Itinerary

DAY 1: ARRIVE IN ROME, ITALY.
Welcome to Rome! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and travelling companions and leave the hotel for a welcome dinner at one of Rome's lively restaurants. (D)

DAY 2: ROME.
A fascinating day awaits. Your guided sightseeing includes inside visits to the VATICAN MUSEUMS and SISTINE CHAPEL where you can marvel at Michelangelo's ceiling paintings plus The Last Judgment, and monumental ST. PETER'S SQUARE and BASILICA to admire Michelangelo's Pieta. Then, drive to the Roman Forum and visit the amazing COLOSSEUM, where gladiators once fought. For those who wish to see it all, an optional walking tour with a Local Guide is available to explore even more famous sites like the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and more. (B)

DAY 3: ROME-FLORENCE.
A pleasant drive through the Tuscan hills brings you to Florence, the "Cradle of the Renaissance." Follow your Local Guide for a visit to the ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS with Michelangelo's celebrated statue of David. Admire the magnificent cathedral, Giotto's Bell Tower, the Baptistry's heavy bronze "Gates of Paradise," and visit sculpturestudded SIGNORIA SQUARE. Time to check out the enticing shops with Florentine leather goods and gold jewelry on Piazza Santa Croce before arriving at your hotel. This evening, an optional dinner is available to enjoy Tuscan specialties. (B)

DAY 4: FLORENCE-VENICE.
Enter Venice in style by PRIVATE BOAT and visit ST. MARK'S SQUARE. Admire the byzantine basilica, the Clock Tower, lavish Doges' Palace, and the Bridge of Sighs. Also, watch a skilled GLASSBLOWER fashion delicate objects in an age-old traditional manner. Then, you may wish to join an optional gondola ride. A PASTA DINNER is prepared for you at a local restaurant. (B,D)

DAY 5: VENICE-LUGANO, SWITZERLAND-LUCERNE.
Travel through the Po plains of Northern Italy, and enter Switzerland. Stop in Lugano with its sparkling lake surrounded by the Alps and explore the little shops along Via Nassa. Then, be inspired by the towering majesty of the Swiss Alps and St. Gotthard on the way to picturesque Lucerne. (B,D)

DAY 6: LUCERNE.
During your walking tour, admire Thorwaldsen's impressive LION MONUMENT and the ornate patrician houses lining the cobblestone streets of the Old Town. Cross the famous covered CHAPEL BRIDGE to the Jesuit Church. Shop for Swiss watches or knives, and consider optional excursions to make the most of your stay. (B)

DAY 7: LUCERNE-PARIS, FRANCE.
Say Auf Wiedersehen to Switzerland and cross the border into France. On your way to Paris, drive past the vineyards of Burgundy with views of beautiful castles and pass the Fontainebleau Forest. An optional excursion is available to try out local specialties in one of Paris' lively restaurants, followed by a drive through the French capital. (B)

DAY 8: PARIS.
Discover the world capital of chic and style with a Local Guide and admire its most famous sights: the Opera, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysees. Enjoy a SEINE CRUISE with spectacular views of Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower. Tonight, dinner and a lively cabaret show at the Moulin Rouge might just be the ticket! (B)

DAY 9: PARIS.
Your holiday ends with breakfast this morning. (B)