THE BEST OF ITALY & FRANCE - 2010

12 days incl. travel, or 11 days from Rome to Paris (HH)

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Vacation Overview

This exciting vacation features 2-night stays in Rome, Venice, Florence, Nice, and Paris. Begin in Rome with guided sightseeing that includes the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s, the Colosseum, and the Roman Forum. Pause in Assisi to visit St. Francis’ Basilica, then to Venice for a private boat ride and guided walking tour that showcases St. Mark’s, Doges’ Palace, and the Bridge of Sighs. On to Ferrara to imposing Este Castle, then stop in Florence, the “Cradle of the Renaissance.” Here you’ll see Michelangelo’s David, the Cathedral, and Signoria Square. A scenic drive takes you to Pisa and its Leaning Tower, then along the Italian and French Rivieras to Nice for a stop at a local perfume factory and an included excursion to the famous artist town of St. Paul de Vence. Finally, board the high-speed TGV train and head to Paris, where guided sightseeing shows you the most famous sights: the Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Élysées, Notre Dame Cathedral, and a visit to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower.

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Things to see on your vacation: View Vacation Photo Slideshow

A Vacation Story Vatican Museums

"In the early 1500s, Rome was full of neglected ruins from the days of the ancient Empire, which still contained artworks buried amongst the rubble. The Renaissance had seen a sudden growth of interest in all things classical, and the popes – cultivated men who were in touch with the intellectual currents of the day – were the richest art collectors in Italy. They began offering substantial cash rewards for any sculptures, until Rome was scoured by freelance treasure hunters on the hunt for pagan masterpieces. The most dramatic discovery occurred in 1506, when a Roman father-and-son team of excavators reported a promising find near the ruined Baths of Titus. The artist Michelangelo himself excitedly hurried over to help with the work, followed by the pope’s official agent, Guiliano da Sangallo. When the excavators brushed away the dirt of 1,000 years, they found an enormous marble sculpture, perfectly intact, of a muscular Trojan hero being attacked by giant snakes. Guilano cried out in amazement, “This is the very Laocoön described by (the ancient Roman author) Pliny!” The sculpture was carted off to the Vatican Museum."