| Day 1 Arrive Rome (2 nights) |
| Welcome to Rome! The rest of the day is free to relax.
Later, meet up with your Tour Director and the rest of your
group to perhaps visit the city by night. Hotel: Aran Park |
| Day 2 Rome
sightseeing & at leisure |
| On our sightseeing tour we will visit the Vatican City and
see the awe-inspiring Basilica of St. Peter. Then we explore
ancient Rome where we will see the Forum and the Colosseum
where the gladiators fought so bravely, often against wild
animals! This evening we learn how to make a pizza and then
enjoy eating them together! (Buffet breakfast / Dinner) |
| Day 3 Rome - Florence -
Montecatini (Tuscan Hills) |
| This morning we drive by the rolling hills of Umbria and
through the beautiful Tuscan landscape to the city of
Florence. We have a guided walking tour which takes in the
Piazza Signoria, the Piazza del Duomo with its cathedral and
baptistery, and the Piazza Santa Croce. There is time to
shop for leather jackets and gold jewellery plus our Tour
Director will take us to the most amazing ice cream shop for
a ‘gelato’ – with so many varieties to choose from, it is
really difficult to decide which one to have! Then on to our
hotel in the spa resort of Montecatini. (Buffet breakfast /
Dinner) Hotel:
Metropole |
| Day 4 Montecatini
(Tuscan Hills) - Pisa - Nice (2 nights) |
| This morning our first stop is Pisa where we see the
incredible Leaning Tower in the aptly named Square of
Miracles! Then we follow the coast line northward passing by
the port of Genoa where Christopher Columbus was born and
then on to the border with France. On the way to Nice we
stop in the tiny Principality of Monaco, famous for the
Monte Carlo Grand Prix and we actually drive on the roads
which are used for the race! Soon we are off to Nice which
is the main resort on the Mediterranean coast of southern
France. This evening we will have time to start to explore
this really lively town. (Buffet breakfast / Dinner) Hotel: Novotel Nice Centre Acropolis |
| Day 5 Nice at
leisure |
| We have a full day to enjoy this bustling resort town. Time
to go on to the beach and swim in the Mediterranean, watch
the roller bladers and skate boarders on the Promenade des
Anglais, or do some shopping in the stores for clothes and
souvenirs! Or you can take an excursion to Cannes, which is
where the red carpet event, the Cannes Film Festival, is
held every year, and then go on to see St. Paul de Vence
which is an artists’ colony set inside a medieval walled
town. (Buffet breakfast) |
| Day 6 Nice - Grenoble - Geneva |
| Today we leave the coast and head inland towards the Alps.
We pass near Grenoble which stands at the gateway to the
French Alps which is the largest and most popular winter
sports area in Europe. Then we continue on to the border
with Switzerland and the international city of Geneva which
is situated right on the western end of the largest of the
Swiss lakes, which is called Lac Leman or is better known as
Lake Geneva. (Buffet breakfast) Hotel: Ramada Encore |
| Day 7 Geneva - Montreux - Zermatt
(2 nights) |
| Our orientation tour shows us the impressive Jet D’Eau and
the United Nations Building. Then we drive along the lake to
Montreux and take a photo of the Chateau de Chillon. Finally
we take mini-buses from Tasch to the traffic free resort of
Zermatt in the shadow of the Matterhorn where we stay for
the next two nights. (Buffet breakfast / Dinner) Hotel: Holiday Zermatt |
| Day 8 Zermatt at leisure |
| Today we have the option to take the ride of a lifetime on
Europe’s highest open-air cogwheel railway, which ascends to
over 10,000 feet, crossing forests, alpine meadows, passing
rocky gorges and finally to the Gornergrat ridge where you
can see 29 peaks rising to over 14,000 feet, dominated by
the mighty Matterhorn. Later there is time to explore this
car-free mountain village and learn about all the brave
mountaineers who have attempted to climb the Matterhorn! (Buffet
breakfast) |
| Day 9 Zermatt - Italian
Lakes - Venice (Monastier) (2 nights) |
| Cameras at the ready for a day of stunning scenery! First,
over the Simplon Pass high in the Alps and then down towards
the Italian Lakes, entering Italy near Domodossola. We stop
in the glorious resort of Stresa on Lake Maggiore – a town
of elegant villas facing the picturesque Borromean Islands.
Then via Lake Como and Milan we take the 'autostrada' to
Venice – a unique city of over 200 islands built on wooden
piles in a glassy lagoon. (Buffet breakfast / Dinner) Hotel: Park Hotel Villa Fiorita |
| Day 10 Venice orientation &
at leisure |
| We leave the coach behind as we explore Venice on a cruise
which takes us through the canals to St. Mark’s Square and
we see the Doge’s Palace where the Venetian rulers once
lived. Then we watch a demonstration of the ancient art of
glass blowing before we have time to explore through all the
amazing narrow alley ways and over the bridges and
canals. (Buffet breakfast / Dinner) |
| Day 11 Venice (Monastier) -
Orvieto - Rome |
| We cross through the forested Apennine Mountains today on
our way back to Rome. But we make a stop in Umbria to visit
Orvieto, which was built on the top of an extinct volcano.
We ascend by funicular railway and are free to explore this
fascinating town. Finally we return to Rome where maybe
tonight we should throw a coin into the Trevi fountain to
make sure we will come back one day! (Buffet breakfast)
Hotel: La Pergola |
| Day 12 Depart Rome |
| This morning we say ‘arrivederci’ to our Tour Director and
our friends on the tour as our European tour comes to an
end. (Buffet breakfast) |
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