Home City flights - Arrival into Venice

On Friday, we will depart the States and fly overnight to Venice, Italy.  When you arrive your tour manager will meet the group upon arrival at the Venice airport. Short transfer to the hotel to freshen up and continue to the boat terminal. Private transfer to St. Mark square where you will meet your local guide who will take you on a delightful walking tour of this ‘City of Islands’. On our tour we will see St. Mark’s Square and Basilica, the Bell Tower and the Clock Tower and the Bridge of Sighs. Our tour will conclude at the Doges’ Palace, which you can visit at your leisure.  Enjoy the remaining time before making your way back to the hotel where we will enjoy a wonderful welcome dinner and have a chance to get to know each other better.

Murano & Burano Island Tours

After breakfast we will board the coach to the boat terminal and then board a private boat for a cruise past the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, the Public Gardens, the tip of Sant'Elena and the Lido famous beach resort to Murano Island. Known worldwide for its colored glass, you’ll see mouth-blown glassmaking in progress and enjoy a factory tour. Next stop is Burano Island. This picturesque island is famous not only for its lace, but also for the fishermen's houses painted in bright colors.  Enjoy the place before cruising back to the main island for some time at leisure before making your way back to the hotel.

Venice to Florence via Ravenna

This morning we leave Venice and begin our scenic journey to Florence. We stop in Ravenna to find a treasure trove of art, history, and culture waiting for us. Here is one of the richest collections of mosaics in the world, preserved in the basilicas and baptisteries of the city; clear evidence of the extraordinary art that flourished in this area. Eight monuments of Ravenna have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List for their universal value and unique mosaics. After reveling in these amazing sites, we continue south arriving in Florence, known as the Cradle of Renaissance. 

Florence

After breakfast, we enjoy a walking tour of Florence, taking in all the amazing outdoor art and sculptures along the route. Our guided tour includes the Cathedral of Santa Maria dei Fiore, known as the Duomo, and the home for Giotto’s bell tower and Brunelleschi’s famous Dome. We also tour the Academia featuring Michelangelo’s statue of David. The afternoon is at leisure to explore museums, shops, markets, and cafes on our own.

Carrara Marble Quarry and Pisa

Today is unquestionably another tour highlight as we make our way out of Florence to the mountains, visiting the historic Carrara marble quarry. We enjoy a jeep ride up the hill to the quarry opening where Michelangelo, and other famous sculptors of his day, picked their marble that we still marvel at today. We get to try our hand at the chisel and see many works of art. After a wonderful local lunch, we continue to Pisa and its iconic “leaning tower” for a city tour before returning to Florence.

Tuscany to Rome

This morning we bid farewell to Florence and head south to Rome. We drive through the beautiful Tuscan countryside to Siena; notice the medieval ramparts greeting us with the Latin inscription 'Cor Magis Tibi Sena Pandit' (Siena opens its heart to you). We walk through the maze of narrow streets, see the Piazza Del Campo where the famous 'Palio Horse Race' is held, and view the 13th century Cathedral. Continuing on our journey, we stop in San Gimignano - another beautiful medieval town famous for its unmistakable skyline. The town is known as the city of “one hundred towers;” today only 13 towers of the 14th century still remain. We end our day in Rome. 

Vatican & The Old City

This morning we tour the Vatican, the world's smallest independent state. Our guide provides an overview of the history of the Vatican Museums, with the highlight of the tour being the Sistine Chapel, where the ceiling is covered with Michelangelo's most famous paintings. As the tour continues, we explore St. Peter's Square, with Bernini's 284 columns, before entering St. Peter's Basilica, the largest church in Christendom.  In the afternoon, we will explore the old historical city highlights with a walking tour to see famous Piazzas and monumental Fountains such as Trevi Fountain, Pantheon and Piazza Navona.

Rome (Optional LDS Temple Visit) with free afternoon

After breakfast for those who choose, we board our coach and transfer to the newly dedicated LDS Temple and enjoy attending a session and touring the grounds. Later in the day we return to the hotel with the remaining day at leisure. For those who choose not to visit the LDS Temple, enjoy a free day in Rome to explore at leisure.

The bus will take you back to the hotel in the city center and enjoy the balance of the day at leisure.

Rome

Today for those interested, you can attend a local LDS Sacrament Meeting. Return to the hotel to change your clothes and a quick lunch break before visiting some of the famous sites of Ancient Rome. After we arrive at the Colosseum grounds, we walk underneath the Constantine Arch and then enter the huge arena dating from 79AD. Our next stop is the Roman Forum, where the ancient market place seems to jump to life as we stroll through the ruins. Back on the coach, we drive past Circus Maximus and the Baths of Caracalla on our way to the Pantheon, built over 2,000 years ago to honor Caesar Augustus and later converted to a Christian church. Our last stop is the Piazza Navona, one of Rome's most beautiful and popular squares with its beautiful three fountains. Tonight, we will say "Arrivederci" to Italy and share memories of the trip during a farewell dinner at a local restaurant with music entertainment. 

Rome to Munich

Today we end our tour by boarding our private coach to the airport for our onward flight to Munich.  Upon our arrival we will be taken by coach to our hotel. We will tour the city of Munich, including lunch in the Olympic Tower. We will stay the next two nights in a hotel close to Oberammergau.

Oberammergau Passion Play 

Today we will attend the Oberammergau Passion Play. The play, which began in 1634 and is held once every decade, reenacts the Passion of Jesus Christ—from His arrival in Jerusalem to the crucifixion and resurrection. The performance takes place over an afternoon and evening (seven hours), with an included dinner break in between. Over 2,000 performers, musicians, and stage technicians, all of whom are residents of the village, participate in the play. This experience will highlight the life of the Savior.

Tyrol/Bavaria • Neuschwanstein Castle

Today we will have a day long excursion through the alpine region. We will travel to Fussen and visit the fairytale Neuschwanstein Castle built by King Ludwig and said to be the inspiration for the castle at Disneyland. If time allows, we will also visit the Linderhof Castle.

Munich and flights home to the US

With an early departure from Munich, we will begin our journey home. A lifetime of memories and friendships will be ours to keep!

Tour ID # 9222E20