Northern Italy with Florence, Bologna and Venice
 

August 29th - September 9th

10 nights with air from LAX - $2,995

includes 4-star hotels, daily breakfast, 3 guided city tours!

It's a new trip for us with these 3 destinations combined. Bologna will be new and offers many different options of day trips. We have been to Florence and Venice many times but only 2-nights in Venice in the past - this time 4-nights with more options for day trips.

 

Starting off with Florence will certainly kick this trip off with a bang. Florence is situated in central Italy, in the heart of Tuscany. Florence's museums, palaces, and churches house some of the greatest artistic treasures in the world. The most popular and important sites in Florence include the Cathedral, the Baptistery, the Uffizi, the Bargello, and the Accademia. The churches of Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce are veritable art galleries, and the library of San Lorenzo is a magnificent exhibition of Michelangelo's architectural genius. The memory of the Medici, who for centuries commanded the citys fortunes and were, as generous patrons, instrumental in unleashing the Renaissance, lives on. To this day the family crest of six balls adorns many public buildings. The citys artists and sculptors regaled the city with their finest creations. Michelangelo, Leonardo, Donatello, Giotto, the Lippis, Masaccio, Botticelli, Pontormo and a host of others left their mark, and formidable galleries such as the Uffizi, Pitti and Accademia today house many of their works.

 

While in Florence, besides touring this incredible city we will organize a side trip to Pisa and Cinque Terra.  But Florence itself will amaze you and since this is our 3rd trip there so we've got it dialed in with the very best places for our tours. Our hotel is perfectly situated just outside of the city center - an easy walk to all the attractions.

Bologna is our next stop and is the capital and largest city in Northern Italy's Emilia-Romagna region. It's also an architecture lover's dream. Although Bologna is best known for its medieval towers and extensive porticoes, thanks to extensive restoration, Bologna's architecture includes Etruscan and Roman structures as well.

Bologna is also the perfect hub for some fantastic day tours. Here's an idea of the towns we can visit:

Ravenna- This small town in Northern Italy's Emilia-Romagna province was once the capital of the Byzantine Empire and is most known for its intricate mosaics, which date back to the 6th century. Ravenna is a quick 90 minute detour on the Venice - Florence train route and can easily be explored in a day trip. Its quaint town center is best experienced on bike as Ravenna's various churches and mosaic attractions are slightly spread out throughout the town. For visitors overwhelmed by large summer crowds, Ravenna is a refreshingly quiet and un-touristy destination!

Parma- is the birthplace of parmesan cheese and parma ham, two of Italy's most famous culinary exports. Food lovers should head to the city's countryside for an in-depth tour of local meat and cheese factories and head to the city center for traditional restaurants serving simple, delightful Northern Italian cuisine. Once the home of Renaissance painter Correggio and 20th century conductor Arturo Toscanini, Parma today boasts fantastic theatres, museums and opera concerts. Don't miss out on exploring this quaint riverside city!

Modena -(balsamic vinegar, rare collection of Ferrari/Maserati) Looking for a lovely little town with winding streets you can stroll for hours? Head to Modena-and bring your appetite! This town is the home of both balsamic vinegar and tortellini (a ring-shaped, stuffed pasta that's famous throughout Italy, and the world!). (Here's what you have to know about the balsamic vinegar of Modena!). But it's not all about food in Modena. Luxury car lovers will want to check out the rare collections and manufacturing plants of Ferrari and Maserati, located nearby. And be sure to visit the Duomo di Modena (Modena's cathedral) and its newly-restored Torre della Ghirlandina, too.

Our final stop is Venice, is one of my all time favorite places on earth.

 

If you've never been I'm quite confident you will be completely blown away by what you will be seeing. Our hotel is perfectly situated to get us on the island of Venice by train. We will also offer a tour of the island of Burono which we really enjoyed on our last visit with the colorful buildings surrounding the canals. There's not much else to say about Venice except it's a must see and should be on everyone's bucket list.

We will be there for 4-nights and may need to pull you away for one or two other great day tours. Here are a two towns that we can hit in just one day:

Treviso -20 miles from Venice, walled city. The centre of Treviso is a little walled city, with medieval gates, narrow, cobbled streets of arcaded rose-red brick and stone that twist and turn like dried-out water courses - which is what some of them originally were. Tiny canals run past handkerchief-sized gardens, glide beneath houses, appear at street corners.

Gushing millstreams, some with black water-wheels that once had a commercial purpose, now turn lazily, playing a purely decorative role."

Verona - is a picturesque city filled with Roman ruins, Renaissance palaces and medieval buildings. Located between Milan and Venice, the city receives a bit less attention from travelers than its more celebrated neighbors but not for lack of attractions. Verona offers visitors the chance to enjoy all of the charms of an ancient Italian city without constantly battling crowds. Although the first stop for many visitors is "Juliet's House" with its recently added balcony, it's important to remember that Romeo and Juliet were characters from fiction, not reality.

We really got a great group rate on our air and hotels for this trip!

 

Sign up with a $200 deposit

 

 

 

 

Check out pictures from our last trip to Northern Italy

OUR AIR:
Flight:Alitalia 621 Departure: Los Angeles 29AUG /415P Arrival:Rome Fiumicino 30AUG/110P
Flight:Alitalia 1677( OPERATED BY SUBSIDIARY/FRANCHISE ) Departure: Rome Fiumicino 30AUG /215P Arrival:Florence 30AUG/310P
Flight:Alitalia 1468 Departure: Venice Marco Polo 09SEP /735A Arrival:Rome Fiumicino 09SEP/840A
Flight:Alitalia 620 Departure: Rome Fiumicino 09SEP /1010A Arrival:Los Angeles 09SEP/215P


  Price without air: $2,430 and you won't pay the departure tax

INCLUDES:

  • Round trip international air from LAX (other gateways are always an option but may cost slightly more)
  • All ground transportation
  • 10-nights accommodations (double occ.)
  • Daily Breakfast
  • 3 City Tours

 DOES NOT INCLUDE:

  • Departure tax of $375 (subject to change up until ticketing)
  • Optional tours

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: if you want your own room - $850

HOTELS:

Florence: **** HOTEL BERCHIELLI - REVIEW #46 out of 409 hotels in Florence

Luxury hospitality in Florence since 1890. Overlooking the Arno River just steps from Ponte Vecchio and Piazza della Signoria, the 4-star Hotel Berchielli is one of Florence’s points of reference when it comes to hospitality. Berchielli, accommodations florence, has maintained all the charm of an historical hotel and has had the honour of hosting such figures as Pablo Picasso.

   

 

 

 

 

 

Venice: **** HOTEL BOLOGNA     REVIEW #5 in Mestre on Tripadvisor

A hotel in Mestre, right on Venice's doorstep: located opposite Venezia Mestre train station, only a couple of minutes from Canal Grande. Easy to reach from Venice airport and Treviso, or from the motorway. We have been in the hospitality business for 100 years - it is what we love doing, and we know how to do it well. 


 

 

 

 

Bologna: **** HOTEL AEMILIA - REVIEW #4 in Bologna on Tripadvisor

Modern and elegant, a few minutes' walk from the heart of the town and close to the Sant'Orsola Hospital, the historical centre and the University District, the Aemilia Hotel fascinates its guests thanks to its marvellous views of the Towers of Bologna and the hills of Bologna.

Located in an excellent position, from where you can reach Piazza Maggiore and the historical centre in a few minutes' walk, it is easy to reach both by car and by public transport.

Our 124 comfortable and practical bedrooms, terraces surrounded by green areas and our Wi-Fi connection free of charge though an optical fibre, make the Aemilia Hotel the ideal solution for those who are looking for a hotel equipped with all the comforts, near the historical centre but lying in a reserved and silent area.

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