Italian Lakes, Venice, Florence and Rome

ITALIAN LAKES, VENICE, FLORENCE & ROME
10 DAYS FROM $5,590 US
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Phone: 1-888-682-6449/1-303-670-5640
Fax: (425) 984-7676

Superb travel Italy style! From Michelangelo's statue of David to the echoes of gladiators at Rome's Colosseum, the art and drama of the ages inspire this journey. Confirmed reservations provide an opportunity to view the original works of the masters at the Uffizi Gallery, and Florence's Galleria dell'Accademia. Enjoy confirmed reservations at the Doges' Palace in Venice, see St. Mark's Square, and take a gondola ride on the canals complete with a serenade. Visit the medieval town of Siena in the Tuscan countryside. Take a private boat across Lake Como at the foot of the Alps, and a high-speed train ride to Florence. See the Colosseum in Rome, and view the inspiring treasures of the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel during an after-hours guided visit - a Tauck Exclusive! And of course, you'll also have ample time to pursue what interests you most in Venice, Florence, and Rome when you travel Italy with us!

Day 1 - Welcome to the pleasures of the Italian Lakes
Tour begins 6:00 PM, Grand Hotel Eden. A transfer is included from Milan's Malpensa Airport to Grand Hotel Eden in Lugano. As you travel Italy Tauck-style, you'll see the best of this ancient country, from great cities to countryside villages and towns that are off-the-beaten track! Begin by heading through the beautiful northern Italian countryside from Milan to Lugano, Switzerland - an Italian-style city set on the edge of a bejeweled lake with views of the not-too-distant Alps. Enjoy free time to explore the waterfront promenade, then meet fellow traveling companions at a welcome cocktail reception and dinner.

Meals: Dinner
Lodging: Grand Hotel Eden, Lugano, Switzerland

Day 2 - Villa delights and a cruise on Lake Como
Your travels take you to Tremezzo to visit Villa Carlotta, built in the 18th century, and noted for garden landscaping and sculpture. Admire the dramatic views of the Alps silhouetting the famous villas along the shores of Lake Como on a private boat cruise to Bellagio; enjoy free time to explore the picturesque town as you please. Another private boat cruise takes you past some of Italy's most elegant lakeside villas to Como. Return to Lugano, where the evening is free to spend as you wish.

Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Grand Hotel Eden, Lugano, Switzerland

Day 3 - Travel Italy from the fabulous lakes to Venice
Journey to Venice, designed along an intricate system of canals within a lagoon. After lunch, head to St. Mark's Square, the heart of Venice, with a local guide. Visit Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square) and St. Mark's Basilica, one of the greatest buildings in Europe with its exquisite mosaics and detailed carvings. See the Doges' Palace, a pink marble Gothic masterpiece containing a precious art collection. A serenade aboard a gondola cruise through the canals, and dinner at a popular Venetian restaurant, are the perfect endings to a perfect day.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Hotel Danieli, Venice, Italy

Day 4 - Explore Venice as you please
Spend the whole day exploring the museums and sites that interest you most in remarkable Venice, a highlight as you travel Italy with Tauck. Perhaps tour the Galleria dell'Accademia or the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, or take a boat ride to the many islands in the Venetian lagoon.

Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Hotel Danieli, Venice, Italy Map

Day 5 - By Rail to Florence, home of David and the Renaissance
Travel Italy by high-speed Eurostar rail today from Venice to Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance. Get an introduction to the city's architectural landmarks and great artists from a local art historian; view Lorenzo Ghiberti's bronze doors with detailed panels at the Baptistry, part of the Duomo of Santa Maria del Fiori complex. Your art lecture is great prepartion for today's visit to Galleria dell'Accademia, home to many of the world's most beloved paintings and sculpture. Later, a walking tour explores the historical center of Florence, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: The Westin Excelsior, Florence, Italy

Day 6 - Masterpieces of the Uffizi
Gaze at some of the world's greatest art masterpieces at the extraordinary Uffizi Gallery, Italy's largest art museum, on a guided tour with a local expert. Admire works by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli, and more. Following your tour, you can spend as much time as you like looking at the art. During your free afternoon you can explore as you please; perhaps you may want to visit the Pitti Palace, the Medici Chapels or stroll across the Ponte Vecchio to the lovely Boboli Gardens.

Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: The Westin Excelsior, Florence, Italy

Day 7 - Across lush landscapes and on to eternal Rome
Travel Italy through the verdant landscapes of Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio today, featuring olive groves, cypress trees, and vineyards, including the region that produces Chianti wine. Stop in the medieval hill town of Siena, and wander through its narrow centuries-old streets. See the Piazza del Campo where the Palio bareback horse race is held, and visit the Duomo, one of Italy's great cathedrals, with scenes inlaid in the marble floors and sculpture by Michelangelo. Continue through scenic Tuscany to your final destination - Rome, the Eternal City that was the center of the once-powerful Roman Empire, and is today the capital of modern Italy.

Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: The St. Regis Grand Hotel, Rome, Italy

Day 8 - Discover the Vatican's treasures on an exclusive private tour
A Tour Operator Exclusive today - an after-hours guided visit to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel! See the Candelabra Gallery, Map Gallery and the Tapestries; it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see some of the world's great masterpieces, including Michelangelo's famous Sistine Chapel ceiling frescoes, without the usual crowds. Up close and unhurried, you'll have a chance to see first-hand why the chapel's floor is as famous as its celebrated ceiling! Please note that the day of this tour may vary.

Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: The St. Regis Grand Hotel, Rome, Italy

Day 9 - An extraordinary day in Imperial Rome
Get an insider's view of Rome from a local guide as you see such can't-miss sights as the Roman Forum, Piazza Venezia, the Circus Maximus and many others. You'll avoid long lines with pre-arranged reservations at the Colosseum, opened in AD 80 for gladiator combat, and visit St. Peter's Square and one of the world's most famous houses of worship, iconic St. Peter's Basilica (day may vary). Enjoy some more free time to check out what interests you most in Rome before gathering to share your favorite experiences at the farewell cocktail party and dinner - a special finale when you travel Italy with us.

Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: The St. Regis Grand Hotel, Rome, Italy

Day 10 - Arrivederci Rome
Your travel Italy days end in Rome. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from The St. Regis Grand Hotel, Rome to Leonardo da Vinci Airport in Fiumicino; allow 2 1/2 hours for check-in.

Meals: Breakfast

Night 1 & 2: Grand Hotel Eden
Lugano, Switzerland

The Grand Hotel Eden enjoys an enviable location on the waterfront of Lugano Paradiso, one of the sunniest spots of the Canton Ticino, just a few minutes from the city center. Indulge yourself in the new Eden Spa, take a dip in the indoor pool or just relax on lakeside sun deck and enjoy the spectacular views.

Night 1 & 2: Splendide Royal Lugano*
Lugano, Switzerland

The most fashionable hotel in Lugano, the grand Splendide Royal Lugano is a historic landmark set in a lovely location on the lakeside promenade along the shores of Lake Lugano and surrounded by lush gardens. Each spacious guest room offers individual air conditioning, cable color TV, mini bar, hair dryer, bathrobes and slippers and Internet access. During leisure time, take advantage of the indoor swimming pool and its terrace, the sauna or the solarium. Its classic restaurant, La Veranda, features cuisine with French and Italian influences. Splendide Royal Lugano is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World and Swiss Deluxe Hotels.

* Tour departing September 16 will stay at the Splendide Royal Lugano rather than the Hotel Eden on nights 1 and 2.

Night 3 & 4: Hotel Danieli
Venice, Italy

To enter the Hotel Danieli is to step back in time to the days when Venetian nobles lived a regal lifestyle surrounded by opulence and grandeur. Originally the palace of Doge Dandolo in the 14th century, Murano glass chandeliers, pink marble columns and stained glass still frame the hotel’s majestic staircase. Piazza San Marco, Palazzo Ducale and the Ponte dei Sospiri are just steps away. The stylish décor and comfortable furnishings in guest rooms reflect the rich cultural heritage of Venice. Each guest room provides bathrobe and slippers, deluxe bath amenities, in-room safe, mini bar, hairdryer, in-room movies, color cable TV and air conditioning. The elegant rooftop Restaurant Terrazza Danieli delivers captivating views of the Grand Canal, the Lido and the Venice Lagoon along with delectable regional and Mediterranean cuisine. During the warmer months, enjoy those same views along with your favorite libation at the Bar Terrazza. Hotel Danieli received the “2008 Hotel Partner of the Year” award from American Express.

Night 5 & 6: The Westin Excelsior, Florence
Florence, Italy

Voted one of the 500 best hotels in the world by the readers of Travel + Leisure and named to the prestigious Gold List by Condé Nast Traveler, the 5-star Westin Excelsior, Florence richly deserves those accolades. Located in the very heart of fabulous Florence, close to the Uffizi Gallery, Pitti Palace and the Ponte Vecchio, this deluxe hotel offers both luxurious ambience and top-notch service. The richly decorated, air-conditioned guest rooms feature Westin’s signature Heavenly Bed®.


Nights 7, 8 & 9:
The St. Regis Grand Hotel, Rome
Rome, Italy

The St. Regis Grand Hotel, Rome, is most conveniently located in the center of the city, within walking distance of the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain and Via Veneto. The readers of Travel + Leisure have deemed The St. Regis Grand to be one of the best 500 hotels in the world for very good reasons. This palace of a hotel was opened by the legendary Cesar Ritz in as the first deluxe hotel in Rome in 1894, and it has steadfastly maintained his high standard of service and his insistence upon elegantly opulent surroundings for his guests.

INCLUSIVE PRICES

Tour prices are per person in U.S. dollars. All hotel accommodations, motor coach transportation, first-class accommodations on the Eurostar train from Venice to Florence, the private boat ride across Lake Como, sightseeing, admissions, luggage handling and the services of the Tauck Director are included. A representative of Tauck will meet you at Milan Malpensa International Airport and provide transportation to the Grand Hotel Eden, regardless of the day and time of your arrival, provided you have furnished us with accurate flight arrival information at least two weeks prior to the start of the tour. Tauck will also provide transportation from The St. Regis Grand Hotel to Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport in Rome on the day of your departure.

Hotel Accommodations – The tour price includes all hotel accommodations with private baths. The standard is to provide the best available hotels without sacrificing value. Although the quality may differ slightly from place to place, this standard remains uncompromised. Two-bedded rooms are reserved in most hotels. Triples are two-bedded rooms plus a rollaway cot where available and are not recommended for comfort.

Meals – Most meals are included as specified in the itinerary.

Tour Director – Italian Lakes, Venice, Florence & Rome is conducted by a Tour Director who remains with the group throughout the duration of the tour. Your Tour Director is a professional, fully trained employee of the Tour Operator.

Gratuities Included – All gratuities for restaurant and hotel staffs and local guides are included.

No Options Sold - Tour Directors assist with information on free-time activities based on honest opinion and guidance, but they will not sell you anything. This means better value and a more relaxed and pleasant experience for you.

NOT INCLUDED

Airfare 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. If you wish to spend additional nights, please consult the Extend This Journey section on this website and discuss it with the reservations 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 Protection Plan for more information.

Personal Expenses - Phone calls, room service, alcoholic and bar beverages, laundry, airline excess luggage charges, vaccinations, visa fees and services, individual airport transfers, and other optional or incidental extras are not included and may be significant.

Tour Director Gratuities - The customary gratuities to the Tour Director and driver are not included. Gratuities should be extended on a voluntary, individual basis and not as a group.

Departures:
April - October

Prices:
From approx $5,590 US dollars, per person based on double occupancy

Many other tours of Italy available on request
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