5 Days Italy Fantasia Tour

Tour Overview

5 Days Italy Fantasia Tour

DAY 1 Monday

ROME / ASSISI / SIENA / FLORENCE

Departing at 7:15 am from the hotel Massimo D’Azeglio by a deluxe coach, you will arrive in Assisi, where you can explore this tiny town, surrounded by walls built in the middle ages, at your own leisure. Make time to visit the basilica of St. Francis, where you will see masterpieces by Giotto and Ciambue, and to have lunch (not included). Board the bus for Siena, a medieval town surrounded by ancient walls that is known for the Palio, an annual summertime horse race around the shell-shaped town square, Piazza del Campo. Next, you will continue on to Florence, where you will check in to your hotel before enjoying dinner and a wellearned night of rest. 

DAY 2 Tuesday

FLORENCE (PISA)

After breakfast, you will spend the day venturing around beautiful Florence, the “cradle of renaissance, where, with the help of Michelangelo, italian art reached its pinnacle. Based on etruscan-roman origins, the city flourished in the middle ages as a free “comune” and was further refined by the renaissance. You will be fascinated by its numerous monuments, churches, and buildings, as Santa Maria del Fiore, more commonly referred to as the Duomo. On your visit, you will be amazed by its magnificent dome built by Filippo Brunelleschi. Cross a small piazza to see the campanile tower (partly designed by Giotto) and the baptistery, with its bronze doors that Michelangelo dubbed the “gates of paradise.” In the heart of the city, you will see Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo della Signoria (also known as Palazzo Vecchio), and the basilica of Santa Croce. Lunch in a typical Tuscany restaurant in Santa Croce square. Spend the afternoon strolling the cobblestone streets of Florence on your own or take a short trip to Pisa (optional), one of the four main historical marine republics of Italy. There, you will tour the square of miracles, which houses the Duomo, the leaning tower, and the baptistery. Overnight stay.

DAY 3 Wednesday

FLORENCE / BOLOGNA / PADOVA / VENICE

Depart for Bologna after breakfast in Florence. There, you will wander through the city’s 38 kilometers worth of elegant arcades (or porticos), for which Bologna is famous. From Piazza Malpighi, we will walk to Piazza del Nettuno and Piazza Maggiore (Neptune square and Major square) in the heart of the city, where you will find Neptune fountain; King Renzo Palace; Podestà Palace; and the basilica of San Petronio, one of the biggest in the world. In the afternoon, continue toward Padova, with its original Sant’Antonio basilica. Later, you will arrive in Venice, world-renowned for its classic gondola boats and its elegant, refined art. Check in to your hotel and enjoy your first venetian dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 4 Thursday

VENICE

Hit the water after breakfast as you board a private water bus to enjoy St. Mark’s square, interior visit of the splendid cathedral, the Dogi palace, a symbol of the glory and authority of Venice as it housed the seat of the government and the court of justice. Nearby you will see the legendary bridge of sight. Spend the afternoon roaming along Venice’s canals at your leisure and then return to the hotel for dinner and relaxation.

DAY 5 Friday

VENICE / REGION OF CHIANTI - MONTEPULCIANO / TUSCANY / ROME

Once you eat breakfast, depart from Piazzale Roma to Tuscany, known for its romantic churches and castles and its delicious wines. You will proceed to val di chiana with a stop in Montepulciano, a medieval town rich with history and art. Known for its “nobile” wine, which can be purchased in wine houses in town, Montepulciano is also the host of an annual jazz and wine festival every July. Spend the afternoon getting to know Montepulciano at your own pace, free wine tasting in many shops and free time for shopping. In the evening, you will arrive in Rome, where the tour will conclude.

Dates & Rates

* All prices in USD

Inclusions

The Tour includes:

• Transportation by deluxe motorcoach

• Accommodation in hotels in 4* Hotels

• Meals as per itinerary

• Monolingual tour-escort in English

• Entrance to the St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice with “skip the line” (when included in the itinerary)

• Visits with local expert guide as per itinerary (Rome, Florence, Venice, Sorrento, Capri)

Tour operated in English and Spanish from Nov-Mar.

English Only from Apr-Oct.

Hotels 4 star:

• Venice: Delfino (Mestre)
• Florence: Hotel Mediterraneo or similar

Hotels can be substitued with others based on availability

RATES DESCRIBED ABOVE ARE INTENDED PER PERSON SHARING A DOUBLE OR TRIPLE OCCUPANCY ROOM OR IN SINGLE OCCUPANCY ROOM

****OPTIONAL TOURS TO BE PURCHASED LOCALLY****

SUNDAY - Florentine museum – Academy Gallery – guided tour - Lasting time 1h45m

A chance to see the art of Michelangelo : The Four Slaves or Prisoners, St. Matthew, The Pietà from Palestrina example of unfinished work and the famous David . Basically a statuary museum displaying some precious pieces of Renaissance Art.

SUNDAY - Pisa - Lasting time 5 hours

Guided tour to the magnificent Miracle Square with its remarkable Leaning Tower( exterior ), the Baptistry ( interior ) , the Cathedral ( interior ) built in memory of S. John Ranieri patron saint of the city, and an impressive example of pisan-romanic art decorated all over with white marble from Massa Carrara.

MONDAY - Venice by night - lasting time 2h30 – with your tour guide Focused on St. Mark Sq. with its stunning monuments and elegant bars with orquestra podium

TUESDAY - Venice – Gondola ride – Lasting time 35min.

A tipical way of tasting the city by riding along its canals with friendsand two venecian musicians singing and playing the accordion. Each gondola is for six people. The tour ends at the departure point.

** PRICES**

PISA €40

FLORENTINE MUSEUM € 30

VENICE BY NIGHT €20 GONDOLA € 35

--------------------------------------------------------------

Information:

- All optional tours are required a minimun number of participants.

- Prices shown above are per person and includes: transportation, entrance fee and local guide at the Pisa and Academy Gallery Museum.

- For any other optional tour you may wish please contact with your tour director

- Booking and payment by your tour escort ( no credit cards )

- Reduction for children under 12 years old.

--------------------------------------------------------------

**VATICAN TOUR AND ANCIENT ROME TOUR (COLOSSEUM AND ROMAN FORUM) TO BE PURCHASED IN ADVANCE FROM THE USA

** VATICAN $93 Per person

ANCIENT ROME $82 Per person

PICK UP AND DROP OFF AT/NEAR HOTEL AVAILABLE