| Day 1 |
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Depart for your transatlantic flight to Charles de Gaulle, France. Greeted by your tour escort upon arrival with a transfer to the hotel. This afternoon, the group may wish to visit the imposing Hotel des Invalides, with a 650-foot long main façade. This is the final resting place of many of France's great military men. View Napoleon's tomb at the Dome Church. Then stroll through the Isle St. Louis and the Isle de la Cite, where you will see Notre Dame Cathedral and the beautiful stained glass windows of the Sainte-Chapelle. Enjoy dinner this evening in the Latin Quarter or St. Germain des Pres. B/D |
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Day 2 |
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After breakfast enjoy a guided tour of the Louvre Museum and then a Paris city tour. Evening with dinner on your own. B |
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| Day 3 |
| Time available to revisit or look at other sites day in Paris. Evening transfer to the station for your night train to Venice. B |
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| Day 4
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Greeted upon arrival by your tour escort and transfer to the hotel. Enjoy a walking tour of Venice, including a canal ride and St. Mark's Basilica. Afternoon open to revisit or look at other sites before dinner on your own. B |
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| Day 5
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| Depart Venice for Florence. Walk around Florence with your Guide before dinner on your own B
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| Day 6
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| Morning guided tour of Florence, including Santa Maria del Fiore Duomo and Brunelleschi’s Dome. Then to the Galleria della Accademia for a guided tour before lunch. Dinner on your own and evening in Florence. B |
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| Day 7 |
| Early morning departure for Rome. On Arrival greeted by your tour escort and then a visit of Rome. Begin your walk at the Capitoline Hill. Here you will see “Dying Gaul”, “Discobolus”, “Capitoline Wolf Suckling Romulus and Remus”, as well as the equestrian statue of “Marcus Aurelius”. Then it’s off to see the inside of the Forum Romanum, the Arch of Constantine, and the inside and outside of the Colosseo. Dinner on your own and evening in Rome. B
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| Day 8
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| After breakfast depart for a guided tour of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel. Various Florentine painters were summoned to work in the Chapel, including Botticelli, Cosimo Rosselli, Ghirlandio and Signorelli, and Umbrian artists such as Perugino and Pinturicchio. These artists were asked to paint the side walls. The golden stars on the Chapel ceiling were painted by Pier Matteo d’Amelia, and his drawing is now in the Uffizi. Other artists who worked on the Chapel were Giuliano della Rovere, also known as Julius II, and Michelangelo, who frescoed the vault and painted the theme of mankind’s history before the coming of Christ, and then the “Last Judgment”. The other Vatican Museums include the Gallery of Maps, the Pinacoteca, the Treasury, and the Stranze. We will visit as many as time permits. Then walk across the street to view St. Peter’s Basilica, including the Cupola. This is the most sacred sight of all Christianity, and took almost 18 centuries to build. Currently, St. Peter’s has a Renaissance and Baroque appearance, but traces of the past vestiges remain. Michelangelo designed and oversaw construction of the Cupola until his death in 1564. Then his pupil, Giacomo della Porta took over, completing the Cupola in 1590. This design of the dome was used to build the Capital in Washington, D.C. (1794-1817). Michelangelo’s Pieta is in the first chapel. In the Nave is the statue of St. Peter, where you will notice that one foot has almost been completely worn away by the people touching and kissing it to show their devotion. Statues by Bernini and Canova are there also. This afternoon, you may wish to visit the inside and grounds of the Pantheon as well as the Trevi Fountain. You may wish to stop by the Café Greco on the Via Frattina for a pick-me-up before dinner on your own. Overnight in Rome. B |
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| Day 9 |
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Time available to revisit or look at other sites day in Rome. Dinner this evening will be at the Meo Patacca restaurant. B/D
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| Day 10 |
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Transfer to the airport for your return flight. B |
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| TRIP INCLUDES
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- Transatlantic airfare France/Italy
- 8 nights in superior or tourist class accommodations with breakfast
- 1 night in train “couchette” accommodations
- Local Guide/Escort for each city
- 2 dinners
- 4 guided walking tours:
- Paris
- Venice
- Florence
- Rome
- Entrance with guided tours of:
- Louvre
- Accademia
- Coliseum
- Vatican
- Sistine Chapel
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