Perillo Tours 2024

Piazza Navona, Rome in today’s walking tour will be Campo dei Fiori – a Piazza with the most famous market in the old center of Rome. Finally, we will stop to see the grand Palazzo Farnese, one of the most important High Renaissance palaces in Rome. Owned by the Italian Republic, it was given to the French government in 1936 and currently serves as the French embassy in Italy. (No entry.) After all this walking, we’ll be exhausted! Luckily our bus will pick us up and dop us off close to the hotel. You’ll have some free time to freshen up before dinner out at a local restaurant. DAY 5 • ROME » SIENA CITY TOUR » FLORENCE » DINNER IN HOTEL MONDAY: After a hearty breakfast, we’ll enjoy a ride through the Tuscan countryside. We will arrive in Siena for guided tour accompanied by your private guide, you will stroll through the old city which looks like a fascinating maze of alleys that rise and fall and intersect with super picturesque squares allowing you to experience something truly unique. The guide will show you the oldest bank in the world, the network of medieval alleys and many hidden treasures and will enchant you with an unforgettable visit to the Duomo with its refined Gothic architecture, treasures, and masterpieces. The Cathedral of Siena is one of the greatest examples of Italian Romanesque-Gothic architecture and it is said that the great composer Richard Wagner, seeing the Cathedral of Siena for the first time, was moved to tears. Once inside, you will be overwhelmed by the amount of art and beauty hidden within this treasure chest as well as its wonderful marble floor which is a unique example in the history of art. Than we will proceed for Florence known as the “Cradle of the Renaissance,” and for good reason. The city was home to some of the most important artists, thinkers, and patrons of the Renaissance, including Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Botticelli. Tonight, we’ll enjoy dinner in our hotel. A toast ( un brindisi ) to Florence and new friends! DAY 6 • FLORENCE » CITY TOUR » GREVE IN CHIANTI » OLIVE OIL TASTING TUESDAY: This morning, we’ll head out on a city tour of Florence. We will visit the famed Accademia Gallery, best known as the home of Michelangelo’s sculpture: the David, but also home to other sculptures by Michelangelo. Our sightseeing today includes the majestic Duomo built in 1296, Giotto’s Bell Tower and the Baptistery with its renowned “Gates of Paradise” doors. We follow the medieval streets to the most striking square in Florence, Piazza della Signoria, home of Santa Croce Church, Michelangelo’s final resting place. This afternoon, we take a ride to Greve in Chianti, a medieval town with a famous triangular-shape piazza which for centuries, has been the location for the Saturday market. Just a few minutes from the center, this countryside is full of vineyards and olive groves , lined with small medieval villages and castles. Next, we’ll visit one of Tuscany’s top producers of olive oil, Pruneti. Five generations of the Pruneti family have been farming in these hills for over 150 years and today their focus is olive oil production. We’ll enjoy an olive oil tasting and learn about the process of producing olive oil. Tonight, you’ll be able to enjoy dinner on your own. Make sure to try “ Pappa al Pomodoro ”, a rustic Tuscan soup made with tomatoes, garlic, onions, and of course Tuscan bread. DAY 7 • FLORENCE » SAN GIMIGNANO » TRUFFLE HUNT » OLIVE OIL & WINE TASTING » COOKING CLASS & DINNER WEDNESDAY: Today, we will drive through the beautiful rolling hills of Chianti for a most unique winery visit. You’ll get to meet our dear friend, Pierluigi Giachi, the world’s most enchanting and entertaining sommelier. First, we’ll start with a truffle hunt: accompanied by a guide with his trained dogs you’ll watch as they skillfully use their noses to find these delicacies. Next, we’ll enjoy an olive oil and wine tasting while taking a fun, hands-on cooking class with a chef. I hope this meal tastes good because it will be served to you for dinner! This will be a truly fun day! DAY 8 • FLORENCE » RENAISSANCE WALKING TOUR » DINNER OUT THURSDAY: This morning, after breakfast, we’ll uncover the secrets of Florence on a guided walking tour. We’ll be transported back in time as we learn about one of the most powerful dynasties of all times, the Medici family. We’ll see Piazza di San Lorenzo where you can see the distinct mixture of Renaissance and Romanesque architecture. Your local guide will share fun facts about how Florence gave birth to the Renaissance. We’ll visit Piazza Ognissanti, originally built in the 13th century to accommodate the large crowds that would gather for sermons and was remodeled in the 19th century and now has a neo-Renaissance style. We’ll also see the Palazzo Strozzi, a Renaissance palace built between 1489 and 1538 and is one of the most important examples of Renaissance architecture in Florence and considered to be one of the most beautiful palaces in the world. Also included in our tour is the Ponte Vecchio – a medieval stone bridge that crosses the Arno River, and Piazza San Firenze, a small square in the historic center of Florence, located behind the Palazzo Vecchio. This afternoon you’ll have free time to enjoy on your own...perhaps some last-minute shopping? Tonight, we’ll enjoy our final dinner together in a restaurant with a special “Renaissance menu.” Be sure to exchange contact info with your new friends! Maybe you’ll all meet again on another Perillo Tour one day! DAY 9 • FLIGHT HOME » FLORENCE » USA FRIDAY: This morning you board your flight home arriving in the USA the same day. Grazie mille for traveling with the Perillo family! • Triple Room deduct $300 pp from the Double Rate. • Kids under 12 sharing with 2 adults deduct $2000 from the Double Rate. DEPART–RETURN (Thur-Fri) PER PERSON IN A DOUBLE SOLO TRAVELER Mar 14-Mar 22 4225 6725 Mar 28-Apr 5 4350 6850 Apr 4-Apr 12 4395 6895 Apr 11-Apr 19 4395 6895 May 2-May 10 4395 6895 May 9-May 17 4395 6895 May 16-May 24 4650 7150 May 30-Jun 7 4650 7150 Jun 6-Jun 14 4650 7150 Jun 20-Jun 28 4650 7150 Jul 4-Jul 12 4650 7150 Jul 11-Jul 19 4575 7075 Aug 22-Aug 30 4575 7075 Aug 29-Sep 6 4575 7075 Sep 5-Sep 13 4650 7150 Sep 12-Sep 20 4650 7150 Sep 19-Sep 27 4650 7150 Oct 3-Oct 11 4650 7150 Oct 17-Oct 25 4450 6950 Oct 24-Nov 1 4450 6950 2024 DATES & LAND -ONLY RATES Save $100 per person if ALL payments are made by check or our new easy online ACH payment. Kids rate does not qualify. See page 33 about our low airfares 1 1