DAY 3
ORVIETO
We
will enjoy a Walking Tour around its medieval streets to the
striking Duomo with its beautiful Gothic façade. Inside, the
Cappella Nuova contains the fresco cycle End of the World
that influenced Michelangelo, and the Cappella del Corporale,
housing a cloth on which the blood of Christ is supposed to have
appeared miraculously in nearby Bolsena in 1263. This relic is
carried through the streets each June on the feast of Corpus
Christi, a festival that originated in Orvieto. We continue next to
the Duomo to the Papal Palace which is now a museum of
medieval artifacts. Its basement hosts contemporary artist Emilio
Greco's bronze sculptures. Later we visit Pozzo di San Patrizio
(St. Patrick's Well), built between 1527 and 1537 to supply the
city with water. It is 62 meters deep and has 248 steps in a double
helix pattern reaching the bottom.
- Your first concert performance will be today
DAY 4 DAY TRIP TO SAN GIMIGNANO & SIENA
We
travel into the Tuscan hills today, where we will visit two
ancient towns. San Gimignano’s origins date back to the
Etruscans. The remarkable city walls are the legacy of the
Guelph and Ghibelline feud of the Middle Ages. On our
Walking Tour, we will view the Piazza della Cisterna,
the Piazza del Duomo, and the People’s Palace. Our next stop is
Siena where we will wander through the medieval streets leading
to the magnificent Cathedral. It has an unusual black
and white façade and a lovely Piccolomini Library
with manuscripts and frescoes. We will then make our way to the
scallop-shaped Piazza Del Campo, where the Sienese hold their
Palio festival, a wild horse race around the square. We return
to Orvieto for the night.
DAY 5
DAY TRIP TO FLORENCE
We will start
our sightseeing at the open-air museum of sculpture in the Piazza
della Signoria, the political stage of Renaissance Florence. We
continue to the Piazza del Duomo, where the Cathedral, Tower
and Baptistery display the traditions of Florentine art from the
Middle Ages to the Renaissance. We will view the massive and
detailed façade of the Duomo, before viewing the Baptistery’s bronze
doors by Ghiberti, which Michelangelo commented were worthy to be
the “Gates of Paradise.” After a visit inside the Duomo, we
will have the opportunity to do one of the following: ascend the
Bell Tower, climb the narrow steps to the top of the Red Dome,
or visit the spectacular interior of the Baptistery (One
admission included).
We
will conclude
our afternoon with a stroll along the Ponte Vecchio, known
for its gold and silversmith shops.
We
return to Orvieto for the night.
DAY 6 ORVIETO - ROME (THE ETERNAL CITY) (3 NIGHTS)
Leaving Orvieto this morning we travel to Rome, so rich in art
treasures that many consider it to be the most magnificent city in
the world.
This afternoon
we will take an introductory Walking Tour, commencing outside
Castel Sant’ Angelo. We will then cross the Tiber River and walk to
Piazza Navona, which was built on the foundations of
Domitian's Circus. This magnificent square, designed in the 17th
century by Bernini, is full of life and is highlighted by one of
Rome’s most spectacular fountains, the fountain of the Four
Rivers. The square is often filled with local artists and the
surrounding neighborhood is one of the best places in Rome
experience true Roman culture.
DAY 7 ROME (CITY OF THE CAESARS)
We
will visit the ruins of the Forum with its many temples,
basilicas and arches that lie below the Palatine Hill with its
lovely gardens and impressive Roman remains. Nearby stands the
great Colosseum, the grandest and most celebrated of
Rome's monuments, where the bloody games took place and where
Christians were thrown to the lions. We will also visit the
Pantheon, the best-preserved Roman building, and the
Victor Emmanuel Monument.
- Your second concert performance will be today
DAY 8 ROME (CITY OF THE POPES)
Our day at the Vatican City will begin in St. Peter's Square.
The majesty and gigantic size of St. Peter's Basilica
upon entry is unforgettable. It contains many treasures and
masterpieces including the famous Pieta by Michelangelo.
We will then visit The Vatican Museum which houses one of
the most impressive collections in the world including
Michelangelo's extraordinary ceiling in the Sistine Chapel
and the magnificent Raphael Rooms. Your guide will also
take you to the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps.
- Your third and final concert performance will be today
DAY 9
DEPARTURE FROM
ROME
Our enjoyable and rewarding tour will come to an end as our tour
manager/guide accompanies us to the airport for the return
flight home
