Northern Italy: Florence, the Riviera & Bolzano

Transcription

1 EXCITING TRAVELS WITH BARBARA AND LANCE JANASKIE PRESENTS Northern Italy: Florence, the Riviera & Bolzano ITINERARY SEPTEMBER 9, 2019 PRE-TRIP OPTION: 4 nights in Rome, Italy FLORENCE SANTA MARGHERITA LIGURE BOLZANO PADUA Day 1 / Depart U.S. Day 2-5 / Florence HOTEL NH Firenze Anglo American INCLUDED TOURS Florence OPTIONAL TOURS Treasures of Tuscany, Siena Day 6-8 / Santa Margherita Ligure HOTEL Best Western Hotel Regina Elena INCLUDED TOURS Pisa, Portofino, Santa Margherita 15 Days from $5095 tour with airfare from Phoenix 14 Days from $3795 tour Only OPTIONAL EXTENSIONS ROME, ITALY 4 NIGHTS PRE-TRIP FROM $1095 VENICE, ITALY 3 NIGHTS POST-TRIP FROM $1195 Day 9-12 / Bolzano HOTEL Parkhotel Luna Mondschein INCLUDED TOURS Lake Garda, Bolzano, The Dolomites OPTIONAL TOUR Renon Mountain Tour & Tavern Lunch Day / Padua HOTEL Europa Hotel INCLUDED TOURS Verona, Padua IT S INCLUDED Choose to purchase Grand Circle s airfare, and your airport transfers, government taxes, fees, and airline fuel surcharges are included. Or, make your own air arrangements Accommodations for 13 nights in comfortable rooms with private baths 21 meals: 13 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 6 dinners (including 1 Home-Hosted Dinner) 14 included features: 9 guided tours and 5 exclusive Discovery Series events: Home-Hosted Dinner The Art of the Renaissance discussion Soccer school visit Immigration in Italy Today discussion History of South Tyrol discussion Exclusive services of a local Grand Circle Program Director (assigned to no more than 42 travelers) Gratuities on your main trip for local guides and motorcoach drivers Personal headset for all included and optional tours on your main trip Private motorcoach land travel Baggage handling for 1 piece of luggage per person, including tips 5% Frequent Traveler Credit applicable toward your next trip an average of $247 Day 15 / Padua Return to U.S. POST-TRIP OPTION: 3 nights in Venice, Italy PLEASE MENTION THIS CODE WHEN BOOKING GG For reservations and information

2 WHAT TO EXPECT Group Size A maximum of 42 travelers, led by a local Grand Circle Program Director Pacing 4 locations in 14 days Physical Requirements Walk 3 miles unassisted and participate in 3-5 hours of physical activities daily, including stairs Balance and agility are required to board boats at Lake Garda and Venice (featured on our post-trip extension) Not accessible for travelers using wheelchairs or scooters Travelers using walkers, crutches, or other mobility aids must travel with a companion who can assist them We reserve the right for Program Directors to restrict participation, or in some circumstances send travelers home, if their limitations impact the group s experience Terrain & Transportation 1 full day at altitudes between 3,000-6,000 feet Uneven walking surfaces, unpaved paths, hills, stairs, and cobblestones Travel by 45-seat motorcoach and 100- seat ferry boat Climate Daytime temperatures range from F during touring season June-August are the warmest months, and some days may reach extremely high temperatures March and November weather can be unpredictable and change quickly Expect strong, cold winds in the Dolomite Alps in April-May and September-October YOUR ITINERARY Day 1 / Depart U.S. Day 2 / Florence, Italy You ll be met at the airport and assisted to your hotel, where you ll be joined by fellow travelers who took our optional pre-trip extension to Rome, Italy. Tonight, mingle with fellow Grand Circle travelers and meet your Program Director over a Welcome Drink, followed by a Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant. D NH Firenze Anglo American Day 3 / Florence Home-Hosted Dinner This morning, embark on a walking tour of Florence with an expert local guide, including the opportunity to see the Basilica of Santa Croce, where Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Galileo, and other historic figures are laid to rest. This evening, enjoy a Home-Hosted Dinner with a local family, and savor true Tuscan flavors while learning about life in modernday Italy. B,D NH Firenze Anglo American Day 4 / Florence Optional Treasures of Tuscany tour Today is free for you to visit some of Florence s famous sites on your own. Perhaps you ll visit the Uffizi Gallery, or countless other attractions in this fascinating city, which is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can also choose to join an optional Treasures of Tuscany tour. You ll explore the medieval hill town of San Gimignano, known as the Town of Towers, and visit the Chianti wine-producing estate of Castello Oliveto, where you ll take a tour of the manor and its wine cellar and enjoy lunch. Later, return to Florence, where you ll enjoy a presentation on the history of The Art of the Renaissance. B NH Firenze Anglo American Day 5 / Florence Optional Siena tour Your day is free to spend as you please. Or, take advantage of a full-day optional tour to Siena, including lunch at a local trattoria (casual restaurant). Take a tour and discover this medieval walled city, built on three ridges and dominating the land between the valleys of Arbia and Elsa. Here and throughout the city are some of the most splendid examples of Gothic architecture in Italy. Tonight, dinner is on your own. B NH Firenze Anglo American Day 6 / Florence Pisa Santa Margherita Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before journeying to Santa Margherita. Along our route we stop in Pisa, where you have free time to explore the Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles) at your own pace. After checking in to the hotel, you ll enjoy a walk around the vicinity with your Program Director. Then savor lunch at a local restaurant. Tonight, dinner is on your own. B,L Best Western Hotel Regina Elena Day 7 / Santa Margherita Portofino Today, join an included excursion to Portofino, traveling to the scenic village by boat (depending on the season and weather permitting). Lunch is on your own. This afternoon, you ll visit with the children of ACD Sammargheritese soccer school (when in session), a unique after-school organization funded in part by Grand Circle Foundation. Dinner is on your own this evening. B Best Western Hotel Regina Elena For reservations and information

3 Your itinerary continued Day 8 / Santa Margherita Take advantage of a full day to savor the delights of the Italian Riviera according to your own interests. You may want to set out by train to discover Cinque Terre, where five little villages, each with its own unique character, are built into the cliffs between the beach and the vineyard-terraced hills of this rocky coastline. This evening, gather together for a discussion on Immigration in Italy Today with your Program Director. Dinner tonight is included at your hotel. B,D Best Western Hotel Regina Elena Day 9 / Santa Margherita Lake Garda Bolzano After breakfast at your hotel, begin your journey to Bolzano. Along the way, you ll stop at Lake Garda the largest lake in Italy where you ll enjoy a relaxing boat ride. We arrive in Bolzano in late afternoon and check into our hotel. Bolzano is located high in the Alps near the border of Austria, and is a true blend of Italian and Tyrolean cultures. You ll enjoy an included dinner at a your hotel this evening. B,D Parkhotel Luna Mondschein Day 10 / Bolzano You ll stop to visit picturesque Castelrotto, famous for its baroque church steeple and painted houses, and then you ll savor the hearty Alpine food during lunch at a typical South Tyrolean restaurant. You ll continue on to enjoy the spectacular views from the Pordoi and Sella passes and the Eggental Valley. This evening, dinner is on your own. B,L Parkhotel Luna Mondschein Day 12 / Bolzano Optional Renon Mountain Tour & Tavern Dinner Spend your day at leisure. You may choose to explore the historical streets, shop at the traditional fruit market, or relax at a local cafe. Or, you can join us for an optional afternoon excursion to Renon Mountain, which rises over Bolzano. You ll reach the mountain by cable car, taking in panoramic views of the city and surrounding areas. Continue by train to a nearby village where you ll have time to explore the town and learn more about local life. Then you ll continue to Unterrin for dinner in a local gasthof (tavern). B Parkhotel Luna Mondschein lead you on an orientation walk through the surrounding neighborhood. B Europa Hotel Day 14 / Padua After breakfast, enjoy an included walking tour of Padua, a grand medieval city and home to Italy s second oldest university. Your discoveries include Palazzo Bo, home to the world s first permanent anatomical theater, and the Great Hall where Galileo once lectured. You ll also discover Padua s fresco-lined Baptistery, and the Jewish Ghetto established in the 14th century. Tonight, join your fellow travelers at a local restaurant for a Farewell Dinner to toast your journey and share your discoveries. B,D Europa Hotel Day 15 / Padua Return to U.S. You ll be escorted to the airport after breakfast for your flight home. Or, extend your stay with our Venice, Italy post-trip extension. B Day 13 / Bolzano Verona Padua After breakfast at your hotel, begin your journey to Padua. Along the way, you ll stop in Verona, where you ll be met by a local guide for a walking tour of the city made famous by Shakespeare s Romeo and Juliet. Arrive in Padua in the afternoon and check into your hotel. Your Program Director will After breakfast, learn about the History of South Tyrol during a discussion that spans from the Middle Ages to the modern day in this part of northern Italy. Then set off on a walking tour in the company of an expert local guide introducing you to Bolzano s Austrian and Italian influences. You ll also enjoy a tasting at a local pub which cold brews their beers in the traditional German style. The rest of the afternoon is yours to make your own discoveries in Bolzano before an included dinner. B,D Parkhotel Luna Mondschein Day 11 / Bolzano Dolomite Mountains Join us on today s full-day tour to the Dolomite Mountains, and witness some of the most amazing Alpine scenery in Europe. For reservations and information

4 PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Rome, Italy 4 nights from $1095 TRAVEL FROM ONLY $274/NIGHT YOUR ITINERARY Day 1 Depart U.S. Day 2 Rome, Italy Arrive in Rome, where you ll be met at the airport and assisted to your hotel, as well as taken on an orientation walk to get acquainted with the nearby area. This evening, join your fellow travelers for a Welcome Drink before dinner on your own. Hotel Savoy Day 3 Rome After breakfast, join your Program Director for an informative briefing about your upcoming days in Rome, in addition to a discovery walk. The remainder of your day is at leisure. This evening, join us for a walking tour of Trastevere and the Roman Ghetto before dinner at a local restaurant. B,D Hotel Savoy Day 4 Rome Optional Rome of the Caesars tour Join our optional Rome of the Caesars tour this morning, which includes a visit to the Roman Forum and the Colosseum. Please note: This optional tour must be reserved at least 120 days prior to departure and cannot be booked onsite. IT S INCLUDED Optional tour: $95 per person Accommodations for 4 nights B Hotel Savoy 5 meals: 4 breakfasts and 1 dinner Day 5 Rome Optional Vatican Museums & St. Peter s Basilica tour 3 included tours: Rome discovery walk, Trastevere & Roman Ghetto, Orvieto Join us today for an optional half-day tour of the Vatican Museums and St. Peter s Basilica. Go beyond the costumed Swiss Guards in the shadow of St. Peter s Basilica to explore the museums of the world s smallest independent sovereign state, Vatican City, where you ll discover the Sistine Chapel and more. Exclusive services of a Grand Circle Program Director Optional tour: $110 per person B Hotel Savoy Gratuities for local guides and motorcoach drivers on your extension and all optional tours All transfers FEATURED HOTEL Day 6 Rome Orvieto Florence After breakfast, you ll depart for Florence, stopping along the way to visit the hilltop town of Orvieto. Discover the city on an included tour, including its 14th-century cathedral, constructed of volcanic basalt and travertine. Later today, arrive in Florence and begin your main journey. B This extension may not be available on all departures. Select departures feature similar accommodations. Additional taxes and fees apply. Ask your Travel Counselor for details. For reservations and information Hotel Savoy First Class Rome Italy Set in a former 19th-century palazzo, the Hotel Savoy features a convenient, central location, restaurant, terrace, and wireless Internet access. Each air-conditioned room includes satellite TV, a safe, and a private bath with hair dryer.

5 POST-TRIP EXTENSION Venice, Italy 3 nights from $1195 TRAVEL FROM ONLY $398/NIGHT YOUR ITINERARY Day 1 Padua Venice Transfer by motorcoach to Venice this morning, where you ll ride a water taxi to your hotel. Discover the city during a tour accompanied by an expert local guide. The rest of the day is yours to spend at leisure. Bonvecchiati Hotel IT S INCLUDED Venice lagoon, or stroll through the halls of the Accademia Gallery. B,D Bonvecchiati Hotel Accommodations for 3 nights 4 meals: 3 breakfasts and 1 dinner Day 4 Venice Return to U.S. 3 included tours: Venice city tour, Outer Islands, Rialto Markets & San Polo After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight home. Exclusive services of a Grand Circle Program Director B Gratuities for local guides and motorcoach drivers on your extension and all optional tours Day 2 Venice Outer Islands Optional Twilight Gondola Ride After breakfast, visit the outer islands of Murano and Burano with your Program Director. Then, the day is yours to further explore the canals and narrow streets of Venice, with lunch and dinner on your own. Or, this evening, you may choose to join an optional gondola ride, complete with dinner. All transfers FEATURED HOTEL Optional tour: $130 per person B Bonvecchiati Hotel Day 3 Venice This morning, join your Program Director for a discovery walk in the Rialto Markets as well as San Polo, the smallest of Venice s six districts. Then, with the rest of the day to pursue your own interests in Venice, you can revisit a favorite site in more depth or continue to find new treasures. Perhaps you ll explore the Bonvecchiati Hotel Superior Tourist Class Venice Italy Located between St. Mark s Square and Rialto Bridge, this boutique hotel features a hot tub, gift shop, laundry room, and dry cleaning services. Each air-conditioned room includes a mini-bar, refrigerator, telephone, safe, cable/satellite TV, and a private bathroom. This extension may not be available on all departures. Select departures feature similar accommodations. Additional taxes and fees apply. Ask your Travel Counselor for details. For reservations and information

6 WATCH VIDEOS & FILMS OF THIS VACATION ONLINE Learn more about Northern Italy: Florence, the Riviera & Bolzano Get more information about your detailed itinerary, like exclusive Discovery Series events, optional tours, and more. Delight in the grandeur and history on display during our optional trip extension. Watch these videos and more at IImmerse yourself in the beauty and culture of Northern Italy alongside travel expert Rudy Maxa. Italy s Veneto and Dolomites. Image courtesy of Small World Productions 2019 DEPARTURES GRAND CIRCLE TOUR PRICES Deposit: $350 per person. SEPTEMBER 9, 2019 Land Tour only $3795 DEPART FROM: Phoenix $1300 Save up to 7.5% with Grand Circle Travel s exclusive Good Buy Plan Here s how you ll save up to 7.5% based on a trip price of $5500 Months that you pay in full prior to your Final Payment Due Date (90 days prior to your departure date) Guarantee your price and receive: Good Buy Plan savings: 9 months 7.5% $412 8 months 6% $330 GOVERNMENT TAXES AND FEES The following government taxes and fees are now included in your airfare price. Government and other authority taxes and fees: September 11th Security Fee of up to $2.50 USD applies per passenger, per flight segment (maximum charge per trip $5.00 USD one-way, $10.00 USD round trip). A flight segment is defined as one takeoff and one landing. Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) of up to $18 per passenger. Federal Domestic Flight Segment Fee of up to $3.70 USD applies per passenger, per flight segment (defined as a takeoff and a landing). U.S. or International Departure and Arrival Charges of up to $200 USD may apply depending on itinerary. On select itineraries that include the purchase of a pre- and/or post-trip extension, U.S. or international departure and arrival charges of up to $300 USD may apply. Call for details. Standard Terms & Conditions can be found on the web at RESERVATIONS & INFORMATION Call Toll-Free: months 5% $275 6 months 4% $220 5 months 3% $165 Make your final payment by check within 120 days Good Buy Plan savings is calculated based on total reservation cost For more information, visit PLEASE MENTION THIS CODE WHEN BOOKING $50 OFF $50 GG CST