Day
1
| USA-Rome
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AB:
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Full American Breakfast
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B:
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Breakfast at hotel or on cruise
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D :
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Dinner at Local Restaurant
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DH:
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International Buffet Dinner at Hotel
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Start our Italy Experience tour by boarding an international flight bound for
Rome. The jetliner traverses multiple time zones as it fl ies over the Atlantic
Ocean. Spend the night aboard.
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Day
2
| Arrive-Rome
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AB:
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Full American Breakfast
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B:
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Breakfast at hotel or on cruise
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D :
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Dinner at Local Restaurant
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DH:
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International Buffet Dinner at Hotel
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The jetliner touches down in Rome, the longtime capital of Italy. Local legend
tells the story that Rome was founded by the twins Romulus and Remus in 753
BC and eventually developed into the capital of the Roman Kingdom, Roman
Republic, and finally the Roman Empire. In Rome, one feels the effortless
blending of ancient architecture and cosmopolitan grace. A wondrous city of
great cultural and political significance, Rome is one of the most-visited cities
in the world. After baggage retrieval and clearing customs, we meet the Ritz
Tours guide and transfer to the hotel.
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Day
3
| Rome-Bologna-Venice
(B,DH)
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AB:
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Full American Breakfast
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B:
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Breakfast at hotel or on cruise
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D :
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Dinner at Local Restaurant
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DH:
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International Buffet Dinner at Hotel
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After breakfast, the group boards the motorcoach and we begin the trip up north
to Venice. The leisurely drive through the rural regions of Italy will take us first
to Bologna, an important transportation hub in northern Italy. Here we stop to
visit Bologna s historic city center which contains numerous Medieval,
Renaissance, and Baroque artistic monuments. Continue onwards to Venice,
where we overnight and enjoy our dinner at Crowne Plaza Padova.
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Day
4
| Venice
(B)
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AB:
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Full American Breakfast
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B:
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Breakfast at hotel or on cruise
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D :
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Dinner at Local Restaurant
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DH:
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International Buffet Dinner at Hotel
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Venice could quite possibly be the most enchanting city in all of Italy. With a population
of 272,000, Venice is spread out over 118 small islands. During the Middle Ages and the
Renaissance, the Venetian Republic existed as a major maritime power and an important
center of commerce. Our sightseeing tour of Venice includes St. Mark s Basilica, the magical
Piazza St. Marco, and the Bridge of Sighs. Here in the water town of Venice, optional
gondola rides afford us an unforgettable way to traverse Grand Canal. Also included in
today s itinerary is a glassblowing demonstration performed by a skilled Venetian artisan.
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Day
5
| Venice-Verona-Pisa
(B,DH)
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AB:
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Full American Breakfast
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B:
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Breakfast at hotel or on cruise
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D :
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Dinner at Local Restaurant
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DH:
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International Buffet Dinner at Hotel
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This morning after breakfast we board the motorcoach as it travels southwards to
Verona, a historic city in northern Italy that serves as provincial capital for Veneto.
A city orientation tour takes us around this town fi lled with medieval architecture.
Verona is perhaps most famous for being the setting for Shakespeare s famous play
“Romeo and Juliet.” The motorcoach continues south to Pisa, where we overnight.
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Day
6
| Pisa-Florence-Pisa
(B)
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AB:
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Full American Breakfast
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B:
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Breakfast at hotel or on cruise
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D :
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Dinner at Local Restaurant
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DH:
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International Buffet Dinner at Hotel
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Florence is the capital of the Tuscany region. Lying on the Arno River, it was once the
capital of Italy and was the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. Florence is a city of
such cultural and historic importance that the entire city was designated a World
Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO. Some of the famous names that called Florence
home included Michelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, Galileo, Dante, and Machiavelli.
A walking tour of the city shows us the most famous landmarks: the Duomo, the
Bronze Doors of the Baptistry called the “Door of Paradise,” the 13th Century Santa
Croce Basilica, and Signoria Square. We also visit the Academy Gallery. Board the
motorcoach in the afternoon for an excursion to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
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Day
7
| Pisa-Sienna-Assisi
(B,DH)
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AB:
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Full American Breakfast
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B:
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Breakfast at hotel or on cruise
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D :
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Dinner at Local Restaurant
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DH:
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International Buffet Dinner at Hotel
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We depart Florence this morning headed for Assisi. Enroute, we stop at the 11th century
town of Sienna. A city orientation tour takes us past the Duomo and the town square.
Continue onwards to Assisi, the famed birthplace of St. Francis. Upon arrival at
Assisi, the city orientation tour will take the group to the St. Francis Basilica, an
UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. Overnight in Perugia at the Arte Hotel.
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Day
8
| Assisi-Pompeii-Sorrento
(B,DH)
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AB:
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Full American Breakfast
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B:
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Breakfast at hotel or on cruise
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D :
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Dinner at Local Restaurant
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DH:
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International Buffet Dinner at Hotel
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Pompeii was a Roman town that was completely buried by the 79 AD eruption of
Mt. Vesuvius. For two days, ash rained down upon the town, killing the inhabitants
while perfectly preserving it for some 1700 years until Pompeii was rediscovered.
We take a guided tour of the Ruins at Pompeii. Afterwards, continue on to Sorrento,
a town with lemon groves, beautiful beaches and numerous cafes.
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Day
9
| Sorrento-Capri-Sorrento
(B)
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AB:
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Full American Breakfast
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B:
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Breakfast at hotel or on cruise
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D :
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Dinner at Local Restaurant
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DH:
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International Buffet Dinner at Hotel
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The highlight of today s tour is a visit by ferry (or hydrofoil) to Capri, the most
popular resort island outside the Gulf of Naples. As our ferry arrives at Marina
Grande, the sightseeing tour begins. The local guide takes our group on an
orientation tour of Capri, including a visit to the Villa San Michele in Anacapri.
Return by ferry back to Sorrento.
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Day
10
| Sorrent-Amalfi Coast-Rome
(B)
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AB:
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Full American Breakfast
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B:
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Breakfast at hotel or on cruise
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D :
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Dinner at Local Restaurant
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DH:
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International Buffet Dinner at Hotel
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Depart Sorrento this morning for a drive along the Amalfi Coast. Renowned for
its rugged terrain, scenic beauty, picturesque towns and diversity, the Amalfi
Coast is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. We will stop at the towns
of Positano and Amalfi before continuing onwards to Rome.
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Day
11
| Rome
(B,D )
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AB:
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Full American Breakfast
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B:
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Breakfast at hotel or on cruise
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D :
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Dinner at Local Restaurant
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DH:
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International Buffet Dinner at Hotel
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Back in Rome, today we take the entire day to explore the city. Italy s largest and
most expansive city, Rome has a population of 2.7 million. Located within its
borders is the state of the Vatican City, home of the Pope. We first journey to the
Vatican where our local guide takes us to visit the Vatican Museum, St. Peter s
Square, and St. Peter s Basilica. We next go to the eternal Colosseum, and the
Roman Forum. In the evening, our group will have a farewell dinner.
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Day
12
| Rome-USA
(B)
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AB:
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Full American Breakfast
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B:
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Breakfast at hotel or on cruise
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D :
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Dinner at Local Restaurant
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DH:
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International Buffet Dinner at Hotel
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Our visit to Italy is over all too soon as we check out and transfer to the airport to catch
the homebound international fl ight. Re-cross the Atlantic Ocean to arrive back home.
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