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| Italian Family TravelSeize the opportunity to share the splendors touring together, as family. Did you know that there are nearly 40 separate ancient catacombs beneath the city of Rome? Your tour Includes an after-hours guided visit to the Vatican Museums, a pizza-making lesson in Pisa, Roman catacombs and multiple-night stays in Florence, Venice and Rome highlight this most family-friendly of Italy tours.
Day 1 - Go underground to explore some of Rome's catacombs
Tour begins 3PM at the Westin Excelsior Rome. Welcome to Rome, where your family begins this most excellent of Italy tours; a transfer is included from Leonardo da Vinci Airport in Fiumicino to The Westin Excelsior, Rome. Start your adventures with a fascinating tour of the ancient Catacombs of St. Callistus; one of nearly 40 networks of catacombs beneath the city, these underground tunnels - adorned with symbols and frescoes dating back over a thousand years - contain the burial sites of thousands of early Christians, including many 3rd-century popes. Join your fellow travelers tonight for a welcome reception and dinner at a local restaurant.
Meals: Dinner Lodging: The Westin Excelsior, Rome, Italy Day 2 - Glorious Rome and an after-hours Vatican Museums tour A drive through the heart of the city reveals relics of Imperial Rome, once capital of the ancient world. Walk through one of the Colosseum's 80 entrances to step back in time on a guided tour of what might be the world's most famous arena, and pose for pictures with Roman Centurions; and see the temples and basilicas of the Roman Forum, nerve center of the ancient empire. Later, Tauck takes you on a visit to St. Peter's Basilica; begun in the 15th century to eclipse the grandeur of ancient Rome, this magnificent domed structure set new architectural standards for its time. This evening, join us for a Tauck Exclusive - a guided after-hours tour of the Vatican Museums, full of fascinating history and artistic masterpieces. View Michelangelo's famous ceiling in the Sistine Chapel - which the artist originally resisted doing because he considered himself a sculptor, not a painter - without the usual crowds!
Meals: Breakfast, dinner Lodging: The Westin Excelsior, Rome, Italy
Day 3 - Through Orvieto's tunnels and Tuscany's hills to Florence Discoveries abound on this most delightful of Italy tours today as your family sets off through rural Umbria and Tuscany. The first stop on your travels is walled Orvieto, perched on a volcanic plateau; a guided tour takes you under its cobblestone streets to explore the town's honeycombed medieval tunnels, and caves dating back to the time of the ancient Etruscans. Then it's on to Florence, birthplace of the Renaissance, where you'll check out Michelangelo's famed statue of David and other great works at the Galleria dell'Accademia, the oldest art school in the world. Arrive at your hotel, a former 18th-century palace overlooking the River Arno, for a memorable three-night stay.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner Lodging: Grand Hotel Florence, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Florence, Italy Day 4 - The Leaning Tower and pizza-making in Pisa An excursion from Florence takes you to Pisa for a look at this maritime city's great medieval buildings - including a glimpse of the remarkable Leaning Tower and more of Pisa's "field of miracles" - followed by a tasty lunchtime pizza-making demonstration. Return to Florence for an evening spent as you please, and have dinner on your own in one of this grand Renaissance city's many restaurants.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch Lodging: Grand Hotel Florence, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Florence, Italy
Day 5 - Florentine treasures at the Uffizi Gallery More great Renaissance art awaits in Florence today. A local art historian shares insights about the Renaissance and prepares you for a visit to the Uffizi Gallery. Join a local guide for your tour of the world's oldest art gallery, where you'll see masterpieces galore - including Michelangelo's painting of The Holy Family and Botticelli's The Birth of Venus. The rest of the day is free for your family to explore more of Florence as you wish.
Meals: Breakfast Lodging: Grand Hotel Florence, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Florence, Italy Day 6 - Travel to Venice aboard the high-speed Eurostar A first-class rail journey aboard the high-speed Eurostar takes your family to Venice, a city of islands where the roads are paved with water, and a treasured memory of many Italy tours. Ride a private boat to your hotel and have lunch along the Grand Canal, followed by a guided walking tour of massive St. Mark's Square, and a visit to the Doges' Palace; learn why a small bridge high above a canal is called the Bridge of Sighs. Later, a musician serenades your family as you ride in a gondola, traveling through the canals as the Venetians have done for centuries!
Meals: Breakfast, lunch Lodging: The Westin Europa & Regina, Venice, Italy
Day 7 - Mask-making and more in beautiful Venice Venetians are mad about their masks... and the making of these exquisite decorations is a centuries-old tradition here. You're in for a real treat as you meet skilled local artisans who will turn papier-maché into colorful, fanciful Venetian masks before your very eyes! And if there is any city in Europe that is perfect for just wandering, seeing and experiencing, it is Venice - and you'll have the chance to do just that for the rest of the day. Follow the small, cobbled streets and alleyways to see where they lead, visit a museum or sample some gelato (served warmer and creamier than traditional ice cream). Tonight, we'll all meet again for a farewell party, as this most memorable of family Italy tours draws to a spectacular close.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner Lodging: The Westin Europa & Regina, Venice, Italy Day 8 - Homeward bound Arrivederci! Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from The Westin Europa & Regina to Venice's Marco Polo Airport; allow a minimum of 2 1/2 hours for flight check-in. Meals: Breakfast 
Call today to plan your family vacation to Italy: 888-777-7820
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