TEL: 503-227-7220
Bella Italia and La Dolce Vita
ITALY
You may have the universe if I may have Italy ---Giuseppe Verdi. He got it right. To see Italy is to love it. La dolce vita, bella figura, and ciao bella, are real. If you have dreamt of hearing them from the lips of an Italian– let us realize your dream.
This small group will travel by private coach, from Rome, to Florence, and Venice, taking 10 days to leisurely stop to smell the spring roses. Without a rush, there is quality time to enjoy life’s journey with other special women.
Art masterpieces like the Birth of Venus at the Uffizi, David at the Academia, the Sistine Chapel, and the Pieta at the Vatican, await your eyes. Tastes of good wine, fresh pasta, Florentine steaks, aromatic cheeses, and hand-crafted gelato await your mouth. To pleasure your ears church bells are chiming everywhere while pigeons are cooing in the square of San Marco, and water laps at the canal edges in Venice. The smells of warm bread from the ovens, the perfumery and herbs of Santa Maria Novela, the sensuous leather goods, and the prosciutto hanging from the restaurant ceiling will forever be recorded by your nose.
The plans are made for 12 lucky women to savor and enjoy this romantic country as our Italian guide shares local stories and color you cannot get anywhere else.
Get ahead of the summer crowds and wake up in the dream known as Italy.
HIGHLIGHTS
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Sistine Chapel
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Cooking class
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David
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Uffizi Gallery
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Pisa
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San Gimignano
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Lucca
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Burano/Murano
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The Colosseum
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St Peter’s Basilica
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Winetasting
INCLUDED
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9 nights 4 star hotels double occupancy
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Daily breakfast
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Private coach transportation
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Local guide
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3 dinners
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3 lunches
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Cooking class
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Wine tasting
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Sightseeing and admissions as listed
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Tips for guides
NOT INCLUDED
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Items of a personal nature
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Porter gratuities in hotels
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DETAILS:
A $400 deposit confirms your space. Final payment due March 1, 2024.
All participants must be able to independently ascend and descend stairs without railings, walk on uneven surfaces, walk moderate distances, embark and disembark planes, buses and boats. You Go Girls! Travel cannot guarantee accommodations for disabilities, special requests, or allergies when traveling abroad. Credit card payments incur a 3.5% fee. Travel insurance recommended.
$4849
10
days
$4849 per person based on double
$989 single supplement
APR 19 - 28, 2024
ITINERARY
April 19
An early evening meet and greet in the Eternal City of Rome, gets us off on the right track. Our 4 star hotel is a wonderful location to explore many popular sites.
April 20
A private tour of the religious center of Rome is a perfect beginning to understanding the city. The Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel introduce us to the grandeur of Saint Peter’s Basilica. The afternoon is free to toss a coin in the Trevi Fountain. Remember to stop in Piazza Navona for ice cream. Overlooking Bernini’s 1651 Fountain of the Four Rivers, one wonders how it is possible to have so many treasures in one city?
April 21
The other half of Rome is the historic part featuring the Colosseum and Forum. In the afternoon you may want to get your photos of the Spanish Steps and the glorious, ancient Pantheon. There are so many places to sit and watch the world go by in Rome, as it has for thousands of years.
April 22
Today we move on to Florence. Get out your credit cards. This is a shopper’s haven with leather goods, scarves, ceramics, and anything else you can think of from Italy. With a stop for lunch in a traditional restaurant of Orvieto, we still arrive in time to meet the art of the Uffizi.
April 23
A morning walking tour takes us close to many Renaissance pieces. David will come alive for you as you stand at his huge feet. Lunch is at our favorite, Il Latini, In the afternoon shop and learn about leather gilding. Tonight is our cooking class to work on some Italian gems such as pasta, ravioli, and biscotti.
April 24
San Gimignano, the Manhattan of the 13th century, lures us to show off its many medieval towers. We will have a typical Tuscan lunch and wine tasting. This is chianti country. In the afternoon you are free to explore.
April 25
Off to Lucca and Pisa today. It is nice to get away from cities to see a bit of the countryside.
April 26
Venice prepares an impressive welcome. Its canals are a marvel to behold and the fact that everything happens on the water plays with your mind. Coke is delivered by boat and when you leave the world it is by a hearse that is a boat. This afternoon you can get lost in the romance of Venice.
April 27
A walking tour of the Serenissima (most serene city) precedes a trip to the islands of Burano (lace making), and Murano (glass blowing). Tonight, we share a dinner at a local restaurant
April 28
Our organized time together is over, but you are free to stay longer to maybe visit Milan or somewhere else that calls to you. The cruise to Turkey is ready to board on May 1, if you would like to join that.