Grand Tour of Italy Extended
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EXTENDED GRAND TOUR OF ITALY if payment by credit card if payment by cash/check *Rates are for payment by cash/check. See reservation form for credit card prices. Rates are per person, twin occupancy, and INCLUDE $550 in air taxes, fees, and fuel surcharges (subject to change). Subject to air confirmation. OUR GRAND TOUR OF ITALY ITINERARY: DAY 1 – BOSTON~FLORENCE: Depart Boston’s Logan Airport aboard our transatlantic flight to Florence (via intermediate city) with meal and beverage service, as well as stereo headsets, while in flight. DAY 2 – FLORENCE~MONTECATINI: “Benvenuti in Italia!” Upon arrival at the Florence Airport we will be met by our Tour Escort who will assist with our transfer. We enjoy a scenic morning drive to Montecatini. We check in at four-star Grand Hotel Vittoria (or similar). The remainder of the day is at leisure. This evening, we will gather for a “Welcome Dinner” and orientation meeting at our hotel. Overnight. (D) Hotel website: https://www.ghvittoria.com/ DAY 3 – FLORENCE: Breakfast at our hotel. Today we will make the short drive to Florence for a full-day guided sightseeing tour of Florence including a walking tour of the historic city center to see the stirring sights of Florence including: Giotto's Bell Tower, Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise, Brunelleschi's Dome, Signoria Square, and Ponte Vecchio. Memorably, we will visit the famous Academia Museum, site of Michelangelo’s monumental statue – The David. Dinner on own and overnight at our hotel. (B) DAY 4 - VENICE: After breakfast at our hotel, we depart for the great canal-lined city of Venice. We’ll enjoy the morning at leisure and after lunch (on your own) we will enjoy a gondola ride. The remainder of the afternoon is free for exploring and shopping-and-browsing. Late dinner upon our return to the hotel in Montecatini. Overnight. (B, D) DAY 5 – SIENA & SAN GIMIGNANO: Breakfast at our hotel. Following this, we depart for Siena. We will drive southwest through the heart of Italian wine country, over the rolling hills of Chianti. Once in Siena, our escort will lead us to Piazza del Campo, through the narrow streets, past medieval towers and walls. One of the notable highlights of Siena is San Domenico, which holds the relics of St. Catherine. This afternoon, we will enjoy light lunch and wine & oil tasting at Tenuta Torciano. We will next visit San Gimignano, often described as “The most famous small town in Italy.” This charming medieval hilltop town is noted for its many towers and its breathtaking views of the Tuscan landscape. Dinner on own. Overnight at our hotel in Montecatini (B, L) DAY 6 - MONTECATINI: After breakfast at the hotel, the rest of the day is at leisure to enjoy the wonderful spa town of Montecatini. Enjoy the shopping and dining in this favorite town of Europe’s elites. Perhaps visit the Terme for a treatment, or take the tram to Montecatini Alto. Montecatini is also on a train line which goes to Viareggio on the coast and Florence in the other direction, if you desire more time in that beautiful city. Add a possible tour to Lucca and Pisa (at your own expense). Lunch and dinner are on your own this evening. (B) DAY 7 – MONTECATINI~ASSISI~ROME: Breakfast and hotel check out. Depart for Rome, with a stop in Assisi to view St. Francis' Cathedral and have some free time to browse the city. Upon arrival in Rome - "The Eternal City", we will check in at the first-class Grand Hotel Palatino (or similar) - There will be time to rest, relax, shop, and freshen up. Dinner on their own. Overnight. (B) Hotel website: http://www.hotelpalatinoroma.com/rome-hotel/hotels-rome-italy.html DAY 8 – ANCIENT & MODERN ROME: Breakfast at our hotel, followed by day-long city sightseeing tour. In the morning, we will have our “Ancient Rome” guided tour, featuring the most famous monuments and sites of Ancient Rome, and in the afternoon, following time for lunch on your own, we’ll meet up for a tour of Modern Rome. By the time our day winds to a close, we will have seen the Colosseum (outside), the Pantheon, the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, and so much more! Dinner on own and back to our hotel for overnight. (B) DAY 9 – VATICAN CITY: After breakfast, we will visit the St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Museums, and the Sistine Chapel. Raise your eyes to see Michelangelo's 'Creation' and the famous 'Last Judgment'. Lunch is on our own. The afternoon is at leisure for shopping-and-browsing or exploring on our own. Dinner on own and back to our hotel for overnight. (B) DAY 10 – ROME~POMPEII~SORRENTO: Following breakfast and hotel check out, we say goodbye to Rome! Heading south, we will stop for a guided tour of Pompeii, destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. and, today, the some of the best-preserved ruins of Roman times. From here, continue on for lunch and a mozzarella making demonstration at Marciano Farm. Arriving in Sorrento, we will check in at the four-star Hotel Michelangelo. The remainder of the day is at leisure. Dinner and overnight at our hotel. (B, L, D) Hotel website: www.michelangelohotel.it DAY 11 – THE ISLE OF CAPRI: Today we will visit the beautiful Isle of Capri! Our excursion begins with a ferry ride across the Bay of Naples to Capri. We’ll have a transfer from the port up to the main town, and a guided sightseeing tour of Capri with its chic shops, hotels, and restaurants lying along winding streets. The main square, Piazza Umberto, has a pretty white church and several open-air cafes where we can sit and watch the world go by. Afternoon return to Sorrento, by ferry, for some free time to shop or explore on our own. Dinner on own and overnight at our hotel in Sorrento. (B) DAY 12 – THE AMALFI COAST & POSITANO: After breakfast at the hotel, we will be taken on an excursion along a portion of one of the most scenic roads in the world –The Amalfi Drive! We will stop in Positano, one of Italy’s most famous and elegant resorts. We will spend the remainder of the day at leisure in Positano. Lunch on our own. Return to Sorrento for dinner on own and overnight. (B) DAY 13 - DAY AT LEISURE: Breakfast at the hotel, with the rest of the day free to enjoy Sorrento and the surrounding area. Optional tours to the Palace of Caserta & Ravello are available this day (at an additional expense). Naples is just a train ride away, and the Isle of Ischia is just a ferry ride away. See hotel for more information. Lunch and dinner are on our own. (B) DAY 14 –NAPLES~BOSTON: After breakfast and hotel check-out, transfer to Naples Airport to board our flight to Boston (via intermediate city) with meal and beverage service, as well as stereo headsets, while in flight. (B) OUR GRAND TOUR OF ITALY TOUR INCLUDES: Round-trip transatlantic flights Boston-Intermediate City-Florence and Naples-Intermediate City-Boston with meal and beverage service, as well as stereo headsets, available in flight. The identity of the carrier, which may include the carrier’s code-share partner, will be assigned and disclosed at a later date. All transfers and sightseeing aboard a private, deluxe, temperature-controlled motorcoach. 12-nights’ accommodations in the hotels described in the itinerary, based on twin occupancy. The single supplement is an additional $738 per single. Limited availability – may be unavailable or subject to surcharge. Triples available at twin rate. Breakfast (B) each morning as well as 2 lunches (L) and 2 dinners (D). Comprehensive sightseeing package as described in the itinerary, including entrance fees, where applicable. Professional Tour Escort, who will accompany our group throughout the tour. English-speaking tour guides, where required. All room and meal taxes and gratuities to bellmen. A small per-night city tax may have to be paid directly to the hotel. Complimentary Durgan Travel travel accessory and complete packet of travel documentation. EARLY BOOKING INCENTIVE: RESERVE YOUR PLACE(S) WITH JUST A $25 PER PERSON DEPOSIT (NORMALLY $450) IF BOOKED BY APRIL 8, 2020! We will hold your place on the tour with just a $25 per person deposit (with only $10 of that nonrefundable in the event of cancellation) instead of the normal $450, and will bill you for the remainder of your full deposit five months prior to departure. Upon receipt of the remainder of the full deposit, standard cancellation penalties will apply and we will book the nonrefundable insurance for you at that time (if selected). If initial deposit is made after the date above, simply pay the full per person deposit up front. TRIP DEVIATIONS: Any request for tour deviation will be subject to availability at the time of booking. The maximum extension permitted is 10 - 14 days, depending on the airline. A deviation form, along with the surcharge fee of $150 (additional $100 for land arrangements), must be submitted at the time of initial payment, but will be accepted up to 90 days prior to departure. After processing, the request, any additional deviation expenses (car rental, train, hotel, etc.) must be paid, in full, to the Retail Department of Durgan Travel at the time of reservation. Download form from www.durgantravel.com or contact Durgan Travel at Toll Free 1-800-234-9959 to request a deviation form. RESPONSIBILITY: Durgan Travel and their agents, in accepting bookings for this tour, clearly stipulate that they are not liable for faults or defaults of other companies and persons that may be used in the carrying-out of the tour services, also for accidents, baggage losses, delays, or cancellations, strikes, political unrest, riots, and acts of God and war, and changes in schedules.