Venice and the Veneto

•   No more than 24 guests – small group size means sight-doing, not just sightseeing, for hands-on cultural immersion

Day 1: A Taste of Life in Veneto
A transfer from Verona Airport to the Hotel Gabbia D’Oro is included. Join us this evening for a welcome reception and dinner at a nearby restaurant, housed in a centuries-old villa.
Overnight:
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Of Romeo, Juliet and Verona
Put your walking shoes on for a day of learning... seeing... doing in Verona. First and foremost, you’ll discover that Verona is second only to Rome for its vast number of Roman ruins. A walking tour includes Arena di Verona, third-largest amphitheatre in Italy. Listen carefully... it is so well preserved you might hear the crowds cheering for the gladiators (or maybe cheers for the spectacular operas performed there today). Romance is everywhere. Pastel villas, built from the native pink limestone called rosso di Verona, line the old cobblestone streets. Visit locales that inspired Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet... dare we mention a certain famous balcony?... Lunch at a delightful restaurant in the heart of the city. Spend the remainder of the day as you wish. An Italian class at the hotel will teach you a few useful words – and of course the art of how to speak with your hands.
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 3: City of Chess & Mount Grappa
Get acquainted with Andrea Palladio (1508-1580), an architectural visionary and designer to the rich and powerful as you explore the streets of Vicenza, filled with fine examples of Palladian architecture (a style imitated by architects all over Europe), including the lavish Teatro Olimpico, Europe’s oldest indoor theatre (Is that the set from its first production still on the stage?). Later, you arrive in Marostica. The mind ponders... what’s in Marostica? And then the eyes reveal... a walled medieval town with storybook castles and the pièce de résistance – a giant stone chessboard where tournaments are played with live human “pieces.” Journey on to Bassano del Grappo, famous for its grappa, the exquisite firewater revered for centuries as “aqua vitae.” Get acquainted with this potent spirit in a tasting at the Poli Grappa Museum, then arrive in the beautiful medieval village of Asolo, in the cypress-clad foothills.
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 4: Villa Barbaro & What’s Cooking
Get a taste of aristocratic life in the Veneto at Villa Barbaro, a private residence built in 1560 by Palladio, who redefined European villas from walled medieval fortresses to airy, landscaped arcadias. Lunch on the grounds of this heavenly estate, adorned with art, sculpture, gardens, and fountains... Return to Asolo, and explore the boutiques on the Via Browning (named for the English poet who lived here). This afternoon, learn the secrets of Veneto cuisine – which combines culinary influences both “East” and “West” with elegant simplicity –  in a cooking class at magnifico Albergo Al Sole Asolo... dinner at the hotel tonight will draw upon the cooking class menu.
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 5: The Prosecco Route
Hike “Strada del Vino” through the vineyards near Follina, home to a 12th-century abbey and some of the region’s finest Prosecco – a sparkling white wine native to the Veneto and the accompaniment to most meals. Savor homestyle cooking at an osteria well off-the-beaten path and enjoy wine tasting in the Valdobbiadene Valley before returning to Asolo to dine at your leisure.
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 6: Padua to Venice
Breathe the Renaissance within the arcaded streets of Padua. Walk in the steps of giants... Dante... Copernicus.. Galileo... exploring its narrow lanes and sprawling piazzas in the company of a local guide. In this walled university town of serpentine rivers and canals, revolutions in art, science and medicine upended medieval Europe. Witness the 14th-century “new wave” in Giotto’s stunning frescoes at the Scrovegni Chapel, considered one of the most important masterpieces of Western art. Indulge in Veneto cuisine at a local osteria, ensconced in the energy and aromas of open-air markets and cafés in this city of eternal youth. Arrive in Venice mid-afternoon for a walking tour, accompanied by a local guide who interprets the historical complexities of a city striving for its ecological balance... through less-visited alleyways and piazzas, to Campo San Polo and Basilica Dei Frari, site of the Venice Carnival and the Venice Film Festival... and through the eye-opening marble halls of Scuola Grand di San Rocco, (a place often compared to the Sistine Chapel for its lavishly frescoed walls, floors and ceilings) illustrated by Tintoretto. You’re invited to a private palazzo where you’ll meet the owner, a contessa, whose family has lived there for generations. Discover your own sumptuous digs at a hotel in the historic center of the city, a former palace on the waterfront, elegantly appointed, with breathtaking views of the Lagoon.
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch

Day 7: The Art of All Things Venetian
Off-the-beaten track... the real Venice. For a taste of daily life, visit the quiet Dorsoduro neighborhood and markets of Campo Santa Margherita where the Venetian elite lie low from the maddening crowds, along shaded streets and canals lined with palazzi. This is the romantic setting where Katharine Hepburn fell for dashing Rossano Brazzi in Summertime... and this is also where the living artists of Venice reside and ply their trades in a warren of narrow alleys, walled gardens, cafés, gelaterias, and galleries buzzing with a bohemian youth culture. Visit a squero to see how gondolas are made, an exacting craft passed down from generation to generation, over centuries.  From nearby St. Mark’s Square, the heart of the city, you’re free to explore on your own... Wander the back alleys in search of hidden treasures. Add to your collection of Venetian glass... or start one. (Better yet, visit the island in the Lagoon where they’ve been making it for centuries.) Search out an authentic Venetian mask. Indulge your culinary curiosity in cafés and trattorias. Cross the Bridge of Sighs or hear news on the Rialto. Find contemporary art on the cutting edge beside classical ancient frescoes. Pop in, perhaps, to see Peggy Guggenheim’s famous collection of cubists, surrealists, and expressionists... or visit Ca’ Rezzonico, a Baroque palace on the Grand Canal, featuring a formidable collection of classical works... or check out any number of contemporary art exhibits. Later, join us for a fantastic farewell – a multi-course menu that embodies the best of Venetian cuisine, each course with its own story and traditions, expertly paired with Veneto wine. A perfect gourmandacious ending to an inspiring week!
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 8: Farewell to Italy
Tour ends: Venice. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from the Metropole Hotel to Venice International Airport. allow three hours for flight check-in.
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast

Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
5/22/2012 - 5/30/2012	$4,290
6/12/2012 - 6/20/2012	$4,290
6/19/2012 - 6/27/2012	$4,290
9/4/2012 - 9/12/2012	$4,290
9/11/2012 - 9/19/2012	$4,290
9/25/2012 - 10/3/2012	$4,290
10/2/2012 - 10/10/2012	$4,290
Note: Departures appearing above in green are guaranteed to operate by the tour operator.
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.

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
• Europe Travel Tips
• Welcome to Europe
• Holiday Events at Walt Disney World Orlando
• Europe Cruise vs. Europe Tour
• Featured Trip: Best of Italy
• Collette Exporations: Small Group Travel...Big Experiences
• Featured Tour: Insight Vacations Best of Italy
• Travel Showcase: Flavors of Italy
• Travel the Romantic Cities of Europe
• Italy One Day Sale
• Toms Shoes Coupons : perfect travel shoes
• My Time in the City of Lights
• France River Cruises
• Family Travel: Exploring the World Together
• Travel with the Food Network to Italy, France and Spain
• Places to Travel in October
• UNESO World Heritage Sites
• Cruising the Amalfi Coast
• Princess Europe Cruises in 2013