Tauck Luxury Escorted Tours – Italian Lakes, Venice, Florence and Rome Tour 2010
Italian Lakes, Venice, Florence and Rome Tour
Superb travel Italy style! From Michelangelo’s statue of David to the echoes of gladiators at Rome’s Colosseum, the art and drama of the ages inspire this journey. Confirmed reservations provide an opportunity to view the original works of the masters at the Uffizi Gallery, and Florence’s Galleria dell’Accademia. Enjoy confirmed reservations at the Doges’ Palace in Venice, see St. Mark’s Square, and take a gondola ride on the canals complete with a serenade. Visit the medieval town of Siena in the Tuscan countryside. Take a private boat across Lake Como at the foot of the Alps, and a high-speed train ride to Florence. See the Colosseum in Rome, and view the inspiring treasures of the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel during an after-hours guided visit – a Tauck Exclusive! And of course, you’ll also have ample time to pursue what interests you most in Venice, Florence, and Rome when you travel Italy with Tauck!
Itinerary
| Day 1 | Welcome to the pleasures of the Italian LakesTour begins 6:00 PM, Grand Hotel Eden. A transfer is included from Milan’s Malpensa Airport to Grand Hotel Eden in Lugano. As you travel Italy Tauck-style, you’ll see the best of this ancient country, from great cities to countryside villages and towns that are off-the-beaten track! Begin by heading through the beautiful northern Italian countryside from Milan to Lugano, Switzerland – an Italian-style city set on the edge of a bejeweled lake with views of the not-too-distant Alps. Enjoy free time to explore the waterfront promenade, then meet fellow traveling companions at a welcome cocktail reception and dinner.
Meals: Dinner Lodging: Grand Hotel Eden, Lugano, Switzerland |
| Day 2 | Villa delights and a cruise on Lake ComoYour travels take you to Tremezzo to visit Villa Carlotta, built in the 18th century, and noted for garden landscaping and sculpture. Admire the dramatic views of the Alps silhouetting the famous villas along the shores of Lake Como on a private boat cruise to Bellagio; enjoy free time to explore the picturesque town as you please. Another private boat cruise takes you past some of Italy’s most elegant lakeside villas to Como. Return to Lugano, where the evening is free to spend as you wish.
Meals: Breakfast Lodging: Grand Hotel Eden, Lugano, Switzerland |
| Day 3 | Travel Italy from the fabulous lakes to VeniceJourney to Venice, designed along an intricate system of canals within a lagoon. After lunch, head to St. Mark’s Square, the heart of Venice, with a local guide. Visit Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square) and St. Mark’s Basilica, one of the greatest buildings in Europe with its exquisite mosaics and detailed carvings. See the Doges’ Palace, a pink marble Gothic masterpiece containing a precious art collection. A serenade aboard a gondola cruise through the canals, and dinner at a popular Venetian restaurant, are the perfect endings to a perfect day.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner Lodging: Hotel Danieli, Venice, Italy |
| Day 4 | Explore Venice as you pleaseSpend the whole day exploring the museums and sites that interest you most in remarkable Venice, a highlight as you travel Italy with Tauck. Perhaps tour the Galleria dell’Accademia or the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, or take a boat ride to the many islands in the Venetian lagoon.
Meals: Breakfast Lodging: Hotel Danieli, Venice, Italy |
| Day 5 | By Rail to Florence, home of David and the RenaissanceTravel Italy by high-speed Eurostar rail today from Venice to Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance. Get an introduction to the city’s architectural landmarks and great artists from a local art historian; view Lorenzo Ghiberti’s bronze doors with detailed panels at the Baptistry, part of the Duomo of Santa Maria del Fiori complex. Your art lecture is great prepartion for today’s visit to Galleria dell’Accademia, home to many of the world’s most beloved paintings and sculpture. Later, a walking tour explores the historical center of Florence, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner Lodging: The Westin Excelsior, Florence, Italy |
| Day 6 | Masterpieces of the UffiziGaze at some of the world’s greatest art masterpieces at the extraordinary Uffizi Gallery, Italy’s largest art museum, on a guided tour with a local expert. Admire works by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli, and more. Following your tour, you can spend as much time as you like looking at the art. During your free afternoon you can explore as you please; perhaps 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: The Westin Excelsior, Florence, Italy |
| Day 7 | Across lush landscapes and on to eternal RomeTravel Italy through the verdant landscapes of Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio today, featuring olive groves, cypress trees, and vineyards, including the region that produces Chianti wine. Stop in the medieval hill town of Siena, and wander through its narrow centuries-old streets. See the Piazza del Campo where the Palio bareback horse race is held, and visit the Duomo, one of Italy’s great cathedrals, with scenes inlaid in the marble floors and sculpture by Michelangelo. Continue through scenic Tuscany to your final destination – Rome, the Eternal City that was the center of the once-powerful Roman Empire, and is today the capital of modern Italy.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner Lodging: The St. Regis Grand Hotel, Rome, Italy |
| Day 8 | Discover the Vatican’s treasures on an exclusive private tourA Tauck Exclusive today – an after-hours guided visit to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel! See the Candelabra Gallery, Map Gallery and the Tapestries; it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see some of the world’s great masterpieces, including Michelangelo’s famous Sistine Chapel ceiling frescoes, without the usual crowds. Up close and unhurried, you’ll have a chance to see first-hand why the chapel’s floor is as famous as its celebrated ceiling! Please note that the day of this tour may vary.
Meals: Breakfast Lodging: The St. Regis Grand Hotel, Rome, Italy |
| Day 9 | An extraordinary day in Imperial RomeGet an insider’s view of Rome from a local guide as you see such can’t-miss sights as the Roman Forum, Piazza Venezia, the Circus Maximus and many others. You’ll avoid long lines with pre-arranged reservations at the Colosseum, opened in AD 80 for gladiator combat, and visit St. Peter’s Square and one of the world’s most famous houses of worship, iconic St. Peter’s Basilica (day may vary). Enjoy some more free time to check out what interests you most in Rome before gathering to share your favorite experiences at the farewell cocktail party and dinner – a special finale when you travel Italy with Tauck.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner Lodging: The St. Regis Grand Hotel, Rome, Italy |
| Day 10 | Arrivederci RomeYour travel Italy days end in Rome. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from The St. Regis Grand Hotel, Rome to Leonardo da Vinci Airport in Fiumicino; allow 2 1/2 hours for check-in.
Meals: Breakfast |
Price Guide
10 Days from $5,590
| 2010 Price per Person | Double | Single | Triple |
| April | $5590 | $7180 | $5338 |
| May and June | $5890 | $7480 | $5638 |
| July, August & October 10 – 30 | $5690 | $7280 | $5438 |
| September – October 9 | $5990 | $7580 | $5738 |
All prices are per person in U.S. dollars.
About The Tauck Luxury Escorted Tours Experience