Italian Mosaic 2006 / Quality Travel, Inc / Globus Tours

Day 1 Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

Day 2 Arrival in Rome, Italy. Time to rest or start exploring the Eternal City. At 6 p.m. meet your tour director and traveling companions for a special welcome dinner with wine in one of Rome’s fine restaurants. (D)

Day 3 Rome. Sightseeing with your local guide starts with a visit to the VATICAN MUSEUMS and SISTINE CHAPEL (arranged next morning if closed today), world famous for Michelangelo’s ceiling paintings and The Last Judgement. Continue to monumental ST. PETER’S SQUARE and BASILICA. Proceed across the Tiber for a stroll along the Via Sacra in the ROMAN FORUM, where Roman Legions marched in triumph, and finally visit the COLOSSEUM and hear about gladiatorial combats. Then time for independent activities and exciting optional excursion possibilities: Tivoli and a country-style dinner in a local restaurant. (BB)

Day 4 Rome-Florence. North to Pisa for pictures of its amazing Leaning Tower. Continue to Florence, the capital of Tuscany and home to Renaissance splendor. (BB,D)

Day 5 Florence. Guided sightseeing includes the magnificent CATHEDRAL, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistry’s "Gate of Paradise," and sculpture-studded Signoria Square. The highlight: Michelangelo’s David in the ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS. Afternoon free to relax or to find out more about Florence’s artistic wealth. Optional dinner at a Tuscan restaurant. (BB)

Day 6 Florence-Lake Maggiore**. First stop is the great port city of Genoa to see Christopher Columbus’ birthplace and the Flower Monument. Next is dynamic Milan with its Gothic DUOMO, glass-domed GALLERIA, and famed Scala Opera House. On to Lake Maggiore, one of Italy’s most beautiful areas. Spend two nights at your elegant resort. (BB,D)

Day 7 Lake Maggiore**. A restful day to sleep in, join the locals in a lakeside promenade, catch up on your postcards, or participate in an optional excursion to the Baroque palace and peacock gardens of enchanting Isola Bella (open Mar. 27 - Oct. 24, subject to change). (BB,D)

Day 8 Lake Maggiore**-Lugano, Switzerland-Venice, Italy. Morning visit to Lugano in the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland.
A leisurely break to stroll along the lake, window shop the refined Via Nassa, or sip an espresso on the main piazza. East to Verona, medieval setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, to see Juliet’s Balcony and the picturesque market square. Tonight you reach Venice, deemed by some the most romantic city in the world. (BB)

Day 9 Venice. Glide by private boat along the Giudecca Canal to meet your resident expert. Highlights of your walking tour are ST. MARK’S SQUARE and the BYZANTINE BASILICA, lavish DOGES’ PALACE, and the Bridge of Sighs. Then watch VENETIAN GLASS BLOWERS fashion their delicate objects in the age-old manner. Later discover Venice at your own pace or take an optional gondola ride. (BB,D)

Day 10 Venice-Ravenna-Assisi. Follow the sparkling Adriatic coast to Ravenna to see the mosaics in the 6th-century BASILICA OF ST. APOLLINARIS IN CLASSE. Afternoon arrival in Assisi to visit the massive
13th-century lower BASILICA OF ST. FRANCIS. Then time to take in this peaceful town on your own. (BB,D)

Day 11 Assisi-Pompeii-Sorrento. Today visit POMPEII, the Roman city both destroyed and preserved by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Overnight in the charming, bayside resort of Sorrento. (BB)

Day 12 Sorrento. Excursion to Capri. Glide across the blue bay to the beautiful Isle of Capri. A local guide takes you to the shimmering BLUE GROTTO (weather permitting; otherwise visit VILLA SAN MICHELE in Anacapri) and to pretty Capri village. Time to explore at your own pace before returning to Sorrento. The remainder of the day is at leisure. (BB)

Day 13 Sorrento-Rome. On your way to Rome, stop in Cassino for a visit to the ABBEY OF MONTECASSINO. Tonight consider saying “Arrivederci” to your traveling companions at an optional festive dinner in one of Rome’s fine restaurants. (BB)

Day 14 Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (BB)

Extend Your Tour in Sorrento
Tour ZIE: 19 days

Days 1 to 12 (Mon. to Fri.) Like tour ZI.

Days 13 to 17 Sorrento. (Sat. to Wed.) Few locations in the world match the special charm of Sorrento. A favorite with the international jet set, this resort on the Bay of Naples boasts an exquisite climate, beautiful beaches, trendy boutiques, interesting museums and galleries, and a vibrant nightlife. It’s all yours for five relaxing days. (BB daily).

Day 18 Sorrento-Rome. (Thu.) A fast and easy transfer back to Rome. (BB)

Day 19 (Fri.) Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (BB)

Host service days 13-19.

Your hotel in Sorrento is the first-class Conca Park set in a quiet and peaceful location. The hotel is close to the center of Sorrento, which can be easily reached on foot. All bedrooms have a balcony, private bath/shower and toilet, hairdryer, satellite television, and phone. Facilities also include an American bar.

Included Features

ROME Sightseeing with local guide including headsets, visit St. Peter's Square & Basilica, Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel, Colosseum & Roman Forum, PISA Orientation & picture stop at the Leaning Tower, FLORENCE Sightseeing with local guide including headsets, visit the Cathedral & Michelangelo's David (Mondays - visit Palazzo Vecchio), GENOA Orientation including picture stops at Columbus' birthplace & Flower Monument, MILAN Orientation including the Galleria & the Duomo, LUGANO (Switzerland) Orientation, VERONA Orientation including picture stops at Juliet's Balcony & the Arena, VENICE Private boat ride, glassblowers' demonstration, sightseeing with local guide including headsets, visit St. Mark's Square & Basilica, Doges' Palace, RAVENNA Visit the Basilica of St. Apollinaris in Classe, ASSISI Orientation & visit St. Francis' Basilica, POMPEII Visit the excavations with local guide including headsets, CAPRI Boat ride, visit the Blue Grotto (if closed: Villa San Michele in Anacapri) with a local expert, MonteCASSINO Visit the Abbey (tour ZI only)

SCENIC HIGHLIGHTS: Tuscany, Italian-Swiss Lake District, Adriatic coast, Apennine Mountains, Bay of Naples

MEALS: Buffet breakfast (BB) daily; 6 three-course dinners (D) (departures 0106-0330 and 1102-0329: 5 three-course dinners), including a special welcome dinner with wine

AIRPORT TRANSFERS are included if Globus issues the tickets

INSIDE VISITS as shown in UPPERCASE in the tour description, including admission charges where applicable

STANDARD INCLUDED FEATURES

Quality Hotels

ROME Albani (F) or Cicerone (SF) or Crowne Plaza St. Peter’s (F) or
Jolly Midas (F) or Melia Roma Aurelia Antica (F) or Starhotel Michelangelo (SF), FLORENCE Grand Hotel Majestic (F), LAKE MAGGIORE Grand Hotel Bristol (F) at Stresa or Starhotel Ritz (F) at Milan (0103-0328 & 1031-0327), VENICE Ambasciatori (F) at Mestre, ASSISI San Francesco, SORRENTO Conca Park (F) or Grand Hotel Cesare Augusto (F) or Corallo (F).

Departure Date	Tour Start Date	Return Date	Air Incl. Price	Land Price
3/31/2006	4/1/2006	4/13/2006	$2,749.00	$2,189.00
4/3/2006	4/4/2006	4/16/2006	TBD*	$2,189.00
4/7/2006	4/8/2006	4/20/2006	TBD*	$2,189.00
4/10/2006	4/11/2006	4/23/2006	TBD*	$2,189.00
4/12/2006	4/13/2006	4/25/2006	TBD*	$2,189.00
4/14/2006	4/15/2006	4/27/2006	TBD*	$2,189.00
4/15/2006	4/16/2006	4/28/2006	TBD*	$2,189.00
4/17/2006	4/18/2006	4/30/2006	TBD*	$2,189.00
4/19/2006	4/20/2006	5/2/2006	TBD*	$2,199.00
4/21/2006	4/22/2006	5/4/2006	TBD*	$2,199.00

US$ 2006 price details

Airfares are based on departure from New York.
Departure/arrival taxes and fares from other cities will be advised at the time of booking.
Single room supplement: ZI $438.
Triple room reduction per person: ZI $49.

Extra nights per person in Rome:
ZI/ZIE:
Jan.-Apr.'06: in single room $198, in twin room $142, in triple room $123;
May'06-Apr.'07: in single room $212, in twin room $155, in triple room $123.

Our volume buying power saves you money!
-We may be able to provide you with flight arrangements from your gateway city.
-Additional accommodations before or after your tour may be available at our low prices.

Departure/arrival taxes and fares from other cities will be advised at the time of booking.

Price Guarantee: All vacation prices are based on rates (including foreign exchange rates) expected to be in effect at the time of departure. Prices are subject to increase without notice if such rates change prior to departure. The current price will be confirmed at the time of reservation. However, once Globus has received your deposit for any vacation departing during the current year, that land price is guaranteed, and any subsequent land cost increases are at our expense, not including any government tax increases. Airfares included as part of air-inclusive vacation prices are guaranteed when we receive confirmation of air itinerary and full payment. Vacation prices are per person, based on double occupancy. Single room supplements and triple room reductions may be applicable.

Not included in the tour price: Federal Inspection Fees for the U.S. Customs and immigration; International Air Transportation Tax; agricultural tax; any other taxes; security fee; airport taxes and fees; passports; visas and vaccinations; tips to your tour director; tour host; tour driver; local city guides; gratuities on ferries, trains and cruise ships; laundry; telephone; mini bar; alcohol; beverages and food not on the regular table d'hôte menu (these extra items will be billed to you before leaving the hotel or restaurant); optional excursions; porterage at airports; travel protection; excess baggage fees; all other items of a personal nature.