After the delicious included breakfast at your hotel, join the Tour Captain and our expert City Guide for a morning unwrapping Venice's Secrets & Treasures. You will enjoy a unique touring experience through this dramatic and historic port city. We learn of the city's fascinating and colorful past from Casanova to Napoleon. Venice's unique character springs to life as we make our way through winding streets and over bridges.

Journey's professional local guide provides expert commentary as we enter the magnificent Byzantine St. Mark's Basilica. Then we go back in time with our visit to the Doge's Palace, the Old Prison (and yes, you will learn about the gentleman Casanova), and the famous Bridge of Sighs.

Special Adventure: Venetian Gondola Experience

This evening just before sunset, enjoy our included Gondola ride through the canals of Venice with our professional musicians to make the ambiance perfect. On occasion inclement weather will prevent the gondola ride. In this scenario an alternate activity will be substituted later in the tour.

Enjoy the balance of the afternoon and evening at your leisure.

Journey is Different: Your Journey Tour Captain will invite you to an optional dinner after the Gondola ride, and they can also help you with dining reservations if you choose to explore lovely Venice on your own. 

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Your Journey Tour Captain hosts an amazing welcome dinner in Florence with authentic Tuscan cuisine served by Fiorentini who love what they do. Florence welcomes us with a variety of regional culinary tastes, premium beverages, and ample portions of fine local wines from Toscana and Chianti.

Deluxe: Grand Hotel Cavour, Hotel Bernini Palace or Similar
Classic: Rosso 23 or Similar

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Journey's Florence Secrets & Treasures tour boasts a variety of fine sights to see including Santa Maria del Fiori, the Baptistery's Bronze "Gate of
Paradise," Giotto's Bell Tower, Signoria Square, and the Galleria dell'Accademia, where Michelangelo's David is housed.

We will take our time walking through the Piazza della Repubblica, the famous Piazza Signoria with her old palace, Palazzo Vecchio, and make our way through the portico of the Uffizi complex before arriving at the Arno River and a visit to the "old bridge," or Ponte Vecchio. This was the only bridge in Florence to survive the World War II bombing raids.

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It's a great day to explore further into the Tuscan countryside. After breakfast this morning, we bid Arrivederci to Florence and travel in our comfortable micro-coach into the Tuscan countryside.

Our first stop is the hilltop village of San Gimignano. One of San Gimignano's most impressive sights is the medieval skyline made up of 13 remaining towers. Dating back from the 11th century, the village rises on a hill dominating the Elsa Valley. The town increased in wealth and developed greatly during the Middle Ages thanks to the "Via Francigena", the trading and pilgrim's route that crossed it. Once in the village, we enjoy free time to explore the city of towers. San Gimignano also has many shops with local specialties and crafts and we will have free time to enjoy purchasing souvenirs.

Before departing San Gimignano, we'll toast our arrival into the countryside of Tuscany with a unique perspective and our first taste of Vernaccia, a white wine that hails from San Gimignano.

Enjoy our in-depth experience at a winery estate in the heart of Tuscany - in stunning surroundings. We will enjoy a tour of the production facilities and cellars, followed by a delightful wine-tasting paired with perfect morsels for lunch.

Our palate-pleasing appetizers and lunch include Pecorino cheese, bruschetta, and other local farm-to-table delights. You'll enjoy classic Chianti and Super Tuscan wines to complement the lunch. Buon Appetito!

Tonight join your Tour Captain and fellow travelers for the new Italian meal, Apericena. Is it a snack? Is it dinner? No, it's Apericena! It's the perfect complement for your palate after a day of excellent cuisine and wine. Apericena provides the perfect light meal finalé to our beautiful day in the Tuscan countryside and in the magical ambiance of this delightful hill town.

Afterwards, enjoy the balance of the evening at your leisure.

Deluxe: Villa Marsili, Monastero di Cortona Hotel & Spa, Hotel San Michele or Similar
Classic: Hotel Italia or Similar

DAY 6: EXPLORING CORTONA AT LEISURE

Enjoy a full free day at your leisure in beautiful Cortona.

Many options are available from Cooking Classes to a day trip to Siena and more. Today, enjoy Tuscany at your leisure - perhaps it's a thorough exploration of delightful Cortona, a cooking class, horse-back riding, Vespa rental and much more.

Optional experiences to consider for Today:

• Cooking Class in Cortona
—  Enjoy this lesson with a local Italian chef in their home as you create 4 courses and then enjoy your creations paired with Vino (water, wine and non-alcoholic beverages included). Duration is about 3-5 hours. $248 per person.

•  Horseback Riding Adventure
—  Commences at 9:30/10:00am or 2:00/3:00pm. $99 per person for first 2 hours, $37 per hour for each additional hour. Front desk of hotel will arrange round-trip taxi for you at guest expense. Options available for beginner or experienced riders.

• Walking Tour of Siena with Round-trip Transportation
—  Departs around 9:30am. $465 per person. The tour includes round-trip transfer from Cortona to Siena with a walking tour of Siena in the morning and some free time in the afternoon. Today's tour will walk you through the old Ghetto, the Tower District (Contrada della Torre), and through little alleys, and on to the Basilica dei Servi, from which point you can enjoy an amazing view of the old town. We will take in Orto dei Pecci; a pleasant and easily accessible garden, located just behind the main square: The serenity and tranquility of this green oasis, together with the view of the incredible Torre del Mangia will mesmerize you.

• Morning Walking Tour of Siena with Cooking Class in Afternoon
— Departs around 9:30am. $599 per person. Enjoy the morning tour (see description above) and then a special cooking class in the afternoon. Our driver then whisks you to a nearby villa where you will enjoy a tour of the vines, immersion in all things Wine, Balsamic, and Olive Oil followed by a cooking lesson. And, yes, you then enjoy the fruits of your labor. Our chef is capable and entertaining as you enjoy learning more about Tuscan cooking. We then return to the hotel in Cortona for a free evening.

•  Cortona and the Franciscan Monastery Le Celle
—  $190 per person. A classic private walking tour of Cortona comprises the Garibaldi Square with its magnificent panoramic view over the Valdichiana, the Church of St. Dominic built for the Dominicans with its medieval architecture and paintings by Luca Signorelli e Lorenzo di Niccolò, via Nazionale, the Republic Square with the Town Hall, the Church of St. Francis with its collection of objects owned to St. Francis of Assisi, Piazza Signorelli with Palazzo Casali and the Duomo. Then the tour continues by car outside the city walls of Cortona to the Franciscan Monastery of Le Celle, immersed in a forest and a place of an extraordinary beauty, calm and Franciscan spirituality.

•  Cortona Ancient Walls, Fortresses, Convents and Churches
—  $190 per person. This is a walking tour on steep slopes in the oldest part of Cortona leading up to the very top of the hill. For this reason is suitable for guests who enjoy walking (hiking) on slopes. The prize at the end is a fantastic view of Cortona and the valley below and the beauty of this less frequented and untouched part of the town. Above the center, half-way up to the hill of Cortona, are the Church San Francesco and beyond a cypress-lined courtyard, is the 15th century Chiesa di San Niccolò. The 15th-century church has a small porch with slender columns and the interior houses paintings by Luca Signorelli: the two-sided panel-painting, Descent from the Cross and Madonna Enthroned, and a fresco, Madonna with Saints. Passing by the little church San Cristoforo and Porta Montanina we will stop on the top to visit the Sanctuary of Santa Margherita, the town's patron saint. Finally walking down through the old part of town through the narrow alleyways of the quarter called Poggio San Marco you will admire also the beautiful 12 Via Crucis Stations with mosaics by the Futurist artist Gino Severin, a native of Cortona.

About Cortona
Cortona is a small but fascinating hill town in the province of Arezzo, Tuscany. It is situated on a commanding hill that overlooks Lake Trasimeno, known for the infamous rout of the Romans by Hannibal and the Carthaginians. Its cyclopean walls, still preserved in great detail, are said to be 3000 years old. It was one of the twelve cities of Etruria.

Soak in the morning: enjoy a walk through the vineyards, or a hike up to the castle or a leisurely stroll through the piazza and streets.

Deluxe: The Pantheon Iconic Rome Hotel, Autograph Collection, Hotel d'Inghilterra, Palazzo Navona, Antico Albergo del Sole al Pantheon, or Similar
Classic: Hotel Navona, Albergo Abruzzi, Albergo Santa Chiara or Similar

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OPTIONAL EXTENSION: Day 12: DEPARTURE DAY: Arrivederci Italy!

Breakfast is included this morning should you have time before your departure. Departure transfers are not included but we can arrange them for you. You can fly from Naples International Airport to your gateway for your international flight.

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