TOUR NAME: FLAVORS OF TUSCANY & THE ENCHANTING CINQUE TERRE TOUR DAYS: 07 DAYS / 06 NIGHTS TOUR TYPE: SMALL GROUP TOUR on SIC basis TOUR DEPARTS: FRIDAYS ROME - MONTEPULCIANO - PIENZA - SIENA - SAN GIMIGNANO - TAVERNELLE CHIANTI AREA - LUCCA - PISA - LA SPEZIA – PORTOVENERE - CINQUE TERRE - CARRARA MARBLE CAVES - ROME TOUR SUMMARY: Discover Rome with an expert guide before continuing to Montepulciano, Pienza and onto Tavernelle and try some of the oldest wines and famous cheeses of the region. Travel to Siena and San Gimignano; a tiny city that has remained intact through the centuries, the journey takes you then to Lucca, where you will visit the enchanting historical center before continuing to Pisa to see its famous leaning tower. Continue to the magnificent Cinque Terre, a Unesco World Heritage Site comprising 5 fishing villages, set amid some of the most dramatic coastal scenery on the planet. Then travel to Carrara and see the impressive Marble quarries carved deep into the mountain and onward to Montecarlo, a lovely city located on the hills around Lucca. TOUR HIGHLIGHTS: • Discover Rome with an expert guide • Visit Montepulciano, famous for producing one of the oldest wines of Italy the “Nobile di” • Explore Pienza, the Renaissance town famous for its Pecorino cheese is also called the “ideal city” • Wander in Siena, with its Piazza dei Miracoli, and the famous 600 years old horse-race called “Il Palio” • Discovery one of the most amazing and enchanting landscape in the World: the Cinque Terre DEPARTURE DATES 2015: April 03, 10, 17, 24 May 01, 08, 15, 22, 29 June 05, 12, 19, 26 July 04, 10, 17, 24, 31 August 07, 14, 21, 28 September 04, 11, 18, 25 October 02, 09, 16, 23 TOUR PRICE: Per person on a twin sharing basis: USD 965 CAD 1160 Single Person Supplement: USD 280 CAD 340 Upgrade to Romanico Palace hotel in Rome for USD 95 / CAD 115 per person in double room TOUR LODGING INFO: 06 Nights Hotel Accommodation will be provided on a twin sharing basis CITY NIGHTS SUPERIOR HOTELS Rome 02 Nights Gioberti / Commodore Siena 02 Nights Garden La Spezia 01 Nights NH La Spezia Rome 01 Nights Gioberti / Commodore 233-11951 Hammersmith Way, Richmond V7A 5H9 BC, Canada Tel 1 604 279 8794 Fax 1 604 608 3421 Call us toll free from any where in North America: 1 866 978 2997 TOUR PACKAGE INCLUDES: - Accommodation at listed hotels or similar - Daily buffet breakfast, 03 dinners - 3 wine and local produce tastings - Services of Professional English/Spanish/French/Italian speaking multilingual guide - Arrival and departure transfers - Ground transportation by deluxe motor coach with air conditioning - Guided walking tour in Rome - Boat trip along the enchanting “Cinque Terre” coast line - Local taxes and service fees - Sightseeing as per itinerary TOUR PACKAGE DOES NOT INCLUDE: - International or domestic air fares - Meals not mentioned as being included - Beverages with meals - Visa fees - Optional tours - Items of personal nature - Travel insurance - Tips & Gratuities TOUR ITINERARY: DAY 01, FRI: ROME Upon arrival at the airport in Rome you will be met by our company representative and transferred to the hotel to get settled in. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure, overnight in Rome. DAY 02, SAT: ROME (B) This morning enjoy breakfast at the hotel and at the arranged time you will enjoy a 3 hrs “Discovering Rome” walking tour. You will be picked up at your hotel at about 9.00am. The tour will start from Largo Argentina and continue to Campo de’ Fiori, Piazza Farnese, Piazza Navona, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and Spanish steps. The rest of the day is for you to explore the city at own leisure. Overnight in Rome DAY 03, SUN: ROME - MONTEPULCIANO - PIENZA - SIENA (B, D) Today enjoy an early breakfast and prepare for pickup between 7:30 – 7:45 am. Meet your multilingual tour leader and start a delightful trip through the rolling hills of the Chianti Region. We will reach the hilltop town of Montepulciano, an ancient village rich of medieval and Renaissance buildings, famous for producing one of the oldest wines of Italy, the “Nobile di Montepulciano”. You will stop for a visit to a wine cellar and experience a tasting of wines and local products like ham, cheese, and salami. Proceed to Pienza, the Renaissance town built under Pope Pius II and also well-known for its pecorino cheese. The tour will proceed to Siena, where you will enjoy a visit of the old city centre. You will be walking along the medieval streets admiring splendid palaces. The sightseeing tour will end in the Piazza del Campo with its spectacular Cathedral. This is one of the most beautiful squares in the world and site of the famous 600 years old horse-race, called “Il Palio”. Tonight dinner will be served at the hotel. Overnight in Siena DAY 04, MON: SIENA - SAN GIMIGNANO - TAVERNELLE- CHIANTI AREA - LUCCA PISA - LA SPEZIA (B, D) After breakfast at the hotel, departure to SAN GIMIGNANO, a tiny city that has remained intact through the centuries; situated on a hilltop and famous for its numerous towers, frescoes and other art treasures. You will then proceed to Tavernelle Val di Pesa located within the Chianti Classico “Gallo Nero” region, where we will make a stop at the farmhouse la tancia to enjoy an excellent wine tasting with light lunch. The tour continues onto Lucca, where you will have free time to have lunch in a local restaurant of your choice and. Our expert tour leader will also take you for a pleasant walk into the enchanting historical centre, where you will admire the Anfiteatro Square, the Guinigi Tower, the San Martino Dome and the typical antique shops. In the early afternoon, you will then proceed to Pisa, upon arrival you will have a walking tour of the Piazza dei Miracoli, with its famous Leaning Tower (exterior visit), The Baptistery (exterior visit) and other beautiful monuments. Proceed to La Spezia for check in and dinner at the hotel. Overnight in Spezia. 233-11951 Hammersmith Way, Richmond V7A 5H9 BC, Canada Tel 1 604 279 8794 Fax 1 604 608 3421 Call us toll free from any where in North America: 1 866 978 2997 DAY 05, TUE: SIENA - SAN GIMIGNANO - TAVERNELLE- CHIANTI AREA - LUCCA PISA - LA SPEZIA (B, D) After breakfast, departure by boat for an unforgettable day dedicated to the discovery of one of the most amazing and enchanting landscape in the World. The five villages, “Cinque Terre” is an area suspended between sea and land, hanging from sheer cliffs surrounded by hills and vineyards. You will enter into a little piece of heaven. By touring the coast line by boat, you will have the possibility to admire this amazing landscape from the seaside*, like you would in a postcard. (*In the event of rough sea, the visit will be done partly by coach and partly by train.) During the tour, the boat will reach Porto Venere and the most important villages. Porto Venere, on the Gulf of Poets, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its picturesque harbor is lined with brightly colored houses, while narrow medieval streets lined with shops lead up the hill from the ancient city gate to the castle. You will be able to stop at Vernazza, Monterosso and visit them at leisure. Caught between two steep terraced hills descending in steep cliffs to the sea, the ancient village of Riomaggiore strikes visitors with its delightfully colored houses built vertically. Continuing to Manarola built on a high rock 70 metres above sea level, is one of the most charming and romantic villages. The tiny harbor features a boat ramp, picturesque multicoloured houses facing the sea, a tiny piazza with seafood restaurants. Corniglia is an ancient Roman village that has a long and rich agricultural tradition. The village is surrounded on three sides by vineyards and terraces. Its architecture is closer to that of a rural inland village than that of a coastal village. Next the small fishing village Vernazza, which is probably the most characteristic of the Cinque Terre and is classified as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. The village is surrounded by very steeply-terraced olive groves which are said to produce among the finest olive oil in the country. And finally Monterosso; the largest of the five coastal villages. Its amazing beaches, its beautiful reefs and the sea’s crystal clear waters, make this small village one of the most hospitable of the Ligurian Riviera. Board the train from Monterosso back to La Spezia in time to enjoy dinner at the hotel. Overnight in La Spezia DAY 06, WED: LA SPEZIA - CARRARA MARBLE CAVES - MONTECARLO DI LUCCA – ROME (B) After breakfast at the hotel, the tour will take you to Carrara for a visit of the impressive marble quarries carved deep into the mountain. This is where Michelangelo took the raw material to create his superb masterpieces. By visiting the quarry museum you will admire ancient tools, some sculptures and the quarryman’s house. Continue to Montecarlo Di Lucca, a lovely town located on the hills around Lucca. This territory is ideal for the production of top quality wine and extra virgin olive oil. We will stop and visit a farmhouse where the owners will have you taste delicious Tuscan food specialities, from olive oil to cheese, from bread to wine and of course pasta, which you will taste with different wines. Proceed to Rome and arrival in the evening, the rest of the evening is at leisure. Overnight in Rome DAY 07, THU: ROME (B) Day of departure, enjoy breakfast at the hotel and proceed with check out formalities before your transfer to the airport for your onwards flight.