FROM ROME TO LONDON - 2010

13 days incl. air, or 12 days from Rome to London (CO-5910)

Your European vacation begins in the Italian capital of Rome with a guided sightseeing tour that highlights the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Square. Head north to see Pisa’s Leaning Tower and to encounter the Renaissance treasures of Florence. Your Florence walking tour includes Piazza Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, the Giotto Campanile, and Brunelleschi Cupola in Piazza del Duomo. Spend two nights in Venice with an included canal boat ride to St. Mark’s Square and a guided tour of the city’s main sights, including a glassblowers’ demonstration. Travel north to the mighty Dolomites, stopping in Cortina, host of the 1956 Winter Olympics, to enjoy the beautiful scenery. Continue into the Austrian Tyrol to Innsbruck, host of the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics. Your orientation tour includes the famous Golden Roof, Innsbruck’s famous attraction—the 3-story balcony on the central square capped with 2,738 gold plated copper tiles and constructed for Emperor Maximilian I. From Innsbruck, cross into Switzerland and stop in the tiny Principality of Liechtenstein. Arrive in medieval lakeside Lucerne, one of Switzerland’s finest cities, for two overnights. In Lucerne, nestled amid Switzerland’s snow-capped Alps, see the impressive city walls, Europe’s oldest wooden bridge, ornate patrician houses, and the Lion Monument—a masterful stone sculpture in honor of heroic Swiss Guard of Louis XVI. Optional activities in Lucerne include a funicular and cable car ride to the summit of Mount Titlis, a cruise on the fjord-like lake, and of course, time to shop for a Swiss watch. Then it’s on to Paris for a guided sightseeing tour, leisure time to make your own discoveries, and two overnights. Cross the Channel by ferry to jolly old England! Your vacation ends in London, the perfect conclusion to a great adventure. This grand European trip—covering six European countries—is a once-in-a-lifetime vacation opportunity!

5910

Itinerary

Day 1 Sat. BOARD YOUR OVERNIGHT TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT

Day 2 Sun. ARRIVAL IN ROME, ITALY

Check into your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to explore this ancient capital. Tonight, meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers.

Day 3 Mon. 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 Tue. 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 Wed. FLORENCE AREA-VENICE AREA

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 this morning on the included walking tour with a Local Guide that 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.” In the afternoon, drive north across the River Po into the Plains of Venetia for two overnights in the Venice area. (B)

Day 6 Thu. 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 orientation tour starts with a boat ride and is followed by 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 7 Fri. VENICE AREA-INN SBRUCK, AUSTRIA

Journey northwards today from the flat farmlands of the Venetian countryside to the Dolomites surrounding Italy’s most famous winter resort, Cortina. Stop awhile to enjoy the grand scenery. Next, cross the border into Austria to reach Innsbruck for an overnight. (B,D)

Day 8 Sat. INNSBRUCK-LUCERN, SWITZERLAND

Time this morning to get acquainted with Innsbruck. The orientation tour includes the famous Golden Roof. Later, drive through the valleys and villages of the mountainous Tyrol to the Arlberg tunnel, descending into Switzerland. Stop briefly in Vaduz, Liechtenstein’s capital, before heading for Lake Lucerne. (B)

Day 9 Sun. LUCERNE

One of Switzerland’s finest cities nestled amid its snow-capped Alps, surrounded by its lake, and embellished by the clear mountain waters of the River Reuss. Your visit takes in the impressive city walls, a covered wooden bridge, ornate patrician houses lining cobblestone streets, and the Lion Monument – masterful stone sculpture in honor of the heroic Swiss Guard of Louis XVI. A grand selection of optional activities completes the day: a cable car ride to the 10,000-foot summit of Mount Titlis; a cruise on the fjord-like lake; and, of course, time to shop for that very Swiss watch. (B)

Day 10 Mon. LUCERNE-PARIS, FRANCE Paris, France

Vistas of green pastures and attractive chalets with rustic timbering and luxuriant flowers. Then into France on the fast and comfortable highway past some of its most famous vineyards to Paris. Arrive in time to enjoy the optional cabaret show. (B)

Day 11 Tue. PARIS

Paris holds a special place in the imagination. It’s a city of many facets and famed for its culture, beauty, sophistication, and sparkle. By sitting with a glass of wine in a bistro or sidewalk café, you can absorb the essence of the city and the individualism of its people. The center has wide boulevards and impressive buildings. Included sightseeing with a local expert of many of the best-known Parisian sights: La Sorbonne, Arc de Triomphe, Opéra, Madeleine, the Eiffel Tower, the Pyramid near the Louvre, the Invalides, and Champs Elysées. Optional excursions are also available to the Palace and Gardens of Versailles and, to celebrate the success of your tour, a French farewell dinner might be just the ticket. (B)

Day 12 Wed. PARIS-LONDON, ENGLAND

Relax and let the countryside whiz by on the road north to the coast, where you board your Channel ferry. Through Kent to London for an evening arrival. (B)

Day 13 Thu. 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

Departure Details	Departure Date	Tour Start Date	Return Date	Land/Cruise Price Only	Status
Popular Departure	3/27/2010	3/28/2010	4/8/2010	$1,629.00	Available
	4/17/2010	4/18/2010	4/29/2010	$1,689.00	Available
	4/24/2010	4/25/2010	5/6/2010	$1,689.00	Available
Popular Departure	5/1/2010	5/2/2010	5/13/2010	$1,689.00	Available
	5/8/2010	5/9/2010	5/20/2010	$1,689.00	Sold Out
	5/15/2010	5/16/2010	5/27/2010	$1,739.00	Available
	5/22/2010	5/23/2010	6/3/2010	$1,739.00	Available
	5/29/2010	5/30/2010	6/10/2010	$1,739.00	Available
Popular Departure	6/12/2010	6/13/2010	6/24/2010	$1,739.00	Available
Popular Departure	6/26/2010	6/27/2010	7/8/2010	$1,739.00	Available
	7/10/2010	7/11/2010	7/22/2010	$1,739.00	Available
	7/24/2010	7/25/2010	8/5/2010	$1,739.00	Available
	8/7/2010	8/8/2010	8/19/2010	$1,739.00	Available
Popular Departure	8/21/2010	8/22/2010	9/2/2010	$1,739.00	Available
	9/4/2010	9/5/2010	9/16/2010	$1,739.00	Available
	9/11/2010	9/12/2010	9/23/2010	$1,699.00	Available
	9/18/2010	9/19/2010	9/30/2010	$1,699.00	Available
Popular Departure	9/25/2010	9/26/2010	10/7/2010	$1,699.00	Available
	10/2/2010	10/3/2010	10/14/2010	$1,699.00	Available
	10/9/2010	10/10/2010	10/21/2010	$1,649.00	Available
	10/16/2010	10/17/2010	10/28/2010	$1,649.00	Available
	11/6/2010	11/7/2010	11/18/2010	$1,449.00	Available

Popular Departure - due to itinerary and time of year, this departure historically sells out quickly. Early booking is encouraged.