italy as your flight hors d’oeuvres during a Welcome Party at departs this evening. your hotel. Dinner DAY 2 Rome, Italy A Grand Circle representative will meet you DAY 3 Rome • Orvieto • Italian With & at the airport and assist you to your hotel, Without Words language lesson • Art of where you’ll set off on an orientation walk of the Renaissance discussion • Florence the area. Tonight, meet your fellow travelers, including those from the optional pre-trip After breakfast, begin your journey to extension to Rome, Italy, and your Program Florence, stopping along the way to visit the hilltop town of Orvieto.
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. Set upon the flat crown of a steep volcanic the days of the Medici. Perhaps in your free butte, Orvieto has been an impregnable town time you’ll visit Santa Croce Gothic church, since the time of the ancient Etruscans. It and its tombs and memorials to many was a major center of commerce and learn- famous Italians like Dante, Galileo, and ing in the Middle Ages—Thomas Aquinas Michelangelo. And finally, you’ll visit the taught there—and its independently minded Accademia Museum where you’ll have an leaders often squabbled with the Papacy. opportunity to see Michelangelo’s famous The construction of the 14th-century Orvieto statue of David. Cathedral is distinctive in its use of basalt This evening, enjoy a Home-Hosted Dinner and travertine, which are of volcanic origin. with a local family. You’re sure to savor this Its three-gabled facade is exceptional, with family-style meal, as well as the opportunity vivid bas-reliefs, statuary, and mosaics. to learn about everyday life in modern-day Become acquainted with the area during a Italy. discovery walk with your Program Director, then enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before Breakfast, Dinner continuing on to Florence. During the drive, learn some of the Italian words that will be most useful to you during a spe- DAY 5 Florence • Optional cial Italian With & Without Words lesson led by Treasures of Tuscany tour your Program Director during an Exclusive Today is free for you to visit some of Discovery Series event. Florence’s famous sites on your own. The Upon arrival this afternoon, delight in historical center of Florence is full of striking another exclusive Discovery Series event: buildings and piazzas and is recognized as Delve into a presentation on Art of the a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And you Renaissance, designed to pave the way for may want to visit the Casa Guidi, Elisabeth more meaningful discoveries in Florence and Barrett-Browning’s home in Florence, Tuscany. just next to the Ponte Vecchio; or, across the street, the Pitti Palace and the Boboli This evening, dinner is included at a local Gardens. Or perhaps you’ll explore the Uffizi restaurant. Gallery: This world-renowned museum is home to masterpieces by such legendary Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner artists as da Vinci, Botticelli, Giotto, Titian, Michelangelo, and many more.
DAY 4 Florence • Home-Hosted Dinner Or, choose an optional Treasures of Tuscany This morning, embark on a walking tour tour to discover the rare beauty of this iconic of Florence with an expert local guide. To region. Whatever your personal vision of begin, you’ll marvel at the exterior of the Tuscany may be—rolling hills covered with beautiful Duomo. This elegant church with vineyards, remote medieval towns and sun- its remarkable octagonal Brunelleschi dome drenched castles, a grass-wrapped bottle of is one of the most magnificent structures in robust Chianti—you may find it today, along Florence. Our tour continues with a stroll with many other treasures of this beloved through Piazza Signoria, the busy square wine country. You’ll head out toward the that was the ancient center of city life during medieval hill town of San Gimignano, known
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. as the “Town of Towers,” where you’ll have optional excursion, you’ll have some free free time to explore the narrow, stone-paved time to explore on your own before enjoying streets that twist inside the walls of this an included lunch at a local trattoria. quaint town. Then travel through the scenic Tonight, dinner is on your own. Chianti wine country to Castello Oliveto, a 15th-century manor where you will take a Breakfast tour of the residence and its ancient wine cellar before your included lunch. DAY 7 Florence • Pisa • Santa Margherita Enjoy the remainder of your day back in Florence relaxing at your hotel or exploring Today marks the end of your time in independently before your evening at leisure. Tuscany, and the beginning of your stay in the Italian Riviera. Breakfast After breakfast, travel to Santa Margherita— stopping along the way in Pisa, where you DAY 6 Florence • Optional Siena tour have free time to explore the Piazza dei Miracoli (the Square of Miracles) at your own Your day is free to spend as you please. pace. The square is decorated by the stun- Or, take advantage of a full-day optional ning marble architecture of its Cathedral, the tour to Siena. A local guide will take you on a Baptistery (with its marvelous echo), and, of walking tour to discover this medieval walled course, the Leaning Tower. city, built on three ridges and dominating This famous tower brings to mind one of the land between the valleys of Arbia and civilization’s most illustrious names— Elsa. Galileo Galilei, the genius who helped to Siena was a rich and powerful city during the found modern science. He used the vantage Middle Ages. From the twelfth to the 16th point of the top of Pisa’s celebrated Leaning centuries, its banking activities and trade in Tower to demonstrate principles of speed wool and textiles placed it in direct rivalry and velocity, inspiring his theory of the with Florence. Its influence decreased after pendulum. Later, enjoy lunch at a local that time, as it spent much of its energies in restaurant. defense against foreign conquerors. Continue on to the Italian Riviera, a strik- Today’s Siena still retains the air of the ingly beautiful coastal stretch marked by Tuscan Middle Ages. The 334-foot slender mountains and promontories falling into Italianate tower of the Town Hall soars from sparkling seas, and by gentle hills covered the rim of the Piazza del Campo, an inclined, with green forests and vineyards. After central square that is one of the most checking in to the hotel, enjoy a walk around beautiful in all of Italy. Surrounding this the vicinity with your Program Director. square, where an annual horse race called Tonight, dinner is on your own. Il Palio takes place, are numerous lovely churches and palaces dating from the twelfth Breakfast, Lunch to 16th centuries. Here and throughout the city are some of the most splendid examples of Gothic architecture in Italy. During this
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. DAY 8 Santa Margherita • Cinque Terre, where five little villages, each Portofino • Soccer school visit with its own unique character, are built into the cliffs between the beach and the vine- After breakfast, enjoy a morning at leisure yard-terraced hills of this rocky coastline. including lunch on your own. There’s also Chiavari, with its morning fruit This afternoon, join an included excursion and vegetable market—one of the prettiest to Portofino featuring a scenic boat ride in the region. Or you might want to discover (depending on the season and weather Sestri Levante, a favorite among Italians, permitting). Portofino is the gem of the which offers something for everyone—hik- Italian Riviera, with an idyllic location on a ing, shops, and two lovely beaches. miniature cove. The town is tiny, and you This evening, gather together for an can walk wherever you wish to go, admiring exclusive Discovery Series discussion the pastel-colored houses, lovely gardens, on Immigration in Italy Today with your and elegant villas. Stroll past private old vil- Program Director. Dinner is included at your las to the lighthouse, or climb steps from the hotel tonight. port to the little parish Church of St. George with its panoramic view of the port and bay. Breakfast, Dinner
Next, you’ll visit with the children of ACD Sammargheritese soccer school (when in DAY 10 Santa Margherita • session)—a unique after-school orga- Lake Garda • Bolzano nization funded in part by Grand Circle Foundation—during an exclusive Discovery After breakfast, begin your journey to Series event. This volunteer-run program Bolzano. Along the way, stop at the pictur- has been giving Italian children the chance esque town of Sirmione, known best for its to learn and participate in this popular team medieval Scaliger Castle, standing proudly sport since 1903. This is a very important at the shores of Lake Garda. Here, you will opportunity for the children, as sports are enjoy a discovery walk around the town with not integrated into the public school system. your Program Director, followed by free time to seek out lunch and explore this charming Return to your hotel this evening, and enjoy spa town on your own. dinner on your own. Then, set out for a scenic boat ride of Lake Breakfast Garda, the largest lake in Italy. Surrounded on all sides by stunning natural vistas, this is a popular vacation spot for both Italians Immigration DAY 9 Santa Margherita • and other Europeans alike. You’ll disembark in Italy Today discussion in the town of Garda on the other side of the Take advantage of a full day to savor the lake, where you’ll board a motorcoach to delights of the Italian Riviera according to continue your transfer to Bolzano. your own interests. Perhaps you’d like to Arrive in Bolzano in late afternoon. take a walk along the seafront and explore Located high in the Alps near the border a traditional fishing village, or hike one of of Austria, Bolzano is a true blend of the many local trails for spectacular views. Italian and Tyrolean cultures. Note the Nearby towns wait to be explored, such as architecture of the houses and churches,
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. and the cuisine—all of which are part of explore the town and learn more about local Southern Tyrol’s distinctive character. This life. Then you’ll continue to Unterrin for is a mountainous region whose history is dinner in a local gasthof (tavern). long and convoluted, with Italy gaining Breakfast Southern Tyrol from Austria by the treaty of St. Germain in 1919. Dinner is at a local restaurant this evening. DAY 12 Bolzano • Dolomite Mountains Breakfast, Dinner This morning, drive through the Dolomite Mountains, and witness some of the most amazing alpine scenery in Europe. DAY 11 Bolzano • History of South Tyrol discussion • Optional Renon You’ll stop to visit picturesque Lake Carezza Mountain Tour & Tavern Dinner and take in the spectacular vista of Latemar Mountain before continuing on to Pordoi After breakfast, learn about the History of Pass, where you’ll witness some of the high- South Tyrol during exclusive Discovery Series est peaks in the Alps. You’ll savor the hearty discussion that spans from the Middle Ages alpine food during lunch at a typical South to modern life in this part of Northern Italy. Tyrolean restaurant. Then, travel through Then set off on a walking tour in the com- the breathtaking Sella Pass and Eggental pany of an expert local guide introducing you Valley, followed by a stop at a local resort to Bolzano’s Austrian and Italian influences. village. This evening, dinner is on your own. Since medieval times, Bolzano has been a Breakfast, Lunch staging point on the route south through the Brenner Pass to Rome. In the Old Town Center, see vivid examples of Bolzano’s DAY 13 Bolzano • Optional Innsbruck tour Germanic Gothic history. Visit the Duomo, a Spend your day at leisure. You may choose 14th-century wonder featuring remarkable to explore the historical streets, shop at the frescoes, and stroll the pedestrian-only traditional fruit market, or relax at a local Piazza Walther. You’ll also enjoy a tasting at cafe. a local pub which cold brews their beers in the traditional German style. Or, you can journey farther into Tyrol as you cross the border with Austria to visit This afternoon, enjoy an afternoon to make the Tyrolean capital of Innsbruck during your own discoveries in Bolzano. Perhaps an optional tour. Your scenic journey will you’ll visit one of the city’s museums, take you over the Brenner Pass and via such as the Museum of Modern Art, or the the Europabrucke, the tallest road bridge Museum of Natural History. You may also in Europe. The setting is enhanced by the choose to visit the open-air market. backdrop of the Karwendel foothills’ deep Or, join us for an optional excursion to green fir and pine forest, and by the snowy Renon Mountain, which rises over Bolzano. peaks beyond. Nestled in a bend of the river You’ll reach the mountain by cable car, Inn, the historic capital of Innsbruck is taking in panoramic views of the city and surrounded by the Alps. surrounding areas. Continue by train to a nearby village where you’ll have time to
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. You’ll discover Innsbruck’s Old Town, a by the lovely St. Mark’s Basilica, the spa- small area of sturdy medieval houses painted cious square is surrounded with outdoor in pastel colors and supported by sloping cafés bustling with activity. buttresses. Enjoy a walking tour along the Ornate St. Mark’s Basilica is so richly embel- city’s main thoroughfares—such as the lished that it looks as though it could have Maria-Theresien Strasse—to the mag- been moved intact from Istanbul. Though nificent City Tower, built in 1442 and later the domed church is a conglomerate of many crowned by a Baroque bulbous cupola. Here, architectural styles, its main influence is you’ll encounter the city’s Market Square, Byzantine. Its facade is adorned with marble full of 15th- and 16th-century houses. and mosaics that depict the life of Christ Beyond, a labyrinth of alleyways invites and St. Mark (whose body was smuggled aimless strolling. into Venice in a pork barrel to confound Perhaps the most charming landmark in Muslim officials who would refuse to search Innsbruck is the Golden Roof Palace, erected anything that touched pork). by Archduke Friedrich IV in the early 15th Outside the basilica is the campanile (bell century as the residence of the Tyrolean tower), which was rebuilt after it collapsed sovereigns. You’ll have an opportunity to in 1902. You’ll also see the Palazzo Ducale, capture its beauty during a photo stop. The or Doges’ Palace. As we view this grand tour will come to a close with some free time palace from the outside, note that this to explore on your own before lunch in a Venetian-Gothic palazzo is considered by local restaurant. many to be the grandest civic structure in Back in Bolzano tonight, dinner is at your Italy. After you disembark, enjoy some free hotel. time to explore this enchanting city on foot.
Breakfast, Dinner Tonight, enjoy a Farewell Dinner with your travel companions at a local restaurant.
DAY 14 Bolzano • Venice Breakfast, Dinner Travel to Venice this morning, where you’ll transfer by boat to your hotel. DAY 15 Venice • Return to U.S. This afternoon, enjoy a panoramic boat tour You’ll be escorted to the airport after of the “City of Canals.” As you glide through breakfast for your flight home. Or, extend the city, your Program Director will point your stay with our Venice, Italy post-trip out such sights as the Piazza San Marco (St. extension. Mark’s Square), the center of Venice. This Breakfast square was the heartbeat of the Serenissima (Serene Republic) in the heyday of Venice’s glory as a seafaring republic, and the city’s major attractions are centered here. It is one of the most beautiful and most photo- graphed squares in all of Europe. Dominated
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. Pre-trip Rome, Italy
Included in Your Price
»» Accommodations for 3 nights »» All transfers
»» 4 meals: 3 breakfasts and 1 dinner
»» 2 included tours: Rome discovery walk, Trastevere & Roman Ghetto
»» Exclusive services of a Grand Circle Program Director
»» Gratuities for local guides and motorcoach drivers on your extension and all optional tours
Itinerary, Pre-Trip Extension
Rome, the “Eternal City,” is one of the great centers of Western Civilization and the civic and historic heart of Italy. Here, the ancient monuments of the vast Roman Empire stand side-by-side with the more recent wonders of the Renaissance. We think you’ll agree with us that this additional time to explore the Eternal City in depth is an opportunity not to be missed—and an exceptional value.
DAY 1 Depart U.S. DAY 3 Rome Depart the U.S. for your flight to Rome. After breakfast, join us for an informative Please refer to your individual itinerary for briefing about your upcoming days in Rome. exact flight times. Your Program Director will answer any questions you may have about your stay. Then set off with for an included discovery DAY 2 Rome, Italy walk in the neighborhood around the hotel. Arrive in Rome, where you’ll be met at the The remainder of your day is at leisure. airport and assisted to your hotel, as well as taken on an orientation walk to get ac- This evening, join us for a walking tour quainted with the nearby area. This evening, of Trastevere, with its charming, narrow join your fellow travelers for a Welcome cobbled streets, and the Roman Ghetto, a Drink before dinner on your own.
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. Jewish ghetto established in 1555 by Papal Curia (the Senate house), as well as other bull. Enjoy free time to explore on your own historic sites. Please note: Due to limited space, before dinner at a local restaurant. this optional tour must be reserved at least 15 days prior to departure and cannot be booked Breakfast, Dinner onsite.
Tonight, have dinner on your own in one of DAY 4 Rome • Optional Rome Rome’s exquisite restaurants. of the Caesars tour Breakfast Explore Rome’s treasures on your own today. Myriad options abound in this re- markable city: You might stroll along Via del DAY 5 Rome • Optional Vatican Corso, an almost mile-long stretch of pal- Museums & St. Peter’s Basilica tour aces and shops, or spend time in the beauti- Enjoy a day to make your own discover- ful gardens of the Villa Borghese. Or you ies. You might marvel at the stunning mosa- could visit the magnificent Trevi Fountain, ics of the church in the Trastevere district, the Spanish Steps, or the Pantheon, one of or sip an espresso in a local cafe in this the most remarkable structures from Ancient colorful neighborhood. Or stroll the Campo Rome. dei Fiori and explore the piazza with its Or, join our optional Rome of the Caesars tour booksellers, inns, small shops, and colorful this morning, which includes a visit to the morning markets (except Sundays). It is a Roman Forum and the Colosseum. Though lively spot by day and night. it’s only a shell of its former glory, the Or, join us today for an optional half-day Colosseum remains the greatest architectural tour of the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s heritage from ancient Rome. It was here in Basilica. Go beyond the costumed Swiss this massive structure, capable of holding Guards in the shadow of St. Peter’s Basilica 80,000 people, that the fabled and bloody to explore the museums of the world’s gladiatorial combats took place. In the smallest independent sovereign state, Middle Ages, the structure was used as a Vatican City. fortress and later sustained damage from several earthquakes. Started in 1506 by Pope Julius II, the Vatican Museums contain one of the finest art col- The ancient Roman Forum was the politi- lections in the world. Although it’s impos- cal and commercial center of Rome when sible to see all of the vast collection, you’ll Rome was at its greatest power. The Forum witness many of the priceless treasures was constructed over some 900 years with acquired by the church over centuries. various emperors adding and extending temples, monuments, and buildings. Here Following the grand corridors of the mu- the emperors, Roman senators, and consuls seum, you’ll continue to the awe-inspiring met to plan and pass the laws that governed Sistine Chapel, which contains the world’s Rome. The Forum remains one of the most most famous frescoes on its ceiling and one powerful monuments to the grandeur that of its walls. Inside, you can admire some of was Rome. You will view the Basilica Aemilia Michelangelo’s most famous and dramatic (the site of the great meeting hall) and the masterpieces, including The Creation and
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. The Last Judgment, both of which have been restored to fully reveal their majestic glory. Conclude your tour at the famed St. Peter’s Basilica.
This evening, you’ll join your fellow travel- ers and begin your Northern Italy: Tuscany, the Alps & the Riviera vacation.
Breakfast
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. optional tours on Pre-trip
Rome of the Caesars (Day 4 $95 per person)
Revisit the glory of the ancient Romans in this half-day tour beginning with a visit to the Roman Forum. Some of the oldest and well-known monuments can be found here—the space was used for public meet- ings, as well as markets and commercial interaction. You’ll stop at the Coliseum, which was once capable of holding 80,000 during the infamous gladiatorial battles. Today, it remains the greatest architectural remnant of ancient Rome.
Please note: PRE-SOLD ONLY: Due to limited space, this optional tour must be reserved at least 15 days prior to departure and cannot be booked onsite.
Vatican Museums & St. Peter’s Basilica (Day 5 $110 per person)
Step inside Vatican City to discover the world-renowned museums within its walls. You’ll marvel at the collection of stunning art the church has acquired over hundreds of years, including ancient sculptures and other treasures. Marvel at St. Peter’s Basilica, famous as a pilgrimage site, and known as one of the holiest Catholic churches. You’ll also visit the Sistine Chapel, where you can admire Michelangelo’s most well-known and dramatic masterpieces, including The Creation and The Last Judgment.
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. Post-trip Venice, Italy
Included in Your Price
»» Accommodations for 3 nights »» All transfers
»» 4 meals: 3 breakfasts and 1 dinner
»» 2 included tours: Cannareggio & Dorsoduro, Rialto Markets & San Polo
»» Exclusive services of a Grand Circle Program Director
»» Gratuities for local guides and motorcoach drivers on your extension and all optional tours
Itinerary, Post-Trip Extension
Cap off your Italian sojourn in Venice, an architectural masterpiece famous for its 150 canals and more than 400 bridges. Venezia is a city steeped in centuries of history and culture, and there are discoveries to be made—quite literally—around every corner and down its many side streets. You’ll spend three nights in this romantic city, and enjoy ample time to explore on your own or discover the city with us on optional tours.
DAY 1 Venice • Optional This afternoon, discover the sights of this Twilight Gondola Ride romantic city at your own pace today, perhaps exploring more of the famous Piazza After enjoying breakfast with your fellow San Marco (St. Mark’s Square), the center of travelers this morning, you’ll bid ciao to your Venice. Visit the Palazzo Ducale, or Doges’ Italy: Tuscany, the Alps & the Riviera tour, and Palace, a Venetian-Gothic palazzo considered begin your post-trip discoveries. Become by many to be the grandest civic structure acquainted with the area in an orientation in Italy. It served as the residence and seat walk around your hotel. Then, explore the of the Doges, who ruled Venice for more neighborhoods of Cannaregio and Dorsoduro than 1,000 years. Later, perhaps you’ll get a on a discovery walk with your Program taste for everyday Venetian life if you choose Director.
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. to pause for some light snacks and a glass of Venice, instituted in 1516. The word of wine at a local bacari, a typical Venetian “ghetto” comes from Venetian dialect, coffee shop. meaning foundry, because originally there were two iron foundries here. You will find This evening is yours to discover one of five synagogues, one of the most beautiful Venice’s excellent restaurants, many spe- restored with funds from Germany. Also cializing in fresh, local seafood. Or, join us here is the oldest continuously functioning for an optional gondola ride with music. You synagogue in Europe. Or you can explore the will be poled through canals by one of the Venice lagoon, or stroll through the halls of city’s many colorful gondoliers. Here, you the Accademia Gallery, housing a remarkable will have a chance to see the Grand Canal, collection of paintings—masterpieces from Venice’s great road of water, lined with the 14th to 18th centuries. You may want many Venetian-Gothic-style palazzi. Your to visit the Peggy Guggenheim Museum, excursion concludes with an included dinner featuring an eclectic private collection of at a local restaurant. works housed in an unfinished 18th-century palazzo. Or you might want to take a va- DAY 2 Venice poretto ride to the island of Lido, containing Venice’s premier beach resort, for a swim in After breakfast, enjoy some time at leisure, the Adriatic. or choose to visit to the islands of Murano and Burano with your Program Director. This evening, enjoy an included dinner back Murano is heart of much of Venice’s famed at your hotel. glass production, while Burano is known best for its whimsical and brightly-painted Breakfast, Dinner homes. Then, the day is yours to further explore the canals and narrow streets of Venice. Visit the Frari Church, home to DAY 4 Venice • Return to U.S. masterpieces by Titian and Bellini, great After breakfast, transfer to the airport for masters of the Northern Italian Renaissance. your flight home.
Spent the rest of the day as you please, with Breakfast lunch and dinner on your own.
Breakfast
DAY 3 Venice This morning, join your Program Director for a discovery walk in the Rialto Markets as well as San Polo, the smallest of Venice’s six districts.
Spend the rest of the day to pursue your own interests in Venice. You can revisit a favorite site in more depth or continue to find new treasures. Discover the Ghetto
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. optional tours on Post-trip
Twilight Gondola Ride (Day 1 $130 per person)
Take part in a quintessentially Venetian experience with an optional gondola ride. You’ll be carried through the waterways of the city guided by an exert gondo- lier—escape the crowds and enjoy a unique perspective of the city’s architecture from its waterways. Your tour will conclude with dinner in one of the city’s tempting restaurants.
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610.