• Airport transfers in Rome if World One, issues the tickets.

•  Services of a professional tour director.

•  Hotels listed below or equivalent.  Twin-bedded rooms with private or shower, hotel taxes, service charges, and tips for baggage handling

•  Buffet breakfast (BB) daily; 7 three-course dinners (D), including a special welcome dinner with wine in Rome

• Private deluxe motorcoach featuring full air-conditioning, extra leg room, and emergency washroom.

• Private transfer boat in Venice

• Jetfoil across the Bay of Naples

• Sightseeing with local guides: Rome, Florence, Venice, Pompeii, Capri

•  Visits to Pisa, Genoa, Milan, Stresa Lugano, Verona, St. Apollinaris at Ravenna, Assisi, and Sorrento 

•  Inside visits as shown in UPPERCASE in the tour description, including admission charges where applicable

• Travel bag and travel documents

Day 2 ARRIVAL IN ROME, ITALY. Time to rest or start exploring the Eternal City on your own. At 6 p.m. meet your tour director and traveling 

companions for a welcome dinner in one of Rome's gourmet ristorantes. (D)

Day 3 ROME. Sightseeing with your local guide features a stroll through the ROMAN FORUM, the COLOSSEUM, and monumental St. Peter's Square and Basilica. Afternoon for individual discovery and to savor Rome's unique atmosphere. Optional excursions include the Sistine Chapel (arranged for tomorrow morning if closed today), a trip to nearby Tivoli, or an Italian feast at a local restaurant. Note: Depending on the ceremonies of the 2000 Holy Year Celebrations, some roads might be closed to motorcoaches, which may force us to modify the Rome sightseeing operation. At the time of printing traffic regulations are not yet finalized (BB)

Day 5 FLORENCE. Guided sightseeing includes magnificent SANTA MARIA DEL FIORE, Giotto's Bell Tower, the Baptistry's "Gate of Paradise," sculpture-studded Signoria Square. The highlight: Michelangelds David in the GALLERY OF FINE ARTS (closed on Mondays, visit PALAZZO VECCHIO instead). Afternoon free to relax or to find out more about Florence's artistic wealth. Optional dinner at a Tuscan restaurant. (BB)

Day 6 FLORENCE-LAKE MAGGIORE. First stop is the great port city of Genoa, to see Christopher Columbusbirthplace and the Flower Monument. Next is dynamic Milan with its Gothic DUOMO, glass-domed GALLERIA, and famed Scala Opera House. On to Lake Maggiore, or Italys most beautiful areas. Spend two nights at your elegant resort. (BBD)

Day 7 LAKE MAGGIORE A restful day to sleep in, join the locals in a lakeside promenade, catch up on your postcards, or participate in an optional excursion to the Baroque palace and peacock gardens of enchanting Isola Bella (open Mar. 27 -Oct 24) (BB, D)

Day 8 LAKE MAGGIORE-LUGANQ SWITZERLAND-VENICE, ITALY. Morning visit to Lugano in the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland break to stroll along the lake, window shop the refined Via Nassa, or sip an espresso on the main piazza. East to Verona, medieval setting for Shakespeare Juliet, to see Juliets Balcony and the picturesque market square. Tonight you reach Venice, deemed by some the most romantic city in the world. (13BD)

Day 9 VENICE. Glide by private boat along the Guidecca Canal to meet your resident expert. Highlights of your walking tour are St. Maries Square and ST. MARKS BASILICA, lavish DOGES'PALACE, and the Bridge of Sighs. Then watch VENETIAN GLASS BLOWERS fashion their delicate objects in the age-old manner. Later discover Venice at your own pace or take an optional gondola ride. (BB)

Day 10 VENICE-RAVENNA-ASSISI Follow the sparkling Adriatic coast to Ravenna to see the mosaics in the 6th-century BASILICA OF ST ACLASSE. Afternoon arrival in Assisi to visit the massive 13th-century lower BASILICA OF ST. FRANCIS. 'Men time to take in this peaceful town on your own.-

Day 11 ASSISI-POMPEII-SORRENTO. Today visit POMPEII the Roman city both destroyed and preserved by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius Overnight in the charming, bayside resort of Sorrento. (BBD)

Day 12 SORRENTO. EXCURSION TO CAPRI. Glide across the blue bay to the beautiful Isle of Capri, A local guide takes you to the shimmering GROTTO (weather permitting; otherwise visit VILLA SAN MICHELE in Anacapri) and to pretty Capri village. Time to explore at your own pace before rx Sorrento. The remainder of the day is at leisure. (BB)

Day 13 SORRENTO-ROME On your way to Rome, stop in Cassino for a visit to the ABBEY OF MONTECASSIN0. Tonight consider saying' your traveling companions at an optional festive dinner in one of Rome's fine restaurants. (BB)

Day 14 YOUR HOMEBOUND FLIGHT ARRIVES THE SAME DAY. (BB)