Travel Impressions Offers 7-Night Italy Vacation from $1,753 Per Person

Suggested Itinerary Includes Rome, Florence, Venice

FARMINGDALE, NY (May 16, 2011) – This summer, Travel Impressions invites vacationers to enjoy all of the delicious cuisine and magnificent sites Italy has to offer with an eight-day/seven-night customized itinerary to Rome, Florence, and Venice which agents can offer to their clients.

This Italian getaway is priced from $1,753 per person, based on double occupancy, and includes airport/hotel transfers in Rome and Venice, hotel accommodations for seven nights (Albergo Cesari, Rome; Grand Hotel Villa Medici, Florence; and Luna Hotel Baglioni, Venice), daily breakfast, one-way Eurail from Rome to Florence and from Florence to Venice, suggested tours (Rome by Night with Pizza Making Tour; Chianti with Wine Tasting Tour; Sightseeing on Foot and Gondola Tour), and hotel tax and service charges.

Rates quoted are land-only, per person, based on double occupancy, and are valid for travel July 16 – Aug. 31, 2011 and on new bookings only. Additional travel dates are available with pricing varying according to dates selected and airfare can be added from gateways nationwide. Blackout, holiday, and peak season surcharges apply. Admission to the Vatican Museum is not included in the rate, nor are transfers to/from rail station and hotel.

Seven-Night Sample Itinerary

Upon arrival to Rome, visitors will be transferred by a complimentary shuttle to the Albergo Cesari hotel for a three-night stay. On the first day, guests are encouraged to immerse themselves in the aroma of "Roma," with visits to the Coliseum and Palatine Hill followed by a stroll around the cobblestone streets near Piazza Navona. Guests can enjoy a delicious meal at one of the many outdoor restaurants with time left for exploring the city on their own.

On the second day in Italy, travelers will head to the Vatican Museum where they can admire one of the most extensive art collections in the world. Visitors can choose to visit Michelangelo's famous Creation of Adam at the Sistine Chapel; Raphael's Rooms – famous for their frescoes by the Italian painter, Raphael; and St. Peter's Basilica to witness another masterpiece by Michelangelo, La Pietà. The evening is spent at leisure.

The final day in Rome allows travelers to discover the city at their own pace. In the evening, the Rome by Night with Pizza Making Tour is offered with visits to the Trevi Fountain, Piazza Vanezia, Piazza Baberini, and Castel St. Angelo followed by a pizza making demonstration and entertainment by local folkloric singers.

Next on the itinerary is Florence, a city filled with artistic treasures. Guests will head north aboard the quick and eco-friendly Eurail and will arrive at the beautiful Grand Hotel Villa Medici, their home for the next two nights. While in Florence, travelers can spend the day exploring the sightseeing options the city has to offer, including Piazza della Signoria – home of Michelangelo's David – Palazzo Vecchio and Palazzo degli Uffizi.

On the fifth day of this itinerary, visitors will travel to the Chiantigiana countryside in the popular Tuscan region known for its classic wines, to embark on the Chianti with Wine Tasting Tour. The tour will introduce guests to the area's rolling hills that are sprinkled with vineyards, olive groves, Romanesque churches, medieval farmhouses, stone villas and castles. Tour-goers will end their outing at a prestigious farm where they will enjoy traditional Italian snacks paired with a Chianti wine tasting experience.

After Florence, head north by rail to Venice for a two-night stay at the Luna Hotel Baglioni. In Venice, visits to many of the historic landmarks such as St. Mark's Basilica and Doges Palace are recommended, while nighttime diversions can include enjoying a cappuccino or a gelato at a local Gelateria.

Day seven takes travelers through the narrow passageways, alleys, canals and bridges of the city on the Sightseeing on Foot and Gondola Tour, highlighted by visits to the famous Scala del Bovolo, Fenice Theatre, St. Angelo and St. Stefano's Church. The final night can be spent experiencing the "floating city" at leisure, last minute shopping or enjoying an authentic Italian meal. On the final day, travelers will be met for a transfer to the airport for departure home.