Fantasia All Italy

Day 1 Rome, Assisi, Siena, Florence
Departing at 7:15am 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 well‐earned night of rest.  

Day 2 Florence  
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 Florence, Bologna, Padua, 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 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 Venice, Montepulciano (Tuscany wine region), Rome
Once you eat breakfast, depart from Piazzale Roma to Tuscany, known for  its romantic churches and castles and its infamous 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 pur‐ chased 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. That evening, you will check in to your new hotel in  Rome.  

Day 6 Rome  
Between 7:45 ‐ 8:00 am, after breakfast depart from the hotel and Take the  tour of the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peters’s Basilica and  jump the queue! No stress to reach the area: upon arrival, your guide will  lead you into the museums where you’ll visit one of the most important art 
collection of the world. Admire the beautiful spiral stairway, the gallery of  tapestries and geographical maps, before arriving at the famous Sistine  Chapel. The tour includes the visit of St. Peters’s Basilica. Explore the rest of  the city at your own leisure until you decide that you can’t do any more  walking. Return to the hotel to give your feet some rest.  

Day 7 Rome
Be sure to eat breakfast at your hotel before spending the day exploring  Rome on your own or during an independent day excursion. Return to the  hotel for your last overnight in Rome.  

Day 8 Rome, Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento  
After breakfast at your hotel, a coach bus will depart at 7:00am, taking the  highway “of the sun”through the regions of Lazio and Campania, where you  will see a picturesque view of the abbey of Montecassino. Upon arriving in  Naples, you will go on a short panoramic walking tour, seeing si‐ tes such as  the Mergellina neighborhood, castel dell’ovo, Plebiscito square, the Royal  palace, Maschio Angioino, and the port. Have lunch in a restaurant en  route to Pompeii and then visit the excavations of the famous roman city,  des‐ troyed by the eruption of mount Vesuvius in 79 a.D. Leaving Pompeii,  you will drive along the Sorrentine coast, arriving in Sorrento for dinner and  an overnight in your new hotel  

Day 9 Sorrento, Capri, Sorrento
 Board a boat for the island of Capri after breakfast. Depending on weather  and sea conditions, you will enter the infamous blue grotta in a small  rowboat. After, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and then roam the island  at your own pace. Return to the mainland for dinner and your last  overnight in Sorrento.  

Day 10 Sorrento, Palermo (Overnight On Ferry Boat)
Spend a leisurely morning eating breakfast at your hotel and then exploring  Sorrento. That afternoon, depart for Naples harbor, where you will board  the Tirrenia/Snav ferry to Palermo. Let the waves rock you to sleep. Please  note, dinner and breakfast are not included on the boat  

Day 11 Palermo
Arrive in Palermo and make your own way to your hotel. That night, have  dinner in the hotel and rest up for the adventure that lies ahead.  

Day 12 Palermo
Relax over breakfast, and then head out on a morning excursion to  Monreale an ancient royal town famous for its almonds, olive oil and citrus  fruits, as well as its fine Norman architecture. Visit the elaborate Cathedral  of Monreale or perhaps shop for local produce to take home. Back to  Palermo and continue with a walking tour of the city. Wander the streets of  the Old Town, hearing tales of Palermo’s 3,000‐year history and discovering  attractions like Palermo Cathedral. Walk inside the impressive looking place  of worship and marvel at its arches, cupolas and mosaics – amassed from  each of the city’s successive rulers. Enjoy free time in the late afternoon  and return to your hotel for dinner. Overnight.  

Day 13 Palermo, Erice, Marsala, Agrigento
Rise early for breakfast and departure to Erice, a medieval village stacked  into the side of Monte San Giuliano. Many say that little has changed in the  village since the sixth century, and its labyrinth‐like twist of lanes make for  a pleasant morning amble. Continue to Marsala, a pretty coastal town on  the westernmost point of Sicily. Explore at leisure, perhaps shopping for a  bottle of local Marsala dessert wine to take home. Return to your coach  and travel south, passing Mazara del Vallo – the closest Sicilian city to Africa  – before stopping in the town of Agrigento, your final destination of the  day. Visit Ancient Greek monuments and ruins at the Valley of  Temples(admission included), a UNESCO World Heritage site, and learn  about archeological relics like the Classical Temple of Concord the Temple  of Hercules, and the Temple of Jupiter, one of the largest Doric‐style  buildings. Check in to your hotel in the evening. Dinner and overnight.  

Day 14 Agrigento, Noto, Siracusa, Taormina (Giardini Naxos)