Arrival transfer from Milano (Malpensa Airport) to Florence including new city bus tax and assistance at the airport 3 nights accommodations in a 4 start hotel in Florence (Hotel Mediterraneo or similar) City tourist tax in Florence Buffet breakfast daily Half day Florence walking tour Transfer from Florence to the pier in Venice (includes Venice coach tax) Transfer from pier in Venice to Venice Airport (Marco Polo)
VENICE - BURANO - CHIOGGIA (or nearby) - TAGLIO DI PO - POLESELLA - VENICE
MS Michelangelo Characteristics Built: 2000 - refurbished in 2011 Length: 110 m long Width: 11.40 m wide Cabins: 78 cabins Passengers: 158 passengers Facilities: lounge-bar with a dance floor - bar - dining room - large sundeck with deckchairs - gift shop - wifi on board.central heating, 220V electricity, air-conditioning, radar, radiophone.
Ships Dining area This cruise does not include : Drinks on the wine list, champagne at the bar, drinks served during excursions or transfers - cancellation and baggage insurance - personal expenses. All meals onboard for Superb French Cuisine With a Farewell Gala dinner
lounge-bar with a dance floor - bar Unlimited complimentary onboard beverages, including beer, fine wine, spirits, mineral bottled water, soft drinks specialty coffees and tea.
MS Michelangelo Sun deck Upper deck Equipments : all cabins are equipped with shower and toilet, hairdryer, satellite TV, safe. Upper deck : 27 twins Main deck : 51 cabins (44 twins, 2 single cabins, 4 cabins with a double bed Cabin equipped for disabled : NO G = cabin with a double bed Cabin double bed Cabin twin beds Main deck Cabin double bed Cabin twin beds
Free WiFi Shore excursions with wireless audio system Port Talk *** Captain Welcome cocktail Reception Assistance from our onboard multi-lingual host/hostess Entertainment : On board professional entertainment & Crew Team show *** Travel assistance and repatriation insurance All port fees
DAY 1 VENICE We board our floating hotel from 6.00pm. We have a welcome cocktail in the lounge bar and are introduced to the crew. Dinner on board. The rest of the evening is free.overnight stop. DAY 2 VENICE - Burano and Murano VENICE Excursions proposed : Morning: Visit of the Doge s palace and the seat of the Palace of Justice. Afternoon: visit the islands in the Lagoon, Murano and Burano, famous for its lacework which was developed on the island in the 16th century. Return on board and cruise to Venice. Overnight stop.
Doge s Palace Guided walking tour of Venice and the Doge's Palace Meet up with your guide on board. The tour will begin with a historical and artistic introduction to Venice with St Mark's Square, after which you will be able to admire the exteriors of St Mark's Cathedral. The Byzantine facades of the Cathedral (one of the most magnificent in the world) will immediately draw your attention. It was built in the 9th century to hold the body of St Mark, Patron Saint of Venice. Only a few pieces of the original structure remain and the present day Cathedral dates back from the 12th, 14th and 15th centuries. The exterior, with its domes, pinnacles and wooden horses, contrasts with the shining golden mosaics of the interior. The tour continues with the Doge's Palace, the residence of the Dukes of Venice and seat of the Venetian government from the 9th century until the Republic fell in 1797. Although there are no longer any traces of the 9th century Byzantine structures, the Palace as we see it today, richly decorated both on the outside and inside, dates back from the 14th century and is considered by many to be the finest in the world. You will then be able to admire the paintings of Tintoretto and Veronese from the top of the famous Golden Staircase before walking trough the Grand Council Chamber and out onto the balcony with its fantastic view over the city. You will cross the famous decorated Bridge of Sighs which leads to the prison. The bridge, known in the past as the symbol of the destiny that awaited the prisoners, has more romantic connotations nowadays. Return to the boat on foot. Duration : approx. 2:00 The commentary on St Mark's cathedral will be given outside, as it is not authorised inside. Passengers will be able to enter the Cathedral during their free time. Modest clothing required. A long queue can be expected. Wear sturdy walking shoes : the tour is entirely on foot. There are a lot of steps to climb at the Doge's Palace. With your tickets for the Doges' Palace, you will have free entry to the Correr Museum and library. Depending on where the vessel is moored, we will arrange for shuttle boats if necessary to provide access to the Doges' Palace.
Murano and Burano islands This 32-mile long Venitian lagoon was born from the estuaries of three different rivers and is separated from the Adriatic Sea by a thin sand bar. Venice is located in the midst of the cluster of islands that are in this lagoon. Almost half of them are deserted and the two most prominent ones to the North are the Murano and Burano islands. Our flagship tour will start from the Cornoldi jetty and you'll be able to visit these two islands. Murano is famous for its glasswork and you'll have the opportunity to watch a master glassmaker hard at work. The glass manufacture was transferred to Murano in 1291 after ovens were banned from Venice to protect it from fires. Murano was particularly active in glassmaking in the 16th century, the "golden age" of glasswork thanks to the 37 manufactures and 30 000 inhabitants that were on the island at the time. Glasswork was one of the first Venitian exports and the secrets of this craft were sealed. Glassmaking was considered a privilege that allowed the craftsmen a wealthy marriage. Today, this glasswork isn't a secret any longer and mirrors made in blown glass, chandeliers, cups and other complex art objects are renowned worldwide. Burano will be our next step. This lovely fishermen's village is picturesque with its vividly-colored houses and its canal sides interspersed with breams. Burano is famous for its lace. The heyday of this craft was in the 16th century when Burano was famous all across Europe. A school was created to preserve the traditional lace making technique. Although lace production might not be as popular today as it was back then, some women on the island are still making it. You'll also get some free time on this charming island to discover it on your own. We'll get back to the ship at the end of our tour. Duration : approx. 4:00 Good shoes and windbreaker are recommended. Evening may be cold depending on season. The order of the visits can change.
DAY 3 VENICE - CHIOGGIA (or nearby) - TAGLIO DI PO Meanwhile your floating hotel cruises to Taglio di Po. Back on board for dinner in Taglio di Po. If you do not choose to go to the Padua excursion, a transfer is established to the town of Adria to allow you to discover this citys charm to the fullest, from where The Adriatic Sea.is named after. Then drive to Taglio Di Po where we join our boat. Evening of entertainment. Overnight stop..
Guided tour of Padova (Padua) Transfer by coach from Chioggia to Padua. Best known in Christianity as the Saint Antoine of Padua city, it is also famous for its art. Giotto (1267-1337, painter, sculptor and Italian architect) gifted the city of Padua some of his masterpieces, enriching the artistic scenery of the city. We'll start off with a guided tour of the city by coach before visiting the basilica which holds the vault of Saint Antoine. You'll be able to admire Donatello's bronze statue from the 15th century in the square before the basilica. This art piece was a major influence on sculptors of the Italian Renaissance. A guided tour on foot will take you to the Piazza delle Erbe and the Piazza dei Frutti which holds a fresh produce market every day. You'll then see the Palazzo della Ragione (exteriors only) and the Torre dell'orologio with its astronomical clock dating back to 1344. You'll enjoy some free time to discover this charming city on your own. We'll be back on board in Venice. Duration : approx. 5:00 Good walking shoes are recommended. Commentaries inside the Saint Antoine church are forbidden so they would be given before getting in.
DAY 4 TAGLIO DI PO - POLESELLA Cruise to Polesella, where we arrive late morning. The afternoon, excursion common for both packages to discover Bologna, an authentic medieval city perfectly preserved. Return on board at Polesella. Free evening on board. Overnight stop.
The Flavors of Bologna We ll leave by coach from Polesella for Bologna. Bologna is a university city known for its terracotta medieval buildings adorned with miles of porticoes. Come discover the city during a unique tour celebrating all its famous flavors. Our guide will take us through the Piazza Maggiore to the heart of the city to see its magnificent Fountain of Neptune and the Towers of Bologna. We ll then head to the Quadrilatero neighborhood to browse the old medieval market. This is the commercial heart of the old town center, overflowing with goods, noisy venders and customers. At the Il Caffe' della Corte on the Piazza Santo Stefano, you ll be able to taste some of the local foods. Following our tour, we ll return to the ship Duration : approx. 5:30 Wear comfortable, sturdy walking shoes Please dress modestly to visit the interior of churches (long pants for men; legs and shoulders covered for women). The order of the visits can change. Times are approximate.
DAY 5 POLESELLA - TAGLIO DI PO - CHIOGGIA (or nearby) Guided tour excursion for both packages to discover Ferrare. Listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, this Renaissance town is surrounded by a continuous wall almost 9km long (approximately 5.6 miles) which is one of the oldest and most impressive defensive systems of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The afternoon, excursions proposed:
Departure by coach from Polesella with your guide for Ferrara, which is about 5 km from the Po river in the eastern part of the Italian plain. Ferrara is famous for being the seat of the archbishopric and its small university. The town was also the residence of the Este dynasty as well as a flourishing trading town. You can still appreciate the city s past glory by its wide streets and impressive Renaissance palaces. Our tour will take you through the town's medieval streets. You will visit the old Jewish ghetto, the Cathedral with its stunning Romanesque facade and the Castello Estense (exterior only), built during the Renaissance and whose four towers dominate the town center. Return to the coach for a panoramic tour which will allow you to admire the Palazzo dei Diamanti, the Piazza Ariostea and the Palazzo Schifanoia (exterior only). Then, enjoy some free time before returning to the boat at Polesella. Duration : approx. 4:00 Comfortable shoes are recommended. Please dress appropriately for the visit of the cathedral.
Verona: a splendid city of art, surrounded by traces of ancient history and the mythical dimension bestowed upon it by the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. The Romans founded the city in 49 B.C. and built many of its grandiose works such as the amphitheater the third largest in Italy, after the Colosseum and the amphitheater in Capua. In the Middle Ages, the city flourished under the wrathful della Scala clan, who were as much faithful patrons of the arts as they were murderous tyrants. Under Cangrande I (1308 28) Verona conquered Padua and Vicenza, with the poet Dante and the artists Petrarch and Giotto benefitting from the city's patronage. The Scaligers rebuilt the walls during the Middle Ages, embracing a much larger territory in the west and another vast area on the east bank of the river. It's easy to spend a long time simply exploring the narrow streets lined with handsome palazzi that make up its historic heart. The city s museums and churches contain some of the finest works of art. We ll leave for our tour from Polesella and begin with a panoramic visit of the city by coach, entering through the Porta Palio. We ll see the beautiful Castelvecchio and the Arco dei Gavi. The Porta Nuova offers a wonderful view of the towers, hills and mountains in the background. From here, we ll set off on foot with our guide to Juliet s House (Casa di Giulietta) to see the balcony where she stood when Romeo declared his love. We'll then walk to the arena built from the characteristic local pink and white stone in the 1st century A.D. which seated as many as 30,000 spectators at gladiatorial combats, mock naval battles and other such popular entertainment. If the amphitheater is closed, we ll visit the magnificent Giusti Gardens. At the end of our visit, we'll return on board in Polesella. Duration : approx. 6:00
DAY 6 CHIOGGIA (OR NEARBY) - VENICE Cruise to Venice and arrival early morning. Excursions proposed : Visit of the Castello quarter in search of the secret Venice through its old quarters to the Church of Santi Giovanni e Paolo. The afternoon is free to explore Venice independently on foot or perhaps take an optional gondola trip (booking and settlement on board). Gala evening. Overnight stop.
DAY 7 VENICE After breakfast on board this morning, we disembark around 9.00am. End of our journey.
*Price Includes All transfers, cruise, land packages and excursions AIR FARE ADDITIONAL COST $1296.00 pp Cash/Check CCard Double Occupancy Upper Deck $ 2,450 $ 2,525 Double Occupancy Lower Deck $ 2,225 $ 2,300 Single Occupancy Lower Deck only $ 2,565 $ 2,642 (Only 2 Available)