14 Day Italy North Continental

• Airport transfers, provided you arrive and depart on scheduled tour dates and times

• First Class Hotels with private bath

• Hearty buffet breakfast daily

• All baggage handling, hotel taxes, hotel service charges

• All gratuities for hotel and restaurant personnel

• The daily services of your tour guide in suggesting nearby restaurants and trattorias for dinner, as well as offering some optional group dinners

• All sightseeing and excursions described featuring a visit to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel

• Wireless headsets to hear your guide clearly and distinctly in public places

• Deluxe air-conditioned inter-city motorcoaches with lavatory aboard

• Professional Tour Directors and licensed local guides

• Personalized, worry-free and fully escorted

Day 1 OFF WE GO!
We barely look back as we jet off to the land of amore.

Day 2 ARRIVE MILAN. TRANSFER TO LUGANO, SWITZERLAND - AFTERNOON AT LEISURE
Benvenuti in Italia! We are pelased to offer complimentary transfers from the Milan airport to your hotel in Lugano at 10:00am and 12:00pm. Your Perillo representative will be at the airport to greet you.

This afternoon, we're on our own to wander, explore and find the first of many dining gems. Your tour director will also have lots of great suggestions.

Day 3 LUGANO - PANORAMIC LAKE CRUISE

While Lugano is firmly in Switzerland, the beautiful alpine town still clings to its Italian roots. Her pristine lake, surrounded by the majestic Alps, have made Lugano a magnet for the rich and famous of Europe. This morning we'll enjoy a guided walking tour through the traffic-free historic center.
Weather permitting, we'll enjoy a panoramic cruise on Lake Lugano.
Tonight is yours to relax in this town known as the "Monaco of the Alps!"

Day 4 VERONA-VENICE
We're off to Venice! But on the way we'll enjoy a quick stop in romantic Verona. We'll stand in the courtyard below Juliet's balcony were Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers professed their love.
Venice arrives to us as in a dream. Time stands still as massive gothic buildings float by in a shroud of mist. Gondolas drift along, not just for show, but to deliver the staples of everyday life. Our arrival is also by boat, as we're eager to start exploring.
Tonight, as you happen upon a charming Venetian eatery, you'll see just why this tour is so popular.

We big farewell to Milan and our drive to Venice is delightfully interrupted by a visit to romantic Verona. We'll stand in the courtyard below Juliet's balcony were Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers professed their love.

Then Venice arrives to us as in a dream. Time stands still as massive gothic buildings float by in a shroud of mist. Gondolas drift along, not just for show, but to deliver the staples of everyday life.

Tonight, as you happen upon a charming Venetian eatery, you'll see just why this tour is so popular.

Day 5 A DAY IN VENICE
This morning we'll meet our local expert for a walking tour, seeing St. Mark's Square, the great Byzantine Basilica and inside the Doge's Palace, one of the world's most stunning examples of gothic art. A very important 'rite of passage' for Venice visitors is getting completely lost in the city's charming labyrinth of canals, bridges and tiny piazzas. Fear not - being a small island, it's impossible to stray very far. Maybe this would be the ideal evening for a traditional Venetian feast.

Day 6 TO FLORENCE VIA PADUA
We say farewell to Venice but arrive joyfully relaxed in Padua. Strolling through the charming college town (Galileo attended University here), we enjoy a visit to the Basilica, where the remains of St. Anthony are interred. Then, a short journey later, it's welcome to Florence, home of Dante, Boccaccio, Botticelli, da Vinci, and my favorite city in the world! Once settled in our hotel, our tour director will happily offer this evening's restaurant suggestions and recommendations.

Joy, joy, joy - for scholars and shoppers - we're in Florence!

Day 7 FLORENCE - BIRTHPLACE OF THE RENAISSANCE AND A SHOPPER'S PARADISE
Today we'll enjoy a breathtaking panorama of the town atop Piazzale Michelangelo, followed by a tour of the Academy of Fine Arts where Michelangelo's proud "David" stands. We'll see the majestic Duomo built in 1296, Giotto's Bell Tower and the Baptistery with it's renowed "Gates of Paradise" doors. We follow the medieval streets to the most striking square in Florence, Piazza della Signoria and then to Santa Croce Church. There's plenty of time to shop this afternoon.

You'll be sure to find a perfect Florentine dinner spot tonight.

Day 8 PISA!
Just a short drive away is Pisa. As we near the most photographed building in the world, our imaginations kick into gear, wondering "how" and "why". You'll soon find out!

We'll take our own photographs of the famous bell tower, along with the beautiful Cathedral and Baptistery.

The rest of the day is yours - all yours!

Day 9 TO SORRENTO WE GO
Our journey to Sorrento takes us through the rolling hills, scenic vineyards and post-card perfect vistas of Umbria and Tuscany. Along the way, we'll comfortably travel by the beautiful Tiber River Valley and the medieval villages of Orvieto and Orte. Soon, we are in Sorrento, high on a beautiful plateau, greeted by the sapphire blue Gulf of Naples and majestic Mount Vesuvius. Nestled now in Sorrento, you'll see another side of Italian cuisine.

Day 10 THE ISLE OF CAPRI
Naples at our stern, Capri at our bow, this morning we cross the bay of Naples to the world's most enchanting island. The vacation spot of emperors and movie stars, you'll be equally captivated by the charms of Capri.

Tonight, still glowing from the sun, it's dinner on your own in Sorrento.

Day 11 POMPEII, NAPLES and ROME
I love to see the awe on the faces of visitors to Pompeii. Imagine an entire city perfectly preserved as it was on the fateful day almost 2000 years ago, when ash and lava literally stopped it in its tracks. You'll see the tragic fossils of people attempting to escape, and also the 'secret room'. But I'll say no more about that - you'll just have to take the tour!

Later this morning, we continue onto Naples, birthplace of Caruso, Sophia Loren and my grandfather Joseph Perillo. We enjoy a brief panoramic tour of this vibrant city with proud Mt. Vesuvius above and the Bay of Naples below.

A few hours later, we enter the gates of Rome and settle into our hotel. Now we're in Rome, you'll get to eat as the Romans do.

Day 12 THE VATICAN CITY & THE SISTINE CHAPEL
This morning we visit Vatican City, "headquarters" for more than a billion Catholics worldwide. We begin at the Vatican Museum, a treasure trove of sculptures, paintings and tapestries. Our visit culminates in the Sistine Chapel, the room where the Pope is elected. We enter in total silence, not wanting to disturb Michelangelo's famed frescoes depicting the 'End of Times'. Next we visit colossal St. Peter's Basilica. Home to Michelangelo's Pieta, Bernini's seven-story bronze altar canopy, astonishing mosaics and priceless sculptures.

This afternoon, Rome is all yours to enjoy.

Day 13 IMPERIAL ROME
This morning we'll board our coach for a panoramic tour of imperial Rome including Castel Sant' Angelo, the Roman Forum, Largo Argentina (where Caesar was stabbed by Brutus), the Jewish Ghetto, and Circus Maximus. Then we'll enter the Colosseum, reliving the brutal entertainment of the gladiators and the lions, refereed by the Emperor himself.

You can shop on streets brimming with the latest in fashion and crafts, linger at outside cafes watching the world go by, visit museums, stroll the cobblestone streets, fountain by fountain by fountain!

Day 14 CIAO
Our enchanting journey is nearly over, but on our trip home, we have so many perfect and delicious memories to keep us company. Thanks for joining us. Grazie.

Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
No Departure Date Information was found for this Tour. This could be due to our website undergoing an update. Please call a tour specialist at 1-800-942-3301 for personalized assistance.
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

• Worry-Free & Fully Escorted

• First Class Hotels

• Buffet Breakfast Daily

• All Gratuities (hotel & restaurant)

All tour prices are per person, in US dollars, based on double occupancy.

Single Room start at $3999. Prices are subject to change.

Ratings & Reviews:

This tour has no reviews yet. Have you experienced this tour? Write a review.

Related Travel Articles

• See Europe :: Travel Safely and In Style, Escorted Tours
• Rome, Istanbul & Athens :: See it Your Own way
• Travel Improves Your Health
• Adventures by Disney Invites Families to Experience the World in 2010
• Save 40% on Travel to Europe
• Four European Cities You Must See
• Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy
• Things to See & Do While in Florence, Italy
• MAKING THE MOST OF A “MINI”: PACK FUN INTO QUICK GETAWAYS WITH MONOGRAMS
• Independent Vacation 2010 Prices Down 10 Percent Worldwide
• Tips on Packing for a Contiki Tour
• Europe Language Tips