16D/15N - 2018 North to South Italy - Milan to Bari

day 01 Milan

Arrival at Milan airport and independent transfer to the hotel where you will meet the rest of the participants over dinner.

day 02 Milan

Today we will enjoy a half day panoramic tour of the Economical Capital of Italy. The tour will continue to Piazza dei Mercanti, and you'll get to admire the medieval heart of the city, hidden away from the crowded streets. The Scala Theatre, built in 1776 and located in Piazza della Scala, is not only a monument, but a true temple of Music and Italian History and Culture. You will also enter the majestic Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a treasure of XIXth century engineering, more than a building, it’s a real symbol of Italian excellence. And, last but not least, you will reach the Duomo, the third biggest Cathedral in Europe. Then, you will have some free time for lunch and the afternoon at leisure to discover the city before returning to your hotel for dinner.

day 03 Milan – Sirmione – Verona - Venice

Depart to the Garda Lake and in particular to Sirmione: an ancient town replete with quaint cobbled streets and historical landmarks. Enjoy some time at leisure to visit the city or the beautiful Roman villa and the Grottoes of Catullus (Grotte di Catullo). Enjoy also the magnificent Scaliger Castle, a rare example of a medieval port fortification. Continue to Verona where we will enjoy a panoramic walking tour of the city, known for its famous Arena and for being the hometown of Romeo and Juliet. Departure to Venice for dinner and overnight.

day 04 Venice – Murano – Burano - Venice

Today we will first enjoy a walking tour of the Serenissima: one of the most beautiful cities in the World among Italian Heritage Sites by UNESCO. The Venice historic centre is situated in the middle of a lagoon, with a total of 118 small islands separated by canals and connected by bridges for pedestrian use only. We will walk through beautiful monuments (exterior visits) as Palazzo Ducale, the famous Bridge of Sights, the tour will continue discovering the beauty of Venice, with the Basilica of San Marco (exterior visit). Lunch at leisure. In the afternoon, we will take an excursion to the Lagoon islands: Murano, Burano and Torcello which are the traditional destination among the islands located in the northern part of the Venetian Lagoon. After sailing past the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, a 16th century Benedectine church designed by Andrea Palladio and built between 1566 and 1610, the public Gardens, the tip of Sant'Elena and the Lido (the famous beach resort), the boat arrives at Murano known throughout the world for its glass manufacturing industry. Here there is a stop to visit one of the factories. The second stop is on the picturesque island of Burano, famous not only for its lace but also for its fishermen's houses painted in bright colors. Then, after a short sail, you will reach the quiet and sparsely populated island of Torcello, the first centre of civilization in the estuary. Only the Cathedral of "Santa Maria Assunta" with its magnificent mosaics and the church of "Santa Fosca" remain the testimony of its former glory.

day 05 Venice – Florence

Depart to Florence. Lunch at leisure. Once in the city, we will enjoy a half-day walking tour: The walking tour begins at the Piazza San Firenze; home of the Bargello and the Tribunale Fiorentino, once a church and convent complex and now home to the Florence courts. You will walk first to the Church of Santa Croce, home to many well-known masterpieces and burial place of some of Italy's most important personages. Next you'll arrive at Piazza Signoria, the heart of the city of Florence since ancient times. It is famous for Neptune's Fountain, the Palazzo Vecchio, and the lovely Piazzale degli Uffizi as well as the famous Ponte Vecchio.

day 06 Florence – Cinque Terre – Pisa - Florence

Today enjoy a marvellous excursion to one of the most famous area in Italy: Cinque Terre. Weather conditions permitting, depart to Portovenere. In case of bad meteorological conditions, we will stop in La Spezia and do the visit to Cinque Terre by train) From Portovenere, embark on a regular ferry which will bring us to Monterosso, the largest town among the Cinque Terre. Your tour leader will guide you through the terraced vineyards, the ancient olive groves and the spectacular panoramic views. Then depart to the charming town of Vernazza, characterized by its narrow streets and small square looking out over the sea. Then back to Portovenere for your return to Florence but first we will do a stop in Pisa to admire (exterior visits) the famous Leaning Tower. Arrive in Florence for dinner and overnight.

day 07 Florence – Siena – San Gimignano - Florence

Depart to the medieval city of Siena. Walking tour of the city including (exterior visits) : the Cathedral, admiring the unique marble, the Piazza del Campo, the famed site of the Palio di Siena, the horse races held twice a year. Afterward, soak up some free time to continue exploring independently or to purchase lunch. In the afternoon, depart to the walled medieval city of San Gimignano. Resting on the top of a hill, explore the area’s impressive Romanesque and Gothic architecture.

day 08 Florence – Chianti area - Assisi – Rome

Depart to the famous Chianti area where apart admiring the famous Tuscany countryside, we will be able to do a wine tasting (not including). Continue to Assisi, famous pilgrimage site. Stroll the maze of medieval streets, and visit the Basilicas of Santa Chiara and St. Francis to see one of Italy’s largest collections of church art. Depart to Rome for dinner and overnight.

day 09 Rome-Amalfi - Sorrento - Naples

Transfer to the departure meeting point in Rome. The tour starts at this point and clients will need to have a transfer by their own from their hotel to the specific point (not included in our tour’s rate). Departure to Amalfi for a city tour. Then continue to the famous Sorrento through the panoramic road that will allow us to admire from the top the famous village of Positano. Arrive in Sorrento and visit the town with its typical streets. We continue to Naples for dinner and overnight.

day 10 Naples-Capri - Naples

Departure to Naples to board the Jet foil that takes us to the magnificent island of Capri, resting place of Roman emperors, that surprises with its landscape of cliffs and caves. Highlights include the Marina Grande and multiple scenic spots from where you can enjoy spectacular views. You will have some time at leisure for lunch. Jet Foil return to Naples for dinner and overnight.

day 11 Naples – Matera - Bari

Departure for Matera internationally known for its "Sassi ". The Sassi are original settlements of prehistoric (troglodyte) and apparently the first “houses” in Italy. These houses excavated in the rock are characteristic of Basilicata and Puglia regions. Many of these "houses" are really only caverns, and the streets in some parts, go through the roofs of other houses. One of the peculiarities of this ancient city is its similarity to the ancient cities near Jerusalem. It was captured by the eyes of directors and film studios. Matera is also Unesco heritage. Free time for a snack and departure to Bari. Free time to visit the old town of Bari.

day 12 Bari - Trani - Castel del Monte - San Giovanni Rotondo - Bari

Departure to Trani to visit the Cathedral on the sea. Continue to Castel del Monte for the visit of the fortress. Free time for lunch. Continue to San Giovanni Rotondo to visit the places where Padre Pio developed his work. Return to Bari dinner and overnight.

day 13 Bari - Castellana - Alberobello - Lecce

Departure for Castellana Grottos, discovered in 1938. The entrance of the caves is represented by an enormous vertical tunnel 60 meters long. Continue to Alberobello, the Unesco Heritage Trulli town, with its typical houses with cone roofs used as houses or to store utensils. Visit and free time for lunch. In the afternoon continue towards Lecce.

day 14 Lecce - Gallipoli - Lecce

Visit of the city called the "Florence of the South" and known for its famous art and architecture from the late baroque, revealed in the sixteenth century and the first half of the seventeenth century. You can admire the beautiful and rich decoration of the church of S. Oronzo, the Basilica of the Holy Cross and the Palace Celestini . On the corner of S. Oronzo admire the Roman amphitheatre, the II Century ADC column of S. Oronzo, 29 meters high and a statue of the Saint on the top. Free time for lunch. In the afternoon depart to Gallipoli, wonderful town surrounded by ramparts on the sea.

day 15 Lecce - Ostuni - Bari

Continue to Ostuni, a jewel of architecture better known as "the white city" for its white walls and its typical all white architecture. In the afternoon, continue to Bari.

day 16 Bari

Your tour comes to an end after breakfast.

Inclusions: twin share in 3* hotels, buffet breakfast and dinner daily, transportation from Venice central parking to the nearest point to your hotel roundtrip, half day excursion to Murano and Burano by ferry, cinque Terre ferry from Portovenere to Monterosso and Vernazza (weather conditions permitting. On the contrary excursion will be done by train from La Spezia to Monterosso and Vernazza), transportation on deluxe motorcoach (sizes accordingly to the number of passengers), multilingual tour guide in Spanish and English from 7 participants except on day 1 and on the last day, transfer from the hotel in Rome to the departure meeting point (where the Southern part of the tour starts), panoramic visits (no local guides) except for the visits to Milan, Venice and Florence, sightseeing Tours (without local guide) in Sorrento, Amalfi, Bari, Ostuni, Alberobello, Castellana Grotto, Trani, Castel del Monte, San Giovanni Rotondo, free visits in Bari and Castel del Monte, English/Spanish local guides for visits to Milan, Venice and Florence, Pompeii, Lecce and Matera, entrance to the Castellana Grotto, ferry to Capri roundtrip.

Exclusions: flights, transfers in & out, lunches, beverages during meals, entrance fees except those indicated as included, city tax to be paid locally, tips and personal extras, porterage.

Hotels: Mila-3* Ibis Milano Centro, Venice-3* Il Mercante di Venezia , Florence-3* Hotel Meridiana, Rome-3* Fiamma/ 3*Hotel Rome Garden, Naples-4* Hotel Naples , Bari-4*Hilton Garden Inn, Lecce- 4* President

Note: tour itinerary’s, for technical reasons, can be changed or inverted without notice. All previous visits, excursions and services are guaranteed. Dinners during the tour could be at hotel or at local restaurant according to the tour director’s decision. If the tour counts less than 7 participants, the trip could be done with an English/Spanish speaking driver/guide (no tour guide).

On request: private transfers from Milan or from Como