Six nights in Rome with visits to the Sistine Chapel and the Colosseum, and excursions to Pompeii and Florence

Day 1 (Sat.) Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

Day 2 Arrival in Rome, Italy. (Sun.) Time to rest or start exploring the Eternal City. At 6 p.m. meet your tour director and traveling companions. Enjoy a four-course welcome dinner with wine at your hotel. (D)

Day 3 Rome. (Mon.) Sightseeing with your local guide starts with a visit to the VATICAN MUSEUMS and SISTINE CHAPEL, world famous for Michelangelo’s ceiling paintings and The Last Judgement. Continue to monumental ST. PETER’S SQUARE and BASILICA. Proceed across the Tiber for a stroll along the Via Sacra in the ROMAN FORUM, where Roman Legions marched in triumph, finally visit the COLOSSEUM and hear about gladiatorial combats. Afternoon at leisure. Your tour director has suggestions if you wish to further explore this magnificent city. (BB)

Day 4 Rome. Excursion to Pompeii. (Tue.) Travel to Pompeii, the Roman city both destroyed and preserved by a volcanic eruption in 79 A.D. See patrician homes, public baths, and commercial districts strikingly recalling day-to-day life when Rome was at the apex of her power. (BB)

Day 5 Rome at Leisure. (Wed.). Full day to savor la dolce vita and enjoy independent activities. Take a stroll along beautiful Via Condotti and discover Rome’s hidden treasures at your own pace. In the late afternoon you may want to join an optional excursion to Tivoli and visit the most famous of all the Renaissance residences in Europe: Villa d’Este with its incredible fountains and terraced gardens, followed by a country-style dinner. (BB)

Day 6 Rome. Excursion to Florence. (Thu.) Early morning departure aboard the Eurostar train for a smooth ride to Florence, the splendid capital of Tuscany. Your guided sightseeing includes the magnificent CATHEDRAL, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistry’s heavy bronze “Gate of Paradise,” and sculpture-studded Signoria Square. To top it off, admire Michelangelo’s celebrated David in the ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS. Time for independent sightseeing and browsing through the shops. (BB)

Day 7 Rome at Leisure. (Fri.) Full day at leisure. Ask your tour director for optional
outings. (BB,D)

Day 8 (Sat.) Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (BB)