Rome and Tuscany!!

We are taking 16 people with us,space is first come first serve

Oct 4 – 14^th2023

$5232.00 CAD per person TAX included based on double occupancy.

Rate includes : 9 Breakfasts, 1 Welcome Reception, 1 Be My Guest, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner, 1 Farewell Dinner,Return airfare from Halifax, transfers, prepaid gratuities, tour direction, transportation and below inclusions.

OCT 4^th – Board flights from Halifax to ROME

OCT 5^th – Arrive in Rome,transfer to hotel to drop off luggage and free time to check out some sights of the City

OCT 6^th - ROME

The day is ours to explore on our own. Purchase a hop on hop off bus ticket,eat gelato by Trivi Fountain or People watch from the Spanish Steps.,Later in the afternoon we meet our Travel Director and fellow travellers for a Welcome Reception. Embark on an orientation drive past some of Rome's icons and unexpected highlights, including the Colosseum and Circus Maximus, once the site of exhilarating chariot races which attracted thousands of enthusiastic spectators.

Meals: Welcome Reception Hotel: Barceló Occidental Aurelia

OCT7th | Journey to the Tuscan Hills

Our journey through Rome begins in the centre of Christendom, where we join a Local Specialist on an included sightseeing tour to visit St. Peter's Basilica and Michelangelo's much-admired Pietà. This afternoon, we enjoy a leisurely drive through the scenic Tuscan hills to the thermal spa resort of Montecatini, the largest and most famous spa town in Italy and your home for the next six nights.

Meals: Breakfast Hotel: Columbia

Optional Experiences: Dinner, Wine and Music in the Tuscan Hills - Take a scenic drive through the beautiful Tuscan countryside to a delightful regional restaurant set among the pines and cypress trees. Here a feast of gastronomic specialities awaits, accompanied by song and music. Adult: 64.00 EUR

OCT8th | Explore Renaissance Florence

Your Local Specialist will reveal the history of Renaissance Florence during your walking tour. View the magnificent Duomo and visit Piazza della Signoria. In your free time, perhaps take a walk across the beautiful Ponte Vecchio. In the 16 -century, a decree mandated that the only businesses allowed to ply their trade on this bridge were goldsmiths and jewellers, and to this day, some of the most prestigious jewellery shops in the city can be found here.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Hotel: Columbia

You will be offered one of the following three optional experiences depending on availability: 1)Michelangelo's 'David' & Accademia - Enjoy an insight into the world of Michelangelo and his masterpiece, David. We'll visit the Academy of Fine Arts and its Michelangelo collection, where you'll learn all about the life and works of this immortal Renaissance genius through the expert commentary of our Local Specialist. Adult: 49.00 EUR *

2)Discover Palazzo Vecchio - Marvel at the legacy of the Medici as you visit Palazzo Vecchio, the symbol of Florence's political power for over seven centuries. With our Local Specialist we’ll visit the wonderful "Hall of the Five Hundred", dedicated to the Medici popes. We’ll also visit rooms decorated with masterpieces by famous artists of the Renaissance like Michelangelo and Donatello. Adult: 42.00 EUR

3) Bargello Museum Visit - Join us today for a visit to the Bargello museum, housed in one of the oldest and most intriguing buildings of Florence. As you'll learn from your Local Specialist, there was rarely a dull moment in this former barracks and prison! Learn how the Bargello has witnessed crucial episodes of history including fires, sieges and political executions. This fascinating building is now home to the National Museum and boasts awe-inspiring works by Donatello, Brunelleschi and Michelangelo to name but a few. Adult: 42.00 EUR

Oct 9^th | Montecatini Your Way

Relax in the spa atmosphere of Montecatini on your day at leisure or join an Optional Experience to Cinque Terre, whose quaint pastel-hued villages cling to the rugged Ligurian cliffs.

Meals: Breakfast Hotel: Columbia

Optional Experiences: The Cinque Terre and Porto Venere - Today, with our Local Specialist, we’ll visit the Bay of Poets and the beautiful Porto Venere, gateway to the UNESCO-protected Cinque Terre. To this day, the villages have retained their charm and reputation for producing some of Italy's most exclusive wines.. Adult: 63.00 EUR

Oct 10th | Discover Pisa and Vinci

Journey to Pisa where we join a Local Specialist to view the famous Leaning Tower, the finely sculpted marble Cathedral and the ornate Baptistery, said to be the largest in Italy. We continue through Tuscany, arriving in Vinci where we’ll Dive Into Culture with a Local Specialist at Museo Leonardiano and gain a deeper understanding of the life of this talented master. Admire Leonardo da Vinci's machines and models, his sketches and handwritten notes, as well as interactive exhibits during your visit. Tonight, Connect With Locals at the Agriturismo Borgo Vigna Vecchia, where you’ll enjoy an exclusive Be My Guest dinner surrounded by vineyards and olive groves.

Meals: Breakfast, Be My Guest Hotel: Columbia

Optional Experiences: The Walled City Of Lucca - Join us as we visit the beautiful city of Lucca, birthplace of the composer Giacomo Puccini. You’ll explore with a Local Specialist as the monumental architecture transports you back to thirteenth-century Tuscany. Adult: 37.00 EUR

Oct 11th | Off to Siena and San Gimignano

Saunter through the beautifully preserved medieval city of Siena to see the 13 -century marble cathedral and the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo, home to the biannual Palio horse race. We venture to the walled medieval town of San Gimignano, renowned for its towers. Enjoy some free time strolling through its narrow lanes and shopping for locally-produced delicacies and handpainted Tuscan pottery - the alluring aromas of pecorino cheese and cured meats tempting you at every turn.

Meals: Breakfast Hotel: Columbia

Oct12th | Tuscan Lifestyle

Experience Feast your eyes on the vibrant colours and busy stalls heaving with fresh produce at a local food market where you will join a Local Specialist professional chef for a tasty introduction to Tuscan cuisine. Learn how to cook like only an Italian mamma can, selecting your fresh produce from the market and preparing lunch which you will enjoy with a delicious glass of local wine. The tastes of Tuscany still lingering after an unforgettable lunch, we return to our hotel in the Tuscan hills for the night.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Hotel: Columbia

Oct13th | Onwards to Rome and the Vatican City

Departing Tuscany, we travel south to Rome. This afternoon, we Dive Into Culture with a Local Specialist for a guided tour of the Vatican Museums, including a visit to Michelangelo's magnificent frescoed ceiling in the Sistine Chapel. The evening brings a special treat, as we stay at the Vatican Museums for a Farewell Dinner set amidst the stunning Roman and Ancient Greek artworks.

Meals: Breakfast, Farewell Dinner Hotel: Villa Pamphili

Oct 14th | Journey Home Board flights from Rome to Halifax

Meals: Breakfast