Treasures of Italy

Venice • Verona • Ferrara • Bologna • Florence • Lucca • Pisa • Assisi • Orvieto • Rome • Tivoli

This holiday includes 9 breakfasts and 8 evening meals

Perhaps no country in the world has so many cities that have retained so timeless a perfection as Italy. On this tour we provide you with the opportunity to savour the three greatest and to enjoy the peerless countryside of Tuscany and Umbria on the way. We discover lesser-known gems such as the high-walled city of Orvieto, once a former Papal stronghold and now renowned for its white wine, and the beautiful town squares of Ferrara and Bologna. A few other highlights, among so many, are our visits to Pisa, to view the Leaning Tower, Assisi, famous as the home of St Francis, and the lovely Tivoli Gardens outside Rome.DAY 1 LONDON • VENICE
We begin with Titan’s VIP Home Departure Service™ to London Gatwick Airport and your scheduled British Airways flight to Venice or Bologna. On arrival, our coach will transfer you to the Holiday Inn, Marghera, Venice, located on the outskirts of the city. Dinner is included.

DAY 2 VERONA • VENICE
After breakfast, we transfer to Verona for a short exploration of the town and lunch. In the afternoon, we will transfer back to our hotel. This evening, we journey to Tronchetto, where we board the boat to St Mark’s Square. On arrival, there is hopefully time to soak up the atmosphere, before making the short stroll to a local restaurant, where we will be dining this evening. Later in the evening, we return to our hotel.

DAY 3 VENICE
To make our day more pleasurable, we have arranged a guided tour of St Mark’s Square and its surroundings. The remainder of the day is free to visit the stunning and intricately detailed Doges’ Palace and the magnificent 11th century St Mark’s Basilica. Your exploration of Venice can be either on foot, in a water bus or from a gondola and you cannot fail to be captivated by this city, built on 117 islands, and which boasts ornate palaces and picturesque squares. The most memorable way to see Venice is from a gondola and these wonderful craft, still hand-made individually for each gondolier, are inseparable from any image of Venice and still afford the most romantic way of seeing the city’s wonders. We return to our hotel for dinner.

DAY 4 FERRARA • BOLOGNA • FLORENCE
After breakfast, we travel southwards to Ferrara, located on the Po Plain and renowned for its red-brick houses and spacious squares. There is the opportunity to view the marvellous Romanesque-Gothic Lombard style Cathedral, before continuing our journey to Bologna. We make a lunch-stop, with the chance to explore the capital of Emilia Romagna, with its wonderful churches, arcaded streets, towers and palaces. Bologna is also famous for its university, which is the oldest in Europe. Late in the afternoon, we arrive at the Unaway Hotel, located on the outskirts of Florence, with dinner included.

DAY 5 FLORENCE
This morning, we transfer to the centre of Florence for a guided walking tour. Florence is the world’s most celebrated storehouse of Renaissance art and architecture and has long been the focus of the Italian arts and letters. Florence has attracted many great artists through the centuries, including Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli and Dante. The dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore dominates the city and is generally accepted as one of the finest examples of Renaissance architecture. We enjoy dinner at a local restaurant this evening.

DAY 6 LUCCA • PISA
We continue to Lucca, an interesting and delightful city, which hides within its ramparts a rich array of churches, palaces and squares that retain their original charm. We have time to explore before continuing to Pisa. On arrival, we view the famous Leaning Tower, a free standing bell tower located next to the 11th century Gothic Cathedral. The tower was built between 1173 and 1350 in white marble, and has challenged architects over the centuries in trying to rectify its tilt. In the evening, we return to our hotel for dinner.

DAY 7 ASSISI • ORVIETO • ROME
To the walled city of Assisi, a picturesque medieval hilltown spread across the slopes of Monte Subasio. Famous as the home of St Francis, founder of the Franciscan Order of Monks, the town retains its medieval character, and it is easy to picture St Francis walking its ancient streets. Any exploration of the town must include a visit to St Francis’ Basilica, Italy’s earliest Gothic church and the only Papal seat outside St Peter’s in Rome. After lunch, we visit Orvieto, perched high on a vast rocky outcrop of stone above the surrounding countryside. It is a pleasant city with a wealth of historic buildings, most notably the Cathedral which, with its wonderful façade, is one of the most colourful and striking of Italian Gothic buildings. This evening, we arrive at the Holiday Inn Rome Aurelia, on the outskirts of Rome, for dinner.

DAY 8 ROME
Following an early start, we arrive in the centre of Rome and the Vatican City, the smallest country in the world, where you will be met by a local guide who will accompany you on a tour of the Vatican, including the renowned Vatican Museums. Here you will discover one of the world’s most extensive art collections, the crowning glory of which is, of course, the Sistine Chapel. Your introduction to Rome continues with an included tour of St Peter’s Basilica and Square and a drive through the streets of Rome for a view of the Colosseum. Time permitting, you are free for your own exploration before returning to the hotel for dinner.

DAY 9 TIVOLI • ROME
Today, we visit Tivoli, a small town east of Rome, to tour the renowned Villa d’Este. The villa overlooks elaborate gardens which descend in a series of terraces and are enhanced with numerous statues and fountains. The rest of the day is at leisure and you are free for dinner tonight.

DAY 10 ROME • LONDON
Time for breakfast, before transferring to Rome Airport for your direct, scheduled British Airways flight to the UK. Arrival at London Heathrow or Gatwick Airport where our staff will greet you and transfer you to Titan transport for your journey home to your own front door.Duration 10 days, 9 nights in hotels: 3 Venice, 3 Florence & 3 Rome.

Titan HiTours VIP Home Departure Service™

Check-in service by Titan staff.

Scheduled direct British Airways direct flights

Services of an experienced Titan HiTours tour manager

First class air-conditioned coaching with experienced drivers

Accommodation as specified or of a similar standard.

Meals as specified with breakfasts on days 2-10 and evening meals on days 1-8

Excursions, tours and entrances as detailed in the itinerary.

Hotel porterage (1 bag per person).

All airport taxes, security charges and UK Air Passenger Duty and applicable fuel surcharges.

Celebration offer - Free bottle of wine (Valid for 2010 departures only)