Road to Rome and the Mediterranean

Take the road to Rome through the cobbled streets of Paris and across the Alps of Innsbruck. Journey through the vineyards of Burgundy and slip across the Swiss border for an indulgent Dine Around meal in Lucerne. Enjoy a feast of local delicacies at a selection of hand-picked restaurants, set along the beautiful lakeside vistas. Voyage across the Dolomites to Venice and bear witness to the ancient skill of glassblowing. Practiced by precious few, this almost extinct artform is led by local craftsmen, intent on keeping the fifteenth century tradition alive. In ancient Rome, enjoy exclusive fast track access to the Vatican Museums and see Michelangelo’s masterpiece in the Sistine Chapel.

Your Fly, Stay & Cruise Package Includes:

• $2400 flight credit per person
• 11 night Road to Rome guided tour with Insight Vacations, Paris to Rome
• Includes 16 meals, stylish handpiucked hotels, sightseeing, city tours plus more
• 10 night Mediterranean cruise onboard Celebrity Equinox, Rome to Barcelona
• All onboard meals in complimentary dining venues & selected non-alcoholic beverages
• A wide range of onboard activities & entertainment
• Private transfers throughout
• Port charges, fees & taxes onboard your cruise

Pricing is per person twin share and based on travel 3-24 September 2024

Solo traveller pricing available. Please speak to one of our travel consultants for more details

Tour Itinerary:

Day 1 | Welcome to Paris

Welcome to Paris, enjoy time at leisure to settle into your hotel. During your time here you will see the Eiel Tower, the Louvre, the Place de la Concorde, the Champs Elysées and Arc de Triomphe. Later, join your Travel Director at a local brasserie in the heart of Paris for a fabulous Welcome Dinner

Day 2 | Paris, the 'City of Light'

Start your day with an Insight Choice. Choose to explore community life in the picturesque Montorgueil district. Alternatively, join an avid foodie, as you head into areas where Parisians go about their daily lives to explore small shops and sample local treats and delicacies. With the afternoon free, there are countless opportunities to enjoy the lively atmosphere of this glittering city, perhaps join an Optional Experience to see the Paris cabaret?

Day 3 | Burgundy and Lucerne

Journey through the rural French countryside of Burgundy, famous for its vineyards and wines, pass the Jura Mountains crossing into Switzerland. Arrive in glorious lakeside Lucerne. A range of enticing options are available for your Dine-Around Evening. Choose from a selection of hand-picked local restaurants.

Day 4 | Lucerne & Mount Stanserhorn

Explore Mount Stanserhorn on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, as an open-top cable car powered by solar panels take you up the summit. Walk along beautiful scenic pathways, keeping an eye out for marmots and other native animals, with the chance to hear a conservation talk by a Swiss ranger, to learn about local wildlife and ora. Take in the pristine mountain air and, on a clear day, witness views as far as Alsace and the Black Forest in Germany.

Upon return to Lucerne, see the town's proud Lion Monument, carved into a limestone cli and dedicated to the heroic Swiss Guards who died defending King Louis XVI during the French Revolution. Then, take some time to stroll across the covered Chapel Bridge to the baroque Jesuit Church. The rest of the day is at leisure to shop for delectable chocolate and glamorous Swiss watches in the trac-free Old Town.

Day 5 | Lucerne to Innsbruck

Start the day with a journey to the heart of the Alps passing through the Principality of Liechtenstein. See its tiny capital, Vaduz, with its castle located on a hillside overlooking the city. Drive into Austria and continue through the Arlberg Tunnel to mountain-ringed Innsbruck. Your Travel Director will show you the 14th century houses of the old town, the impressive Imperial Palace and the delightful Golden Roof.

Day 6 | The Dolomites to Venice

Leave Innsbruck to travel across the impressive Europa Bridge and through the Dolomites. Cross into Italy and stop at a local family winery in Veneto to discover the art of prosecco production. Savour a tasting of these luxurious sparkling wines and discover how to make the perfect Bellini. Continue to the romantic city of Venice, Queen of the Adriatic. Long after the daytrippers have returned to their mainland hotels, enjoy the quiet atmosphere of the islands with dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 7 | The Magic of 'La Serenissima'

In the morning, prepare to embrace this most romantic city. See the immense Campanile and Doge's Palace on St. Mark's Square, connected to the ancient prisons by the Bridge of Sighs. Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience as you witness the skill of glassblowers on a visit to a traditional arts centre. The rest of the day is at leisure. Perhaps shop in the small arcades or why not cruise the Venetian lagoon to the island of Burano for a meal of local specialties and wine?

Day 8 | Tuscany, Pisa and Florence

Visit Il Poggio organic farm for a guided walk and learn about organic food and wine production. On the veranda, take in beautiful views of the rolling Tuscan hills, as you taste the farm's wines and freshly produced olive oil. Enjoy an authentic Italian meal prepared with locally sourced ingredients. Explore the nearby town of Pisa with a Local Expert and see the baptistery with its intricate marble facade, the colonnaded bell tower lurching behind the cathedral and of course the famous Leaning Tower. Afterwards, travel to Florence.

Day 9 | Florence Sightseeing

Walk with your Local Expert to the marble-clad cathedral and baptistery, where Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise have been recreated in all their glory. The next stop is Piazza della Signoria, still the political heart of Florence and an open-air gallery of Renaissance masterpieces. Spend time gazing at statues such as Neptune and David along the front of the Palazzo Vecchio. The area around Santa Croce Basilica is famous for the quality of its luxury goods of gold and leather and there's free time to shop or continue exploring.

Day 10 | Chianti Country to Assisi and onto Rome

Journey through the vineyards of the Chianti region passing Lake Trasimeno, one of the Italian Peninsula’s largest lakes and site of a great battle in ancient times against Hannibal and his war elephants. Continue up the foothills of the Apennine Mountains to reach delightful Assisi, a stone-built town spilling over the steep hillside. With a Local Expert, visit the tomb of St. Francis and see the beautiful frescoes by Giotto in the great basilica, before continuing along the valley of the River Tiber towards the Eternal City of Rome. In the evening, why not throw your coin into the Trevi Fountain to ensure your return to the city?

Day 11 | Papal and Imperial Rome

Join a Local Expert for an in-depth visit to the Vatican Museums, full of priceless art collected over the ages by the Popes. To avoid the crowds and maximise your time, Insight has arranged special priority access to the Vatican Museums. Your Local Expert will guide you through the halls of artwork and take you behind the scenes to view the Bramante Staircase, a marvel of Renaissance architecture normally closed to the public. Next, visit the Sistine Chapel to admire Michelangelo’s famous ceiling. Next door in St. Peter’s Basilica, view another masterpiece by Michelangelo, the Pietà, as well as the splendid dome, completed after his death. Cross the River Tiber to see the Colosseum, still echoing with the ghostly cries of gladiatorial combat and see Circus Maximus, the ancient chariot-racing stadium. Later, there is time for lastminute shopping or exploring at your leisure. In the evening, enjoy an elegant four-course Celebration Dinner with local wine at a Roman restaurant. As you dine, you'll be serenaded with a private performance of popular songs and arias from some of Italy's bestloved operas.

Day 12 | Arrivederci Roma

Bid farewell to the glories of Italy

Cruise Itinerary:

Prices listed are per person in Australian/New Zealand Dollars, based on twin occupancy, including all discounts unless otherwise stated. The offer is subject to availability at time of booking and shown *on the lowest inside category available at the time.  Fares are capacity controlled and are subject to change at any time without notice. Prices/Offers are correct as at 13 November 2023 and can be withdrawn without notice. Cabin categories include prepaid government fees and port taxes unless otherwise stated. Hotels may charge resort fees not included in this package, payable direct upon check in. Visas are not included. Air credit is applicable on airline of choice, subject to availability and subject to the carriers’ flight schedules and conditions. Payments made by credit card will incur a surcharge.