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    14 Days Mediterranean Spring Magic package from $9,357pp $7,299pp after Getaway Cash travel credits:

    • Return flights
    • 4 nights Rome and Florence
    • Vatican and Pisa tours
    • All-inclusive 7-night Mediterranean cruise
    • Ocean-view stateroom
    • Airport transfers
    • Train journey along the Cinque Terre coast
    • Hotel breakfasts and more

    Save up to 22% off full retail value.

    Make a date to visit the Colosseum
    Make a date to visit the Colosseum
    • Make a date to visit the Colosseum
    • Train to Genoa
      One of the world's most scenic train trips
    • Valetta, Malta
    • Marseille bouillabaisse restaurant
      Marseille is famous for this delicious seafood dish
    • You'll visit the Sistine Chapel, Vatican, Rome
    • Genoa, Piazza de Ferrari fountain
    • The Colosseum in Rome, a must see
    • Hotel room Rome
    • Restaurant area of our recommended Rome hotel
      This hotel is central to most of the main attractions
    • One of the Mediterranean cruise ships
    • Cruise map
      The darker colours are the land masses. The cruise starts and finishes in Genoa.
    • Florence, Italy
    • Visit Pisa when you are staying in Florence
    • Genoa, Italy
    • Trevi Fountain, Rome

    FULL RETAIL VALUE: $9,357pp. YOU PAY FROM $7,199, SAVE UP TO $2,058pp.

    BOOKING ENQUIRY

    Trip Highlights

    You’ll start in Rome, see the Vatican highlights and immerse yourself in La Dolce Vita, take a train to Florence to discover amazing art and culture and that’s just the start of this 14-day wonderful European adventure that takes in some of the top places to visit around the Mediterranean. While the weather from Spring through the Autumn is almost invariably ideal, even in the winter months the weather is generally very mild so you have a wide choice of times to visit.

    Trip highlights*:

    • Stay two nights in Rome and skip-the-line to visit St Peter’s and the Sistine Chapel
    • Do as the Romans do and try our evening walk itinerary
    • Take a train to Florence where you spend two nights
    • Visit the leaning tower of Pisa
    • Take a train to Genoa in Italy’s north and spend a night before your cruise
    • Embark on a 7-night first-class cruise around the Mediterranean staying in an ocean-view cabin
    • Visit four different countries including Spain and Malta
    • Fly back to Rome for one last night before your trip back to Australia

    * Various itinerary options are available. See full itinerary for details. Package price varies according to season and departure city.

    Global Escapes Travel

    In the style of most Global Escapes Independent Traveler itineraries, this is a perfect blend of self-guided adventure and forward-planning to ensure that the main elements are organised in advance allowing for plenty of time to relax and take in each place you visit.

    Package Pricing

    FULL RETAIL VALUE

    $9,357pp

    SAVINGS APPLIED

    -$2,058

    YOU PAY FROM*

    $7,299

    SAVING OFF FULL RETAIL VALUE (UP TO): 22%

    Discover the Travel Club Advantage

    Australian Escapes has been saving members money on their holidays now for over 20 years and we can do the same for you. You can start today for FREE!

    • Group buying power

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    • No risk free trial, cancel anytime, invest a few dollars to save potentially $'000's.

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    * All prices are per-person on a twin-share basis and bookings are subject to availability. The final price and deposit amount varies according to travel date. All prices are estimates only. A firm quote (travel plan) with payment terms will be submitted for consideration prior to agreement to proceed. Full booking terms and conditions are available HERE...

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    Inclusions

    "There is nowhere else on earth where one can cruise to so many different countries within a short period of time and to sample as many flavours, cultures and retrace the footsteps of history as one can in the Mediterranean."

    After spending a few days in Italy, you embark on a wonderful 7-night Mediterranean cruise. From the comfort of your floating resort, you’ll be taking in grand cultural sights, picturesque villages, sunny beaches and regional cuisines. The Mediterranean has numerous advantages over other cruising areas, with its diversity of cultures, peoples, languages and history. Nowhere else can such an array of culture and history be found in such a relatively small area.

    This is a first-class travel itinerary that's fully flexible. Want more or fewer days or you want to include a special destination or activity? No problem, we’ll customise a travel plan for you.

    Package inclusions:

    • Flight to Rome from Australia
    • Round-trip airport transfers in Rome
    • 2 nights' top-class accommodation in central Rome
    • Vatican tour including Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica and Vatican Museums
    • First class train ride to Florence
    • 2 nights top-class accommodation in central Florence
    • Half-day tour of Pisa
    • First class train ride to Genoa
    • 7-night, all-inclusive cruise from Genoa (Ocean view cabin)
    • Flight to Rome, afternoon free
    • 1 night top-class accommodation in central Rome
    • Flight back to Australia
    • Lonely Planet guide for Italy
    • No fees to alter the itinerary (you just pay for the adjusted itinerary)
    • Comprehensive, printed itinerary
    • Personal travel consultant

    This itinerary is fully customisable to suit your requirements. Add comprehensive, best-in-class, travel insurance for just $199 per person* valued at over $600 per couple.

    Carefully selected accommodation:

    Hotel standards

    Read about our accommodation rating standards and the methods used to assess quality.

    Fully customisable:

    This itinerary is fully customisable to suit your requirements. Your personal travel consultant is available to discuss changes and additions that will enhance your travel experience.

    Special value:

    Lonely Planet Logo

    Lonely Planet is renowned for its first-hand approach, up-to-date maps and commitment to providing the best information for travelers. Lonely Planet authors are experienced, insightful travel experts. They personally research the places they write about - both in the first and in subsequent editions - and provide essential travel details along with a wealth of insider information and first-hand tips.

    Italy

    You will receive this guide to help you gain the most out of your holiday. Recommendation: Take the time to read suggestions for things to see and do before you leave home. Take your Lonely Planet guide with you in your luggage.


    * All prices are per-person on a twin-share basis and bookings are subject to availability. Price and deposit amount varies according to travel date. If flights are shown as included then a flight cost provision (allowance) applies and is based on travel from Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. Travel can be arranged from any other major centre and for any number of people. All prices shown are estimates only. A firm quote (travel plan) with payment terms will be submitted for consideration prior to agreement to proceed. Total price after member discount (using Getaway Cash travel credits and Australian Escapes Free Flights Vouchers if applicable) is generally payable as follows: Deposit on booking, balance 120 days prior to departure. Packages can be priced for families and groups on request. Standard price and full retail value comparisons are with similar packages offered elsewhere or what we estimate would be payable by a non-member for the same or similar package and may include a value we define for specialty travel agency services. Travel insurance if included is a provision only and may be declined on requestTravel insurance pricing if stated is based on comprehensive travel insurance for two travellers aged 69 years or less as at the date of departure from Australia. No recommendations or advice are given in regard to travel insurance suitability. Travel Directions Pty Ltd (t/as Australian Escapes Holiday & Travel Club) standard booking terms and conditions apply to all booking enquiries and bookings and are available here to view (or visit our website and go to either the "Booking Enquiry" or "About Us" menu item.)

    Your Itinerary

    If you have never been to Italy before, or you would like to return and do a Mediterranean cruise, this could be an excellent value holiday for you. We’ll take care of all the details so you’ll have a smooth-running travel experience. Consider extending your stay to take in the South of France. We recommend three nights in Nice, France with day tours to St. Tropez, Cannes and Monte Carlo.

    "A person susceptible to "wanderlust" is not so much addicted to movement as committed to transformation." - Pico Iyer

    DAY 1: AUSTRALIA - ROME (2 NIGHTS)

    Welcome to the ancient city of Rome. When you arrive you'll be met by your transfer driver who will take you to your central Rome hotel. Depending on your arrival time, this could be a great opportunity to head to Piazza Navona for your first Italian meal. 2 nights central Rome, breakfast.

    DAY 2: ROME

    “A heady mix of haunting ruins, awe-inspiring art and vibrant street life, Italy’s hot-blooded capital is one of the world’s most romantic and inspiring cities.” Lonely Planet

    The result of 3000 years of ad hoc urban development, Rome's cityscape is an exhilarating spectacle. Ancient icons such as the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Pantheon recall the city’s golden age as caput mundi (capital of the world). Few cities can rival Rome's astonishing artistic heritage. The result is a city awash with priceless treasures.

    A trip to Rome is as much about lapping up the dolce vita lifestyle as immersing yourself in art and culture. Idling around picturesque streets, whiling away hours at streetside cafes, people-watching on pretty piazzas – these are all an integral part of the Roman experience. Eating out is one of Rome's great pleasures and the combination of romantic alfresco settings and superlative food is a guarantee of good times.


    You'll visit the Sistine Chapel, Vatican, Rome

    Slip through a special, reserved entrance to experience the wonders and history of the Vatican first hand. With a small group and an expert guide, marvel at the majestic interiors of St. Peter's Basilica, gaze up at the timeless frescoes of the Sistine Chapel's famous ceiling, and admire High Renaissance paintings in the Raphael Rooms.

    DAY 3: ROME - FLORENCE (2 NIGHTS)

    Today you'll embark on the 1 hour 45 minute train journey to Florence (Firenze). Trains are not only a relaxing way to see Italy, they are possibly the fastest means of travel after flying, and you get to see some of the country along the way. After checking into your Florence hotel, you'll have your first opportunity to wander the streets of this charming city. There's a lot to see and your Lonely Planet guide will help you make the most of your first day here.

    “Cradle of the Renaissance, romantic, enchanting and utterly irresistible, Florence (Firenze) is a place to feast on world-class art and gourmet Tuscan cuisine.” Lonely Planet

    Few cities are so compact size or so packed with extraordinary art and architecture masterpieces at every turn. The urban fabric of this small city, on the banks of the Arno river in northeastern Tuscany, has hardly changed since the Renaissance and its narrow cobbled streets are a cinematic feast of elegant 15th- and 16th-century palazzi (palaces), medieval candle-lit chapels, fresco-decorated churches, marble basilicas and world-class art museums brimming with paintings and sculptures by Botticcelli, Michelangelo et al. Italy's fashion industry was also born and bred here. If you want to buy an Italian Leather jacket you would visit Peruzzi Leather for the biggest range at the best prices.

    DAY 4: FLORENCE - PISA - FLORENCE


    Visit Pisa when you are staying in Florence

    Leave Florence behind and see Pisa’s cultural and historical highlights on this 5-hour tour. Learn about the city's mysterious origins as you stroll around the glorious Square of Miracles (Piazza dei Miracoli) and don’t miss your opportunity to pose for photos by the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.

    DAY 5: FLORENCE - GENOA

    Today we leave Florence and travel by train to Genoa in Italy's north. The train trip itself takes in some marvellous scenery along the Cinque Terre coast and ranks as one of the world's most scenic train trips.


    Train to Genoa

    Whilst in Genoa you can explore the old town with its' museums and art galleries. The Acquario di Genova is the city’s pride and joy, parked like a giant ocean liner on the waterfront, with seventy tanks housing sea creatures from all the world’s major habitats, including the world’s biggest reconstruction of a Caribbean coral reef. You can also take a day trip to Portofino, tucked into a protected inlet surrounded by lush cypress- and olive-clad slopes. It’s an A-list resort with lots of natural beauty and a big heart.

    DAY 6: GENOA - CRUISE DEPARTURE

    Today you'll have free time after hotel check-out to visit parts of Geno that you still have on your list. You can board the cruise ship from around 3pm for 6pm departure. The following itinerary is subject to change.

    DAY 7: CIVITAVECCHIA

    During your visit to Civitavecchia you can easily walk to the city centre. Amongst the most important monuments to visit are the Forte Michelangelo, built by Bramante in the 16th century. Civitavecchia’s main square is a typical Italian piazza with a fountain in the centre. There you can enjoy the local seafood cuisine, from poached baby octopus to fried rocket to stuffed squid or the pizza alla civitavecchiese with anchovies and garlic.

    DAY 8: PALERMO, SICILY

    With Sicily’s greatest concentration of sights, and the biggest historic centre in Italy bar Rome, Palermo is a complex, multilayered port that can easily feel overwhelming if you try to do or see too much in one Mediterranean cruise visit. The best thing to do here is just to wander as the fancy takes you, sifting through Palermo’s jumbled layers of crumbling architecture, along deserted back alleys, then suddenly emerging in the midst of an ebullient street market.

    DAY 9: VALETTA, MALTA


    Valetta, Malta

    You can admire this port from your ship even before disembarking. The over 300 monuments rising in little more than half a square kilometre make this a place with one of the greatest density of historical attractions to visit during a cruise, not mentioning other attractions such as its beaches, seaside locales and restaurants. An excursion to the island can start right from its capital, Valletta, which enchants the cruise-goer with its famous Maltese balconies, which decorate the facades of houses in its old quarter. Surrounded by a multitude of churches, which the islanders assure are as many as the days of the year, the St. John’s Co-Cathedral is one of Malta’s biggest tourist attractions.

    DAY 10: AT SEA

    Time to take advantage of the ship's facilities, entertainment and activities. Or just do not much at all.

    DAY 11: BARCELONA

    A visit in Barcelona can start with the Ramblas, and then dive straight into the medieval nucleus of the city, the Barri Gotic. But there are plenty of other central old-town neighbourhoods to explore too, from La Ribera – home to the celebrated Museu Picasso – to funky El Raval.

    Even if you think you know these neighbourhoods, there’s always something else to discover during an excursion – tapas bars hidden down alleys little changed for a century or two, designer boutiques in renovated old-town quarters, bargain lunches in workers’ taverns, unmarked gourmet restaurants, craft outlets and workshops, fin-de-siècle cafés, restored medieval palaces and neighbourhood markets.

    DAY 12: MARSEILLE


    Marseille bouillabaisse restaurant

    Marseilles is a 2000-year-old port city rising above the sandy shores of the Côte d’Azure to take in the artsy, old world charm of its opera house and its many museums and galleries. Be sure to try a steaming bowl of bouillabaisse—filled to the brim with today’s catch—and enjoy the same seaside view once admired by Impressionists like Pierre-August Renoir and Paul Cézanne. While walking the cobblestone streets, be sure to enjoy the quietude of the Basilique de Nôtre-Dame de la Garde, the city’s 150-year-old cathedral, before making your way over to the Old Port for a stroll.

    DAY 13: GENOA

    Every great holiday must come to an end and you'll be left with so many memories of the diverse places and cutures you have experienced. The cruise ship docks at 8am and disembarkation starts around mid-morning. Later you'll catch a flight back to Rome where you'll spend one more night in this delightful city.

    DAY 14: FLIGHT BACK TO AUSTRALIA

    Today we depart Europe. Alternatively you could extend your stay and visit other parst of Italy or France. For your return to Australia, consider a stop-over in Singapore or Dubai to break the trip.

    This will have been one of your favourite holidays; affordable, comprehensive and diverse.

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