Bella Italia Escape

Welcome to Venice! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel. (D)

Italian Beauties Embark on a private boat ride before meeting your Local Guide for a fascinating sightseeing walk. See St. Mark’s Square, with its landmark columns and Basilica, and visit the ornate Doge’s Palace with the Bridge of Sighs. Visit a favorite vetreria (glass factory), meet a local glassblower and learn how the world-famous Murano glass is created. Enjoy free time this afternoon and evening to meander along the canals and through the traditional Venetian calli and campi (alleyways and squares). (B) TOUR HIGHLIGHT PIAZZA PERFECTION Locals simply call Piazza San Marco “la piazza.” As paired with the smaller Piazzetta, it forms the social, religious, and political hub of Venice, which Napoleon called “the drawing room of Europe.” St. Mark’s Basilica dominates the square, offering visitors a spectacular view of the great arches, marble embellishments, and the Romanesque carvings of its façade. Also gracing the square is Doge’s Palace – a masterpiece of Venetian Gothic architecture. The enclosed Bridge of Sighs, connecting the palace with the prison, is named for the prisoners’ sighs at seeing their last view of the Rio di Palazzo on their walk to the prison rooms.

The Tilted Tower Back to mainland Italy for a scenic drive across the Apennine Mountains. Enjoy a stop in Pisa to visit the Square of Miracles, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and location of one of the most recognizable monuments in the world – the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Later, arrive in Florence, one of Tuscany’s most beautiful cities, and enjoy an evening at leisure. (B) 240 mi/ 420 km TOUR HIGHLIGHT ART & ARCHITECTURE See architecture gone askew from the viewpoint of the Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa. Take the ultimate selfie in front of the Leaning Tower with a tilt of the head or other popular poses to commemorate your visit to the site of medieval art in this beautiful piazza.

Fine Art in Firenze Florence is one of Italy’s most celebrated cities. Meet your Local Guide for a visit of the Academy of Fine Arts, to see Michelangelo’s David statue, followed by a walk through the historic center, stopping to admire and learn more about the cathedral, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the massive bronze doors of the Baptistry’s “Gates of Paradise,” and the sculptures of Signoria Square. Enjoy some free time before departing for Assisi. (B,D) 112 mi/ 180 km TOUR HIGHLIGHT SCULPTED FEATURES Those lucky enough to visit the Tuscan capital are witness to some of the world’s most magnificent art. Home to a wealth of Renaissance masterpieces, Florence is famous for Michelangelo’s Marble Masterpiece, David, standing ready for battle in the Academy of Fine Arts. Outside, the Piazza del Duomo and Signoria Square offer spectacular sights of Florentine Gothic and Renaissance art, architecture, and monuments.