Italy
Jewish tours to Italy: La Bella Italia
Italy – art, food, and sunshine make Italy the Country of Celebration. Our tour “La Bella Italia” has it all, and though many of you already have seen the splendors of this country, you will find our trip delicious in every way. We have created the very best Italy tour for you including Venice, Florence and Rome — not only the legendary sights, but also the living Jewish soul of these places.
Let the irresistible charm of Italy wash over you!
Tour Information
Jewish tour to Italy
Venice – Florence – Pisa – Tuscany – SIena – San Gimignano – Pitigliano – Rome
Duration: 9 days.
2018 Departures:
July 23 – July 31
Price Per Person:
$ 4,790 Land only
$ 1,390 Single supplement
Accommodations:
Venice, 2 nights. Bauer Hotel
Florence, 4 nights. J & J Hotel
Rome, 2 nights.
Grand Hotel De La Minerve
Meals:
8 breakfasts
4 lunches
3 dinners
Included Highlights:
Transfers, sightseeing & touring in¬ deluxe air-conditioned coaches.
Luggage handling at all hotels.
Deluxe & First Class hotels.
Buffet Breakfast daily at the hotels.
Complete program throughout.
Meeting with local communities.
Friday night Dinner in Florence.
Professional tour director.
Tips, except to tour director, guides, and drivers.
Pre/Post Tours:
We can accommodate pre/post tour arrangements in conjunction with this departure.
Passport & Visa:
No visa is required for travel to Italy. Always make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months after the tour ends.
Not Included:
Flights.
Optional pre, post or other private tour arrangements.
Services not mentioned.
Meals not mentioned.
Expenses of personal nature.
Travel insurance.
Itinerary
Day 01 Tuesday Arrival to Venice
Arrival in Venice airport. Begin the Italy tour with a boat transfer to the hotel on Venice Island. Time to rest and unwind. In the evening, celebrate with a Welcome Dinner. Bauer Hotel.
Day 02 Wednesday Venice
Today, enjoy the uniquely dramatic flavor of Venice as you sightsee this legendary city. Begin at Piazza San Marco with a visit to the Doge’s Palace, the Bridge of Sighs (with artwork by Tintoretto and Veronese), as well as the world-famous San Marco Basilica. Continue, via Venice’s characteristically narrow streets and alleys, to the Rialto Bridge, which spans across the Grand Canal of Venice Island. Later, return to Piazza San Marco with time at leisure. Next, depart by boat to the Ghetto Vecchio (Europe’s first official Ghetto – the word is, in fact, Italian). Upon arrival, Lunch will be served. Afterwards, visit the Ghetto, including the Synagogues and equally important Museum, before returning by boat to the hotel. Evening at leisure. Bauer Hotel.
Day 03 Thursday Venice – Bologna – Florence
Drive southwards towards Bologna, where Jewish communities have been active since early Medieval times. Tour the historic, cobblestoned Jewish Quarter, including the remains of the Ghetto’s historic synagogue (there were once eleven in total). Later, continue to Florence, glorious center of the Renaissance, and filled with the finest artworks the world has ever witnessed. Enter “Firenze” in the afternoon, stopping at Piazza Michelangelo for panoramic views of the city below. Afterwards, check in to your hotel. Remainder of the day is at leisure, Florence is extraordinarily walkable, and you are sure to find interesting and inviting places around every corner. J & J Hotel.
Day 04 Friday Florence
Begin your day with a visit to Florence’s extraordinary Moorish-style Synagogue (whose dome punctuates the city skyline) as well as the attached Jewish Museum with its fine collections. Later, be inspired by the beauty of Florence as you stroll the charming streets and great squares. Visit the Academy of Fine Arts (Accademia), home of Michelangelo’s statue of our own David. Continue past the famous Duomo, to Ponte Vecchio – a spectacular bridge filled with artisans – as well as the impressive Piazza Delle Signoria. Return to hotel in the afternoon with time at leisure. Dinner. J & J Hotel.
Day 05 Saturday Florence – Pisa – Florence
This morning, choose to unwind, join services at the Florence Synagogue, or join an excursion to nearby Pisa. Associated with Galileo (and his studies of gravity), Pisa’s greatest treasure is, of course, the uniquely Leaning Tower – which leans more and more with each passing decade. Return to Florence. Later in the afternoon, visit the Uffizi Gallery – Italy’s most impressive museum. Its rich collection includes drawings, sculptures, and paintings by Giotto, Botticelli, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, and many more. J & J Hotel.
Day 06 Sunday Florence – Siena – San Gimignano – Florence
This morning, depart for a full-day excursion to the charming countryside of Tuscany. This region is justly famous for its natural beauty, magnificent wine, as well as fabulous food. Here is the generous heart of Italy. Drive towards the hills of Siena for a visit to the picturesque town where Jews settled more than 800 years ago. After exploring this town and its fascinating Synagogue, continue next along typical Tuscan roads to San Gimignano, known as the “Town of Towers.” With its narrow streets and picturesque houses, San Gimignano will leave a lasting impression of the richness of Tuscan and Italian culture. Lastly, cap the day with a visit to one of Chianti’s famous wineries. Return to Florence in the late afternoon. Lunch is served during the tour. J & J Hotel.
Day 07 Monday Florence – Rome
Today takes you southward, towards Italy’s ancient capital: Rome. En route, visit the town of Pitigliano, where Jews settled in the 16th century (due to growing anti-Jewish sentiment in the Papal States). Pitigliano became known as “Little Jerusalem” as its Jewish community grew prosperous throughout the following centuries. Visit the Ghetto, Synagogue, and Museum, followed by a traditional Tuscan Country Lunch. Afterwards, continue to Rome to experience world-class monuments of an ancient world. Enter the impressive Colosseum, where slaves fought for their lives to the roars of spectators. Continue to the ruins of the Roman Forum – an Italian epicenter that was once filled with all the pomp we associate with names like Caesar, Nero, and Cicero. Later, drive into the heart of Rome, to the uniquely romantic setting of the Trevi Fountain. Check-in at the hotel. Remainder of the day at leisure. Grand Hotel De La Minerve.
Day 08 Tuesday Rome
This morning, visit the Vatican area, including Piazza San Pietro (St. Peter’s Square), which can hold nearly half a million people, and the lavishly gilded St. Peter’s Basilica. Tour the Vatican Museum, with its priceless art collections — from the Sistine Chapel (featuring splendid ceilings and vaults by the multi-faceted Michelangelo), to Greco-Roman Antiquities, the Raphael Rooms, and a collection of modern religious art. Later, be introduced to Jewish Rome, where Jewish life can be traced back to the Second Century. Visit Rome’s Great Synagogue and its Jewish Museum. Next, a walking tour in the stylish Trastevere area, where the Roman Jewish Ghetto used to be. Remainder of day at leisure. Dinner. Grand Hotel De La Minerve.
Day 09 Wednesday Rome – Home flight
Time for an early breakfast. Afterwards, transfer to the airport for return flights, or continue on a post-tour extension beyond the Italy experience. Arriverderci, Italia! (B)