This tour includes classical Italy by Rail. Start by arriving in Venice, and explore the cities famous canals for 2 nights. Travel by train to Florence and explore the towns of Siena, Pisa and Florence while staying in the resort town of Montecatini for 3 nights. End your tour in with 3 nights in Rome to explore the Vatican City and museums, the Trevi Fountain, Roman Forum and Coliseum. Enjoy your last day on your own to roam Rome. 

Pricing for the included tour is $2899 per person based on double occupancy. Optional airfare is available from KC for $1100 per person, and TPP (Traveller Protection Plus) is also available for $299 per person.  A deposit of $250 per person is due at time of booking and TPP must also be paid at deposit. Final payment for the remaining package price and airfare is July 12th. 2024.  The single supplement for travelling as a single is $1000. 

 Level 4: To truly experience the program and destination, you need to be able to participate in physical activities such as longer walking tours, walking over uneven terrain, climbing stairs and periods of standing. Some of the touring days may be longer, with select included activities occurring later in the evening. Most Level 4 tours would include guided tours with walking distances over a mile long (at a leisurely pace) or over one hour at a time. 

In the unlikely event of accidents or illness, travel insurance insures peace of mind against the unforeseen. TPP (Travel Protection Plan) is offered on this tour for $299. 

This nonrefundable fee waives all cancellation fees when we are notified of cancellation one day before  the tour departs. If you must leave the tour early due to personal illness, illness or death of a member of  your immediate family, TPP guarantees full refund for any unused services after the departure of the tour.  Other benefits include medical expenses for illness and injury, emergency transportation, 24 hour hot line,  and lost or stolen baggage assistance.  If you purchase the optional Travelers Protection Plan (TPP), you  will be refunded all payments, including deposit amount, less the TPP premium amount. 

Airfare is not included with this package.  Lawrence Travel Company can assist in booking economy, premium economy, or business class tickets from any city. Pre-tour and post-tour nights can be added if desired. 

 Every traveler must have a valid US passport, that does not expire prior to 6 months after return. Your passport must be valid until April 30, 2025.  When booking please make sure to list your full name as it appears on your passport including any middle names, or suffixes.  If you have not travelled with Lawrence Travel Company before, please send us a copy of your passport to Dave@LawrenceTravelCo.com. 

 This tour program is under the management of Lawrence Travel Company of  Lawrence, Kansas who act only as agents for  the passenger and, therefore, accept no responsibility in whole or in part for injury, damage, loss,  accident, delay, or irregularity which may be occasioned either by reason of defect, through the acts or defaults of any company or person engaged in conveying the passengers or carrying out arrangements  of the tour, or as a direct or indirect result of acts of God, or dangerous incident due to fire,  breakdown in machinery or equipment, acts of governments or authorities, hostilities, civil  disturbances, strikes, riots, theft, pilferage, epidemics, quarantines, medical, or customs regulation. 

Today we will depart from the US and fly overnight over the Atlantic. 

Upon arrival in Venice, you’ll be met by a representative who will escort you

to the canal boat for your transfer to the hotel. 

Flights should  arrive by 3:00pm. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure

before the included welcome dinner. 

Venice is the “Jewel of the Mediterranean”, a glorious cityscape with a wondrous artistic and musical heritage. The city itself boasts a marvel of engineering feats,

built on 118 small islands crossed by its world-famous canals.

Who can think of romance without imagining a pair of lovers

floating beneath graceful bridges in a Venetian gondola?

During the included walking tour, your local guide will help you

discover the exotic sights that surround you as you navigate the

picturesque alleyways and cross bridges over the quaint canals

filled with gondolas. See the soaring domes of St. Mark’s

Basilica, the Doges Palace and Bridge of Sighs among other

sites of this remarkable city built on water. During the afternoon

at leisure, sip coffee in a small café, shop in the boutiques and

watch artists at work, recreating these lovely scenes. 

This morning, depart Venice on a high-speed train to Florence. 

What a great way to travel as you watch picturesque hill towns, lush vineyards and

beautiful wineries pass by. Upon arrival, walk in the footsteps of great rulers, artists and philosophers as you explore Florence, the breathtaking capital of the Italian Renaissance, on the included walking tour. The city is steeped in the achievements

of great minds who found inspiration here. A visit to the famous Accademia Gallery is included where you’ll get an up-close view of Michelangelo’s masterpiece, David. Undoubtedly the world’s most famous sculpture, the museum also houses five

other Michelangelo sculptures - the four unfinished Prisoners and St. Matthew - and a collection of Gothic and Renaissance paintings that were once in the Medici collections. After the tour, enjoy your free time shopping for Italian leather goods, art

and crystal as lovely reminders of your journey through Italy. This afternoon, continue on to Montecatini, home for the next three nights. Dinner is included at the hotel this evening. 

After breakfast enjoy an included excursion to

Siena. This is one of Italy’s most popular destinations, known

for its fine cuisine, art, museums, medieval cityscape and the

Palio, a horse race held twice a year in the Piazza del Campo.

Your local guide will walk with you through this beautiful

Tuscan town and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Discover the

highlights of the city, including the Duomo of Siena, the 12thcentury

cathedral that serves as a splendid example of Italian

Romanesque-Gothic architecture. See the Palazzo Pubblico,

once City Hall, now an art museum, showcasing its famous

frescoes or climb the “Torre del Mangia”, the tall bell tower

overlooking the Piazza del Campo. Siena is also known for its

glazed terracotta pottery as well as locally produced wines and

olive oil. Be sure to taste the delicious gelato and panforte, a

cake made with honey and candied fruits. You’ll have free time

for lunch on your own and shopping for local specialities before

returning to Montecatini this evening. 

Today’s adventure begins with an included

excursion to Pisa, best known for the bell tower of the

cathedral, the “leaning Tower of Pisa.” Your local guide will

explain the history of this beautiful town as you walk around the

Piazza dei Miracoli and see the architecture and historic walls

of this medieval city. Return to Montecatini for an afternoon at

leisure. It’s the perfect time to stroll through the city center or

visit a spa with the curative water and healing springs for which

the town is famous.

Leaving the resort town of Montecatini, return to Florence by coach and board a highspeed train for the journey to Rome. With a history spanning

more than 2,500 years, Rome offers a breathtaking overview

of the highlights of Western civilization. From the remarkable

Coliseum to the gorgeous Trevi Fountain, this bustling

metropolis invites you to imagine life centuries ago as you gaze

upon memorials to ancient civilizations. Upon arrival, enjoy a

panoramic tour of the city and a guided visit to the Coliseum.

Built between 70-80 AD, the Coliseum is considered one of the

greatest works of Roman architecture and engineering, and

remains the largest amphitheater in the world. The tour ends at

the hotel.

This morning, enjoy a guided visit to the spiritual center of the Roman Catholic Church and the smallest independent state in the world: Vatican City.

During the guided visit of the Vatican Museums, walk through

halls containing some of the most priceless art treasures

in the world. The highlight of the visit may be the Sistine

Chapel which houses the single most impressive work of

art by Michelangelo. During the visit to St. Peter’s Basilica,

experience the magnificence of Bernini, Michelangelo, and

other great artists of the Roman Renaissance and Baroque

periods. Be sure to see Michelangelo’s famous statue, Pietà,

created by the artist when he was only 25-years old. The

afternoon and evening are free to enjoy on your own.

The last day in Rome is yours to enjoy as you wish. This evening join your Tour Manager and fellow travelers for a farewell dinner at the hotel.

As you bid “arrivederci” to Italy you’ll be filled with memories of Renaissance art and architecture, rolling hills and vineyards, and all the glory of the Roman Empire.