SOUTHERN FRANCE & ITALY IN STYLE 19D/18N 2024

1st Day (Sat.) BARCELONA

Meet and greet at the airport and take a private transfer to your hotel. Day at leisure. Accommodation at your hotel.

2nd Day (Sun.) BARCELONA

Enjoy a full buffet breakfast at your hotel. Begin your day in Barcelona with a city discovery. See the Barcelona Pavilion, a study in minimalism built for the 1929 International Exposition. Then explore the Sagrada Familia (entrance not included), a still-unfinished cathedral designed by Catalan architect Antoní Gaudí. The afternoon is free to explore the city at your own pace. In the early evening, join your fellow travelers for a Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant. Accommodation at your hotel. (BD)

3rd Day (Mon.) BARCELONA - GIRONA - CARCASSONNE

Enjoy a full buffet breakfast at your hotel. Depart towards Girona. Since much of the old quarter of this ancient city has been preserved and is a popular destination for tourists, and film productions have used it as a filming location (e.g., Game of Thrones). Enjoy time at leisure. Continue crossing the border of France to Carcassonne. Mapping in depth: Optionally, in the early evening, take a boat cruise across the Canal Du Midi. Take a glass of Champagne and cruise the originally named Canal royal en Languedoc (Royal Canal in Languedoc) and renamed by French revolutionaries to Canal du Midi in 1789, the canal is considered one of the greatest construction works of the 17th century. Dinner and accommodation at your hotel. (BD)

4th Day (Tue.) CARCASSONNE

Enjoy a full buffet breakfast at your hotel. We start our day with a walking City tour of the Citadel, known as the Cité de Carcassonne, is a medieval fortress dating back to the Gallo-Roman period and restored in 1853. It was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1997 because of the exceptional preservation and restoration of the medieval citadel Rest of the afternoon is at leisure for you enjoy this stunning medieval Southern France town. Accommodation at your hotel. (B)

5th Day (Wed.) CARCASSONNE - NIMES - AVIGNON

Enjoy a full buffet breakfast at your hotel. Depart to Nimes, the most Roman city outside Italy. Several famous monuments are in Nimes, such as the Arena of Nimes and the Maison Carrée. Because of this, Nimes is often referred to as the "French Rome". We continue our roman day visiting the Pont du Gard, an ancient Roman aqueduct bridge built in the first century AD to carry water over 50 km. It was added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage sites in 1985 because of its exceptional preservation, historical importance, and architectural ingenuity. Accommodation at your hotel. (B)

6th Day (Thu.) AVIGNON

Enjoy a full buffet breakfast at your hotel. Today we discover the famous Provence capital, Avignon. Visit The Palais des Papes. It is one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe. Once a fortress and palace, the papal residence was a seat of Western Christianity during the 14th century. UNESCO World Heritage Site, for its outstanding architecture and historical importance for the Papacy. We will admire the Pont d´Avignon. Mapping in depth: Optionally, board a Rhone River cruise. Join a beautiful river cruise with lunch to Villeneuve les Avignon. Accommodation at your hotel. (B)

7th Day (Fri.) AVIGNON - COTE D´AZUR

Enjoy a full buffet breakfast at your hotel. Our first activity will bring you to the charming town of Chateauneuf du Pape, well known for its wine. The total annual production is around 100,000 hectoliters (equivalent to 13 million bottles of 0.75 liter) Continue with a unique visit and wine tasting with light lunch at one of the most beautiful cellars of Provence. Accommodation at your hotel. (BL)

8th Day (Sat.) COTE D´AZUR

Enjoy a full buffet breakfast at your hotel. Full day excursion to enjoy the glamorous Cote d´Azur. This region is the center of the French perfume industry. This region produces over two-thirds of France's natural aromas (for perfume and for food flavorings). Try to create your own fragrance in an amazing Perfume school. (You´ll keep your personal creation!) We continue our trip to Nice. Accommodation at your hotel. (B)

9th Day (Sun.) COTE D´AZUR - MILAN

Enjoy a full buffet breakfast at your hotel. We will cross another European border, bond for Milan, Italian Northern capital. Milan has been recognized as one of the world's four fashion capitals. City tour. Milan's Cathedral is the fifth-largest cathedral in the world and the most important example of Gothic architecture in Italy. The city hosts La Scala opera house, considered one of the world's most prestigious. Accommodation at your hotel. (B)

10th Day (Mon.) MILAN - GARDA LAKE - VERONA - VENICE

Enjoy a full buffet breakfast at your hotel. Early departure to the beautiful lake of Garda. Take a stunning boat trip & light lunch at one of the most beautiful European corners. Continue to Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet. Time at leisure to visit the town. Finally, we will arrive in Venice, the city of channels. Accommodation at your hotel. (BL)

11th Day (Tue.) - VENICE

Enjoy a full buffet breakfast at your hotel. Walking city tour. Piazza San Marco, often known in English as St Mark's Square, is the principal public square of Venice, A remark usually attributed (though without proof) to Napoleon calls the Piazza San Marco "the drawing room of Europe". Afternoon at leisure to continue exploring this awesome city. Mapping in depth: Murano & Burano Venice Bay cruise (Laguna) Optionally take a boat to: Murano is a series of islands linked by bridges in the Venetian Lagoon, northern Italy. It lies about 1.5 km (1 mi) north of Venice and measures about 1.5 km (1 mi) It is famous for its glass making. Burano is an island in the Venetian Lagoon, northern Italy, near Torcello at the northern end of the lagoon, known for its lace work and brightly coloured homes. In the early evening, join your fellow travelers for an amazing Gondola trip to our Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant. (BD)

12th Day (Wed.) VENICE - BOLOGNA - FLORENCE

Enjoy a full buffet breakfast at your hotel. Depart southwards to Bologna, famous for its towers, churches and lengthy porticoes, Bologna has a well-preserved historical center. City tour & Archiginnasio. The Archiginnasio of Bologna is one of the most important buildings in the city of Bologna; once the main building of the University of Bologna, it currently houses the Archiginnasio Municipal Library and the Anatomical Theatre. Continue towards Florence, famous Tuscany capital, and the Italian city of Renaissance. Accommodation at your hotel. (B)

13th Day (Thu.) FLORENCE

Enjoy a full buffet breakfast at your hotel. Today you'll explore Florence on a walking tour. Piazza Signoria, Duomo, Battistero, Campanile Giotto, Ponte Vecchio, old markets¿Florence was a center of medieval European trade and finance, and UNESCO declared the Historic Centre of Florence a World Heritage Site in 1982. Afternoon is at leisure for you to enjoy your own time in this stunning city of arts. Accommodation at your hotel. (B)

14th Day (Fri.) - FLORENCE

Enjoy a full buffet breakfast at your hotel. Mapping in depth: Optionally, take a full day excursion to Pisa and Lucca. Although Pisa is known worldwide for its leaning tower, the city contains more than twenty other historic churches, several medieval palaces and bridges across the Arno. Continue to Lucca, known as an Italian "Città d'arte" (City of Art) from its intact Renaissance-era city walls and its very well preserved historic center. Accommodation at your hotel. (B)

15th Day (Sat.) FLORENCE - SIENA - PERUGIA

Enjoy a full buffet breakfast at your hotel. Depart to "The Road of Chianti". A Chianti wine is any wine produced in the Chianti region of central Tuscany. Sangiovese is the blend's dominant grape variety. Enjoy a beautiful Wine tasting in one of the best vineyards and cellars of the area. Continue to Siena, one of the most important cities in medieval Europe. Discover its historic centre, UNESCO World Heritage Site, by the hand of a local. The city is famous for "The Palio", a horse race held twice a year in Piazza del Campo. Join an "Aperitivo" (light lunch) at Piazza del Campo with local products and wines. After our lunch, depart towards Perugia. Accommodation at your hotel. (BL)

16th Day (Sun.) PERUGIA - ASSIS - ROME

Enjoy a full buffet breakfast at your hotel. Discover today the historical city of Perugia. Going back to the Etruscan times, Perugia was one of the main cities. The city is also known as the universities town. Depart to Assisi. The city of St Francis. Assis is the birthplace of St. Francis, who founded the Franciscan religious order in the town in 1208, and St. Clare, who with St. Francis founded the Poor. UNESCO collectively designated the Franciscan structures of Assisi as a World Heritage Site in 2000. Continue your journey in the early afternoon towards Rome, The Head of the World. Accommodation at your hotel. (B)

17th Day (Mon.) ROME

Enjoy a full buffet breakfast at your hotel. Set out for morning city discovery and enjoy one the most historical cities in the world, Rome. We finish our tour at Saint Peter's Square located directly in front of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, the papal enclave in Rome. Afterwards, we will visit (entrance included) the famous Sistine Chapel. Its importance lies mainly in the frescoes that decorate the interior, most particularly the Sistine Chapel ceiling and The Last Judgment, both by Michelangelo. Accommodation at your hotel. (B)

18th Day (Tue.) ROME

Enjoy a full buffet breakfast at your hotel. Mapping in depth: Optionally we take an excursion to discover the art of Rome visiting Major Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore, San Giovanni in Laterano (The cathedral of Rome), & Michelangelo´s Moses in San Pietro in Vincoli In the early evening, join your fellow travelers for a Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant. Accommodation at your hotel. (BD)

19th Day (Wed.) ROME

Enjoy a full buffet breakfast at your hotel. Take a private transfer to the airport. END OF OUR SERVICES.