ITALY PERFORMANCE TOUR SAMPLE ITINERARY
Venice .. Cremona .. Florence/Montecatini .. Pisa / Lucca .. Siena .. Rome

World Projects can customize a performance tour to Italy for your musical ensemble, including exchange performances and single billed performances at world renowned churches and cathedrals. Extend your stay or add meals, sightseeing, and local cultural activities to make this tour a unique and unforgettable experience for your students!

SAMPLE ITINERARY
DAY ONE: DEPARTURE FOR VENICE or MILAN (meals/movies en route)
Morning: Arrive at your departure airport 3 hours prior to take off. Check in your luggage, move through security and onto your departure gate.  Afternoon: Depart for Venice or Milan (there may be a stop/transfer en route).  Evening: Overnight en route.
DAY TWO: VENICE (D)
Morning: en route Afternoon: Arrive into Venice or Milan, Italy! After proceeding through immigration and customs, collect your luggage and meet your Tour Manager. Depart either Venice or Milan for a hotel in Venice’s local area (most likely located in the Mestre area, just outside of Venice proper). Check into the hotel and free time to settle into your rooms and rest after the long flight. Evening: Welcome Dinner as a group near the hotel. The rest of the evening is free (for an early night!).
Evening DAY THREE: VENICE (B,D) – Performance #1
Morning:  Breakfast as a group at the hotel. After breakfast, transfer to Venice on your coach then via a boat. This morning, enjoy a Guided Tour of Venice, which will include the golden Basilica of St. Mark, The Doge’s Palace (decorated by 16th century artists such as Titan and Tintoretto), the Bridge of Sighs, and the Piombi Prison. Venice is truly one of the most awe-inspiring, romantic and unique cities ever created. No cars, not even bicycles are present. Streets of water, miles of intimate walkways and all topped off by Piazza San Marco, the ‘living room of Venice’, with the Basilica of San Marco, the campanile (bell tower), and the Doge’s Palace.  Afternoon: Lunch on own in Venice. After lunch, you will have some free time this afternoon to enjoy the city on your own or in small groups. The Tour Manager will be on hand for any assistance or suggestions! Early dinner as a group in Venice. After dinner, transfer to this evening’s performance venue.   Evening: Performance in Venice. Afterwards, return to the hotel.
DAY FOUR: VENICE .. CREMONA .. FLORENCE / MONTECATINI (B,D)
Morning:  Breakfast as a group at the hotel. Check out of the hotel, load the coach and depart for the town of Cremona. Upon arrival, enjoy a guided tour of this town. This morning, a guide will lead us to visit the collection of ancient violins in Palazzo Comunale, among which we can find the famous ’Cremonese 1715’. Exclusively for us, the director of the collection will play this instrument to demonstrate its beauty. We will visit the Museo Stradivariano (Museum of Stradivari) entirely dedicated to the violin-maker, containing documents, memorabilia, working tools, and patterns used by Cremona’s most famous son. We will enter the world of music with a visit to the famous Teatro Ponchielli with its halls, stage, and dressing rooms. For a better understanding of how these instruments are born, we will visit the studio of a lute-maker. Enjoy some free time this morning in the town of Cremona. Afternoon: Lunch on your own in Cremona. After lunch, board the coach and depart for Montecatini. Upon arrival, check into a local area hotel. Montecatini Terme is a beautiful town located west of Florence. It is known for being a spa town and attracts millions of visitors each year. Giuseppe Verdi spent every summer here for 30 years. Evening: Dinner at the hotel, and the rest of this evening is free.
DAY FIVE: FLORENCE/MONTECATINI (B)
Morning:  Breakfast as a group at the hotel. Board the coach and depart for Florence. This morning, enjoy a Guided Walking Tour of the city. This will include a visit to Piazza del Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio – Florence is a treasure of art and architecture. Stop at Piazzale Michelangelo, which offers a magnificent view of the old town center, and the famous Ponte Vecchio built in 1345. Piazza della Signoria was once the center of Florence’s political and social life. A copy of the David statue serves as a tribute to triumph over tyranny along with other statues commemorating major historical events. Afternoon: Lunch on your own in Florence. This afternoon, enjoy a guided visit to the Uffizi Gallery in Florence – some of the finest artworks in the world are on display at this art museum. Evening: Dinner on your own and the rest of this evening is free. Return to the hotel in Montecatini.
DAY SIX: FLORENCE/MONTECATINI / LUCCA / PISA (B,D) – Performance #2
Morning:  Breakfast as a group at the hotel. Depart the hotel this morning for Lucca. Upon arrival enjoy some free time. You may wish to explore San Michele Square, the Cathedral San Martino, the characteristic Guimigi Tower with a tree on top, and the Roman Amphitheatre. Afternoon: Lunch on own. Depart Lucca for Pisa. Upon arrival enjoy some free time – you must visit the Tower of Pisa! There will be ample time to explore the colossal Cathedral of Pisa, the Baptistery, and surrounding museums. Early dinner as a group After dinner, transfer to this evening’s performance venue. Evening: Exchange Performance in Pisa. Afterwards, return to the hotel in Montecatini.
DAY SEVEN: FLORENCE/MONTECATINI / SIENA (B)
Morning:  Breakfast as a group at the hotel. Depart this morning for the town of Siena, in the Tuscany region. Upon arrival, enjoy free time to explore this town. You may wish to visit the San Domenico, Piazza Salimbeni, Palazzo Piccolomini and Piazza del Campo, the traditional heart of Siena’s town life. The twelfth century Cathedral, crowned by a cupola and dating back to 1264, is one of Italian art’s most indigenous creations. Afternoon: Lunch on own in Siena and free time this afternoon. Late afternoon, board the coach and return to Florence. Evening Dinner on your own in Florence and free time this evening. Evening: This evening, possibly attend an opera at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino (cost on own and subject to performance schedule). Return to the hotel in Montecatini.
DAY EIGHT: FLORENCE . ASSISI . ROME (B,D)
Morning:  Breakfast as a group at the hotel. Check out of the hotel, load the coach and depart for Assisi. Upon arrival, enjoy some free time to explore this town. Assisi is already too well known, thanks to St Francis, Italy's premier saint and founder of the Franciscan order, which, with its various splinter groups, forms the world's biggest. Had the man not been born here in 1182, the town wouldn't be thronged with tourists and pilgrims for ten months of the year, but then neither would it have the Basilica of St Francis, one of the greatest monuments to thirteenth- and fourteenth-century Italian art. Afternoon: Lunch on your own in Assisi. After lunch, board the coach and continue your journey onto Rome! Upon arrival into Rome, check into a local area hotel and free time to settle in. Evening: Evening Enjoy dinner as a group in Rome, and the rest of this evening is free.
DAY NINE: ROME (B,D) – Performance #3
Morning:  Breakfast as a group at the hotel. This morning will be free for you to enjoy Rome on your own. Afternoon Lunch on own. Afterwards, depart on a half-day guided tour of Ancient Rome. See the Capitoline Hall, citadel of ancient Rome, which was given a face-lift in 1536 by Michelangelo, who redesigned the piazza, renovated the façades of the palaces, and built a new staircase – the Cordonata. See the Tarpeian Rock, from which traitors in ancient Rome are believed to have been thrown to their deaths. Visit the Roman Forum, which was formerly the religious, political, and commercial center of Rome and includes such sites as the House of the Vestal Virgins, the Basilica of Constantine, and the Coliseum. Afternoon: Late afternoon, return to the hotel to change into performance attire. Evening: Dinner as a group in Rome. Transfer to this evening’s performance venue. Performance in Rome. Afterwards, return to the hotel.
DAY TEN: ROME (B,D) – Performance #4
Morning:  Breakfast as a group at the hotel. Following breakfast at the hotel, meet our local guide for a half-day tour of Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel, with its breathtaking frescos by Michelangelo, and the Raphael Rooms, which works established Raphael’s reputation in Rome. See St. Peter’s Square, the largest part of Vatican City, the world’s smallest state and the only European State to be ruled by an absolute monarch (the Pope). Set up in 1929 to include 109 acres, about 500 people live here, and as well as accommodations for staff and ecclesiastics, the city has its own post office, banks, currency, judicial system, radio stations, shops, and a daily newspaper. Discover the beauty of St. Peter’s Basilica, Catholicism’s most sacred shrine. View the “Pieta” by Michelangelo and the breathtaking interior work by Bernini.  Afternoon: Lunch on own in Rome / Vatican City and some free time to enjoy Rome on your own. Late afternoon, return to the hotel and change into your performance attire. Depart for this evening’s performance venue. Upon arrival, setup and sound check at this evening’s performance venue.  Evening: Performance in Rome. Enjoy a Farewell Dinner as a group in Rome this evening to celebrate your Italy performance tour! Afterwards, return to the hotel.
DAY ELEVEN: ROME DEPARTURE (B, meals on plane)
Morning:    Breakfast at the hotel. Check out of the hotel and depart for Rome International Airport. Upon arrival, check in your luggage, move through security and onto your departure gate. Board the plane and depart Rome.        WELCOME HOME!

ITALY PERFORMANCE TOUR
Venice .. Cremona .. Florence/Montecatini .. Pisa / Lucca .. Siena .. Rome

PACKAGE INCLUSIONS:

• One gratis package for every 20 paying participants
• Roundtrip air transportation – economy class to/from Italy
• All Air Travel taxes including Airport Departure Taxes (subject to change)
• Hotel Accommodations:
• Two (2) nights in Venice area (Mestre) 3-star hotel
• Four (4) nights in Montecatini area 3-star hotel
• Three (3) nights in Rome area 3-star hotel
• Full-sized deluxe touring coach as required by the itinerary
• Meals:
• Breakfast daily at the hotels (continental or hot buffet)
• Seven (7) dinners as a group
• Sightseeing and admissions per itinerary including:
• VENICE – Half Day Venice Guided Sightseeing Tour, Doges Palace
• CREMONA – Half Day Cremona Guided Sightseeing Tour, Museum of Stradivari
• FLORENCE – Half Day Florence Guided Sightseeing Tour, Piazza del Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio,
• Uffizi Gallery
• ROME – Half Day Ancient Rome Guided Sightseeing Tour, Coliseum
• VATICAN CITY – Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica
• One (1) local bi-lingual Tour Manager per coach for the duration of the tour
• Performance arrangements as follows:
• Performance in Venice
• Exchange Performance in Pisa
• 2x Performances in Rome
• Group Medical Insurance
• Certificate of Liability Insurance (upon request)
• Taxes and tolls where applicable

PACKAGE EXCLUSIONS:

• Ground Transportation to/from home airport
• Meals not listed in “Inclusions” / Drinks at included dinners
• Passport and visa processing fees (if applicable)
• Excess or overweight baggage charges (if any)
• Items of a personal nature (laundry, room service, telephone fee, mail, etc.)
• Trip Cancellation Insurance
• Tips to Drivers / Tour Managers

NOTES:

1. Inclusions listed above are suggestions only. World Projects will customize your tour and length of
stay to your specific needs.
2. Standard large percussion, jazz backline, or piano/keyboard rental as needed is normally provided.
3. All travelers into Italy are required to hold a valid passport.
4. Contact World Projects for your customized proposal and price quote.

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International clients call World Projects at: 1-707-556-5885

United States clients call World Projects at: 1-800-922-3976