Day
0 - 1
Depart US/Fly overnight to Venice. Transfer
to Verona (1.5 hr). Upon your arrival in Verona you will
be met a “La Contadina” representative who will
assist you with your check-in at the hotel. Free time to
rest and explore before dinner at a fantastic local restaurant
with your tour guide.
Day 2
Your tour leader will meet you at the hotel
and join you for breakfast before taking you on a tour of
Verona. You will visit the 2000-year-old Verona Arena, the
3rd largest Roman coliseum in the world; the Piazza delle
Erbe, the famous market square; and Juliet’s balcony,
from which she cried, “Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art
thou, Romeo?” (Of course, Juliet wasn’t real!)
Let’s get our hiking legs in shape by climbing the
Torre Lamberti together; it is 275 feet high and offers
great views of Verona. We will catch our breath and stop
for coffee at a local café, and then you will be
free to enjoy the afternoon siesta, explore the city, or
perhaps stroll along the beautiful river walk. Rendezvous
with your tour leader for another fabulous dinner and a
glass of the local Valpolicella or Soave wine. Learn to
play Scopa tonight!
Day 3
Breakfast at the hotel and transfer (2 hr)
to Castelrotto/Kastleruth, the German-speaking capital of
Alto-Adige, where all the street signs are in both Italian
and German. En route to Castelrotto, we will stop in Bolzano/Bozen
to visit Otzi, the 5300-year old Bronze-age ice man discovered
in 1991. We will continue on to Castelrotto and check in
to our lovely hotel on the Sciliar Plateau. Our hotel boasts
an authentic Tyrolean atmosphere. Your tour leader will
orient you to the layout and key sights of this charming
village, and the rest of the afternoon is yours, but you
may wish to take a nap to prepare for our hike in the Dolomites
tomorrow! Rendezvous for dinner with your tour leader, and
perhaps enjoy some Austrian-style beer tonight instead of
Italian wine!
Day 4
Breakfast at the hotel and shopping in town
for a picnic lunch. We will ride a cable car from town to
the top of the Dolomites, where we will spend the day hiking
in alpine splendor, stopping to savor unparalleled views
of these eastern Alps and to enjoy our picnic on top of
the world. We’ll be in the mountains most of the day,
so be prepared to burn some calories. Time to relax or rest
before gathering for dinner. Then it’s time to pack
your bags for Venice!
Day 5
Breakfast at the hotel and transfer 3 hours
to our fabulously-located hotel in the romantic city of
Venice. We will visit Piazza San Marco and take photos with
all the pigeons, and then head over to the Grand Canal and
the Rialto Bridge, where we’ll shop at the Rialto
Market. This is a great spot to buy picnic supplies (fruit,
meats, cheeses). Then your tour leader will orient you to
the city with a map and guide book, and the rest of the
afternoon is yours to ride a gondola, visit the Peggy Guggenheim
collection of contemporary art, or wander the back alleys
of Venice. Dinner with your tour leader at a fabulous Venetian
restaurant.
Day 6
Breakfast at the hotel followed by a locally-guided
tour to the island of Murano, where the famous hand-blown
Venetian glass is made. Return to Venice with time to shop
for carnival masks or hand-made lace or other last-minute
Italian treasures. Remember to take time to listen to the
city that has no sounds of automobile traffic. Rendezvous
for one last dinner and evening stroll with your tour leader.
Day 8
Time to say goodbye and arrivederci to this
region we’ve explored, from the shores of the Adriatic
to the top of the eastern Alps. Transfer to the Venice airport.
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