Best of Italy & Greece 2009
Day 1 - Depart USA Overnight flight to Rome..
Day 2 - Arrive Rome (2 nights) Welcome to Rome, the Eternal City! Later enjoy a Welcome Drink with your Tour Director and fellow travelers.
Day 3 - Rome sightseeing and at leisure Our guided tour includes the Vatican Museums to see the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica and then crosses the Tiber to overlook the Forum and the Circus Maximus, and to visit the mighty Colosseum. (Buffet breakfsast)
Day 4 - Rome — Brenta Canal — Venice (MESTRE) (2 nights) We head through Umbria and Tuscany, cross the Apennine Mountains and reach the Veneto Plains. We drive along the Brenta Canal, lined with Palladian villas, before arriving in Venice. (Buffet breakfast / Dinner)
Day 5 - Venice sightseeing and at leisure We enjoy a scenic cruise by private launch to St. Mark's Square and see the Church of Santa Maria della Salute, the Bridge of Sighs, the Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica. We enjoy a demonstration of Murano glass-blowing before free time. (Buffet breakfast)
Day 6 - Venice (mestre) — Florence We drive south across the broad flat plain of the River Po. Then into the Apennine Hills to Florence where we enjoy a guided walking tour. This evening, we enjoy a Highlight Dinner. (Buffet breakfast / Highlight dinner)
Day 7 - Florence — Assisi We drive to Assisi where a guided walking tour takes us to the Basilica of St. Francis and later we see Santa Maria degli Angeli where St. Francis established the Franciscan fraternity of monks. (Buffet breakfast / Dinner)
Day 8 - Assisi — Pompeii — Sorrento (2 nights) Our first stop is at the Commonwealth Cemetery of Monte Cassino. Then, through the Campania to Pompeii where a local guide shows us these famous excavations. Later, we make our way to Sorrento. (Buffet breakfast / Dinner)
Day 9 - Sorrento — Isle of Capri Excursion We enjoy a demonstration of the art of inlaid woodwork. Then a highlight cruise to Capri. We ascend by funicular to Capri town where our local expert takes us on a walking tour. Later we cruise back to Sorrento where our Tour Director will show us a Hidden Treasure and tonight we enjoy a home-cooked dinner in a restaurant surrounded by lemon groves! (Buffet breakfast / 'Be my guest' dinner)
Day 10 - Sorrento — Bari — At Sea We travel past Salerno before continuing eastward to the port of Bari. Here we'll board our overnight ferry for the sea crossing to Patras in Greece. (Buffet breakfast / Dinner)
Day 11 - At Sea — Patras — Olympia We disembark in Patras and drive to Olympia where we will visit the world's oldest Olympic Stadium, where the first Olympic games took place in 776 B.C, and we also visit the Temples of Zeus and Hera, before continuing to our hotel. (Buffet breakfast / Dinner)
Day 12 - Olympia — Delphi We travel to Delphi where we consult the famous Oracle and walk the Sacred Way to the Sanctuary of Apollo. Then on to our hotel. (Buffet breakfast / Dinner)
Day 13 - Delphi — Athens (3 nights) On arrival in Athens our sightseeing tour includes a walking tour of the Acropolis and Parthenon. We see the Agora where Socrates taught plus we see the Royal Palace, Temple of Zeus and Hadrian "s Arch, before heading to the stadium built for the first modern Olympic Games. (BB)
Day 14 - Athens at leisure Today there is free time today to explore the city further. Later, you may wish to take a 3-day or 7-day Aegean cruise, see itineraries on this page. (Buffet breakfast)
Day 15 - Athens at leisure Today you have a full day at leisure to explore this exciting city. This evening, enjoy a Farewell Dinner with your Tour Director in a local restaurant. (Buffet breakfast / Farewell dinner)
Day 16 - Athens - USA This morning after breakfast bid farewell to our Tour Director and new-found friends as our vacation comes to an end. There are Athens airport transfers available, conditions apply. (Buffet breakfast)
On Day 14 you have the opportunity of taking a 3-day or 7-day Aegean cruise on one of the Louis Lines Cruise ships around the magical Greek Isles. Excellent onboard facilities include a cinema, swimming pool and library.
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