Tauck Luxury Escorted Tours – A Week In…Italy Tour 2010
A Week In…Italy Tour
From Rome’s monumental Colosseum to Florence’s architectural masterpieces to medieval hill towns, our one-week Umbria, Lazio and Tuscany tour is filled with special experiences – including Tauck’s exclusive, after-hours visit to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel – a rare opportunity to contemplate the inspirational treasures, without the crowds! Three nights in the heart of Rome set the stage for viewing landmark sights such as the Roman Forum, ornate architectural masterpieces such as St. Peter’s and preserved ancient hill towns dotting the countryside like Siena, Perugia, Assisi and Orvieto. And art historians and local guides provide the inside story behind Florence’s art masterpieces, before your guided visit to the Uffizi Gallery.
Itinerary
| Day 1 | Ciao bella RomaYour one-week Umbria and Tuscany tour begins at 6:00 PM at the Hotel Majestic Roma. A transfer is included from Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci Airport in Fiumicino to Hotel Majestic Roma. You’ll understand why Rome is called the Eternal City from the first moment you arrive – past and present blend together effortlessly at every view. Get to know your fellow travelers this evening at a welcome cocktail reception and dinner.
Meals: Dinner Lodging: Hotel Majestic Roma, Rome, Italy |
| Day 2 | Rome and Tauck’s exclusive after-hours visit to the Vatican MuseumsTake a walking tour of Rome, accompanied by a local guide, then spend some free time as you please before a special visit to the Vatican. Tauck has arranged for an after-hours guided visit to the Vatican Museums, including the Candelabra Gallery, the Map Gallery, and the Tapestries, as well as the Sistine Chapel (day of the tour may vary). This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the treasures of the Vatican without the crowds – where discoveries include the fact that the floor of the Sistine Chapel is almost as amazing as the ceiling! You’ll view Michelangelo’s frescoes of The Last Judgment on the altar, and of course Genesis on the ceiling. There’s a good chance that today will be one of the most memorable days on this Florence, Rome, Umbria and Tuscany tour.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch Lodging: Hotel Majestic Roma, Rome, Italy |
| Day 3 | A day well spent in the Eternal CityFirst up is a view of the Roman Forum (from above), and a tour of the Colosseum, which opened in 80 AD for gladiator battles. You’ll also view the art and architecture of amazing St. Peter’s Basilica, and visit St. Peter’s Square. The remainder of the day is clear to pursue whatever interests you most in glorious Rome.
Meals: Breakfast Lodging: Hotel Majestic Roma, Rome, Italy |
| Day 4 | A little taste of the country life in UmbriaTravel north to Orvieto, set on a 984-foot plateau overlooking vineyards below; enjoy a guided visit to the town’s 14th-century Duomo, one of Italy’s most renowned Romanesque-Gothic cathedrals, built over a span of 300 years. After time to explore and have lunch on your own in Orvieto, hit Tauck’s Yellow Roads once again for a journey to Perugia, capital of Umbria. Your home for the next two nights is a luxury hilltop hotel overlooking the Umbrian valley below, boasting some of the most remarkable views in the region.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner Lodging: Hotel Brufani Palace, Perugia, Italy |
| Day 5 | Medieval musings in AssisiEmbark on an excursion to hilltop Assisi, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its art and architecture, and renowned as the home town of St. Francis, the beloved patron saint of animals. A highlight is the Basilica di San Francesco, built by St. Francis’ followers and the saint’s final resting place; a local expert shares insights on the Basilica’s 13th- and 14th-century frescoes during your tour. Take some time to stroll the cobblestone lanes on your own, then attend a wine tasting and lunch at the osteria of a famed winery before you return to Perugia, a city that has been ruled by the Etruscans and the Romans, and was once under direct control of the Papal State. Enjoy the pleasures of small-town Italian life this evening!
Meals: Breakfast, lunch Lodging: Hotel Brufani Palace, Perugia, Italy |
| Day 6 | In the heart of Tuscany tour SienaTraverse Tuscany’s lush landscapes to Siena and visit its black-and-white Duomo, one of Italy’s great cathedrals, with scenes inlaid in the marble floors and sculpture by Michelangelo. See the Piazza del Campo where the famous Palio bareback horse race is held, before continuing on to Florence. Your first stop in the “birthplace of the Renaissance” is the Galleria dell’Accademia, where you’ll feast your eyes on acclaimed works of art including Michelangelo’s marble statue of David. In the evening, a lecture by a local art historian helps you better appreciate the incredible artwork you’ll see throughout the city.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner Lodging: Bernini Palace Hotel, Florence, Italy |
| Day 7 | A local expert talks art and architecture in FlorenceWalk among some of Florence’s landmark sights with a local expert, prior to a tour of the Uffizi Gallery, the world’s oldest art gallery and one of Europe’s greatest art museums. Gaze in wonder at works by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli, and more. The rest of the day is free in Florence to explore this showpiece city of the Renaissance as you please. Join us this evening to share favorite moments of the week at a farewell cocktail reception and dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner Lodging: Bernini Palace Hotel, Florence, Italy |
| Day 8 | Arrivederci ItalyTauck’s Umbria and Tuscany tour ends in Florence. Fly home anytime; a transfer is included from the Bernini Palace Hotel to Aeorporto di Firenze. You should allow 2 1/2 hours for flight check-in.
Meals: Breakfast |
Price Guide
8 Days from $2,990
| 2010 Price per Person | Double | Single | Triple |
| April | $2990 | $4075 | $2927 |
| May – June | $3195 | $4280 | $3132 |
| July – August | $3090 | $4175 | $3027 |
| September – October 24 | $3290 | $4375 | $3227 |
| October 25 – 31 | $3090 | $4175 | $3027 |
All prices are per person in U.S. dollars.
About The Tauck Luxury Escorted Tours Experience