France and Italy in Late Autumn

Transcription

France and Italy in Late Autumn
Paris | Rome | Florence | Venice | Geneva
Duration: 21 Days
Code: ITFS14
Date: 21st November – 13th December 2014
Cost: $AU5900 twin share + airfare SYD-CDG-SYD
Tour Leaders: Gabby Hunter and Marion McPherson
Highlights: Siena (Tuscany), Lausanne in Switzerland, incredible food and
culture, bullet train journeys and expert bi-lingual Australian tour leaders.
Australia/ Paris
Friday 21st November
Depart Sydney (SYD) 2150 on Virgin Australia flight VA7093, arrive Abu Dhabi (AUH) airport 0525am.
Saturday 22nd November
Depart Abu Dhabi (AUH) 0845am on VA7037, codeshare with Etihad Airways. Arrive Charles de Gaulle Airport
(CDG) 1325pm. We will be transferred in private vans to our accommodation for the next 4 nights. Tonight we have
a welcome dinner aboard Bateaux Parisians, a gourmet Seine Dinner Cruise. Everyone in our group is guaranteed a
window seat onboard the boat, with a delicious 3 course meal and wine while we cruise the Seine and gaze upon the
City of Light.
QUEST TOURS - NSW Travel Agent: Licence: 2TA104931 1 Little Street, Forster, NSW, Australia, 2428
Ph: +61 2 6554 7478
email: [email protected] web: www.QuestTours.com.au
Sunday 23rd November
Today we head out and about in Paris: first stop – The Tour de Eiffel! The best way to get a feel of Paris and the
layout is to see it from above, and of course the Eiffel Tower has spectacular views of the whole city. For our time
here, we have Batobus passes – a hop on hop off service that runs up and down the Seine all day. Using this method
of transport, we will visit the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Musee d’Orsay after spending an hour or so at the
Eiffel Tower.
Monday, 24th November, 2014
Easily one of the most iconic museums in the world, The Louvre is almost an entire day of exploring. It’s entirely up
to you if you would like to do your own thing, or follow one of your tour leaders throughout the museum – we’ll
offer guidance and map reading skills, as well as art history. The museum itself offers many famous artworks and
sculptures, notably The Venus de Milo, The Mona Lisa, The Winged Victory of Samothrace and Liberty Leading the
People.
Ph: +61 2 6554 7478
Tuesday, 25th November 2014
Today we will head outside the city limits to the spectacular Palace of Versailles. Incredible gardens, scenery and
French Architecture will make this day very memorable. Our travel to Versailles will be via train. Entry to the Hall
of Mirrors, Marie Antoinette’s Cottage and the gardens are included.
Wednesday 26th November 2014
Depart CDG 0945, arrive Fiumicino Airport (FCO), Rome, 1155.
Our private transfer will transport us to the Albergo Cesari Hotel, our accommodation for the next 4 nights. Aside
from its fabulously friendly and helpful staff, this 3 star hotel is in a fantastic location, it is an easy walk to many
of the main attractions of Rome, and close to public transport and local eateries. Breakfast is included every
morning we stay here, and is available from 7 until 10 am.
Ph: +61 2 6554 7478
We will hit the streets this afternoon after settling into our accommodation, our destination being the Fontane d’
Trevi and the Spanish Steps.
Thursday 27th November. 2014
The Pantheon, Rome’s best preserved ancient building, is a simple 5 minute walk from our hotel. From here, we will
head to the Palatine Hill and the Colosseum. The Palatine Hill is one of the most ancient parts of Rome, and
overlooks the Forum Romanum and Circus Maximus. It will take around 4-5 hours to explore Ancient Rome at a
relaxed pace, before a late lunch and an afternoon at leisure.
^^ Ancient Rome…. All photos taken by Gabby Hunter ^^
Ph: +61 2 6554 7478
Friday 28th November
Today we will travel outside of Rome itself to Tivoli, home of the Villa d’Este, a UNESCO listed world heritage site.
These fabulous gardens and villa are a beautiful way to spend a relaxed morning.
Saturday 29th November
Pope Paul V during his Pontifice commissioned the building of the Villa Borghese. His vision was to beautify Rome,
and he succeeded, showcasing some of the best Baroque and Renaissance Art and Architecture. Often referred to
as the only must see gallery in Rome, the Borghese only allows a small number of people in the gallery to view the
artworks in 2 hour blocks – this provides us with the best experience possible. We will divide into two groups for
this day to see the best of the activities on offer – the group not in the Villa Borghese will be escorted to the
Vatican and St Peter’s Basilica. This way we get the most intimate experience of both of these museums.
Ph: +61 2 6554 7478
The Vatican Museum and The Sistene Chapel.
Perhaps one of the most famous artworks in history, the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. This sacred place, where
complete respectful silence is expected, and photos aren’t allowed, will certainly stay with you forever. The Vatican
Museum also houses many artworks and sculptures worth studying. Today is a fabulous day to immerse yourself in
Architecture and Art. St Peter’s church, beside the Vatican Museum, is also well worth a visit, with the top dome
(if you’re willing to climb the 320 steps) providing an unparalleled view of Rome, pictured below.
Sunday 30th November
Today we depart Rome, heading for Florence, via Trenitalia’s high speed bullet train Freccirossa, travelling at
speeds of up to 300km/h. The journey will take around 1 ½ hours, and as with all of our train journeys, you can
expect it to be very picturesque. We will arrive in Florence just before lunch time to deposit our bags and get
orientated. Florence is a great place to explore on your own, and as our hotel is very close to the Duomo (Florence’s
famous cathedral) its quite simple to find your way back.
Ph: +61 2 6554 7478
Monday 1st December
Today we are heading to the Piti Palace and the Boboli Gardens. This time of year we’re in for a really spectacular
experience, with late autumn colours shining throughout the garden and around the palace. During our leisurely
stroll to the palace we will cross over the Ponte Vecchio (literally translates to “Old Bridge”), the only bridge over
the Arno River that survived World War II.
This afternoon we will head to the Ufizi Gallery. A work of art in itself, the Ufizi Gallery and the Louvre have
always battled it out for the top spot in terms of Art Galleries. Indeed, this afternoon will be fantastic for
exploring and comparing the two. The Ufizi is one of the world’s oldest galleries – its just magical.
Ph: +61 2 6554 7478
Tuesday 2nd December
Today we will head for a day excursion to Tuscany via private bus. We will first visit Pisa, then onto San Gimignano
and finally arrive at Siena. Lunch is included today – with a bonus wine tasting! Yum. Entry to the Siena Cathedral,
underground tombs and Siena Tower are included.
Wednesday 3rd December
Today is our final day in Florence. Some of you may like to do some boutique shopping – and if you’re going to buy
leather goods, Florence is the place to do it. Basically this is a day at leisure – if you have something particular in
mind your tour leader will be more than happy to arrange it for you.
Thursday 4th December
Today we depart Florence, headed for Venice. Our bullet train journey takes around 2 and a half hours, and is once
again very scenic. We will arrive in Venice at around midday on Trenitalia’s Frecciargento (reaching speeds of up to
250 km/h) service from Florence.
A private water taxi awaits our arrival to take us to our waterside hotel for the next 3 nights, The Foscari Palace.
This four star hotel is conveniently located 1 minute walk from the Ca’D’ora Vaporetto stop, giving us easy access
to any part of Venice. Our hotel also has a gondola stop on its doorstep, and the interior of the hotel is decorated
to pay homage to traditional Venetian style. Breakfast is from 7am until 10am, and has a large variety of choices,
including croissants, eggs, bacon, breakfast sausages, fresh fruit, cereals and fresh bread, and fabulous breakfast
cakes, as well as tea, coffee and a selection of juices.
Ph: +61 2 6554 7478
Friday 5th December 2014
We have Vaporetto Passes valid for our entire time in Venice, allowing unlimited access to the entire canal network.
Venice is a fabulous place to explore on your own, with the comfort of having a tour leader to help out if you find
yourself “out of your depth” – heh. During our time here we will be exploring St Mark’s Cathedral, St Mark’s
Square and the Doge’s Palace. We have exclusive entry to all of these attractions, including St Mark’s Museum,
with the famous golden horses, preserved inside after they were recovered from Napoleon in 1815. During our time
in the square, we will travel to the top of the Campanile, Venice’s tallest building, standing at 99m high.
Saturday 6th December
Today is a great day for a lie in and rest. We’re leaving Venice and heading to Geneva at 4pm. Tonight we will stay
in Geneva, fresh for travel around Lake Geneva tomorrow to Lausanne.
Ph: +61 2 6554 7478
Sunday 7th December
There are a couple of noted tourist attractions here, including the famous Geneva Fountain. After seeing this we
will leave Geneva for a small town 40 minutes up the hill and around the Lake, Lausanne.
Monday 8th December
Lausanne, the gateway to the Swiss Alps, is renowned for its incredible scenery and atmosphere. This French
speaking town will provide us with some rest and relaxation, surrounded by the stunning Lake Geneva.
Tuesday 9th December
Today we’ll wander to the world Olympic Games Museum. This museum is fascinating and will occupy our morning.
You will have a free afternoon in Lausanne today – there are many activities that you can do, and your tour leader
will give you information on these.
Ph: +61 2 6554 7478
Wednesday 10th December
Today we leave Switzerland, our destination once again Paris. We will arrive around lunch time, and after checking
into our hotel we hit the streets to see the remaining incredible monuments, starting with the Sacre Coeur at
Montmarte. Located on Paris’ only hill, this church is iconic and provides us with an unparalleled view back towards
the main city centre of Paris.
Thursday 11th December
Today we roam the streets – beginning with the Champs Elysees and passing through the Arc de Triomphe. We’ll
then head to the main retail precincts and into the city for leisurely window shopping. For those of you who don’t
want to do this, your tour leader will be more than happy to help you with other options.
Friday 12th December
Today we have a free day to pack and prepare for departure. We also have a farewell dinner at the Moulin Rouge.
Saturday 13th December
Depart CDG at 10.55am, flight VA7032, via Abu Dhabi. Arrive SYD at 6.35pm on Sunday the 14th of December.
Ph: +61 2 6554 7478
Italy and France: So many good reasons to visit in Late Autumn
•
This is the time of the year with the least amount of crowds – this gives you the most time possible
sightseeing and exploring the monuments.
•
Because this is the “low season” you save a lot of money on airfares and accommodation – your holiday is
much better value and you’re able to see more.
•
This is the best time of year to experience the Italian, Swiss and French culture at leisure without having
to battle it out with the crowds.
•
The colours of the gardens are incredible – vivid oranges and yellows and reds will surround you throughout
your tour.
•
Rather than sweltering in the middle of summer, the cool of late autumn is fresh and clean, and walking
around the cities is more pleasurable.
Introducing your Tour Guides
Gabby is an avid traveller and is a student of French at University. She is
currently completing her bachelor’s degree. She is a Commercial Vessel
Master and has led 5 separate tours to various locations all over the world.
She is a PADI Divemaster and has worked with Quest Tours since it was
formed. She is also in charge of photography and visual design here at our
company. Pictured here in Venice on the Rialto Bridge.
Marion McPherson has completed a Bachelor of Fine Art at The University
of Newcastle, majoring in photography and art history. She then completed
a Diploma of Education. Marion and Gabby make an excellent and
conscientious team able to show you the best of our destinations with their
knowledge and expertise.
INCLUDED
• Intimate Group tour – maximum 16 plus 2 guides
• Accommodation in Paris – 4 nights
• Access to all attractions as per itinerary
• Welcome Seine Dinner Cruise
• Flight to Rome from Paris
• Accommodation in Rome – 4 nights
• Day trip and all expenses to Tivoli (Villa d’Este)
• Bullet train journey Rome to Florence
• 4 nights accommodation Florence
• Day trip to Siena and Tuscany (includes Lunch)
• Bullet train journey Florence to Venice
• Accommodation Venice 3 nights
• Bullet train journey Venice to Geneva
•
Accommodation Geneva 1 night
INCLUDED
• Train to Lausanne
• 3 nights accommodation Lausanne
• 2 whole days to explore Lausanne
• Bullet train journey Lausanne to Paris
• BONUS FREE accommodation in Paris 3 nights
• Entry to all attractions as per itinerary.
• Celebratory Farewell Dinner at the Moulin Rouge
• ALL airport and rail transfers
• ALL transport in ALL cities (includes buses, metros,
boats)
• Services of your tour leaders
NOT INCLUDED
• International Airfares
• Meals and drinks other than specified
• Tips and Personal Travel Insurance (compulsory)
•
Entrances to attractions not specified in the
itinerary or not included in your passes (most are
included though)
Ph: +61 2 6554 7478

France and Italy in Late Autumn

Transcription

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