Friends and Family Shadow Tour of Italy

The itinerary is the starting point to your tour, but it’s not set in stone. Your group leader may make changes leading up to departure.

Day 1, Thursday April 9: Overnight Flight

Departure from the United States.

Day 2, Friday April 10: Venice Mainland

Benvenuti in Italia! Meet your Encore Tour Manager and transfer your hotel on the Venice mainland. Venice, known as the Queen of the Adriatic, consists of an archipelago carved by nearly 150 canals into 118 different islands, and is simply incomparable. On arrival, check into your hotel and enjoy time exploring Treviso. Dinner will be together on this arrival evening. (D)

Day 3, Saturday April 11: Venice Mainland

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, provided each morning of your tour, enjoy a tour through downtown Venice with your tour manager, including St. Mark's Square and St Mark's Basilica. See gondolas, gondaliers and the famous "Bridge of Sighs" which connects the Doge's Palace to the old prison. During your free time, you may wish to take a gondola ride through the city's beautiful canals or enjoy time shopping for souvenirs. Enjoy a free afternoon and this evening, attend the first performance of Chaminade College Preparatory School Choir and Band. Dinner will be on your own. (B)

Day 4, Sunday April 12: Florence

This morning, you will attend Easter Sunday Mass before departing for Florence, the Cradle of the Renaissance. Subject to the timing of the day, enjoy preliminary sightseeing with a local guide and headsets that will show you the splendid Duomo, Ghiberti's famous Baptistry Doors, Santa Croce and the Piazza della Signoria, the political center of the Renaissance city. A timed entrance is included to the Accademia to see Michelangelo's David! Later, check into your Florence hotel and enjoy dinner on your own. (B)

Day 5, Monday April 13: Florence

Today enjoy a full-day to explore the beautiful city of Florence at your own pace. Attend the next performance of the choir and band in Italy! Tonight, you will have dinner on your own. (B)

Day 6, Tuesday April 14: Rome

Depart Tuscany for the "Eternal City" of Rome today stopping en route to experience a quintessential Italian experience at a cheese and wine tasting! Continue to Rome and check in to your hotel. Later this afternoon, transfer to St Peter's Basilica Rome to attend the choir's participation in the Mass! Dinner will be on your own. (B)

Day 7, Wednesday April 15: Rome

A local guide will accompany you through the Vatican Museums today to see the Sistine Chapel and magnificent Raphael rooms. Today, enjoy panoramic city sightseeing of Rome with a local guide including the Circus Maximus, the Imperial Forum, the Pantheon, and the Monument of Vittorio Emanuele (Rome's "Wedding Cake monument"). Entrance is included to the Colosseum. Imagine the bloody battles that once took place in this awe-inspiring structure and marvel at the nearby richly decorated Arch of Constantine! More than just a monument, this arch marks the end of pagan Rome and the beginning of Christian Europe. Enjoy some free time and this evening, attend the final performance of the Chaminade College Preparatory School Choir and Band. Celebrate together with the musicians this evening on your final evening together in Italy. (B,D)

Day 8, Thursday April 16: Departure

Transfer to the airport for return flight to the United States. (B)