A Deluxe Tour of Italy Rome Tuscany & Venice             Rome, Cortona, Montepulciano, Pienza,         Siena, Florence,Volterra, Castellina in Chianti,           San Gimignano, Monteriggioni, & Venice      October 8 - 21, 2005  (small group - max 16 people)             See the Itinerary!

This trip is fully booked now but I did just add  another trip next April that also goes to  Rome and Venice.  The April trip goes to Orvieto  instead of Volterra and has an excursion to Assisi instead of  San Gimignano. 817-545-0975        (cell ) 817 706 5455jill@midtbo.com During the first three days in Rome you will begin to experience this trip to Italy just as you want it.  You can do whatever you want with your time.  We customize our tours to meet the needs of each customer.  There is no reason you can't go shopping while someone else is engrossed in an art museum. After Rome we spend two days each  in Cortona, Volterra and Castellina.  We end the trip with three days in Venice.

Enjoy Italy in a leisurely individualized way                              that you seldom find in other tour groups.

A Word about Rome...

Choose how you will experience this great city. You may sign up for sightseeing trips or wander on your own with guidebooks and help from us. There is so much to see in and around Rome that you will just "wet your appetite" for all things Roman. There is, of course the Vatican and it's famous Sistine Chapel and the Ancient Ruins. Monuments, fountains and famous piazzas are at every crossroad. Each magnificent church is outshined by the next. Shopping is world reknowned and the sights outside the city are worthy of several daytrips.

Before we arrive in Italy we will make arrangements for you for any optional tours you may want.   There are dozens to choose from. We can discuss options and make arrangements for you so you spend time the way you want. Making a reservation at the Sistine Chapel is especially important so you  can avoid long lines. Also if you want to see the Galleria Borghese, you must have a reservation. 

If you don’t want any guided tours… no problem. You can enjoy Rome without the tours as Larry and I have many times.  Just take the map we'll give you and wander to your heart's content.  How you spend your time is totally up to you.

We will make sure you know your way around and we  will show you how to use the electric buses  that rotate between all the major tourist sights.   With that knowledge and our central location you will be able to get around Rome easily and quickly.  

Our hotel is located in Trastevere.  In some ways this "neighborhood"  feels separate from Rome.  When you are there it is possible to forget all about Rome just outside its borders. It has lots of shops, restaurants , plazas and fountains.  It sometimes seems like we are staying in a little village.  Yet, from Trastevere  it is so easy to get to wherever you want to go.  It is a short walk to the historic center of Rome  and it is very well located if you plan to use the electric buses and the tram.  This neighborhood, Trastevere, is home to some of the best and most popular restaurants in Rome.  Actually, tourists and locals come from all over Rome just to have dinner there.  We will have our included Welcome Dinner there in one of our favorite restaurants. Obviously, we are partial to Trastevere and we can't wait to introduce you to it!

Where we'll be in Tuscany...

We will spend two  nights each  in Cortona,Volterra and in Castellina in Chianti.  We will also take excursions to the mountain top villages of  Montepulciano, Pienza, San Gimignano and Monteriggioni.  Of course, we spend a day each in Florence and Siena.  If you'd like us to reserve a time for you to visit the Uffizi Museum in Florence, just let us know.  There are several tours you can choose from or you can just have a reservation to get in and avoid the line.  Be sure to read the itinerary for this trip as it gives additional descriptions of these Tuscan villages and cities that we visit on this trip.

   
left:view  from our breakfast room in Cortona   middle: beautiful street in Volterra                  right: Il Campo in Siena

Finally, Venice...
Our final three nights  will be spent in this fantastically romantic city.  You can wander through its charming neighborhoods and get an idea of why there is no place on earth like Venice. Our hotel is located in Dorsoduro. In the evenings the day trippers leave and you will feel like you have this fantasy world all to yourself.  It is remarkable how this can be; but it is.  Dorsoduro has some wonderful restaurants and if you have dinner here, you won't be disappointed. Our favorite trattoria is just a few blocks from our hotel.  Its also fun to go over to St Mark's piazza late in the evenings.  You can sit and listen to the orchestras as you enjoy a  late night drink.

If you want to to see something really different, take a vaporetto out to Burano.  When you reach this little island you almost feel like you are on a tropical isle.  The houses are painted in bright colors and you find yourself  in the middle of a small fishing village.  There are lots of cafes and shops. You will definitely enjoy a half day or so in this pretty little place.

Sorry to say our trip must end.  When we leave Venice, its time to head back home. However,  it probably won't be too long before you'll be wanting to return to Italy to revisit some of the places we've been on this incredible tour and  to search out new ones.  Italy is a wonderful country and we are sure you will love it -- just as we do.                                                                                             

Included Meals Buffet breakfast served at each hotel Welcome Dinner in Rome Winery tour and tasting in Chianti  Farewell Dinner in Venice

How to sign up... To sign up for this small group excursion to Italy , you need to act quickly.  A $500 deposit will hold your spot on this fun tour. Final payment of  $2295  due August 15.  Call or email us for a sign up sheet and return it with your deposit check. Since unexpected things can always happen to disturb or even prevent your trip, we encourage you to get trip insurance.  That way you can relax and enjoy looking forward to your trip. Travel insurance providers can be accessed through the Internet. Ask us to get you a list of companies. Please be certain to read and understand what is covered in travel insurance policies. Travel insurance policies vary. To be effective you often must sign up for the insurance at the time you commit to go or with in two weeks.  If you want  to use a charge card, we can do it for an addition 3 % fee.

PAYMENT FOR LAND PORTION OF TOUR:

(You can talk to some of the people pictured above and ask them
what they thought of their tour with us.)

Also, be sure to read: "What to expect on our Tours"