| Day | Destination | Description | | DAY 1 | Depart USA | Depart USA
Boarding our overnight flight, we're off to Italy on the adventure of a lifetime! | | DAY 2 | Venice | Benvenuti a Venezia! Arrive in Venice, Afternoon Free, Dinner Out
We are pleased to offer complimentary motorboat transfers from the Venice airport to your hotel at scheduled times. Your Perillo representative will be at the airport to greet you.A surprise before dinner! Our hotel Barman will reveal his secret recipe for the Venetian's favorite aperitif, "Spritz." Of course, "Cicchetti" (finger foods) will accompany our drink. We'll enjoy our "get acquainted" dinner at a local restaurant with fine wines. D | | DAY 3 | Venice | Venice, City Sightseeing, Gondola Ride (Included), Dinner Out
This morning we'll meet our expert local guide for a walking tour of St. Mark's Square, the great Byzantine Basilica, the Bridge of Sighs and an inside visit of the Doge's Palace.New this year, we're happy to include a free Gondola ride (weather permitting). You'll explore the romantic canals of Venice, serenaded by your gondolier! This afternoon you'll have a chance to "get lost" in the city's labyrinth of canals, bridges and tiny piazzas. Being a small island, it's impossible to stray very far. But it won't hurt to master the phrase "Dov'e' Piazza San Marco" Tonight, we'll enjoy dinner out at one of our favorite Venetian restaurants with fine local wines. BB, D | | DAY 4 | Florence | Venice, Padua, Florence, Dinner in Hotel
This morning it's back to the mainland where we'll meet our dependable driver for the ride to Florence. But on the way we'll make a memorable stop. Visitors to Padua are often surprised by a sense of deep spirituality. St. Anthony (patron Saint of lost objects) is interred here in the serene Basilica which dates back to the 1200's. Tonight we'll enjoy dinner at our hotel. A toast (brindisi) to Florence and our new traveling friends! BB, D | | DAY 5 | Florence | Full Day Florence Sightseeing, Uffizi Gallery Visit, Dinner Out
Florence - the fountainhead of the Renaissance; city of Dante, Boccaccio, Botticelli and da Vinci! Enjoy a breathtaking panorama of the city atop Piazzale Michelangelo, followed by an extensive tour of the Uffizi gallery, one of the oldest and most important art museums in the world, including Botticelli's famed Primavera and The Birth of Venus.Next we visit the majestic Duomo built in 1296, Giotto's Bell Tower and the Baptistery with its renowned "Gates of Paradise" doors. We follow the medieval streets to the most striking square in Florence, Piazza della Signoria and an external view of Santa Croce Church, Michelangelo's final resting place. Tonight we'll enjoy dinner at one of our favorite Florentine restaurants with great local wines. BB, D | | DAY 6 | Florence | Florence, Pisa, Afternoon at Leisure
The bell tower of Pisa is among the most instantly recognizable structures on earth. Architects say it would be world famous even if it were perfectly straight. This morning we'll see for ourselves, along with the beautiful Cathedral and Baptistery.This afternoon you'll enjoy free time in Florence for shopping, relaxation or some adventurous exploration. Tonight we thought you'd enjoy a dinner on your own. Ask your tour guide for a recommendation, or simply relax and enjoy your hotel restaurant. BB | | DAY 7 | Florence | Florence, Siena, Wine Tasting in Tuscany, Florence, Dinner Out
While the ambitious city of Florence was launching the Renaissance, Siena was her "laid-back" country cousin. Just 30 miles south of Florence, she is considered the best preserved medieval city in Italy.Our guided tour will include the elaborately carved Gothic cathedral, Town Hall and Piazza del Campo-site of the famous Palio horse race. You'll have time for lunch on your own, shopping, and a little more exploration. This afternoon we'll visit a typical Tuscan winery to learn about the grape, the "nose," food pairings and most importantly - which glass to use! Cin-Cin! For our last night in Florence, we'll recount the day's events with our friends at a great local restaurant with fine wines. BB, D | | DAY 8 | Rome | Morning Drive to Rome, St. Peter's Basilica, Imperial Rome & the Colosseum, Dinner in Hotel
This morning we enjoy our drive south to Rome through Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio - the "green heart" of Italy.This afternoon we visit St. Peter's Basilica. We'll see Michelangelo's Pieta and Bernini's seven story bronze canopy above the main altar. Next we board our coach for a panoramic tour of "Imperial Rome" including Castel Sant'Angelo, the Roman Forum, Largo Argentina, the Jewish Ghetto and the Circus Maximus. Then we'll enter the Colosseum, reliving the brutal entertainment of the gladiators and the lions, refereed by the Emperor himself. Tonight, we rejoin the 21st century with a satisfying dinner at our hotel. BB, D | | DAY 9 | Rome | Rome, The Vatican Museum & Sistine Chapel
This morning, with our expert local guide, we'll tour the Vatican Museums - a treasure trove of ancient Greek and Roman sculptures, tapestries and Renaissance paintings. Our visit culminates in the Sistine Chapel, the room where the pope is elected. We enter in total silence, not wanting to disturb Michelangelo's famed frescoes, depicting stories from the Bible and the "End of Times."You'll be fascinated by which of Michelangelo's contemporaries he assigned to heaven and which to hell. Your tour guide will have some great suggestions for dinner on your own in Rome. BB | | DAY 10 | Rome | Rome, Full Day of Leisure , Dinner Out
A free day in Rome! But don't sleep in too late - there's much to do and see! Ask your tour guide for suggestions. Why not start with an espresso in Piazza Navona, toss a coin into the Trevi Fountain to ensure your return and stroll across the Tiber for another look at the Vatican. Rome is a great city for walking, shopping and people watching. Tonight is our last dinner together. No tears. You'll exchange e-mails with your new friends and make plans for the future. How about we all meet again on a Perillo Tour to Hawaii! BB, D | | DAY 11 | Flight Home | Flight Home
This morning we board our flight home, arriving in the USA the same day. While we say "arrivederci" to Italy, we realize we're taking a little piece of it back home with us. Thanks for traveling with the Perillo family and please return soon. BBB=Breakfast D=Dinner Note: Please be advised that circumstances may change the day and/or sequence of scheduled activities, as well as the substitution of hotels, events, shows, sightseeing, itinerary, restaurants, hosts, etc. |
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