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SWITZERLAND & ITALY

Switzerland-Italy 12/1  12 days tour    Spring 2023/2024

From NEW YORK:

$3,149.00

From WASHINGTON DC:              

$3,199.00

If booked by July 31st, 2022 for the trips in 2023 and by July 31st, 2023 for the trips in 2024.

The price is based on 35 paying travelers and 6 free chaperones. For smaller independent groups we will adjust the price. The ratio for free chaperones stays 1/6. The lowest number of paying participants for an independent group is 10.

ZURICH, LUCERNE, VENICE, FLORENCE, SIENNA OR ASSISI, ROME, VATICAN, POMPEII, NAPLES

Day-1. DEPARTURE CITY – ZURICH: Overnight flight to Zurich.

Day-2. ZURICH: Arrive in Zurich and board your bus for a panoramic guided tour of Zurich. See Church of St. Augustine, Minster of our Lady, Great Minster, Town Hall, St. Peter’s Church, Charlemagne, Arboretum, and Lindenhof. Continue to Luzerne and check in to your hotel.

Day-3. LUCERNE: On a guided walking tour experience this beautiful town situated on the lake. Visit the historical sites of Luzern: the Lion Monument, carved in the limestone, remembering the Swiss Mercenaries who died trying to protect the French King, Kappelbruecke, the old and unique bridge with the painting of the patrons and saints, and the Water Tower. Take the cable car to Mt. Pilatus. In the evening have dinner at an original Swiss Fondue restaurant with live music.

Day-4. LUCERNE – VENICE: Travel to Venice by bus (9 hours) and stop at Lago di Como. Arrive in Venice (Mestre) and check in to your hotel.

Day-5. VENICE: Take a local bus to Piazzale Roma and board a vaporetto (commuter boat) and see this unique city built on 120 islands and connected with over 240 bridges from the waterside. Go on with a guided walking tour and see the masterpieces of Italian Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture. See Ponte Rialto, Campanile, Basilica San Marco, Ponte dei Sospiri, and more. Visit the Basilica built in the Byzantine style with bronze horses above the entrance and gold-plated ceilings. Also, visit the Doge’s Palace to see paintings by Titian and other famous painters. Then explore one of the small glass-blowing outlets producing famous Venetian glass for over 400 years. See a demonstration of a fascinating traditional technique of making art pieces from liquid glass. Enjoy the gondola ride at the end of the tour.

Day-6. VENICE – FLORENCE: In the morning, go back to Venice for some more exploring. In the afternoon board your bus and travel to Florence. Check in to your hotel and go for an orientation walk with your tour director.

Day-7. FLORENCE: Start your day with a guided city tour of the birthplace of the Renaissance. Visit Piazza de la Signoria with the Neptune’s Fountain, Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral with its famous cupola built by Brunelleschi, the Baptistry’s bronze doors, see Giotto’s Bell Tower,  Church of Santa Croce, and more. Then walk to Ponte Vecchio a unique bridge over the Arno river. Visit Academia with the famous statue of David yet another masterpiece of Michelangelo Buonarotti. Visit (optional) Palazzo Pitti, the fortified palace of the Medici Family, the rulers of Florence in the 15th century. The Palace houses an incredible collection of Florentine art. See also the palace’s fantastic Boboli Gardens. Or visit (optional) Uffizi Galleryhousing masterpieces of exceptional value. Starting as a portrait gallery, it grew into one of the best galleries in the world with a tradition that artists like Chagall, would go to Florence themselves to hand over their portrait to the gallery. Have a guided tour. Our local tour guide will give a short course in the history of art and show you the masterpieces following a historical timeline.

Day-8. FLORENCE – ROME –  SIENNA or ASSISI: Board your bus for a ride to Rome. Stop at nearby Sienna a beautiful medieval town. See its sites: the Terzo di San Martino, the Terzo di Citta, the Fortezza, Duomo, the Palazzo Pubblico, and the Cathedral. Or go to Assisi. Visit this medieval town dominated by two castles. It is the birthplace of St. Francis of Assisi, the founder of the Franciscan Order. Visit the Basilica of st. Francis and more. Arrive in Rome and check in to your centrally located hotel.

Day-9. ROME: Start the morning with a guided walking tour of Ancient Rome.Visit/See the Colosseum, Titus Arch, Constantine’s Arch, Forum Romanum, Foro Traiano, Campidoglio, Victor Emanuel Monument. In the afternoon join your tour director on a guided walking tour of the Renaissance and Baroque Rome. See Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Pinzio Hill, and the Spanish Steps.

Day-10. ROME – VATICAN: Take the metro to the Vatican Museum, one of the best museums in the world. Have a guided tour. End the visit in the Sistine Chapel the seat of the Conclave for electing Popes. View the magnificent ceilings painted by Michelangelo. Continue to the St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest Catholic Church in the world. Admire another Michelangelo’s masterpiece, the sculpture of La Pieta. Then visit the Catacombs of St. Peter’s Basilica housing tombs of several late Popes.

Day-11. ROME – POMPEII: In the morning travel by bus to Naples on a guided tour visit the Archeological Museum of Naples. Then continue to Ancient Pompeii the ancient city that was buried in ashes after the massive eruption of volcano Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD. Uncovered from the ashes the town is very well preserved. Late in the afternoon return to Rome.

Day-12. DEPARTURE ROME: Transfer to the airport for your flight home.

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

Round trip airfare

10 nights in centrally located hotels (rooms with private bathrooms)
10 European buffet breakfasts
10 dinners (3 courses)

Bus per program

GUIDED TOURS OF:
Zurich, Lucerne, Venice, Florence, Siena or Assisi, Rome, Vatican, Pompeii

Additional walking tours

ENTRANCES TO:
Basilica di San Marco, Duke’s Palace, Santa Maria del Fiore – Duomo, Accademia, Uffizi Gallery or Palazzo Pitti, Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, Colosseum, Forum Romanum, Pompeii, Naples Archeological Museum

Mt. Pilatus cable car
Vaporetto Ride
Gondola ride

OPTIONAL:
Guided Uffizi Gallery $35.00
Guided Palazzo Pitti $35.00

Professional local tour guides

E&L GROUP TOURS USA TOUR DIRECTOR 24/7