Great Italian Cities – 10 days

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- Return airport/hotel transfers at selected times
- 9 nights hotel accommodation
- Breakfast daily & 4 dinners (including Be My Guest)
- Touring by by luxury air-conditioned coach with free Wi-Fi
- Assistance of a Travel Director & Local Specialist
- All porterage & restaurant gratuities
- Sightseeing in all major cities
- All hotel tips, charges & local taxes
- VISITS: Rome, Florence & Venice

** Book & pay by 12 MAY & receive a R1970 per person discount  **

** A high season supplement starting from an additional R700 per person applies for set departures between 26 MAY - 23 JUN 2017 **

THE TRAFALGAR DIFFERENCE

BE MY GUEST
Eight generations and plenty of stories to tell. Enjoy a traditional dinner with the Landi family at their home near Siena, set within a garden of oak trees against the backdrop of Tuscan vineyards & olive groves

CULTURAL INSIGHTS
Be inspired by the magnificence of Michelangelo & da Vinci at the Vatican Museums & enjoy an exclusive visit up the spiral staircase designed by the famous architect Donato Bramante in a part of the Vatican not open to the public. Witness the exquisite craft of glassblowing on Giudecca Island, a delicate tradition that generations of Venetian craftsmen have perfected over the centuries

HIDDEN TREASURES
Enjoy at least one surprise Hidden Treasure

LOCAL SPECIALISTS
For included sightseeing in Rome, Assisi, Pisa, Florence, Bologna & Venice

SMALL GROUP SIGHTSEEING
A guided walking tour of 'Secret Venice' to the Rialto food market with a group size of no more than 25 guests to enhance your experience

Are you travelling in a group? Book a group of 5-8 travellers & get 5% off per person. Frequent traveller & young traveller discounts also available.

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Arrive Rome (3 nights)

Welcome to Rome, the Eternal City. Relax after your journey or explore this fascinating city on your own. Later, meet your companions and Travel Director for a Welcome Reception. It's the perfect opportunity to get to know everyone. An orientation drive will take you to view St. Peter's Basilica - a great start to your Italian holiday.

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 Rome sightseeing & at leisure

Your included sightseeing tour with a Local Specialist begins at the Vatican Museums. Experience a Cultural Insight in the Vatican when you ascend the smooth and step-less spiral staircase designed by famous architect Donato Bramante. Admire Michelangelo's magnificent frescoed ceiling in the Sistine Chapel and then visit St. Peter's Basilica to see his famous Pietà. Later, see the Forum, centre of daily life in ancient Rome as well as visiting the impressive Colosseum, the largest in the Roman Empire. See the Circus Maximus where Ben Hur-style chariot racing took place. Spend free time discovering more of the city or relax at a pavement café and watch the world go by.

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Rome at leisure

Spend today as you please. Your Travel Director will be able to help you get the most from your day at leisure. Alternatively, consider joining an Optional Experience to the renowned excavations at Pompeii, in the Bay of Naples.

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Rome - Assisi - Florence (3 nights)

Drive north to the mystical town of Assisi on the slopes of Mount Subasio. Your Local Specialists shows you all the sights. Visit St. Francis' Basilica and see Giotto's enchanting frescoes. Arrive later in Florence, birthplace of the Renaissance.

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Florence sightseeing & at leisure

Learn about Florence's rich cultural history during your sightseeing tour with a Local Specialist. Visit Piazza della Signoria with its impressive sculptures and imposing palazzi. View the multi-coloured marble Duomo and Baptistery, famous for its bronze doors with relief sculptures. Enjoy views of the Ponte Vecchio, one of the city's most famous landmarks. Spend free time shopping for souvenirs, renowned for high quality leather and 18-carat gold jewellery.

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Florence - excursions to Pisa

Cross the Arno Valley to Pisa, a former maritime city on the Ligurian Sea. In the Square of Miracles, home to some of the city's most famous sights, see the incredible Leaning Tower and the beautifully sculpted marble Cathedral. See the Baptistery and the cemetery, built on soil brought from Calvary in the Holy Land. This evening, travel to a Tuscan olive oil estate for a special Be My Guest dinner.

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Florence - Bologna - Venice (3 nights)

Travel through the Apennines to Bologna, home to one of the oldest universities in Europe and famous for sausages and salamis. Your sightseeing tour with a Local Specialists includes views of the Kissing Towers, which lean towards each other, seemingly poised to embrace. Later, cross the Veneto plains to Venice. This sublime island city, constructed in a lagoon, has an incredibly rich cultural and artistic heritage. This evening, you might like to take a gondola ride along enchanting canals - it's the perfect introduction to this magical city. Dine tonight at your hotel.

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Venice - canal cruise & orientation

Savour the unique sights of Venice as you cruise by private launch to St. Mark's Square. See the Bridge of Sighs, Palladian Churches, Customs House, St. Mark's Basilica and the ornate Doge's Palace. Enjoy a Cultural Insight into the Venetian tradition of glass making on Giudecca Island. This afternoon you have free time to visit the Fine Arts Academy, relax at a café on St. Mark's Square or consider a boat trip to the Island of Burano for a delicious meal.

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Secret Venice walking tour & visit to the Rialto Food Market

Enjoy a leisurely stroll from your hotel along the canals to the famous Rialto Bridge to join your guided Small Group Sightseeing walking tour with a Local Specialists who'll reveal a centuries-old food market and narrow ‘calle' or streets. See the beautiful architecture, including Marco Polo's house. For the rest of the day you are free to visit the sights of your choice. Celebrate this evening with your fellow travellers at a Farewell Dinner in a local restaurant.

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Depart Venice

Say ‘arrivederci' to Italy and your newfound friends at the end of your memorable Italian holiday. Transfers are available. Conditions apply.