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10 DAYS FROM £1145
Perhaps no country in the world has so many cities that have retained such timeless a perfection as Italy. On this tour we provide you with the opportunity to savour the three greatest and, on the way, to enjoy the peerless countryside of Tuscany and Umbria. We discover lesser-known gems such as the high-walled city of Orvieto, once a former Papal stronghold and renowned for its white wine, and the beautiful town squares of Ferrara and Bologna. A few of the highlights among so many are our visits to Pisa, to view the Leaning Tower, Assisi, famous as the home of St. Francis and the lovely Tivoli Gardens outside Rome.
Venice · Verona · Ferrara · Bologna · Florence Lucca · Pisa · Assisi · Orvieto · Rome · Tivoli
This holiday includes 9 breakfasts and 9 evening meals
Tuscany
DAY 1
LONDON · VENICE
DAY 5
FLORENCE
Ponte Vecchio, Florence
Italy
We begin with Titan's VIP Home Departure ServiceTM to London Gatwick Airport and your scheduled British Airways to Venice or Bologna. On arrival our coach will transfer you to the Holiday Inn, Venice. Evening dinner is included.
DAY 2
VERONA · VENICE
After breakfast we transfer to Verona for a short exploration of the town and lunch. In the afternoon we will transfer back to our hotel. This evening we journey to Tronchetto where we board the boat to St. Mark's Square. On arrival, there is hopefully time to soak up the atmosphere before making the short stroll to All' Angelos restaurant where we will be dining this evening. Later in the evening we return to the Holiday Inn.
This morning we transfer to the centre of Florence for a guided walking tour. Florence is the world's most celebrated storehouse of Renaissance art and architecture and has long been the focus of the Italian arts and letters. Florence has attracted many great artists through the centuries including Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli and Dante. The dome of the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore dominates the city and is generally accepted as one of the finest examples of Renaissance architecture. We enjoy dinner at a local restaurant this evening.
DAY 6
LUCCA · PISA
DAY 3
VENICE
A free day to explore and enjoy Venice. To make our day more pleasurable we have arranged a guided tour of St Mark's Square and its surroundings. The remainder of the day is free to visit the stunning and intricately detailed Doges Palace and the magnificent 11th century St Mark's Basilica. Your exploration of Venice can be either on foot, in a water bus or from a gondola. Whichever you choose, you cannot fail to be captivated by this city, built on 117 islands, and which boasts ornate palaces, peaceful canals and picturesque squares. The most memorable way to see Venice is from a gondola and these wonderful craft, still hand-made individually for each gondolier, are inseparable from any image of Venice and still afford the most romantic way of seeing the city's wonders. We return to our hotel for dinner.
We continue to Lucca, one of the most interesting and delightful cities in Italy. Within its ramparts are a rich array of churches, palaces and squares that retain their original charm. We have time to explore before continuing to Pisa. On arrival we view the famous Leaning Tower, a free standing bell tower located next to the 11th century Gothic cathedral. The tower was built between 1173 and 1350 in white marble and has challenged architects over the centuries in trying to rectify its tilt. In the evening we return to the Holiday Inn, Florence for dinner.
Doges Palace, Venice
DAY 7
ASSISI · ORVIETO · ROME
DAY 4
FERRARA · BOLOGNA · FLORENCE
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After breakfast we travel southwards to Ferrara, located on the Po Plain and renowned for its red brick houses and spacious squares. There is the opportunity to view the marvellous Romanesque-Gothic Lombard style cathedral before continuing our journey to Bologna. We make a lunch-stop with the chance to explore the capital of Emilia Romagna, with its wonderful churches, arcaded streets, towers and palaces. Bologna is also famous for its university, which is one of the oldest in Europe. Late in the afternoon we arrive at the Una Hotel, located on the outskirts of Florence, for dinner.
To the walled city of Assisi, a picturesque medieval hilltown spread across the slopes of Monte Subasio. Famous as the home of St. Francis, founder of the Franciscan Order of Monks, the town retains its medieval character and it is easy to picture St. Francis walking its ancient streets. Any exploration of the town must include a visit to St. Francis' Basilica, Italy's earliest Gothic church and the only Papal seat outside St. Peter's in Rome. After lunch we visit Orvieto, perched high on a vast rocky outcrop of stone above the surrounding countryside. It is a pleasant city with a wealth of historic buildings, most notably the cathedral which, with its wonderful façade, is one of the most colourful and striking among Italian Gothic buildings. This evening we arrive at the Holiday Inn Rome West, on the outskirts of Rome, for dinner.
DAY 8
ROME
Transfer to the centre for a guided walking tour of this extraordinary city which combines buildings from the pre-Christian era to the present day. There is much to see, including the remains of the Roman Forum, the religious, political and commercial centre of Ancient
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