ROME

ROME Guided sightseeing includes the Vatican Museums, Sistine
Chapel, and St. Peter’s Square and Basilica to admire Michelangelo’s Pietà. Visit the
Colosseum and see the Roman Forum. Free time this afternoon and evening.*

* For operational reasons, schedule changes for the Rome program cannot be excluded.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT

LEGENDARY LIVES

Stand in awe and wonder amid one of mankind’s greatest artistic
achievements in the Sistine Chapel. Hear how in 1508, a young Michelangelo was
commissioned by Pope Julius II to decorate the chapel’s ceiling – a request not welcomed
by the 33-year-old sculptor. Michelangelo’s 4-year project was indeed one of physical pain
and psychological distress, while painting from scaffolds high above the sanctuary floor.
Nevertheless, he created what is considered the most famous ceiling in the world, depicting
the Creation of Adam in striking fresco style.

ROME–ORVIETO–MONTECATINI

Miracles and Men of the Cloth ROME Scenic drive en
route to Orvieto.*

ORVIETO

An orientation tour includes the cathedral with free time to visit San Brizio
Chapel. Enjoy free time for lunch before departing for Montecatini.

* For operational reasons, schedule changes for the Rome program cannot be excluded.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT

HISTORY & MYSTERY Orvieto’s Cathedral is perched atop a volcanic hill in stunning style
that features a large rose window, golden mosaics, and massive bronze doors. Inside, its
4/10
frescoed chapels are adorned with spectacular works such as the Judgement Day, the
coronation of Mary, the Pietà created by the great artist Scalza, and a spectacular organ
with 5,585 pipes. Here, a blood-stained relic cloth is stored in the Chapel of the Corporal,
remembrance of the 1263 miracle of Bolsena – when a priest who doubted his faith
witnessed the Communion Host begin to bleed onto the altar cloth.

MONTECATINI.

EXCURSION TO FLORENCE

Italian Beauties FLORENCE Guided
sightseeing includes Michelangelo’s masterpiece, David, at the Academy of Fine Arts,
Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistry’s heavy bronze “Gates of Paradise,” and Signoria Square.

Taste a traditional gelato. Free time this afternoon.

LOCAL FAVORITE
LOCAL TASTES

After seeing some of the world’s most magnificent architecture and
Rennaissance masterpieces in Florence, your day gets even sweeter with a mouth-watering
masterpiece in the birthplace of Italian gelato. We can thank the actual Renaissance man –
designer and architect Bernardo Buontalenti – who invented gelato in 16th-century Florence.
Created with less fat and less air than commercial ice cream, gelato is a dense, creamy,
frozen confection served in a multitude of tastes. Not an easy decision in how you’ll fill your
cup or cone!

MONTECATINI–PISA–VENICE ISLAND

The Tilted Tower PISA See the Leaning Tower en
route to Venice. Free time for dinner.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT

ART & ARCHITECTURE

See architecture gone askew from the viewpoint of the Piazza dei
Miracoli in Pisa. Take the ultimate selfie in front of the Leaning Tower with a tilt of the head
or other popular poses to commemorate your visit to this hub of European medieval art in
Pisa’s beautiful piazza.

VENICE ISLAND

Benvenuti a Venezia VENICE ISLAND Take a private boat ride on the
canals. Guided walking tour to see St. Mark’s Square and Basilica, Doge’s Palace and the
Bridge of Sighs followed by a glassblowing demonstration. Free time this afternoon and
evening.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT

HISTORIC SPOT Locals simply call Piazza San Marco “la piazza.” As paired with the
smaller Piazzetta, it forms the social, religious, and political hub of Venice, which Napoleon
called “the drawing room of Europe.” St. Mark’s Basilica dominates the square, offering
visitors a spectacular view of the great arches, marble embellishments, and the
Romanesque carvings of its façade. Also gracing the square is Doge’s Palace – a
masterpiece of Venetian Gothic architecture. The enclosed Bridge of Sighs, connecting the
palace with the prison, is named for the prisoners breathing in their last view of the Rio di
Palazzo on their walk to the prison’s interrogation rooms.

VENICE ISLAND–ASSISI

Medieval Marvels Scenic drive through the Apennine Mountains
en route to Assisi.

ASSISI Guided walking tour includes St. Clare’s Church and St. Francis’ Basilica.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT

ICONIC FOOTSTEPS Walk in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi with a visit to the
Basilica named after the deacon, friar, and mystic, who became one of the most venerated
religious figures in Christianity. Revered for his love of the Eucharist and the Earth, Francis
found communion with God through nature here in this Italian village where he lived and
died. Marvel at the magnificent frescoes by Italian master Giotto that adorn the Basilica
where the Saint is buried.

ASSISI–POMPEII–NAPLES–CAPRI

Time Standing Still in Pompeii POMPEII Join a guided
walking tour of the excavations.
NAPLES Embark on a jetfoil ride to the island of Capri.

CAPRI Take a funicular ride from the harbor to Capri village.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT

LEGENDS & LORE The fascinating archaeological site of Pompeii is a treasured glimpse
into Roman life near the Bay of Naples. This once thriving and sophisticated Roman city
was consumed by the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D., with its residents
and structures buried beneath inescapable ash and stone. See the preserved site of
excavated ruins that reveal remarkable frescoes, artwork, and artifacts within its streets and
the dwellings of the people who perished here.

CAPRI

Coves & Cliffs on the Clear Blue Sea CAPRI Guided sightseeing includes a visit
famous Villa San Michele. Take a scenic cruise (weather permitting) around the island.
Free time this afternoon and evening.

LOCAL FAVORITE

PICTURE PERFECT Visit stunning Villa San Michele perched high above the breathtaking
Bay of Naples. Swedish physician Axel Munthe dedicated much of his life to the
construction of the villa and surrounding gardens. His masterpiece, the Story of San
Michele, recounts of his wish for a “house open to the sun and wind and the voice of the
sea, like a Greek temple, and light, light, light everywhere!” Follow your visit to the villa with
a spectacular cruise around the isle of Capri.

CAPRI–SORRENTO–ROME

Arrivederci, Roma CAPRI Embark on a jetfoil ride to Sorrento.
SORRENTO Enjoy free time.
ROME Join a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT

CULTURAL GEMS Just as the sirens of Greek mythology lured sailors to the rocky shores
of Sorrento, we are drawn to its alluring panoramas, bistros, and boutiques. Take a seat in a
sidewalk cafe to peruse the picturesque panoramas on the Bay of Naples.

ROME

Safe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.