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Discover France & Italy Tour:
Tour Features: Stay and Visit ® Italy – Orofino Tours presents an unforgettable tour of Provence, Riviera, Cinque Terre, Tuscany and Rome. Unpack your luggage and begin enjoying the "dolce vita" while in our beautiful, hospitable four-star hotels. Dinners (D) will be included unless not indicated. Breakfasts (B) will be continental style buffets. Day 1 - Depart from your city to Marseilles. Day 2 – Marseilles & Arles - We will be met at the airport and transferred to Arles. The afternoon is free. (D)
Day 4 – Avignon - A full day tour of Avignon. A short walk to the center of the town will take us to the fortress-like “Palais des Papes” (Palace of Popes). Next we will see the 12th century cathedral and through the Rocher des Doms with the attractive gardens and spectacular view of Avignon, the river Rhone and the bridge St. Benezet. The afternoon is free to explore the various shops along the narrow and winding streets. (B & D) Day 5 – Orange - En-route to Orange we will visit the Fountaine de Vancluse where the river Sorgue emerges from underground shooting out of a cavern. Orange is a site of stunning Roman theater with its original statue of Cesar Augustus. Later we will continue to St. Remy de Provence where vineyards from the 14th century produce the best wine of the region. (B & D) Day 6 – Cannes - Early departure for the sophisticated and cosmopolitan Cannes. A walking tour will give us the opportunity to explore this lovely resort. Behind the elegant promenade, La Corisette, bordered by palms, boutiques and views of the sea, lies the old town. Late afternoon we will depart for Nice. Time permitting we will take a stroll along the Promenade des Anglais. (B & D) Day 7 – Cimiez & Montecarlo - Today we will visit the Roman ruins of Cimiez and wander through the old town to savor the 17th and 18th century ambiance. In the afternoon we will drive along-side the panoramic coast (Grand Corniche) and than arrive in Montecarlo where we can shop the boutiques of Parisian designers. (B & D) Day 8 – Italian Riviera - Today we will travel to the Italian Riviera and will stop in characteristic seaside town for souvenirs and shopping before arriving to our hotel. We are going to discover a land that, apart from bathing tourism, offers a lot more! It is, in fact, land and sea. Villages where time has stopped for centuries, woods filled with chestnuts, rich flavors and tastes of dishes that have created great recipes with typical products from its own territory. Elements to be discovered. Liguria is a land that knows how to give strong feelings and emotions, a land to love! (B & D) Day 9 – Cinque Terre - To Cinque Terre …the picturesque fishing villages along the coast near Portovenere, connected by cliff-side paths through olive groves and vineyards. Recognized as a National Park in 1999 and UNESCO protected territory since 1997 as a system of naturalistic environmental interest. In the morning we will visit Riomaggiore, Manarola and Monterosso, the capital of Cinque Terre, with a sandy beach and quaint alleys to explore. In the afternoon, weather and time permitting, we will tour the charming village of Vernazza, with its rocky harbor dominated by its Castello. (B & D)
Day 11 – Carrara & Montecatini - Leaving the Italian Riviera we will visit the marble capital of Italy, Carrarra, to see the quarry where Michelangelo chose the marble block for his David. We will arrive in Montecatini Terme and check into our hotel. This afternoon we will take the funicular to Montecatini Alto, a medieval town with lovely views of the countryside. (B & D) Day 12 – Florence - A full day in Florence including a guided tour of the Uffizi Art Gallery. Florence is an open-air exhibition of art and culture. It is famous worldwide, the heart of the Renaissance period and home of fine arts and literature. Florence has powerful symbols of Italian and European culture in every nook and cranny, to the extent that it is hard to identify this city with just one symbol. It may be the sculpture of David or, perhaps, the romantic Ponte Vecchio, or Giotto's bell tower. Florence could also be represented by famous people such as Leonardo DaVinci, Michelangelo or Dante Alighieri, to name but a few. (B & D) Day 13 – Pisa & Lucca - Today we will see Italy's most photographed attraction, the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It is one of many works of art and architecture in the city's Campo dei Miracoli or "Field of Miracles'' north of the old town center. The Campo dei Miracoli also houses Day 14 - San Gimignano & Volterra - Today we will see first hand why the scenery of Tuscan countryside is so famous. We will visit the multi-towered town of San Gimignano that rises on a hilltop and Volterra, one of the finest and lesser known hilltop towns in the heart of Tuscany. A haven of Etruscan, Roman, Medieval and Renaissance art and architecture, Volterra is a perfect choice for a peaceful relaxing holiday. (B & D) Day 15 – Siena, Cortona & Rome - This morning we will visit Cortona (Under The Tuscan Sun) and Siena, a flamboyant medieval mélange of palaces and towers, olive groves and orchards. The history of Siena has been made on the Piazza del Campo where they organized the Palio. We will continue to Rome and stay there for the next three nights (Grand Hotel **** Olympic in the city center). (B & D)
Day 17 – Rome - Morning tour of Vatican City with a professional guide. The story of the “Vatican” started about two thousand years ago when the Apostle Peter was buried across the Tiber river in 67 A.D. The Basilica of Saint Peter is one of the four major basilicas of Rome. It is the most prominent building inside the Day 18 - Rome - Transfer to Fiumicino Airport, have a safe return home, treasure the memories and… grazie and arrivederci a presto! (B) Departures from North America
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Day 3 – Arles & Provence - This morning we will tour 
Day 10 – Portofino - This morning we will visit the playground of rich and famous, the beautiful village of 
the Duomo (the Cathedral), the Baptistery and the Camposanto (the monumental cemetery). We will also visit the lovely city of 
Day 16 - Rome - This morning we will have a tour of Imperial Rome. One of the symbols of Rome is the Coliseum, the largest amphitheatre ever built in the Roman Empire and used for gladiatorial combat. The Roman Forum was the central area around which ancient Rome developed. The Spanish Steps is a set of steps climbing a steep slope between the Piazza di Spagna and Piazza Trinità dei Monti. It is named after the nearby Embassy of Spain (1653). The famous Scalinata is without a doubt the longest and widest staircase in Europe. The Trevi Fountain is the largest and most ambitious of the Baroque fountains in Rome. This fountain was immortalized by films such as “Three coins in the Fountain, Roman Vacation, La Dolce Vita“. Free afternoon. (B & D).
Vatican City and built on the ruins of Old Saint Peter's Basilica. As you enter, to your right, Michelangelo’s “Pieta’” is displayed. The “Colonnade” was built by Bernini (1656 - 1666). The Vatican Museums display works from the extensive collection of the Roman Catholic Church. The Sistine Chapel is in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope. Its fame rests in its decoration, frescoed throughout by the greatest Renaissance artists including Michelangelo. The ceiling is legendary and it is in the Sistine Chapel that every new Pope is selected. The afternoon is free and you may want to visit other places of interest on your own such as: Piazza del Popolo with the church of Santa Maria where masterpieces of Pinturicchio, Raphael, Caravaggio and Bernini can be admired; Piazza Navona it is considered the most beautiful baroque square in Rome; The Pantheon is still the biggest concrete dome in the world (27 B.C.); Borghese Museum and Gallery with Bernini’s masterpieces “Apollo and Daphne”, “The Rape of Persephone“; Piazza Venezia with the monument to Italy‘s king Vittorio Emanuele (The Wedding Cake); Trastevere where the locals enjoy their favorite dishes of “abbacchio and spaghetti a’ matriciana”. (B & D)
