Coach Tours – Splendors of Italy – 6N/7D

Splendors of Italy:
7 day tour from Milan To Milan (Cosmos)

2016 Tour Details
On this Splendors of Italy tour, you’ll spend six nights in Milan with leisure time to explore the city and excursions to Venice, Turin, and Florence. In each of these cities, you’ll have a guided tour where you will see the must-see attractions. In Milan, your sightseeing includes a visit to the magnificent Sforzesco Castle grounds; the glass-domed Galleria, with its designer shops and famous cafés; and more. Among the many sights in Venice, visit St. Mark’s Basilica; Doges’ Palace, with its gothic architecture; and the Bridge of Sighs, built in the 17th century. Leisure time in the city gives you the opportunity to take an optional gondola ride or perhaps to sit in St. Mark’s Square for prime people watching.

In Turin, the birthplace of the Fiat car, you’ll walk through the historic center and visit the 18th-century Basilica of Superga, home to the tombs of many princes and kings of the House of Savoy. Among the many attractions you will see in Florence, you’ll visit the Academy of Fine Arts to see Michelangelo’s David and enjoy a guided walking tour through the historic center.

It’s not enough to just visit these cities and their sights. You want to hear their histories, their secrets, and their stories. Throughout this Italy tour, you’ll be accompanied by a Tour Director and Local Guides from the areas—people who can bring these destinations to life with in-depth, firsthand knowledge of the sights, history, secrets, and stories. They may even teach you a little Italian if you ask! What more could you ask for in a vacation to Italy?

Itinerary:

Day 1 : Arrive in Milan, Italy
Welcome to Milan! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and leave the hotel for a special welcome dinner with wine at a local restaurant.
Dinner

Day 2 : Milan
In the morning, enjoy a walking tour with a Local Guide. Start with a visit to the Sforzesco Castle GROUNDS. Then, visit DUOMO SQUARE with its magnificent gothic Duomo, the glass-domed GALLERIA, and admire the famous La Scala Opera House. This afternoon, you may wish to join an optional excursion to nearby Lake Como for a relaxing boat cruise.
Breakfast

Day 3 : Milan – Excursion to Venice
Board the HIGH-SPEED TRAIN and arrive in Venice, where you will enjoy a VIP entrance: PRIVATE WATER-TAXIS will transfer you to ST. MARK’S SQUARE. Meet your Local Guide for a walking tour through the city of romantics: visit ST. MARK’S BASILICA, DOGES’ PALACE and the BRIDGE OF SIGHS. Then, watch a skilled GLASSBLOWER fashion delicate objects in an age-old traditional manner. Time at leisure; an optional gondola ride is available before returning by private water taxis, this time sailing through the GRAND CANAL to the railway station for your train ride back to Milan.
Breakfast

Day 4 : Milan – Excursion to Turin
A comfortable journey this morning takes you to Turin, capital of Piedmont and birthplace of the FIAT car. Enjoy an orientation drive and admire the Mole Antonelliana, symbol of Turin, and walk through the historic center to the cathedral that houses the Holy Shroud. Time to explore on your own before heading for EATALY, the first of its kind, where your voucher allows you to choose lunch. Before returning to Milan, visit the amazing 18th-century BASILICA OF SUPERGA, spectacularly located on a hill. The basilica houses the tombs of many princes and kings of the House of Savoy.
Breakfast
Lunch

Day 5 : Milan – Excursion to Florence
Board the HIGH-SPEED TRAIN and arrive in Florence. Follow your Local Guide for a walking tour through the historic center. Visit the ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS to admire Michelangelo’s David, see the Duomo, the Baptistry with the “Gate of Paradise,” and Giotto’s Bell Tower, visit sculpture-studded SIGNORIA SQUARE, and end at SANTA CROCE SQUARE, where a special lunch with pizza, wine, and, of course, gelato awaits you at Finisterrae restaurant. Time to shop for leather and gold, for which the city is famous, before transferring to the railway station to return to Milan.
Breakfast
Lunch

Day 6 :  At Leisure in Milan
A full day at leisure to explore the city at your own pace or choose from our exciting optional excursions. This evening, a special farewell dinner has been prepared for you at a local restaurant, the proper way to say arrivederci, Italia.
Breakfast
Dinner

Day 7 : Milan
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
Breakfast

Sightseeing & Inclusions:
MILAN
Special welcome and farewell dinners at a local restaurant; guided walking tour, visit the Sforzesco Castle grounds and admire Duomo Square and the Galleria
MILAN-VENICE-MILAN
By high-speed train (first class)
VENICE
Private water-taxi through the Grand Canal; guided walking tour, visit St. Mark’s Square and Basilica, Doges’ Palace and the Bridge of Sighs: glassblower’s demonstration
TURIN
Orientation drive, admire the Mole Antonelliana, walk through the historic center to the cathedral that houses the Holy Shroud; enjoy lunch at Eataly; visit the Basilica of Superga
MILAN-FLORENCE-MILAN
By high-speed train (first class)
FLORENCE
By high-speed train (first class), Guided walking tour, visit the Academy of Fine Arts to see Michelangelo’s David; admire the Duomo, the Baptistry and Giotto’s Bell Tower, visit Signoria Square; enjoy lunch at Finisterrae restaurant
Headsets throughout the tour

The following UNESCO World Heritage Sites can be seen or visited on this vacation:
Historic Centre of Florence
Transportation:
High-speed first-class train, motorcoach; mini-buses may be used

Splendors of Italy:
7 day tour from Milan To Milan (Cosmos)

2016 Tour Details
On this Splendors of Italy tour, you’ll spend six nights in Milan with leisure time to explore the city and excursions to Venice, Turin, and Florence. In each of these cities, you’ll have a guided tour where you will see the must-see attractions. In Milan, your sightseeing includes a visit to the magnificent Sforzesco Castle grounds; the glass-domed Galleria, with its designer shops and famous cafés; and more. Among the many sights in Venice, visit St. Mark’s Basilica; Doges’ Palace, with its gothic architecture; and the Bridge of Sighs, built in the 17th century. Leisure time in the city gives you the opportunity to take an optional gondola ride or perhaps to sit in St. Mark’s Square for prime people watching.

In Turin, the birthplace of the Fiat car, you’ll walk through the historic center and visit the 18th-century Basilica of Superga, home to the tombs of many princes and kings of the House of Savoy. Among the many attractions you will see in Florence, you’ll visit the Academy of Fine Arts to see Michelangelo’s David and enjoy a guided walking tour through the historic center.

It’s not enough to just visit these cities and their sights. You want to hear their histories, their secrets, and their stories. Throughout this Italy tour, you’ll be accompanied by a Tour Director and Local Guides from the areas—people who can bring these destinations to life with in-depth, firsthand knowledge of the sights, history, secrets, and stories. They may even teach you a little Italian if you ask! What more could you ask for in a vacation to Italy?

Itinerary:

Day 1 : Arrive in Milan, Italy
Welcome to Milan! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and leave the hotel for a special welcome dinner with wine at a local restaurant.
Dinner

Day 2 : Milan
In the morning, enjoy a walking tour with a Local Guide. Start with a visit to the Sforzesco Castle GROUNDS. Then, visit DUOMO SQUARE with its magnificent gothic Duomo, the glass-domed GALLERIA, and admire the famous La Scala Opera House. This afternoon, you may wish to join an optional excursion to nearby Lake Como for a relaxing boat cruise.
Breakfast

Day 3 : Milan – Excursion to Venice
Board the HIGH-SPEED TRAIN and arrive in Venice, where you will enjoy a VIP entrance: PRIVATE WATER-TAXIS will transfer you to ST. MARK’S SQUARE. Meet your Local Guide for a walking tour through the city of romantics: visit ST. MARK’S BASILICA, DOGES’ PALACE and the BRIDGE OF SIGHS. Then, watch a skilled GLASSBLOWER fashion delicate objects in an age-old traditional manner. Time at leisure; an optional gondola ride is available before returning by private water taxis, this time sailing through the GRAND CANAL to the railway station for your train ride back to Milan.
Breakfast

Day 4 : Milan – Excursion to Turin
A comfortable journey this morning takes you to Turin, capital of Piedmont and birthplace of the FIAT car. Enjoy an orientation drive and admire the Mole Antonelliana, symbol of Turin, and walk through the historic center to the cathedral that houses the Holy Shroud. Time to explore on your own before heading for EATALY, the first of its kind, where your voucher allows you to choose lunch. Before returning to Milan, visit the amazing 18th-century BASILICA OF SUPERGA, spectacularly located on a hill. The basilica houses the tombs of many princes and kings of the House of Savoy.
Breakfast
Lunch

Day 5 : Milan – Excursion to Florence
Board the HIGH-SPEED TRAIN and arrive in Florence. Follow your Local Guide for a walking tour through the historic center. Visit the ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS to admire Michelangelo’s David, see the Duomo, the Baptistry with the “Gate of Paradise,” and Giotto’s Bell Tower, visit sculpture-studded SIGNORIA SQUARE, and end at SANTA CROCE SQUARE, where a special lunch with pizza, wine, and, of course, gelato awaits you at Finisterrae restaurant. Time to shop for leather and gold, for which the city is famous, before transferring to the railway station to return to Milan.
Breakfast
Lunch

Day 6 : At Leisure in Milan
A full day at leisure to explore the city at your own pace or choose from our exciting optional excursions. This evening, a special farewell dinner has been prepared for you at a local restaurant, the proper way to say arrivederci, Italia.
Breakfast
Dinner

Day 7 : Milan
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
Breakfast

Sightseeing & Inclusions:
MILAN
Special welcome and farewell dinners at a local restaurant; guided walking tour, visit the Sforzesco Castle grounds and admire Duomo Square and the Galleria
MILAN-VENICE-MILAN
By high-speed train (first class)
VENICE
Private water-taxi through the Grand Canal; guided walking tour, visit St. Mark’s Square and Basilica, Doges’ Palace and the Bridge of Sighs: glassblower’s demonstration
TURIN
Orientation drive, admire the Mole Antonelliana, walk through the historic center to the cathedral that houses the Holy Shroud; enjoy lunch at Eataly; visit the Basilica of Superga
MILAN-FLORENCE-MILAN
By high-speed train (first class)
FLORENCE
By high-speed train (first class), Guided walking tour, visit the Academy of Fine Arts to see Michelangelo’s David; admire the Duomo, the Baptistry and Giotto’s Bell Tower, visit Signoria Square; enjoy lunch at Finisterrae restaurant
Headsets throughout the tour

The following UNESCO World Heritage Sites can be seen or visited on this vacation:
Historic Centre of Florence
Transportation:
High-speed first-class train, motorcoach; mini-buses may be used