DAY 1 Arrive Rome (2)

On arrival at Rome Fiumicino Airport you are met and transferred to your hotel,  where you will have time to relax and unwind before we meet with our Tour Director and fellow travellers this evening. Find out more about your tour and your travelling  companions at a welcome drink followed by dinner in a convivial Roman Trattoria. (HD)

DAY 2 Rome sightseeing & at leisure

This morning we will enjoy an included sightseeing tour with a local guide using our  effective audio system to highlight the Forum, Colosseum and enhance our visit of St. Peter's Basilica. After there's free time to sightsee further or just  wander the backstreets of the city. Later, we get together for an evening drive ending at the baroque splendour of Piazza Navona, where we will be treated  to a drink or ice-cream of our choice! Then time is your own to sample the local  cuisine in one of the many restaurants, which are to be found in this area. (BB)

DAY 3 Rome - Bomarzo - Florence (4)

This morning we travel into the northern Lazio, we stop at the woebegone 'Monster Park' at  Bomarzo, a mad garden of colossal cinquecento sculptures that brings the neurosis of late Renaissance Italy into evidence. From here we continue over  the border into the rolling hills of Umbria and later the vineyards and tobacco fields of Tuscany, where we reach our hotel in Florence. This afternoon,  over a glass of wine in a well known restaurant, we will have a short  lecture on the basic principals of Italian cuisine and learn a few words of  Italian, in preparation for our shopping and cooking day! Tonight we will have a  dinner of Tuscan cuisine at our hotel. (BB D)

DAY 4 Tuscan lifestyle experience Our day begins first at a fruit and vegetable market where we buy fresh produce for  our cooking lesson. Having selected the best produce available at this time  of year, we will proceed to the restaurant where we have use of the kitchen and where we will all participate in the preparation of today's midday meal and the purchasing of the wine to go with it! After a hopefully delicious  meal washed down with the chiantis which we have selected, we return to our  hotel for the night. Your evening is at leisure to do as you please. (BB) (HL)

DAY 5 Greve Excursion in Chianti

This morning after breakfast,  we will enjoy an exhilarating drive into the Chianti hills and to the capital of  its food and wine – the charming town of Greve. Here we visit  a wine and olive oil outlet, where we can taste a plethora of excellent  Chiantis and extra virgin olive oils. On the town's main square are some of  the finest food shops in Europe where you have the chance to taste the 'salumeria'.  After there's time for some lunch before we drive east to Vignamaggio to  see the villa where the Mona Lisa was born and where 'Much Ado about Nothing' was filmed. We will return to the hotel this afternoon with time to relax before a short  lesson on how to get by in Italian, in preparation for our shopping day tomorrow. This evening we will enjoy a Tuscan style barbecue in a farmhouse restaurant. (BB) (HD)

DAY 6 Florence sightseeing & Pisa

Excursion After breakfast, we will enjoy a walking tour with a local guide, using our effective audio system,  which takes us to the Accademia to see the recently restored 'David' of Michelangelo as well as Piazza Signoria and the multi-coloured marble Duomo.  Then we travel into the countryside to an olive-oil mill for a delicious lunch and an olive-oil tasting. Finally, we make our way to Pisa where we visit  the Square of Miracles with its monumental Cathedral and famous Leaning  Bell Tower. We return to our hotel with your evening at leisure. Your Tour Director  will be happy to suggest dining options. (BB) (HL)

DAY 7 Florence - Venice (3)

Enjoy the morning at leisure with time to participate in various optional activities which you can book through your Tour Director. Choose from either more sightseeing in Florence, or an excursion  to San Gimignano or a guided walking tour through the Tuscan countryside. Later,  we will drive to the magical floating city of Venice. Time to relax  and perhaps explore on your own. This evening we will have the pleasure of dining on local specialities as we sit alongside the Grand Canal. (BB) (HD)

DAY 8 Venice orientation & at leisure

After breakfast  this morning our visit to the magical city of Venice would not be complete without  an orientation cruise by private motor launch along the Giudecca and  over to St. Mark's Square. Here we will witness a demonstration of the ancient art of Murano glass-blowing in one of the city's oldest workshops. Then there's time on your own to perhaps join the various optional activities on offer. This evening, dinner is served at our hotel. (BB D)

DAY 9 Secret Venice walking tour & visit to the market

Today with our local guide we enjoy a guided commentary using  our effective audio system, which will bring the city to life, as we cruise along the Grand Canal to the Rialto Bridge. We cross the Rialto and visit the staggering fish market which has existed for centuries, and then enjoy a walking  tour through the 'calle' seeing sites such as the house of Marco Polo and other  curious as well as, beautiful architectural works of Art. The balance of the day  is at leisure to perhaps take a trip to Burano and enjoy eating some of the local seafood. This evening why not join your fellow companions and celebrate your last night of your touring experience at a local restaurant? (BB)

DAY 10 Depart Venice

It's time to say 'arrivederci Italia'  and 'till we meet again' to our newly made friends. Your Trafalgar Tour Director  organises your transfer to Venice Airport arriving at approximately 08.30am for  your return flight home. For passengers who wish to be transferred to Milan, we will transfer you to the Trafalgar Milan extra night hotel. (BB)

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