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ITALY & GREECE - 2010
13 days incl. air,
or 12 days from Rome to Athens (CO-6480)Return to Italy
Vacations & Tours  Return to France,
Spain, Portugal and Morocco Vacations & Tours
Vacation Overview
Discover two
vibrant Mediterranean countries—Italy and Greece—on one exciting
vacation. Begin your trip in Rome, Italy’s capital, with a guided
sightseeing tour that includes visits to the Colosseum and the Roman
Forum. Next, follow the coastline of the Tyrrhenian Sea to Pisa to marvel
at its Leaning Tower. Then spend two nights in Florence, “Cradle of the
Renaissance,” and join the walking tour of the historical center. See
Juliet’s famous balcony from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet in Verona.
Spend two nights in Venice, enjoy a canal boat ride to St. Mark’s Square,
and marvel at the elaborate architecture of the cathedral and the
palaces. In Ancona, on the shores of the Adriatic Sea, board an overnight
ferry to Patras in Greece. In Greece, visit Olympia, the impressive ruins
of Mycenae, and see the Corinth Canal. Conclude your trip in Athens,
Greece’s ancient capital, where the Acropolis and its fascinating museum
are part of the included sightseeing tour. Historic ruins, beautiful
scenery, and warm hospitality await you on this amazing tour to Italy and
Greece—it’s a vacation of a lifetime!
Itinerary
Day
1 Sun. BOARD YOUR OVERNIGHT TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT
Day
2 Mon. ARRIVAL IN ROME, ITALY
Check
into your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to explore Italy’s
ancient capital. Tonight, meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers.
Day
3 Tue. ROME
Included
sightseeing with a Local Guide starts in St. Peter’s Square, followed by
a visit to the Roman Forum and the mighty Colosseum. (B)
Day
4 Wed. ROME-PISA-FLORENCE AREA
Vistas
of undulating hills, austere rows of cypress trees, terraced vineyards,
olive groves, and rural villages form the backdrop of your journey
through beautiful Tuscany. Take a break in Pisa to see the Square of
Miracles and the amazing Leaning Tower, then on to the Florence area. (B)
Day
5 Thu. FLORENCE
This
Renaissance gem and city of the Medicis will keep you enthralled for a
whole day. Traffic is banned in part of the historic center so visitors
can wander at leisure and admire the city’s timeless beauty in relative
peace and quiet. Don’t miss out on the included walking tour with a Local
Guide, which features most of the city highlights. You will see the Piazza
Santa Croce; the beautiful Piazza Signoria; the Palazzo Vecchio and its
courtyard; the Loggia dei Lanzi; and, to top it all, the Piazza del Duomo
and its cathedral with the Giotto Campanile, and the magnificent East
Door of the Baptistry known as the “Gate of Paradise.” End the day by
joining the optional Tuscan dinner in a typical restaurant. (B,D)
Day
6 Fri. FLORENCE AREA-VENICE AREA
An
interesting journey today northwards for a first stop in enchanting
Verona to see the legendary balcony of Romeo and Juliet. Just a
few more miles eastwards to Venice. (B)
Day
7 Sat. VENICE
Venice
is more like a marvelous film set than a real live city, with its
criss-crossing canals, gondolas and water buses, arched bridges, palaces,
and little quiet piazzas. The included orientation starts with a
boat ride and is followed by time at leisure and a chance to watch
Venetian glassblowers fashion their delicate objects as they did
centuries ago. Don’t miss out on the optional gondola trip, gliding along
the picturesque canals with a local troubadour to serenade you. (B,D)
Day
8 Sun. VENICE AREA-ANCONA (EMBARKATION)
Start
the day by journeying across the flatlands of the Po Delta to medieval
Ravenna. Next, reach Ancona on the shores of the Adriatic. Here, in the
afternoon, you embark on the ferry for the crossing to Patras. (B)
Day
9 Mon. PATRAS, GREECE (DISEMBARKATION)-OLYMPIA
Olympia
Plenty
of time to enjoy all the ship’s facilities. Disembark this afternoon in
Patras. Drive south into the Peloponnese for an overnight in Olympia. (B,D)
Day
10 Tue. OLYMPIA-TOLON
Make
the most of this morning by taking the optional tour of the sights of
ancient Olympia, including the ruins of the Temple of Zeus. In the
afternoon, enjoy the rugged scenery of the Peloponnese on the way via
Tripolis to Tolon. (B,D)
Day
11 Wed. TOLON-MYCENAE-ATHENS
Morning
visit with a Local Guide to the impressive ruins of Mycenae. Later, stop
to view the Corinth Canal, which was built between 1881 and 1893. Overnight
in Athens. (B)
Day
12 Thu. ATHENS
Join
the included sightseeing tour of Athens featuring the highlights of the
ancient capital and a visit to the Acropolis. Explore the shops and
museums or take a trip to the coast to swim. In the evening enjoy the
lively atmosphere of the tavernas and nightclubs in the old Plaka
district with its narrow streets and sound of bouzouki music, or
join an optional Greek dinner. (B)
Day
13 Fri. YOUR HOMEBOUND FLIGHT ARRIVES THE SAME DAY
(B)
AIRPORT
TRANSFERS
Airport transfers
may be included when you make your international flights arrangements.
Dates
and Prices
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Departure
Details
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Departure
Date
|
Tour
Start Date
|
Return
Date
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Land/Cruise
Price Only
|
Status
|
|
Popular
Departure
|
4/4/2010
|
4/5/2010
|
4/16/2010
|
$1,699.00
|
Available
|
|
Popular
Departure
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4/18/2010
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4/19/2010
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4/30/2010
|
$1,699.00
|
Available
|
|
5/2/2010
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5/3/2010
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5/14/2010
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$1,699.00
|
Available
|
|
Popular
Departure
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5/16/2010
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5/17/2010
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5/28/2010
|
$1,699.00
|
Available
|
|
Popular
Departure
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5/30/2010
|
5/31/2010
|
6/11/2010
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$1,699.00
|
Available
|
|
6/13/2010
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6/14/2010
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6/25/2010
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$1,699.00
|
Available
|
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6/27/2010
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6/28/2010
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7/9/2010
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$1,699.00
|
Available
|
|
Popular
Departure
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7/11/2010
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7/12/2010
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7/23/2010
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$1,699.00
|
Available
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7/25/2010
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7/26/2010
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8/6/2010
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$1,699.00
|
Available
|
|
8/8/2010
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8/9/2010
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8/20/2010
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$1,699.00
|
Available
|
|
8/22/2010
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8/23/2010
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9/3/2010
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$1,699.00
|
Available
|
|
Popular
Departure
|
9/5/2010
|
9/6/2010
|
9/17/2010
|
$1,699.00
|
Available
|
|
9/12/2010
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9/13/2010
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9/24/2010
|
$1,699.00
|
Available
|
|
9/19/2010
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9/20/2010
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10/1/2010
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$1,699.00
|
Available
|
|
Popular
Departure
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9/26/2010
|
9/27/2010
|
10/8/2010
|
$1,679.00
|
Available
|
|
10/3/2010
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10/4/2010
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10/15/2010
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$1,679.00
|
Available
|
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10/10/2010
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10/11/2010
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10/22/2010
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$1,679.00
|
Available
|
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10/17/2010
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10/18/2010
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10/29/2010
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$1,639.00
|
Available
|
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12/14/2010
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12/15/2010
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12/26/2010
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$1,599.00
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Available
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Popular Departure - due to itinerary and
time of year, this departure historically sells out quickly. Early
booking is encouraged.
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