OPERA TOUR

Tour fully escorted by an experienced multilingual tour manager. Bed and buffet breakfast basis only, no meals are included in this tour.

Opera began in Italy in the 16th century. The first great name in operatic history is Monteverdi and his Italian heritage has flourished ever since in the works of Rossini, Donizetti, Puccini and the greatest of all, Verdi.

Italy opera's ancestral home offers visitors a rich choice of operatic seasons throughout most of the year. The Teatro alla Scala of Milan the most famous opera house in the world, the Teatro San Carlo of Naples and the Teatro dell'Opera of Rome are world renowned for technical perfection of performance and detailed magnificence of scenery and costumes.

Their opera seasons last from December to June. as do the seasons at Italy's other major opera houses:

In summer spectacular open-air opera is presented at the Terme di Caracalla in Rome (July/August), the Arena in Verona (mid-July/mid-August) and the Arena Sferisterio in Macerata (July).

During July and August the Teatro Rossetti of Trieste presents the Operetta Festival.

For the opera lover, Italy is not a vacation, it is as necessary as food.

Tour fully escorted by professional multilingual tour leader.

Accommodation: bed and continental breakfast only. No meals are included. Seven evening performances, as per itinerary, with good middle class seats. If clients wish better seats we can surely provide them if available. against a supplement. Seats and return transfers are included. We suggest operating this tour from Dec. 2001 to May 2002.

1st day - Rome

Transfer to the hotel. Afternoon free at leisure to relax or for personal activities.

2nd day - Rome

Full day sightseeing tour of Rome with a local guide to see: the Forums, St. Peter's Basilica Ara Pacis Via Veneto the Colosseum the Fontana di Trevi, Piazza Venezia and Piazza di Spagna among the important and significant sights of the Eternal City. The rest of the late afternoon is free for shopping or personal activities.

3rd day - Rome

Full day free in Rome for shopping or optional tours. Evening performance at Rome Opera House. Overnight accommodation.

4th day- Rome - Naples

In the morning depart for Naples with arrival around noon, the afternoon is free for personal activities or for optional excursion to Pompeii and Sorrento.

5th day- Naples

In the morning panoramic sightseeing tour of Naples. The itinerary includes the former Royal Palace, San Carlo Opera House, the old fortress of the Anjou Kings jutting out into the sea. Then drive to the much sung Mergellina and all along the sweeping seaside Caracciolo drive. The tour takes us back to the picturesque old Santa Lucia harbour and to downtown Naples. Evening performance at Naples San Carlo Opera House.

6th day- Naples - Florence

Depart to Florence via Spoleto. One hour stop to visit the small Umbrian city famous for its summer festival. Arrival in Florence is scheduled late in the afternoon.

Rest of the day free. Overnight stay.

7th day- Florence

The morning is dedicated to a guided visit of the extraordinary artistic and historical possessions of this heart of the Renaissance. Among the numerous examples of beauty are the Cathedral with Brunelleschi's dome, the Baptistery with its Doors of Paradise by Ghiberti, the Bell Tower by Giotto. Palazzo Vecchio and the Uffizi Art Gallery, the Medici Chapels, the Arno River with the Ponte Vecchio and Piazzale Michelangelo for a superb panoramic view. Rest of the day at leisure, free for shopping or optional tours.

Evening performance. Overnight accommodation.

8th day - Florence

Full day free for shopping or optional tours. Evening performance at the Comunale Opera House. Overnight accommodation.

9th day - Florence - Parma

Depart for Parma. Upon arrival, short orientation sightseeing tour of this beautiful Renaissance city. Evening performance at the Regio Opera House.

Overnight accommodation.

10th day - Parma - Venice

Depart to Venice, with a short stop in Padova to allow you to visit the basilica of St. Anthony and the chapel of Scrovegni frescoed by Giotto arrival around noon. Rest of the day at leisure.

Overnight accommodation.

11th day - Venice

Morning sightseeing walk will take you to the heart of the city, the impressive St. Mark's Square to view the great Basilica, a masterpiece of Romanesque Byzantine architecture, and its interior lined with fine mosaics.

You will also see the Campanile (clock tower) the Palace of the Doges harboring masterpieces by Titian and Tintoretto the Bridge of Sighs, and the city's "main street". the Grand Canal flanked by historic palaces.

The afternoon will be at leisure, available for a visit to other well known landmarks or for optional motor launch tours to the lagoon islands.

Evening performance at the theatre that now substitutes the burned la Fenice Opera House.

12th day - Venice - Milan

Depart to Milan via Verona with a short stop to visit the city of Juliet and Romeo and the Arena where a Summer Opera season is held every year. Upon arrival in Milano rest of day free for personal visits or shopping.

Overnight stay.

13th day- Milan

After breakfast enjoy an extensive sightseeing tour of Milan, the great Lombard metropolis cultural and economic hub of the country, where you will be shown the famous Duomo (Cathedral), the finest example of Gothic architecture in Italy, La Scala Opera House the Sforza Castle, St. Ambrose's Basilica, etc. Afternoon at leisure for shopping or other independent activities. Or optional visit to the old retired artists house "Giuseppe Verdi" where it will be possible to meet some of the most important artists of the past. Evening performance at La Scala.

Overnight accommodation.

If for the period scheduled for your tour there are opera performance in the nearby city of Bergamo overnight today will be in the city of Donizetti and not in Milano.

14th day- Milan

Our services end after breakfast with transfer to the airports or to the railway station.