Donna Franca Vacations

DAY 1 • SORRENTO

Welcome Dinner with Wine & Folklore Show

Arrival transfer from Naples Capodichino Airport by private motor coach to Sorrento. After checking into our centrally located, four star hotel, we will have ample time to unpack, relax and freshen up prior to going on an escorted “passeggiata” in the downtown area, before enjoying dinner with wine and a traditional folklore revue.

DAY 2 • SORRENTO – CAPRI – SORRENTO

Breakfast & Dinner with Wine

This morning, after breakfast, cross the Bay of Naples by hydrofoil to the enchanting Isle of Capri. Our escort will lead you to the famous ‘Piazzetta’ where you can enjoy the afternoon exploring. In the early evening cross back to Sorrento for leisure time prior to dinner with wine at a local restaurant.

DAY 3 • SORRENTO – POMPEII – ROME

Breakfast & Wine Estate Luncheon

After buffet breakfast at the hotel, set out on our journey by private motor coach to Pompeii and Rome. Today’s first stop will be in Pompeii for a guided tour of the important excavation site. This once thriving ancient Roman seaside resort was buried under molten ash during the 79 AD eruption of nearby Mt. Vesuvius. Afterwards enjoy a specially prepared luncheon at a renowned wine estate on the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius. Then proceed to Rome for check-in at our centrally located, four star hotel and time to relax prior to dinner on your own.

DAY 4 • ROME

Breakfast & Pizza Lesson with Wine at a Restaurant

Enjoy buffet breakfast prior to your full day sightseeing of the Eternal City. Meet our professional English speaking guide and enjoy a morning guided tour of the Eternal City featuring the Arch of Constantine, the Circus Maximus, the Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, Piazza Venezia and the Colosseum.The balance of the day is at our leisure until tonight when, for our enjoyment, we will be treated to a lesson on how to make authentic pizza, followed by our first taste of authentic local Roman fare.

DAY 5 • ROME – ORVIETO – FLORENCE

Breakfast & Lunch with Wine

Enjoy a leisurely buffet breakfast at the hotel before boarding our private deluxe mini-coach and journeying to Tuscany, one of Italy’s most treasured regions. Our first stop for today will be in Orvieto to enjoy a special gourmet luncheon at a local, well-known winery estate. After lunch, partake in an orientation tour of the city featuring the interior of a great Gothic Cathedral and Piazza del Duomo. In the afternoon, continue on to Florence for check-in at our centrally located four star hotel. After we have settled in, take a leisurely walk through the historic center of Florence for dinner on your own.

DAY 6 • FLORENCE

Breakfast & Dinner with Wine at Restaurant

After buffet breakfast at the hotel, meet our local guide/lecturer who will introduce us to the genius of the Italian Renaissance during an informative guided tour of Florence. Start at the Accademia to admire Michelangelo’s imposing statue of ‘David’. Continue on to the main Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, crowned by Brunelleschi’s great dome and flanked by Giotto’s sleek bell tower. At the adjacent Baptistery, see Ghiberti’s famous Bronze ‘Gates of Paradise’, almost lost to the floods of 1966. Stroll through Piazza della Signoria, past the Palazzo Vecchio and onto the colorful Piazza Santa Croce for an exterior view of the Church of Santa Croce. Tonight, enjoy dinner with wine at a characteristic restaurant.

DAY 7 • FLORENCE – SIENA – SAN GIMIGNIANO

Breakfast, Wine Estate Luncheon

Enjoy buffet breakfast at the hotel prior to heading out on today’s full day excursion in search of Tuscany’s hidden treasures. Our first stop will be in Siena, the home of the annual Palio Horse Race, to explore this fortified city as our escort leads us through its winding roads, past tall towers and along portico-covered galleries. Stroll through the large Piazza del Campo, dominated by the Torre della Mangia and the Palazzo Pubblico. Walk up to the stunning Duomo with its contrasting black and white marble. With our spare time, you may wish to visit on your own the Duomo with its lavishly decorated Piccolomini Library. Continue on to the hills just outside of San Gimignano for a specially arranged wine tasting luncheon, featuring authentic rustic cuisine at local wine estate. Then, continue on to San Gimignano for an orientation tour of the quaint town and to admire a few remaining tall towers, once the skyscrapers’ of the Middle Ages. Return in the late afternoon to Florence to leisurely enjoy the rest of the evening.

DAY 8 • FLORENCE – BOLOGNA – VENICE

Breakfast & Culinary Lesson with Tortellini Lunch

After buffet breakfast at the hotel, board our private deluxe mini- coach and journey to Venice. En-route, stop in Bologna for a specially arranged culinary class to learn to make homemade pasta followed by a delicious ‘tortellini’ lunch. Afterwards continue on to Venice’s Piazzale Roma where we will be transferred by private motor launch to downtown Venice. After check-in at a centrally located, first class hotel, we can relax and unwind at our own pace overnight at the hotel.

DAY 9 • VENICE

Breakfast & Dinner with Wine at a Restaurant

Enjoy buffet breakfast at the hotel prior to this morning’s guided walking tour of Venice. Today’s tour highlights the immense St. Mark’s Square, the Bridge of Sighs, the Bell Tower and the famous Clock Tower with its Moorish figures that strike the hour. The tour continues with a visit to the Basilica of St. Mark with its intricate mosaics and then culminates with a visit to the Doge’s Palace. The rest of the afternoon is at your leisure, or purchase an optional excursion to the Venetian Isles. Tonight celebrate your farewell dinner at a typical local restaurant.

DAY 10 • DEPARTURE

Breakfast

Early morning breakfast at the hotel, followed by your transfer to Venice’s Marco Polo Airport to board your return flight to the USA or extend your stay in Italy.

SORRENTO: Grand Hotel Centrale or similar

ROME: Hotel Quirinale or similar

FLORENCE: Hotel Plaza Lucchesi or similar

VENICE: Hotel Palazzo S. Angelo or similar