EASY PACE ITALY WITH OBERAMMERGAU Discover three of Italy's most cultural cities. Savour Rome's rich heritage, soak up the Renaissance atmosphere of Florence, and look beyond the canals and gondolas to gain a deeper understanding of Venice. Highlights SIGNATURE EXPERIENCES Rome: Gain VIP entrance into the Vatican Museums and be among the select few to admire the Renaissance Bramante Staircase, off limits to the general public. Once through the Popes' treasure-trove, you confront the genius of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel. Venice: Visit an artisan showroom and workshop to see master craftsmen honouring age-old Venetian crafts. TOP RATED HIGHLIGHTS Assisi: With your Local Expert venture inside the great basilica to see the beautiful frescoes by Giotto, and visit the tomb of St Francis. Florence: Visit the Accademia Museum with a local historian to study Michelangelo's original 17ft marble masterpiece. Pisa: See the famous leaning tower. Venice: To the tune of accompanying musicians, you will be serenaded through the atmospheric canals by gondola. Oberammergau: Experience the spectacular Passion Play that has made this town famous. Watch from your premium seat as local villagers perform as they have since 1634 in this once in a decade event. An emotive and critically acclaimed performance depicting Christ s last days, this is an event not to be missed. ADDITIONAL INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS Rome: Enjoy a private guided tour of St Peter's Basilica. Pisa: See the cathedral, baptistery and Leaning Tower. Florence: View the city skyline from the sumptuous terrace of Piazzale Michelangelo See the cathedral, Gates of Paradise' on the baptistery and Signoria Square Witness a traditional Florence leather-work demonstration. Verona: Walk with your Tour Director past the Roman Arena to the famous balcony in the courtyard of a Renaissance villa. Venice: Cruise to St Mark's Square by private launch See St Mark's Basilica, the bell tower, clock tower, Doges' Palace and Bridge of Sighs Witness hand made Venetian arts such as glass-blowing and lace making. Rhine Valley: See the Deutsches Eck Monument in Koblenz. Enjoy the scenic vista from the Niederwald Monument
SIGNATURE DINING Tuscany: Enjoy a fabulous dinner of Tuscan specialities, together with a wine tasting. Venice: Join your fellow guests for an unforgettable Celebration Dinner of delicious Italian cuisine in the heart of historic Venice. Included Quality Dining:: 12 s (BB) and 5 Dinners all with wine (DW). Oberammergau: Dine in a local restaurant amid the buzz of excitement from Passion Play goers and enjoy local hospitality before the second half commences. SIGNATURE AND HIGHLIGHT HOTELS Rome: The Veneto Palace Hotel is located in the monumental and unique scenery of ancient Rome, not far from Piazza di Spagna, the Trevi Fountain and Villa Borghese, which is the largest park in central Rome. The guest rooms offer a classic style that blends in perfect harmony with the style of the building. Venice: Hilton Molino Stucky. The hotel is located in a magnificently restored 19th century granary on Giudecca Island, only minutes away from St. Mark s Square by boat. Amenities include a roof top pool, spa and wellness centre and five different restaurants and bars. Excellent views from the roof bar. ADDITIONAL 5 STAR SERVICES Our highly-skilled Insight Tour Director will ensure your journey is seamless, serving as your expert guide, consummate organiser, and friend in a foreign land Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxury, air-conditioned, 40-seat touring coach, with extended Business Class legroom and on-board restroom Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door Hotel and restaurant tips are included; you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency Plus, we include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available) From time to time, your Tour Director will enchant you with an Insight Flourish - a local tidbit representing authentic food or beverages unique to the destination Complimentary transfers from Rome Fiumicino Airport and to Munich Airport are available at scheduled times only on arrival and departure days. Should your flights not coincide with these transfers, or additional accommodation has been booked through Insight Vacations, charged transfers are available Alternatively, please make your own way from/to the airport.
Itinerary DAY 1 YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS. Board your overnight flight to Europe (not included). DAY 2 WELCOME TO THE ETERNAL CITY OF ROME. Rome is one of the world's most historic cities, filled with classical antiquities, medieval buildings, Renaissance palaces and Baroque churches. Transfers to your hotel depart Rome's Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport at 09:30, 12:30 and 15:30. Then this historic city is yours to discover. At 17:30, join your Tour Director for a Welcome Reception and the opportunity to mingle and get to know each other over a relaxed evening of dinner and wine. Three-course Dinner with wine, plus tea or coffee DAY 3 EXPLORING THE VATICAN CITY. A Local Expert introduces the grandeur of the city. Start off in the Vatican State, the richest community in the world. While others wait in line, you will be fast-tracked through the VIP entrance into the Vatican Museums. Admire the collection of priceless art gathered by Popes over the ages. Your visit also includes behind-the-scenes access to parts of the Vatican denied to the general public - the famous Bramante Staircase. Then enter the sublime Sistine Chapel, to gaze up and admire Michelangelo's famous painted ceiling. Next door, in St Peter's Basilica, see one of Michelangelo's early works, the Pietà, and the splendid dome completed after his death. For the rest of the day, enjoy free time. DAY 4 ROME AT LEISURE. (Relaxed Start) Another day for you to enjoy Rome at your own pace. Perhaps take an optional experience to the ill-fated town of Pompeii, frozen in time when it was engulfed by an eruption of Vesuvius in 79AD. Alternatively, spend some time in the boutiques of the Via del Corso, the Via Nazionale or the elegant designer stores near the Spanish Steps? As night falls, why not sip a glass of prosecco at a sidewalk café in the Piazza Navona - the 'Living Room of Rome' - and enjoy life's pageantry pass by? DAY 5 ASSISI TO FLORENCE. Climb into the foothills of the Apennine Mountains to delightful Assisi, a stone-built town spilling over the steep hillside. With a Local Expert, visit the tomb of St Francis and see the beautiful frescoes by Giotto in the great basilica. Journey through the picture-perfect scenery of the Tuscan hills, where deep-green cypress trees pierce blue skies and olive groves hug the rolling hillsides on your way to Renaissance Florence.
DAY 6 FLORENCE, BIRTHPLACE OF THE RENAISSANCE. (Relaxed Start) In the morning, join a local art historian to meet Michelangelo's David' in the Accademia Museum. Next, walk on to the multi-coloured marble cathedral, bell tower and baptistery, adorned by Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise'. You will also visit the open-air gallery of Renaissance masterpieces in Signoria Square, the political heart of the city. Enjoy the afternoon to explore at your own pace, wander through the museums or treat yourself to some shopping. Perhaps take the opportunity to visit Tuscany's most famous hilltop town - UNESCO listed, San Gimignano? DAY 7 PISA AND THE TUSCAN COUNTRYSIDE. (Relaxed Start) After a leisurely morning in Florence, explore the nearby town of Pisa with a Local Expert and see the baptistery, bristling with marble spines, and the colonnaded bell tower lurching behind the cathedral. In the evening, enjoy an authentic dinner with a delicious wine tasting., Three-course Dinner with wine, plus tea or coffee DAY 8 VERONA AND VENICE, QUEEN OF THE ADRIATIC. Passing the city of Bologna, a highlight stop is the elegant city of Verona, legendary home of Shakespeare's starcrossed lovers. Walk past the Roman Arena to the reputed famous balcony in the courtyard of the Capulet home. After free time to explore, take the autostrada east to Venice, Queen of the Adriatic'. Your luxurious hotel gazes out over the Giudecca Canal and a romantically unforgettable city skyline. DAY 9 VENICE AND THE MAGIC OF LA SERENISSIMA. (Relaxed Start) Wake up ready to embrace the most sensuous of cities. Admire the art of glassblowing on a visit to a traditional arts centre. Then board your private launch, sit back and enjoy your introduction to this unique city of ornate palaces, bridges and gondolas. Disembark a short stroll from the Bridge of Sighs before turning the corner to stand in awe at the marble arcades of Piazza San Marco. St Mark's Basilica, with its dazzling domes, occupies the corner next to the clock tower. Beside it stands the pink and white marbled Doge's Palace. In the afternoon, there will be plenty of time to explore the museums, galleries and churches or browse through the shops on the Rialto Bridge. Perhaps cruise out to some of the other islands in the lagoon to experience the age-old lifestyle of Venetian fishermen and lace-makers?
DAY 10 VENICE AT LEISURE. (Relaxed Start) Who could refuse another day to take in the unique atmosphere of this wonderful city? Lose yourself in the back lanes and campi', small squares, where tourists seldom tread and the Venetians go about their daily lives. Maybe visit some of the 90 churches that house masterpieces of Venetian art or explore the modern artworks in the Guggenheim? Relax a while at a canal -side cafe and sip the local wine or sample delicious lagoon-fresh fish. Later, board a traditional gondola for a serenade through the romantic canals. In the evening, celebrate your tour finale with fantastic food, great wine and wonderful company in this magical setting., Three-course Dinner with wine, plus tea or coffee DAY 11 FROM THE LAKES OF VENICE TO MOUNTAIN-RINGED INNSBRUCK. Your journey continues north through spectacular scenery as you follow the Adige River. Travel via the Brenner Pass through the magnificent Dolomites and cross the impressive Europa Bridge to arrive at wonderful Innsbruck. Your orientation will show you the 14th century houses of Old Town, the impressive Imperial Palace and the Golden Roof. DAY 12 INNSBRUCK TO OBERAMMERGAU. (Relaxed Start) Plenty of time this morning to explore the alpine town of Innsbruck. A short journey north, cross the German border and you arrive at Oberammergau in the heart of the Bavarian Alps and home of the Passion Play since 1634., Dinner DAY 13 THE PASSION PLAY. (Relaxed Start) After a morning at leisure in charming Oberammergau, take your premium reserved seats to witness the world famous Passion Play, re-enacting the last days of Christ on earth. After a break for dinner in a local restaurant, the captivating performance continues into the evening., Dinner DAY 14 DEPART OBERAMMERGAU. Your journey comes to an end after breakfast. Transfers arrive at Munich Airport at 09:30.
Dates & Prices Departure Date Return Date Twin Price Per Person 09 May 2020 22 May 2020 $5450 16 May 2020 29 May 2020 $5450 23 May 2020 05 June 2020 $5450 30 May 2020 12 June 2020 $5450 06 June 2020 19 June 2020 $5450 13 June 2020 26 June 2020 $5450 20 June 2020 03 July 2020 $5450 27 June 2020 10 July 2020 $5450 04 July 2020 17 July 2020 $5450 11 July 2020 24 July 2020 $5450 18 July 2020 31 July 2020 $5450 25 July 2020 07 August 2020 $5450 01 August 2020 14 August 2020 $5450 08 August 2020 21 August 2020 $5450 15 August 2020 28 August 2020 $5450 22 August 2020 04 September 2020 $5450 29 August 2020 11 September 2020 $5450 05 September 2020 18 September 2020 $5450 12 September 2020 25 September 2020 $5450 19 September 2020 02 October 2020 $5450 Single Supplement: $150 TERMS & CONDITIONS: Accommodation Insight Vacations has secured hotel accommodation either in Oberammergau or close by in the picturesque villages of the Bavarian Alps. Please note that single and triple rooms are not available for the Oberammergau stay. Solo travellers and triple share guests will be accommodated in a twin room with a fellow solo Insight traveller (of the same gender) for the duration of the stay. Itinerary details such as hotels, meals, sightseeing inclusions, and price are subject to change. Payment conditions For bookings before 30 September 2019, on reservation an initial $300 CAD per person, non-refundable deposit is due. On 30 September 2019, an additional $460 is due. For bookings from 1 October 2019 onwards, a non-refundable deposit of $760 per person is due on reservation. Final payment is due 90 days prior to trip departure. Bookings made within 90 days of departure must be paid in full when booking. Deposit protection guarantee is not available on trips including the Passion Play. No Early Payment Discounts, nor any other discounts, are applicable to the Oberammergau portion of the trip. Any fuel surcharges and/or government tax increases will still be payable by the guest. Please note indicative prices are available on our website and final prices will be confirmed by 31 August 2019. If the overall Oberammergau & Trip price increases more than 7%, guests are eligible to cancel without penalty; if the price decreases, guests are entitled to the lower trip price.