Day 1 -  Toronto - Venice - We fly on board Air Canada Rouge non-stop service Toronto - Venice. In-flight meals

 

Day 2 - Sunday - Welcome to Venice - Upon arrival at Venice airport , following immigration and customs, we collect our luggage and proceed into the arrival hall. We’ll be met by our local representative who will assist in transferring us to our hotel in Venice. Luggage will be transferred directly to the hotel while our group will have a separate transfer and a pleasant walk to reach the hotel. Check-in and the rest of the day at leisure.  This evening, get to know your fellow travellers at our ‘Welcome to Italy’ dinner at a typical Venetian restaurant. Overnight stay at Hotel All’ Angelo, Standard rooms (D)

 

Day 3 -  Venice - Breakfast at the hotel. Few cities can claim such a priceless art and history heritage as Venice. This unique city with its magical, spectacular scenery is not just beautiful; it is a real miracle of creative genius, a city built on mud, sand and the slime of a difficult, inhospitable landscape. We’ll explore the highlights together with our English speaking professional guide. During the afternoon, it’s time to explore the city at your own pace.  Dinner on own. Overnight stay at Hotel All’ Angelo, Standard rooms (B)

 

Day 4 -  Venice – Florence – Lucca - Following an early breakfast, we check-out of our hotel, settling all our incidental charges. A private  vaporetto boat will wait for us at hotel’s nearest pier to transfer us to Venice train station (our luggage will be transferred separately) and we board the train to Florence. We’ll be met and assisted with our luggage at Florence station and then we’ll make our way to the countryside to discover lovely Lucca, where cobbled streets, red-roofed buildings, fascinating history and fine architecture await us. This evening, we’ll be free to explore Lucca at our leisure. Our group dinner is arranged in the Lucca area. Overnight stay at Hotel Villa La Principessa, Standard rooms (B,D)

 

Day 5 -  Full-day excursion to Cinque Terre - After an early breakfast at the hotel, we’ll travel by coach to reach La Spezia.  Lookout for a rocky coastline dotted with multi-colored villages as we turn into Cinque Terre (Five Lands), a UNESCO World Heritage Site! Together with our expert local guide, we’ll take the Cinque Terre train to explore the villages and spend time getting to admire the area. The little adventure ends at Monterosso where we enjoy a light lunch (included).  In the afternoon, we return from Monterosso to La Spezia by boat and then a coach transfer back to Lucca. The evening is left at leisure to relax or explore the quaint streets and little alleys of Lucca.

Overnight stay at Hotel Villa La Principessa, Standard rooms (B,L)

 

Day 6 - Lucca – San Gimignano – Siena – Pienza Area - Following breakfast and check-out, we’ll depart for San Gimignano, home to a magnificent piazza, meandering cobbled streets and some beautifully preserved architecture - skyscrapers as they once were known as they were 6 or 7 floors high. While here, we’ll sample some exquisite creations of a local and renowned ice-cream gelato producer, then continue to an indulgent experience of Tuscan wine tasting and light lunch. Before the day concludes, we visit the medieval town of Siena. It is quite simply an open-air museum of Gothic architecture and home to another magnificent Duomo Cathedral, almost the twin of the Cathedral in Florence. After taking in the town’s historic sights and delights with our very own orientation tour, we’ll continue onwards to Pienza – our home for the night.

Overnight in Pienza area at Hotel Relais Il Chiostro, Standard Rooms (B, Snacks, Wine-tasting, Lunch)

                        

Day 7 - Pienza – Amalfi Coast - Pienza offers timeless charm with an enchanting rural backdrop, creating a serene spot to spend the morning and exploring at leisure. We sample some artisan goat’s cheese and depart to the enchanting Amalfi coast, our next destination. Dinner and overnight in the Amalfi coast area. Overnight in Costiera Amalfitana at Hotel Pietra di Luna, Standard Rooms (B,D)

 

Day 8 - Amalfi Coast - After breakfast, we embark on a private tour that takes us on a spectacular drive along the Amalfi Coast to admire the beautiful little towns hanging over the cliffs all along the coast. We’ll stop in the Belvedere of Positano to take some unforgettable pictures of the great panorama. Then we continue to Amalfi to thoroughly enjoy a typical lunch and a limoncello tasting. Overnight in Costiera Amalfitana at Hotel Pietra di Luna, Standard Rooms (B,L)

 

Day 9 - Amalfi Coast – S.Nicola Arcella – Praia a Mare - Following breakfast and checkout, we travel to the region of Calabria. Quite unknown to most foreigners, the region is loved by Italian people. A jewel in the southwest Italy, Calabria occupies the "toe" of the country’s boot-shaped peninsula and is a sunbaked region of rugged mountains, old-fashioned villages and dramatic coastline, with many popular beaches. Upon arriving at Praia a Mare, a beach resort on the Tyrrhenian Sea, we first explore the nearby San Nicola Arcella, a small Calabrian village overhanging 110 meters above sea level.  Inhabited by almost two thousand people, the village is famous for being the home of Lord Crawford, an English writer around the end of the 19th century, who lived in the watchtower. We’ll have free time for lunch on our own, then a guided visit of the old town. Afterwards, we will have a short stop at the “Belvedere” to enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view of the magnificent coastline and to take photos. Later, we go back to Praia a Mare for check-in at the hotel.  During the evening, we will explore the town on foot on our own and at our own pace. Overnight stay at Hotel Garden, Standard  Rooms (B)

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Day 10 - Full day excursion: Riviera dei Cedri & Diamante - Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, we enjoy  a two-hour boat trip tour of the Riviera dei Cedri, visiting Dino Island, the largest of the two Calabrian islands on the Tyrrhenian Sea.  We will enter the Grotta Azzura (Light blue Cave) and the Grotta del Leone (Lion’s Cave), and then continue sailing towards the coast of San Nicola Arcella to admire the Arcomagno, a popular destination for its majestic arch that frames a fairy-tale Bay.  There will be a 45-minute stop in Saraceno Bay where you have a choice of bathing or just relaxing. Lunch is on your own. Afterwards we move to Diamante, better known as the "City of the Pepper" and famous for the murals that fill the alley walls and central streets. After the visit, we return to Praia a Mare. Late in the afternoon, we reach the kitchen where our local hostess, accompanied by an English-speaking interpreter, awaits our arrival.  We will take part in a cooking session, learning the secrets of “fileja”, “tagghiulini” or “maccarruni”, a typical Calabrian handmade pasta. Then, enjoy a dinner featuring local cuisine. Overnight stay at Hotel Garden, Standard Rooms (B,D)

 

Day 11 - Praia a Mare - Rome - Bidding farewell to Calabria, we depart for Rome early this morning, a 4.5 hour drive that’ll bring us into the capital city of Rome after midday. Check-in at our hotel and time to relax. Later, in the afternoon, we depart for the newly opened underground attraction at the Domitian’s Stadium. Our visit to the underground levels of Piazza Navona, takes us below street level to the newly restored section of the archaeological area which has just opened to the public for the first time. This new discovery makes the Roman Empire’s history of Piazza Navona and the Stadium of Dominitan more complete.  Late evening return to our hotel.  Dinner on own.

Overnight stay at The Guardian Hotel, Standard Rooms (B)

 

Day 12 - Rome - This morning, we will visit the well-known Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica, considered among the most important sites of the world and an absolute must for anyone who comes to Rome. We will see some of the greatest masterpieces of all time that are on display to be admired.  At the Vatican Museums, we’ll visit the Raphael Rooms and Michelangelo’s magnificent Sistine Chapel ceiling.  Afternoon at leisure to discover this beautiful city at your own pace.

Our Farewell Dinner will be in a spectacular setting for us to witness breathtaking sunset views from the highest rooftop restaurant of the city and enjoy an evening of live music. 

Overnight stay at The Guardian Hotel, Standard Rooms (B,D)

 

Day 13 - Homebound - After breakfast, check out and private transfer with our English-speaking assistant to Rome airport to board the flight home.  We’ll fly Air Canada Rouge non-stop service, arriving in Toronto the same evening. (B, In-flight meals)

           

END OF SERVICES

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Safety Protocols in Italy:

As a responsible business, Victours International continues to closely monitor developments surrounding the coronavirus (Covid-19), prioritizing the safety of our travellers in all destinations where the company offers travel arrangements.  Following are some safety measures which we have compiled in collaboration with our principal suppliers regarding new measures in place:

 

Accommodation Facilities

The hotels and the other hospitality properties are carrying out rigorous sanitization processes in the bedrooms using the defined protection policy which is also in place throughout the property. The public areas will be managed to monitor access and presence of all visitors to ensure social distancing is adhered to within the limits permitted.

 

Transportation

Specific agreements are in place to guarantee the safety distances between passengers.  Hand sanitizer dispensers have been installed in all vehicles and personal protective masks are obligatory for both passengers and drivers.

 

Restaurant

Only premises where we can guarantee maximum hygiene and sanitization of the public areas several times a day, will be offered for our travellers.  Where, the use of protective equipment and space and an adequate distance between each table is assured.  More and more demand is for eating outdoors, which is an ordinary and normal ritual all over Italy throughout the summer months.

 

Headsets on guided tours 

Procedure is in place to provide brand-new, individually sealed earbuds for each guests' personal use and all mono-use.  Any reusable 'on-ear' earpieces and all receiver and transmitter units and packing cases, are scrupulously sanitized before delivery.

 

Accompanying Guides/ Tour Leader

The use of masks is now mandatory practise for each Tour Leader and Guide.  Each one has been adequately trained to manage passenger flows when boarding and disembarking vehicles during transfers or tours to ensure safety and respect social distancing.

 

Churches and Museums

Museums and churches have opened throughout Italy.  The number of visitors permitted to enter at the one time has been reduced to avoid crowds and maintain social distancing of 1 meter from fellow visitors.  Face masks are obligatory when entering closed environments.

 

Our suppliers at the destinations work to ensure that all safety measures are in place without causing inconvenience to participants while at the same time consistently delivering the best travel experiences to each of our travellers.  

 

Our staff is at your disposal for any further clarification or specific requests that you may have. Please do not hesitate to contact us. We will continue to monitor and keep you up to date with any new Government safety measure changes.

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