ITALIA BELLA ROME TO VENICE - FAMILY TRAVEL
8 DAYS FROM $3,997 US Details below or
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This classic Italy tour is designed with your family in mind – on which you'll share the splendors of Italy together! Explore the imperial city of Rome and the legacy of the powerful Roman Empire that ruled the world millennia ago. Look up at the celebrated ceiling of the Vatican's Sistine Chapel, as well as around at other Vatican treasures, on our special after-hours tour of the Vatican Museums, without the usual crowds! Explore Orvieto's fascinating medieval tunnels, and discover the amazing art masterpieces of fabled Florence, birthplace of the Renaissance, meet an art historian and watch a pizza-making demonstration. Travel to the Tuscan city of Pisa and see the Leaning Tower. Take the high-speed Eurostar train to Venice where gondolas – and a serenade – mask-making and gelato introduce you to daily life in this city of canals on this ultimate family Italy tour!
Day 1 Walk back in time to ancient Rome
Meals D Tour begins: 2:00 PM at The Westin Excelsior, Rome.
Welcome to Rome, where your Italy tour to the ancient world begins; a transfer is included from Leonardo da Vinci Airport in Fiumicino to The Westin Excelsior, Rome. Your adventure starts with a guided visit to St. Peter's Square and the Basilica, a must-see stop on any Italy tour. Join your fellow family travelers tonight for a welcome reception and dinner featuring authentic Italian fare that whets your appetite for a fun-filled Italy tour.
Lodging The Westin Excelsior, Rome
Day 2 An after-hours visit with Michelangelo at the Vatican Museums
Meals B
Drive through the heart of the city to see real-life relics of Imperial Rome, once capital of the ancient world. Walk through one of the Colosseum's 80 entrances, imagining what it was like for ancient gladiators and the Roman crowds who piled into this famous arena to see them, and pose for pictures with Roman Centurions. See the temples and basilicas of the Roman Forum, nerve center of the ancient empire. This evening, join us for a very special after-hours visit to the Vatican Museums, full of fascinating history and artistic masterpieces. View Michelangelo's famous ceiling in the Sistine Chapel – which the artist originally resisted doing because he considered himself a sculptor, not a painter – without the usual crowds! (Subject to availability and day of visit may vary.)
Lodging The Westin Excelsior, Rome
Day 3 Through Orvieto's tunnels and Tuscany's hills to Florence
Meals B, D
Discoveries abound on your Italy tour adventure today as your family sets off through rural Umbria and Tuscany. The first stop on your travels is walled Orvieto, perched on a volcanic plateau; a guided tour takes you under its cobblestone streets to explore the town's honeycombed medieval tunnels, and caves dating back to the time of the ancient Etruscans. Then it's on to Florence, birthplace of the Renaissance, where you'll check out Michelangelo's famed statue of David and other great works at the Galleria dell'Accademia, the oldest art school in the world. Arrive at your hotel, originally a palace dating from the early 15th century, for a memorable three-night stay.
Lodging The St. Regis Florence
Day 4 Discover why the Leaning Tower leans
Meals B, L
An excursion from Florence takes you to Pisa for a look at this maritime city's great medieval buildings – including a glimpse of the remarkable Leaning Tower and more of Pisa's "field of miracles," such as the Duomo and the Baptistry. Return to Florence for an evening spent as you please, and have dinner on your own in one of this grand Renaissance city's many restaurants.
Lodging The St. Regis Florence
Day 5 Florentine treasures at the Uffizi Gallery
Meals B, D
More great Renaissance art awaits in Florence today. A local art historian shares insights about the Renaissance and prepares you for a visit to the Uffizi Gallery. Join a local guide for your tour of the world's oldest art gallery, where you'll see masterpieces galore – including Michelangelo's painting of The Holy Family and Botticelli's The Birth of Venus. Tonight, join us for dinner and a pizza-making demonstration at a popular local restaurant.
Lodging The St. Regis Florence
Day 6 Travel to Venice aboard the high-speed Eurostar
Meals B, L
A first-class rail journey aboard the high-speed Eurostar train takes your family to Venice, a city of islands where the roads are paved with water, and a treasured memory of any Italy tour. Ride a private boat to your hotel and have lunch along the Grand Canal, followed by a guided walking tour of massive St. Mark's Square, and a visit to the Doge's Palace. Later, a musician serenades your family as you ride in a gondola, traveling through the canals as the Venetians have done for centuries!
Lodging The Westin Europa & Regina, Venice
Day 7 Mask-making and more in beautiful Venice
Meals B, D
Venetians are mad about their masks... and the making of these exquisite decorations is a centuries-old tradition here. You're in for a real treat as you meet skilled local artisans who will turn papier-maché into colorful, fanciful Venetian masks before your very eyes! And if there is any city in Europe that is perfect for just wandering, seeing and experiencing, it is Venice – and you'll have the chance to do just that for the rest of the day. Follow the small, cobbled streets and alleyways to see where they lead, visit a museum or sample some gelato (served warmer and creamier than traditional ice cream). Tonight, we'll all meet again for a farewell party, as your family's memorable Italy tour adventure draws to a spectacular close.
Lodging The Westin Europa & Regina, Venice
Day 8 Homeward bound
Meals B
Your family's unforgettable Italy tour ends: Venice. Arrivederci! Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from The Westin Europa & Regina, Venice to Venice's Marco Polo Airport; allow a minimum of 3 hours for flight check-in.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Nights 1 - 2 : The Westin Excelsior, Rome - Rome, Italy
Located on the most fashionable street in the Eternal City, Via Veneto, between the famous Piazza Barberini and Villa Borghese and close to many of Rome’s must-see sights, The Westin Excelsior, Rome is a monument to the very best of turn-of-the-century style and grace. Furnished with Renaissance, Imperial and Biedermeier reproductions, each sumptuous guest room features Westin’s signature Heavenly Beds® and lovely decorative touches. The new fitness center is state-of-the-art and features an indoor swimming pool. The readers of Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure agree that The Westin Excelsior, Rome is among the 500 best hotels in the world.
Nights 3 - 5 : The St. Regis Florence - Florence, Italy
Located in the heart of Florence just steps away from the Uffizi Gallery and the Galleria dell’Accademia, the St. Regis Florence was built as the palace home of the noble Giuntini family around 1400 and became a hotel during a citywide renovation in Florence in the late 18th century. Your family may feel like royalty when you find yourself surrounded by opulent touches reminiscent of its palace days. Guest rooms provide everything you’ll need for a comfortable stay such as LCD flat-screen TV with satellite channels, DVD player, a marble bathroom with a hairdryer and bathrobes, high-speed and wireless Internet access, mini bar and an in-room safe. If you have energy to spare at the end of a day, head to the Fitness Center where you’ll find lots of exercise equipment.
Nights 6 - 7 : The Westin Europa & Regina, Venice - Venice, Italy
Truly a Venetian landmark, the five beautiful baroque palaces that now comprise The Westin Europa & Regina, Venice sit regally overlooking the Grand Canal close to St. Mark’s Square; each of the five magnificently restored historic buildings date from the 17th to 19th centuries. Stylish guest rooms – many of which were recently redecorated – balance contemporary conveniences with local craftmanship and materials that mirror Venice's rich heritage, and feature Westin’s signature Heavenly Bed®, flat-screen LCD TV's, , signature White Tea Aloe bathroom amenities and dual-head Heavenly Showers®. Sip a cocktail as you watch life on the Grand Canal unfold before you at Bar Tiepolo or dine in style at La Cusina overlooking the most famous waterway in Venice. The readers of Travel + Leisure have consistently named The Westin Europa & Regina, Venice one of the 500 best hotels in the world.
INCLUDED
Tour prices are per person in U.S. dollars
All hotel accommodations, motor coach transportation, First Class accommodations on the Eurostar train from Florence to Venice, sightseeing, admissions, porterage and the services of local guides, drivers and the Tour Director are included. Transportation from Rome Leonardo da Vinci (Fiumicino) Airport or Terminal Train Station (Roma Termini) to The Westin Excelsior, Rome is included, regardless of the time you check in to the hotel, provided you have furnished us with accurate flight arrival information at least two weeks prior to the start of your tour. If you are arriving into another local train station please retain a receipt for your transfer and submit it to your Tour Director for reimbursement. Transportation from The Westin Europa and Regina to Venice Marco Polo Airport or a local train station is also included when you check out of the hotel. Transportation to and from airports and train stations may be shared with other guests.
Child Pricing
- Children less than 18 years of age must be booked in a room with at least one adult; exceptions may be granted under certain circumstances with parental consent. Quadruple accommodations are not available for four persons 18 and older. To qualify for a child discount, the child’s birth date must be provided at time of booking. Travel Protection is not discounted for children.
Hotel Accommodations
– The tour price includes all hotel accommodations with private baths. Our standard is to provide the best available accommodations without sacrificing value. Although the quality may differ slightly from one hotel to another, our commitment to your comfort is unwavering. Two-bedded rooms are reserved in most hotels. Triples are usually two-bedded rooms plus a rollaway cot and are not recommended for comfort. Quadruple accommodations consist of two adjoining rooms. Connecting rooms are not available on this journey.
Please note that we cannot guarantee adjacent or adjoining rooms. We will do all that we can to secure rooms next to one another when possible. A hotel may consider adjacent or adjoining rooms to be across the hall from each other.
For safety and security purposes, at time of booking, room accommodations for children under 18 year of age must be made in the same room as a an accompanying adult; exceptions may be granted under certain circumstances with parental consent.
Meals
Most meals are included as specified in the itinerary.
Even though water from the tap is safe to drink, restaurants will offer bottled water, either sparkling known as "frizzante", or non-sparkling known as "naturale". Water and other drinks served in a glass usually do not contain ice. If you ask for ice, known as "ghiaccio", you will probably receive a few cubes in a bowl.
Most restaurants open for lunch around noon, close at 3:00 PM, and then re-open for dinner at 7:30 PM. Customarily you will be charged a "coperto" (cover) for service at the table, which includes bread. The “coperto” usually ranges from 2 to 4 Euro per person and may be found at the top of the bill. Often a "servizio" (service charge) is added to the bill as well, which may range from 10 to 12%. If there is no added service charge, tips customarily range from 12 to 15% of your total bill.
Tour Director
Italia Bella: Rome to Venice is conducted by a Tour Director who remains with the group throughout the tour. Your Tour Director is a professional, fully trained employee.
Gratuities Included
All appropriate gratuities for restaurant and hotel staff, local guides and drivers, and the Tour Director are included.
No Options Sold
Your Tour Director will assist with information on free-time activities based on honest opinion and guidance but will not sell you anything. This means better value and a more relaxed and pleasant experience for you.
NOT INCLUDED
Transportation to the tour departure point and from the tour ending point is not included. Airfare may be purchased from us for travel originating in the United States.
Hotel Rooms Before and After Tours
To avoid jet lag and possible flight delays, you may wish to make hotel arrangements for the nights preceding or following your tour. As a service, we will book additional nights for you on a space-available basis using special rates only available through us. Hotel room charges will be added to the tour cost. Train and airport transfers are included for these extended stays as described above under Inclusive Prices. If you wish to spend additional nights, please discuss it with your reservations sales consultant or travel agent when you book your tour.
Luggage Responsibility
Although every effort is made to handle your luggage carefully, we cannot be responsible, assume liability or accept claims for loss or damage to luggage and personal effects due to breakage, theft, or fair wear and tear through hotel, airline and group carrier handling. It is important for your own self-interest and protection that you make certain you have adequate insurance to cover these eventualities. Please refer to the Travel Protection Product that will be offered at time of booking for more information.
Lost luggage is an unfortunate possibility in today's world of airline travel. We suggest that you:
•Pack at least one change of clothing in your carry-on bag
•Split your items between your suitcase and a traveling companion's suitcase
•Do not pack any vital medications or valuables in your checked luggage
•Confirm that your luggage is checked and tagged to your final destination at airport check-in
•Place your luggage claim tags in a secure place for your flight
•File a claim for any missing luggage immediately before leaving the baggage claim area
•Secure a case number and contact information for follow-up communications
•Make certain that the airline has your onward itinerary
Your Tour Director will assist you with airline and other carrier communications, but has no inside contacts to guarantee or expedite recovery of lost luggage. All recovery costs, including the communication costs, are your responsibility. Check your travel protection details for covered expenses.
Personal Expenses such as phone calls, room service, alcoholic and other beverages not specifically included, laundry, dry cleaning, airline excess luggage charges, vaccinations, visa fees and services, airport arrival and departure taxes, individual train and airport transfers (when applicable), and other optional or incidental extras are not included and may be significant.
DEPARTURE DATES
March, June , December
PRICES
from approx $3,997 US per
person, based on double occupancy
More Tours and Cruises Available For more information please complete the INQUIRY
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This classic Italy tour is designed with your family in mind – on which you'll share the splendors of Italy together! Explore the imperial city of Rome and the legacy of the powerful Roman Empire that ruled the world millennia ago. Look up at the celebrated ceiling of the Vatican's Sistine Chapel, as well as around at other Vatican treasures, on our special after-hours tour of the Vatican Museums, without the usual crowds! Explore Orvieto's fascinating medieval tunnels, and discover the amazing art masterpieces of fabled Florence, birthplace of the Renaissance, meet an art historian and watch a pizza-making demonstration. Travel to the Tuscan city of Pisa and see the Leaning Tower. Take the high-speed Eurostar train to Venice where gondolas – and a serenade – mask-making and gelato introduce you to daily life in this city of canals on this ultimate family Italy tour!