Tauck Luxury Escorted Tours – Classic Italy Tour 2010
Classic Italy Tour
Discover Bella Italia on Tauck’s most comprehensive Italy tour, in the country, on visits to scenic Tuscan hill towns, in centuries-old cities and countryside villages, and along the Amalfi Coast. Classic Italy is highlighted by a Tauck Exclusive – an after-hours guided visit to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel for an extraordinary look at some of the world’s most magnificent art treasures, without the crowds! Experience the rich history of the Vatican and the Roman Empire. Art is the focus in the beautiful city of Florence, a Tauck Italy tour highlight. A lecture by an art historian precedes a walking tour of the city and a visit to Galleria dell’Accademia. You’ll also tour the magnificent Uffizi Gallery, accompanied by a local guide. Cruise by private boat along the shores of Cinque Terre villages clinging to coastal mountains, and stay at a 17th-century country house hotel in Torgiano where you’ll share the secrets of great Italian cooking with an Umbrian chef. Historic sights in Pompeii, a two-night stay in magical Venice, and visits to the hill towns of Orvieto, Assisi, and San Gimignano complement a three-night stay in Rome.
Itinerary
| Day 1 | Arrive in Naples and head to SorrentoTauck’s comprehensive Italy tour begins at 6:00 PM at Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria. A transfer is included from Naples International Airport to Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria. Tauck’s Classic Italy tour begins in the southern resort town of Sorrento, where your hotel overlooks the beautiful Bay of Naples and powerful Mt. Vesuvius. Get to know your fellow travelers at a welcome cocktail reception and dinner.
Meals: Dinner Lodging: Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria, Sorrento, Italy |
| Day 2 | Amalfi Coast drive – a southern Italy tour highlightDrive along the Amalfi Coast, one of Europe’s most dramatic shorelines. Stop for visits in Amalfi with some houses dating to the 10th century, and Ravello, perched on towering cliffs above the sea. Explore Sorrento’s piazzas as you please upon your afternoon return.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch Lodging: Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria, Sorrento, Italy |
| Day 3 | Explore Pompeii, then on to the Eternal City of RomeYour Tauck Italy tour next explores the excavated ruins of Pompeii, buried in volcanic ash when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. Walk through city streets with a local expert, where you’ll discover remarkably preserved ancient architecture. The next three nights are spent at The Westin Excelsior, Rome, one of the most prestigious addresses on the famed Via Veneto.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner Lodging: The Westin Excelsior, Rome, Italy |
| Day 4 | Tauck Exclusive – Private after-hours Vatican Museums visitSightseeing in Rome is highlighted by a special Tauck Exclusive – an after-hours guided visit to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel (day of the tour may vary). This after-hours visit means you’ll avoid the long lines and the usual crowds found earlier in the day. The experience is rich when you explore the treasures in the Vatican Museums at your own pace; see the Candelabra Gallery, Map Gallery, and the Tapestries. In the Sistine Chapel, gaze in amazement at Michelangelo’s masterpiece ceiling – and be able to contemplate all that you see in quieter surroundings. This is certain to one of the most memorable days on your Italy tour, one that you’ll remember forever.
Meals: Breakfast Lodging: The Westin Excelsior, Rome, Italy |
| Day 5 | A day in Rome of the CaesarsA sightseeing excursion begins the day. In Rome, first capital of ancient Italy tour the Colosseum; see Circus Maximus, the 4th-century BC stadium where chariot races were held, and the ruins of the Imperial Palace. View the Roman Forum from above, then return to the microstate of Vatican City for a tour of St. Peter’s Basilica to view the art and architecture, and explore St. Peter’s Square. Pursue your own passions in Rome during the afternoon. You’ll get a real taste of Italian cuisine this evening when you dine at a traditional restaurant.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner Lodging: The Westin Excelsior, Roma, Italy |
| Day 6 | Your Italy tour continues with a Duomo and a wine tastingJourney to Orvieto, set on a 984-foot plateau overlooking vineyards below. Visit the Duomo of Orvieto, a notable Romanesque-Gothic cathedral built over a span of 300 years. After a trattoria lunch near the Piazza del Duomo, continue through the wine-producing regions of Umbria. Arrive in Torgiano, a small village in the Tiber Valley. Hotel Le Tre Vaselle, your home for the next two nights, is a 17th-century country house hotel with its own private vineyard – an opportunity to experience Italy’s privileged country life. Tonight you’ll attend a wine tasting and sample the vineyard’s grapes in the wine museum / osteria.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner Lodging: Hotel Le Tre Vaselle, Torgiano, Italy |
| Day 7 | Step back in time in medieval Assisi – and a chef “shares”Drive to Assisi, a well-preserved medieval town designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its art and architecture. Visit the Basilica di San Francesco, the burial place of St. Francis, the beloved patron saint of animals. Gaze at the impressive 13th- and 14th-century frescoes, some of Italy’s finest, and enjoy some free time in the center of town. This evening, you’ll discover the secrets of great Italian cuisine from an Umbrian chef who shares insights into the nuances of Italian cooking at a demonstration. This special Tauck Italy tour highlight is truly memorable!
Meals: Breakfast, dinner Lodging: Hotel Le Tre Vaselle, Torgiano, Italy |
| Day 8 | Traces of Italy’s medieval daysIn the hilltop town of San Gimignano, see 13 medieval towers that were built in the 12th century by the nobility as both private fortresses and symbols of wealth. Stroll along the narrow streets and visit Piazza della Cisterna, one of Italy’s most picturesque town squares. Continue your travels through lush Tuscan landscapes to the seaside resort town of Viareggio, where you’ll dine à la carte this evening.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner Lodging: Grand Hotel Principe di Piemonte, Viareggio, Italy |
| Day 9 | Cinque Terre storybook villagesVisit Cinque Terre, accessible only by sea for hundreds of years. Journey by train through the mountains to one of the villages for a look at daily life in this remote part of Italy. You’ll have time to yourself to wander through the town’s cobblestone streets, where you’ll experience daily life – from colorful fishing boats home from the sea to the wine, olives and citrus fruit produced locally. Cruise along the Mediterranean shores of the Italian Riviera aboard a private boat – views of these centuries-old villages, set on rocky bluffs hemmed in by steep cliffs, are a knockout! Journey on to the Renaissance city of Florence for a three-night stay at one of Italy’s finest hotels, a Luxury Collection Hotel by Starwood.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner Lodging: Grand Hotel, Florence, Italy |
| Day 10 | Become an art aficionado in FlorenceExperience Florence, where the arts flourished between the 13th and 16th centuries. Learn about art history from a local art history lecturer, then take a walking tour of Florence. A guided tour of the Galleria dell’Accademia introduces you to some of the world’s great art treasures, including Michelangelo’s marble statue of David. You’ll have time on your own in Florence this afternoon; your hotel is right in the heart of the city, which makes it easy to explore!
Meals: Breakfast Lodging: Grand Hotel, Florence, Italy |
| Day 11 | Masterpieces of the UffiziJoin a local expert for a guided tour of the Uffizi Gallery, Italy’s extraordinary art museum. Admire some of the world’s greatest art masterpieces, including works by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Botticelli, and more. The remainder of the day is as you please; you may want to visit the Pitti Palace, the Medici Chapels or stroll across the Ponte Vecchio to the lovely Boboli Gardens.
Meals: Breakfast Lodging: Grand Hotel, Florence, Italy |
| Day 12 | Rail trip to Venice and a serenade aboard a gondolaTauck’s Classic Italy tour continues with a journey by the sleek, fast Eurostar train to Venice. Built on 118 small islands traversed by a canal network, Venice is a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site. After lunch, head to St. Mark’s Square, the heart of Venice, with a local guide for a walking tour. Visit St. Mark’s Basilica, one of the greatest buildings in Europe, featuring exquisite mosaics and detailed carvings; and the Doges’ Palace, a pink marble Gothic masterpiece. Take a canal cruise by gondola, complete with a serenade by local musicians, to round out a busy day. Dinner is on your own tonight – from fine dining to intimate trattorias, dining in Venice on your Italy tour is a pure pleasure!
Meals: Breakfast, lunch Lodging: The Westin Europa & Regina, Venice, Italy |
| Day 13 | The romance of VeniceThe day is open so you can take in the sites you choose. Perhaps tour the Galleria dell’Accademia or the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, or take a boat ride to islands in the lagoon. Share favorite Italy tour highlights with travel companions at the farewell reception and dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner Lodging: The Westin Europa & Regina, Venice, Italy |
| Day 14 | Ciao – Tauck’s Italy tour concludesTauck’s two-week Italy tour ends in Venice. Fly home anytime; a transfer is included from The Westin Europa & Regina to Venice’s Marco Polo Airport. You should allow a minimum of 2 1/2 hours for flight check-in.
Meals: Breakfast |
Price Guide
14 Days from $5,990
| 2010 Price per Person | Double | Single | Triple |
| April and October 14 – 30 | $6490 | $8453 | $6256 |
| May and June | $6890 | $8853 | $6656 |
| July and August | $5990 | $7953 | $5756 |
| September – October 13 | $6990 | $8953 | $6756 |
All prices are per person in U.S. dollars.
About The Tauck Luxury Escorted Tours Experience