The Last Promise Tour with Richard Paul & Keri Evans – June 12-21, 2012 – SOLD OUT
Tour Extension – June 21-25, 2012
Italy holds a romantic fascination for all of us. Excellent food, picturesque scenery, fascinating history, art and a friendly people make Italy a favorite for worldwide travelers. Come with Italy-expert Keri DiSera Evans and experience an in-depth look at this historic destination. Keri and her family lived in Italy and she loves sharing her favorite foods and sights of the country.
Included: round-trip airfare from many U.S. cities, all hotel accommodations, sightseeing as outlined in itinerary, meals listed below, ground transportation via deluxe coaches, and excellent English speaking guides.
All travel will take place on a state-of-the-art motor coach, run by family-owned Principato Tours out of Sicily.
Itinerary:
June 12 – Fly from your home city to Rome, Italy.
June 13 – After your overnight flight, greet your group in the Eternal City, Rome. Enjoy a traditional welcome dinner at a local restaurant. After your four-course meal, stay overnight at the Holiday Inn Rome-Aurelia ****
June 14 - After a buffet breakfast, meet with a local tour guide to experience the best Rome has to offer. You will tour the ancient Colosseum and Roman Forum, stand in awe of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, and enter Vatican City to see the majestic St. Peter’s Basilica. Enjoy the rest of your day and evening on your own, free to explore Rome and its exciting shops and famous sites. Discover the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, Piazza Venezia, and the Pantheon to name a few. Holiday Inn Rome-Aurelia****
June 15 - After a buffet breakfast board the bus for an exciting visit to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Be sure to visit the beautiful chapel and baptistery that stand in its shadow, or if you wish, climb the famous tower itself. Next we will head to the charming Montecatini Terme in the Pistoia Provence. It is known for it’s world-famous thermal baths, large parks and gorgeous gardens. Famous for it’s healing properties, the ancient thermal bathes are well visited. Take advantage of the many offerings at the Terme Montecatini http://www.termemontecatini.it/ Take the funiculare high above the town to Montecatini Alto, a fortified medieval town with commanding views of Tuscan countryside. Discover the fashionable shops and restaurants downtown. Dinner at a local restaurant, Villa Pasquini. Overnight at Hotel Tuscany Inn****
June 16 - After a buffet breakfast, your motor coach will take you to Florence. You will be met by a local guide to tour the artistic riches of the city that stood at the heart of the Renaissance. See Michelangelo’s David, the church of Santa Maria Novella, including Brunelleschi’s dome and Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise at the Baptistery. Discover the famous piazza’s scattered throughout the city. The remainder of the day is yours for free time to explore more of the rich history and art only Florence can offer. The possibilities are endless! Wander across Ponte Vecchio, visit a market, explore the Uffizi Gallery, or one of the many fascinating museums. If you’re a shopper, this is the perfect city! Free dinner. Hotel Tuscany Inn.****
June 17 - After breakfast we will begin our journey to Venice. Relax and enjoy the scenic drive to the “floating city”. Along the way we will stop at Ferrara, an enchanting city on the plains of Romagna. From 1200 to 1600, the Estes family ruled from their imposing palace-cum-fortress, the centerpiece of the city. After the Estes left, the city was neglected, and became a victim to a bombing raid during WWII. Much of this beautiful Renaissance city, adorned with rose-colored brick has been restored. Upon arrival at our final destination, travel the “streets” of Venice on an optional gondola ride. Dinner and overnight at Hotel B4 Venezia Mestre****
June 18 - After a buffet breakfast, board our chartered water taxi into Venice where we’ll meet our guide at Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s square). Tour the Basilica of San Marco and gaze up at the clock tower. Wander over the famous Bridge of Sighs, see the Rialto Bridge and other interesting sights you’ll see only in Venice. Learn the amazing history of this one of a kind city, and get a glimpse of the Venetian life. Take a tour of a glass blowing factory. Enjoy the rest of your day exploring Venice and it’s 200+ islands. Board our chartered water taxi and travel to the charming island of Burano, famous for it’s lace. Dine al fresco at a local ristorante. Hotel B4 Venezia Mestre****
June 19 - After a buffet breakfast, we’re on our way to Assisi, my favorite hill town. This magical city is flanked by a ruined castle on one side and the famous Basilica of St. Francis on the other. Learn about the beloved St. Francis of Assisi who taught anti-materialism, humanism, equality and love. Have your camera with you at all times, you’ll want to capture this picturesque “Italian hill town” on film. Dinner and overnight stay at Hotel Giotto**** complete with a breathtaking view of the Umbrian Valley.
June 20 - After breakfast we will stop at an outlet store where you can purchase olive oil, wine, balsamic vinegar, cheeses, pasta and much more. Next stop we’ll visit the Tuscan hill town Orvietto, my favorite place to buy beautiful, original hand-painted ceramics (shipping is available). This city’s cathedral has Italy’s liveliest façade. Take time to admire this gleaming mass of mosaics, stained glass, and sculpture. Back to Rome, where if time allows you may want to take a taxi back to the city for last minute sightseeing or shopping. Farewell opera/dinner at Ristorante Tanagra. Enjoy one last drive through the Eternal City Arrivederci Roma… Overnight at Holiday Inn Rome-Aurelia****
June 21 – Fly Home or Tour Extension -Arrivederci! Departure after breakfast for travelers who have opted for the 10-day tour. OR After breakfast and airport transfer those who are extending will continue our journey to the unique city of Naples (where pizza was born and the mob still flourishes). We will take a short drive through the city and stop for a photo out over the Bay of Naples. We’ll make one more stop before our final destination at a wonderful cameo outlet store, where we’ll see a demonstration by one of the local artists. Enjoy the rest of the ride along the coast of the Mediterranean to Sorrento. Dinner and overnight Hotel Conca Park****
June 22 – Tour Extension - After a buffet breakfast take a ferry to beautiful Capri, the vacation hideaway of Roman emperors Augustus and Tiberius (as well as many of today’s celebrities). Spend the day shopping, enjoying the sights, and soaking in the amazing scenery. Have dinner at a local ristorante near Piazza Tasso. Hotel Conca Park****
June 23 – Tour Extension - Buffet breakfast. The day is yours to spend at your leisure in Sorrento, the “gateway to the Amalfi coast.” If you wish, you may join me on a short walking tour of the city. Soak in the culture and scenery of this dream of a European vacation. This afternoon you may want to take advantage of the optional Amalfi Coast to Positano. Experience a breathtaking ride along the Amalfi Coast to the charming seaside town of Positano, literally built into the cliffs. Wander around this quaint town where you’ll find interesting shops, churches, and a beach. Next we’ll wind our way back to Sorrento for a tour of a working farm. They make their own olive oil, limoncello, wine, mozzarella. We will have a demonstration of how the mozzarella is made fresh, and a few lucky people with join in the pizza making demonstration. We will feast on the fruits of our labors and you will have an opportunity to purchase their products to take home. Hotel Conca Park****
June 24 – Tour Extension - After breakfast we head to the incredible city of Pompeii. A local guide will take you through this ancient city preserved in ash after the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. It is a fascinating walk back in time. Back to Rome where you will have the evening to spend as you wish, taking in some sights or doing some last minute shopping. Holiday Inn Rome-Aurelia****
June 25 – Tour Extension – Departure. Buon Viaggio! (B)
Meals included in tour: 8 – Breakfast, 6 – Dinner
Meals included with extended tour: 12 – Breakfast, 8 – Dinner
Optional meals & excursions: Venice – Gondola ride – 25 euro per person
Sorrento – Amalfi Coast excursion/Pizzeria party $100 per person to be reserved and paid in advance to Dick Jensen Tours
Your Host: Richard Paul & Keri Evans
Keri DiSera Evans (wife of national bestselling author Richard Paul Evans) began her love affair with Italy more than a decade ago when her father took her back to the old country to find their ancestral home. Shortly after her return Keri talked her husband, Richard, into moving to Italy with their 5 children where her passion for Italia inspired another of Richard’s bestselling novels, an Italian love story called The Last Promise. Since that time, Keri has traveled nearly every corner of Italy and considers herself “a displaced Italian”. She studies the language, culture and cooking and continues to help her friends find the best sites, shopping and food in the country.
Keri’s dream is to help others discover the beauty of the Italy, whether it’s in the Chianti wine country, floating the canals of Venice or walking in reverent awe beneath Michelangelo’s masterpiece of the Sistine Chapel. From small hill towns to the bustling streets of Rome, you’ll have an experience you’ll never forget.
With Buon Viaggio Italy, you’ll experience the culture not just as a tourist, but as a part of a remarkable culture of the one country everyone must see at least once in their lifetime.
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Tour with airfare from most US cities – Double Occupancy - $3449 (includes tour and air for $2899 and taxes of $550)
5-Day Tour Extension - $899
Credit Card Fee - $70 (only applies to final payment-pay by check to avoid it)
Deposit Required for Reservation - $1400
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*Trip cancellation and emergency insurance available *Passports are required *Full payment due 90 days before departure. *Cancellation charges: non-refundable after deposit and final payment is made Click Here for Current Airline Baggage Fees Click Here For Terms and Conditions