Italy

Rome - Orvieto - Tuscan Hills - Poggibonsi - Florence - Pisa - Verona - Padua -Venice
- Ravenna - San Marino - Urbino - Gubbio - Assisi area - Montecassino - Naples - Capri - Pompeii

Italian Showcase

A tour from Archers Direct (Cosmos)
The Itinerary and the map are from their website where the blurb says

'Experience Italy's magical diversity on this journey rich in architectural details, evocative scenery and cultural heritage.'

Included highlights:
Rome: City sightseeing
Orvieto: Visit cathedral
Florence: Walking tour
Pisa: Visit the Square of Miracles
Verona: City sightseeing
Padua: St Antony's Basilica and Prato della Valle
Venice: Canal boat ride, city sightseeing and glass-blowing demonstration
Ravenna: Visit
San Marino: Visit
Urbino: Visit
Gubbio: Visit
Assisi: St Francis Basilica
Montecassino: Visit
Capri
Naples: Orientation drive
Pompeii: Archeological site with local guide

Day 1, Friday 28th September:

Arrival. Fly to Naples where you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel for a three night stay at the 4* Princess Hotel.

Day 2, Saturday 29th September:

Rome. Included sightseeing.

The 'Eternal City' never ceases to amaze and delight, with its rich legacy of history and culture and its stylish, vibrant atmosphere. Our included sightseeing tour starts in St Peter's Square, followed by a visit to the Roman Forum and the mighty Colosseum.

Day 3, Sunday 30th September:

Rome. 'The day is yours to continue exploring Rome. There are so many historic and cultural attractions to visit, you'll be spoilt for choice.
We also have a range of great-value optional organised excursions on offer.

Day 4, Monday 1st October:

Rome - Orvieto - Tuscan Hills - Poggibonsi. We head north to the wine-making town Orvieto in the province of Umbria, standing high on a rocky hilltop, where we'll visit the impressive black basalt and yellow limestone cathedral. Next we enjoy an introduction to the beauty of the Tuscan countryside and the hillside towns and villages that skirt the Chianti wine growing region of Castellina, before continuing to Poggibonsi for a four-night stay at the Hotel Toscana.

This pretty little town, located in the heart of Tuscany, half way between Florence and Siena and next door to San Gimignano, is an ideal base for touring the region.
Dinner included this evening.

Day 5, Tuesday 2nd October:

Florence. Included sightseeing.

The Tuscan capital simply overflows with wonderful Renaissance art and architecture. Our full-day excursion includes a guided walking tour taking in the sightseeing highlights, such as a Piazza Santa Croce, the Palazzo Vecchio and Brunelleschi's magnificent Duomo.

Dinner included this evening.

Day 6, Wednesday 3rd October:

Poggibonsi, San Gimignano, Siena: The day is yours to relax and do as you please. There is an optional excursion to:

Picturesque San Gimignano, one of Italy's best preserved medieval towns, set on a hilltop and surrounded by vines and olive trees and to Siena, one of Italy's architectural and historic jewels, with its well-preserved medieval streets, converging on the glorious, semi-circular Piazza del Campo, famous for the 'Palio' horse racing event.

Tonight you have the opportunity to join the optional Tuscan dinner.

Day 7, Thursday 4th October:

Pisa: We take a short drive to Pisa to visit the world famous 'Square of Miracles', home of the amazing Leaning Tower, as well as the Duomo, the Baptistry and the Campo Santo cemetery. There's time to take a stroll down the 'Via Santa Maria', perhaps Pisa's most typical street, with its busy shops and restaurants.

The afternoon is at leisure. Dinner is included this evening.

Day 8, Friday 5th October:

Poggibonsi - Verona (included sightseeing) - Padua - Venice area.: We head north through the Tuscan countryside, into the flatlands of the Po Valley and across its river to the beautiful 'pink city' of Verona on the banks of the Adige.

Get to know more about this enchanting city on your included city sightseeing tour, which will take in various highlights, including, of course, the famous 'Juliet's' Balcony.

Next stop is Padua in the Veneto, home of the poet Dante, before we arrive in the Venice area for a two-night stay at the Hotel Poppi.

Day 9, Saturday 6th October:

Venice (included sightseeing): A short drive takes us to Venice for an included city sightseeing walking tour and an afternoon with a choice of optional great-value excursions. This city of unparalleled beauty offers a feast of wonderful sights. Imagine the delightful criss-crossing canals, the gondolas, water buses, arched bridges, palaces and little quiet piazzas.

Your sightseeing tour with local guide starts with a boat ride and takes in many of the city's highlights, including St Mark's Basilica. You'll also enjoy a visit to a typical Venetian glass-blowing demonstration.

Dinner is included this evening.

Day 10, Sunday 7th October:

Venice area - Ravenna - San Marino: Heading south, we stop in Ravenna in the Emilia- Romagna region, at one time an imperial city known as the Byzantium of the west, after which we travel into the tiny hilltop republic of San Marino, the smallest independent state in Europe after the Vatican and Monaco, for an overnight stay at the Hotel Titano.

Day 11, Monday 8th October:

San Marino - Urbino - Gubbio - Assisi area: First stop today is Urbino, birthplace of the artist Raphael, with its magnificent Ducal Palace towering over the town. Then it's on to medieval Gubbio, where you'll enjoy a superb view of the rooftops of the town from the Consul's Palace. Next we head for the picturesque hilltop town of Assisi, birthplace of St Francis, staying overnight at the Holiday Inn Express in nearby Foligno.
Dinner is included this evening.

Day 12, Tuesday 9th October:

Assisi area - Montecassino - Naples: We start the day with a visit to Assisi's Basilica, with its world famous frescoes by Giotto. Then we travel south across the Apennines into the province of Latium for a stop in Montecassino, doubly famous as a holy place for its Benedictine Abbey and as a site of a major World War II battle. Later in the day we arrive at the shores of the beautiful, blue Mediterranean for a three-night stay in one of its most historic and vibrant cities, Naples, spectacularly set against the stunning backdrop of Mount Vesuvius.
We stay at the Hotel San Germano. Dinner is included this evening.

Day 13, Wednesday 10th October:

Capri: A favourite haunt of the jet set, Capri is a beautiful island with many sightseeng attractions, including some impressive Roman ruins and villas. We'll travel by boat to this legendary island, surrounded by rose-tinted rocks, landing in Capri Town, with its pretty piazza, maze of streets, fashionable boutiques and smart restaurants.

There's a chance to join our optional tour around the island and enjoy some stunning panoramic views.

Return to Naples for overnight. Dinner is included this evening.

Day 14, Thursday 11th October:

Pompeii. Included sightseeing: This morning there's a chance to get to know more about lively Naples on our included orientation drive. Then it's on to Pompeii, the incredible ancient city which was buried for centuries by lava ashes from the volcano, Vesuvius. You'll enjoy an included tour with local guide of the site where you can see the well-preserved remains of villas, temples, the forum - even petrified human and animal bodies.

Day 15, Friday 12th October:

Fly home from Naples.