Day 1 - Rome
Arrival in Rome, One of our representative will at the airport to transfer you to your hotel, after check in to your hotel after a short brief information about your tour then you will have the afternoon free to relax or explore Rome on your own.
Day 2 - Rome
After breakfast you will be picked up from your hotel and will go on a morning tour reveals Rome’s infinite aspects and eras. Drive through Piazza della Republica and admire its Najad’s Fountain. Continue on via Bissolati and Via Veneto (the “Rodeo Drive of Rome) and see Palazzo Margherita (seat of the American Embassy), Aurelian Walls (3rd century AD), and Piazza Barberini. Pass by the Quirinale Palace, residence of the president of the Italian Republic, then visit the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon. Drive past Piazza Navona, Palace of Justice, Castel Sant' Angelo, via della Conciliazione, then visit St.Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. Int afternoon and evening you will have the afternoon free to explore the city on your own
Day 3 - Rome - - Pisa - - Florence Area.
Vistas of undulating hills, austere rows of cypress trees, terraced vineyards, olive groves, and rural villages form the backdrop of your journey through beautiful Tuscany. Take a break in Pisa to see the Square of Miracles and the amazing Leaning Tower, then on to the Florence area. (B,D)
Day 4 - Florence
This Renaissance gem and city of the Medicis will keep you enthralled for a whole day. Traffic is banned in part of the historic center so visitors can wander at leisure and admire the city’s timeless beauty in relative peace and quiet. Don’t miss out on the included walking tour with a local guide which features most of the city highlights. You will see the Piazza Santa Croce; the beautiful Piazza Signoria; the Palazzo Vecchio and its courtyard; the Loggia dei Lanzi; and, to top it all, the Piazza del Duomo and its cathedral with the Giotto Campanile, and the magnificent East Door of the Baptistry known as the “Gate to Paradise.” End the day by joining the optional Tuscan dinner in a typical restaurant. (B)
Day 5 - Florence and Venice
An interesting journey today northwards for a first stop in enchanting Verona to see the legendary balcony of Romeo and Juliet. Eastwards to one of Europe’s most ancient university cities for another stop to visit the great St. Anthony’s Basilica in Padua. Just a few more miles to Venice. (B)
Day 6 - Venice
It’s really more like a marvelous film set than a real live city, with its criss-crossing canals, gondolas and water buses, arched bridges, palaces, and little quiet piazzas. The included tour starts with a boat ride and is followed by a visit to St. Mark’s Basilica and a chance to watch Venetian glass blowers fashion their delicate objects as they did centuries ago. Don’t miss out on the optional gondola trip, gliding along the picturesque canals with a local troubadour to serenade you. (B,D)
Day 7 - Venice and Ancona
Start the day by journeying across the flatlands of the Po Delta to reach medieval Ravenna. Next reach Ancona on the shores of the Adriatic. Here you embark on the ferry for the crossing to Patras. Departure from Ancona is at 7 p.m. (B)
Day 8 - Patras -- Greece and Olympia
Plenty of time to enjoy all the ship’s facilities. Disembark this afternoon in Patras. Drive south into the Peloponnese for an overnight in Olympia. (B,D)
Day 9 - Olympia and Tolon
Make the most of this morning by touring the sights of ancient Olympia, including the ruins of the Temple of Zeus. In the afternoon enjoy the rugged scenery of the Peloponnese on the way via Tripolis to Tolon. (B,D)
Day 10 - Tolon - Mycenae and Athens
Morning visit with a local guide to the impressive ruins of Mycenae. Later stop to view the Corinth Canal, which is over 100 years old. Overnight in Athens. (B)
Day 11 - Athens
Join the included sightseeing tour of Athens featuring the highlights of the ancient capital and a visit to the Acropolis and its fascinating museum. Explore the shops and museums or take a trip to the coast to swim. In the evening enjoy the lively atmosphere of the tavernas and nightclubs in the old Plaka district with its narrow streets and sound of bouzouki music, or join an optional tour of Athens by night. (B)
Day 12 Athens - Prieus to Mykonos
Board your cruise ship (see page 127). Afternoon cruising in the Aegean on your way to Mykonos with its white houses, chapels, and thatched windmills. Late evening departure for Rhodes. (B,L,D)
Day 13 Overnight on board to Rhodos
Morning arrival in Rhodes, the largest of the Dodecanese islands with its fine walled town and lush vegetation. Don’t miss the optional excursion to the town and the Acropolis of Lindos. Evening departure for Kusadasi. (B,L,D)
Day 14 Patmos - Kusadasi ( Turkey
This morning sail to Patmos, the beautiful island where John the Divine wrote the Revelation. Optional excursion to the Monastery of St. John. Next across the Aegean to the landlocked Gulf of Kusadasi on the coast of Turkey. Join the optional excursion to the ancient ruins of Ephesus. Later depart for Piraeus. (B,L,D)
Day 15 Mon. Piraeus - Athens
Early morning arrival at the famous port of Piraeus. After disembarkation continue to Athens for overnight. |