SPLENDOURS OF ITALY

5 – 20 May 2012
Escorted by Keith Grenville

12 nights’ dinner, bed & breakfast
Rome, Pompeii, Naples, Assisi, Venice, Pisa, Florence, Siena, San Gimignano, Rome

VERY IMPORTANT: If you are interested in this tour, please advise Keith Grenville immediately, without obligation. No bookings will be considered until 20 persons indicate their interest. Do not delay – please advise interest as soon as possible to safeguard the tour cost and flight availability for you and for others.

TOUR COSTS minimum of 20 persons
Per person sharing R27 400
Excluding air fares/ flights – see below
Single room supplement R4 695

AIR FARES
Qatar Airlines economy seats, from Cape Town or Johannesburg to Rome and return:
Fare R4 405 plus tax R3 265 = R7 770 total
Fares and tax are liable to change
Terms & Conditions apply

INCLUDED IN TOUR COST:

4 nights in Rome including continental breakfast & dinner


1 night in Assisi including continental breakfast & dinner


2 nights in Venice including continental breakfast & dinner


3 nights in Florence including continental breakfast & dinner


1 night in San Gimignano including continental breakfast & dinner


1 night in Rome including continental breakfast & dinner


Coach for transfers and first 2 days in Rome


Touring coach from day 5


Local guides in cities for tours and sightseeing


Sightseeing & entrance fees per the itinerary

EXCLUDED IN TOUR COST:

All Airfares


All other excursions not mentioned


All other services


Personal items e.g. mini-bar, laundry, telephone calls, snacks and drinks


Gratuities


All meals not mentioned\


Travel insurance – recommended


Visa or visa handling charge


Any other items not mentioned in the above costing

Terms & conditions apply.

Splendours of Italy Itinerary

Sat- 05 May 2012
Depart Cape Town, Johannesburg or other centres

Sun-06-May-12 Arrive Rome airport
ROME Local assistant to meet/greet at the airport and transfer to hotel   
Remainder of day at leisure
Dinner in hotel - 3 courses, plus drinking water
Overnight Rome: Hotel Europa or similar

Mon-07-May-12 Continental buffet breakfast in hotel
ROME Morning sightseeing tour
Local guide for Vatican tour
Entrance: Vatican including Sistine Chapel & whisper headset
Visit St Peter's Basilica
Remainder of day at leisure
Dinner in hotel - 3 courses, plus drinking water
Overnight Rome: Hotel Europa or similar



Tue-08-May-12 Continental buffet breakfast in hotel
ROME Full day city tour with guide
View the main sights of the city 
Entrance to the Colosseum
Entrance to the Roman Forum – ancient Roman centre
View Rome’s most famous Trevi Fountain
View the Spanish Steps
Visit the Pantheon - ancient Roman temple
Visit Basilica San Giovanni in Laterano – Rome’s cathedral
& Pope’s seat as Bishop of Rome
Visit to Basilica San Pietro in Vincoli – St Peter’s chains &
Michelango’s Tomb of Julius II & statue of Moses
Dinner in hotel - 3 courses, plus drinking water
Overnight Rome: Hotel Europa or similar    
         
Wed-09-May-12 Continental buffet breakfast in hotel
Rome to Pompeii via Naples by coach
POMPEII Entrance & guided tour of Pompeii archaeological site
– ancient city destroyed by eruption of Vesuvius
Transfer by coach to Naples
NAPLES Guided tour to view Naples by coach
Naples to Rome by coach
Dinner in hotel - 3 courses, plus drinking water
ROME Overnight Rome: Hotel Europa or similar 
   


Thu-10-May-12 Continental buffet breakfast in hotel
Rome to Assisi by coach
ASSISI Local guide for half day tour
Visit St Francis Basilica including Treasury & whisper headset
- Tomb of St Francis, Giotto frescoes & works by Cimabue
Visit St Clare's Basilica (c.1260 CE), St Clare’s body in crypt
Drive from Assisi to Santa Maria degli Angeli
Visit Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli & Porziuncola – built around 1st Franciscan monastery 
Santa Maria degli Angeli to Assisi
Remainder of day at leisure
Dinner in hotel - 3 courses, plus drinking water
Overnight Assisi: Hotel Fontebella or similar
         
Fri-11-May-12 Continental buffet breakfast in hotel 
Assisi to Venice by coach
VENICE Arrive Venice Tronchetto and private transfer to hotel via boat
Remainder of day at leisure
Dinner in local restaurant - 3 courses & water on table
Overnight Venice: Hotel Serenissima or similar
         


Sat-12-May-12 Continental buffet breakfast in hotel
VENICE Morning sightseeing tour
Issue of included 24 hour vaporetto pass
View the main sights of the city with guide
Visit Piazza San Marco
Entrance to Basilica San Marco including Treasury
Entrance to Santa Maria dei Frari church – rich in art treasures & burial place of Titian
Entrance to Scuola Grande di San Rocco – housing masterpieces of Tintoretto – one of the great experiences of Venice.    
Gondola sightseeing canal tour
View the Bridge of Sighs
View the Doge's Palace
View the Grand Canal
Remainder of day at leisure
Dinner in local restaurant - 3 courses & water on table
Overnight Venice: Hotel Serenissima or similar
         


Sun-13-May-12 Continental buffet breakfast in hotel
VENICE Private transfer from hotel to coach
Transfer by coach from Venice to Pisa
PISA Arrive Pisa and city tour
Local guide for city visits
Entrance to the Leaning Tower    
Entrance to the Cathedral & Baptistry (c.1064)    
Transfer Pisa to Florence
FLORENCE Dinner in hotel - 3 courses, plus drinking water    
Overnight Florence: Donatello Hotel or similar    
         


Mon-14-May-12 Continental buffet breakfast in hotel    
FLORENCE Full day sightseeing with guide
Visit the Duomo (Cathedral) c.1296. Works by Michelangelo,
Donatello, Ghiberti, Vasari. Dome by Brunelleschi.    
View the Baptistry – 11th century.
Lorenzo Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise    
Visit to Piazza della Signoria – Neptune fountains, sculptures including historical copy of Michelangelo’s David & hub of renaissance Florence.    
Entrance to Palazzo Vecchio 1298 – 1314.
Seat of Florentine Government    
Entrance to Uffizi Gallery –one of the world’s greatest galleries – works by Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Cimabue, Giotto,
Caravaggio, Canaletto, Rembrandt, Rubens, Van Dyck, Velázquez.    
Dinner in hotel - 3 courses, plus drinking water    
Overnight Florence: Donatello Hotel or similar    
         
Tue-15-May-12 Continental buffet breakfast in hotel
FLORENCE  Full day sightseeing with guide
Visit to Basilica di San Lorenzo – Medici family church
with features by Donatello & Michelangelo
Entrance to the Medici Chapel – Michelangelo’s exquisite sculptures Night & Day, Dawn & Dusk on the Medici tombs
Entrance to the Galleria dell'Accademia – Michelangelo’s original David
Visit to Santa Croce Church c. 1294, Michelangelo’s, tomb, frescoes by Gaddi, Giotto. Works by Donatello, Brunelleschi
Visit to the Ponte Vecchio – 14th C. bridge with jeweller’s shops
Transfer to Piazzale Michelangelo
Stop to view Piazzale Michelangelo – commanding view of River Arno and city
Visit to Church of San Miniato al Monte – 11th C. Romanesque
Transfer to hotel
Dinner in local restaurant - 3 courses & water on table
Overnight Florence: Donatello Hotel or similar
 


Wed-16-May-12 Continental buffet breakfast in hotel
Transfer by coach from Florence to Siena
SIENA Local guide for sightseeing tour
View the main sights of the city, established 1st C BCE
a classic medieval hill town famous for its large
fan-shaped piazza, the heart of Tuscany
Transfer by coach to San Gimignano the famous walled town with its immense towers
SAN GIMIGNANO  Local guide for sightseeing tour
View the main sights of the city
Remainder of day at leisure
Dinner in hotel - 3 courses, plus drinking water
Overnight San Gimignano: La Cisterna or similar
         


Thu-17-May-12 Continental buffet breakfast in hotel
SAN GIMIGNANO Transfer by coach from San Gimignano to Rome
ROME  Remainder of day at leisure
Dinner in hotel - 3 courses, plus drinking water
Overnight Rome: Hotel Europa or similar

Fri-18-May-12 Continental buffet breakfast in hotel
ROME  Morning at leisure
Transfer to Rome airport

Sat-19-May-12 Arrive Johannesburg & Cape Town
   
HOTELS
Europa Hotel Rome: www.hoteleuroparome.com
Hotel Fontebella Assisi: www.fontebella.com
Hotel Serenissima Venice: www.hotelserenissima.it/
Hotel Donatello Florence: www.hoteldonatellofirenze.com/
Hotel La Cisterna San Gimignano: www.hotelcisterna.it/index.html (English pages don’t work)