Verona. Verona: Opera, Villas & Gardens with Susie Orso 23rd 27th June The Ultimate Travel Company Escorted Tours

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1 Verona Verona: Opera, Villas & Gardens with Susie Orso 23rd 27th June 2016 The Ultimate Travel Company Escorted Tours

2 Isola del Garda, Lake Garda Verona: Opera, Villas & Gardens with Susie Orso 23rd 27th June 2016 Contact Flora Scott-Williams Direct Line Telephone Fax Susie Orso Susie Orso joined Specialtours (now part of The Ultimate Travel Company) in 1987 and has arranged and accompanied numerous tours for The Art Fund and specialised American groups. She lives in Florence and has developed many private contacts in Italy, along with a faithful following. Susie is bi-lingual in Italian and knows this region very well having organised many tours to this region.

3 Detailed Itinerary The historic city of Verona was founded in the 1st century B.C. and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its carefully preserved architecture and wealth of treasures. It particularly flourished under the rule of the Scaliger family in the 13th and 14th centuries and as part of the Republic of Venice from the 15th to 18th centuries. Verona has preserved a remarkable number of monuments from antiquity, the medieval and Renaissance periods, and represents an outstanding example of a military stronghold. In addition, the city also has a long musical tradition and with its excellent acoustics, the Verona Arena, one of the best preserved amphitheatres of the Roman period, makes it an ideal venue for opera performances. We will be staying at the renowned five-star Hotel Due Torri in the delightful historic centre of Verona. As well as enjoying some of the famous sites of the city, there will be a number of special visits to privately-owned gardens and villas, adding immeasurably to our experience and enjoyment. We will be received privately for drinks, lunches and a dinner and taste regional cuisine and wines. A highlight of this special tour will be two première opera performances - Carmen by Georges Bizet and Aida by Giuseppe Verdi - at the famous Verona Arena. Verona Arena Giardini Giusti, Verona Day 1: Thursday, 23rd June London / Verona Depart London Gatwick on a British Airways mid afternoon flight to Verona. On arrival transfer to the charming five-star Hotel due Torri, situated in the historic centre of Verona, where four nights are spent. Evening drinks on the panoramic terrace followed by dinner at the hotel. Day 2: Friday, 24th June Verona Morning guided walking tour to see the gothic Church of Saint Anastasia, the largest church in Verona; Piazza dei Signori, the former centre of power in Verona and seat of the Scaliger family who ruled in Verona from the 13th to the late 14th century; the Scaliger Tombs, a group of five Gothic funerary monuments celebrating the Scaliger family; Piazza delle Erbe, once the town's forum during the time of the Roman Empire; and the famed spectacular Arena (exterior only) a Roman amphitheatre built in 1st century and one of the best preserved ancient structures of its kind. Continue to visit the picture gallery at Castelvecchio

4 which is the most important military construction of the Scaliger Dynasty that ruled the city in the Middle Ages. Lunch under own arrangements. Remainder of the afternoon at leisure to explore Verona independently. Early dinner at a local restaurant. Enjoy an evening opera performance of the premiere of Carmen by Georges Bizet at the Arena. Return (by foot) to the hotel. Basilica di san Zeno Castelvecchio Day 3: Saturday, 25th June Verona & Negra Morning transfer to the Basilica di San Zeno (also known as San Zeno Maggiore or San Zenone) famous not only for its architecture but also for it s setting of Shakespeare's secret marriage of Romeo and Juliet. Continue to Negrar, and visit the gardens of Poiega of the Villa Guerrieri Rizzardi (by special arrangement with Contessa Orsola Guerrieri Rizzardi). The 17th century gardens are divided into three different areas, the formal parterre garden in front of the Orangerie, the magnificent hornbeam avenue leading to the green theatre and the bosco sacro with its wild stone animals. Wine-tasting and buffet lunch with local delicacies by kind arrangement of the owners. Return to Verona. Remainder of the afternoon at leisure. Dinner under own arrangements. Enjoy an evening opera performance of the premiere of Aida by Giuseppe Verdi at the Arena. Return (by foot) to the hotel. Day 4: Sunday, 26th June Verona & Lake Garda Transfer by coach to Garda. Continue by private boat to Isola del Garda (by special arrangement with Contessa Alberta Cavazza). Visit the spectacular privately owned gardens which occupy the entire island in the middle of the lake. The florid vegetation, the exotic plants, the vast collection of botanical varieties and the architectural features make this a very special garden. Informal light lunch served on the terrace of the Villa, before returning by boat to Garda. Return to Verona. Remainder of the afternoon at leisure. Evening transfer to the elegant 16th century Villa La Valverde, just outside Verona, which is not only surrounded by beautiful gardens but also has its own wine cellar, wine press and private chapel dedicated to San Carlo. Tour of the Villa followed by dinner (by kind arrangement with Maria Grazia da Sacco). Transfer back to the hotel.

5 Villa Guerrieri Rizzardi and the gardens of Poiega, Negrar Villa La Valverde Day 5: Monday, 27th June Verona / Venice / London This morning check-out of your hotel before crossing the Adige River to visit the Giardini Giusti which remains true to its original 16th century design. This is a fine example of a Tuscan formal garden with box hedges, lemon terracotta vases, statuary and a maze. The best view of this sophisticated and serene garden is from the upper wild bosco garden at the far end of the garden. Continue to Mira. Lunch at a local restaurant. Continue to Malcontenta to visit the Villa Fóscari (by special arrangement). Popularly known as La Malcontenta, the villa was designed by Palladio and built between 1550 and 1560 for the Foscari family, descendants of a celebrated doge. The exterior recalls ancient Roman architecture, whilst the interior piano nobile is decorated with fine frescoes by Battista Franco and Zelotti, the latter a colleague of Veronese. The villa is set on a podium overlooking the Brenta river and surrounding parkland. Transfer to Venice Marco Polo Airport for an afternoon British Airways flight arriving at London Gatwick in the early evening.

6 Tour Price COST PER PERSON: 1995 Single supplement: 400 A fee of 95 per person will be charged for those who would like to travel out or back separately from the main group. The tour cost includes: economy class scheduled flights as per the itinerary air passenger duty, passenger service charge, airline security charges, airport taxes and fuel surcharges where applicable - currently (liable to change without notice) accommodation as shown in the itinerary ticket to the premiere of Carmen at the Verona Arena (Poltronissima category) ticket to the premiere of Aida at the Verona Arena (Poltronissima category) breakfast daily; 3 lunches, 3 dinners all visits and excursions as per the itinerary all transportation as detailed in the itinerary all entrance fees gratuities in restaurants gratuities to guides porterage the services of your tour leader throughout The tour cost does NOT include: travel insurance items of personal expenditure (e.g. telephone calls / laundry etc.) government levies or taxes introduced after costing and publication of this programme on 28/07/15 Changes to the Itinerary Please note, that certain elements of this itinerary, and/or the order of events, may well be subject to alteration due to circumstances beyond our control. Fitness to travel Whilst we do not impose any age limitations on joining a tour, participants must be reasonably fit. The very nature of the sightseeing involved in our tours means that a considerable amount of walking and standing is unavoidable on almost all tours. We regret that our tours are not suitable for people who have difficulty in walking, may require wheelchair assistance at any time, or are unable to keep pace with the group. If you are in any doubt as to the suitability of a tour, please make this known to us before you book and we will advise you accordingly. The Ultimate Travel Company reserves the right to decline a reservation without

7 necessarily giving a reason. Your tour leader may also refuse to take participants on particular excursions if they feel that the rest of the group will be held up. Airline Tickets As a tour operator we have access to special airfares. While these offer good value, they do carry certain restrictions applied by the airline. Please ask us for details. Note: If you are thinking about using air miles to upgrade to a premium cabin on the flights, please check with us first as fare restrictions might not permit this. Health Requirements There are no mandatory health requirements for visitors to Italy, and no inoculations are required. Passport and Visa Information Passengers should hold a full passport. British passport holders do not require a visa to visit Italy. Nationals of other countries should consult their local Italian Consulate. Please ensure that your passport is valid for at least six months from the date of entry. FCO Advice Travel advice issued by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office can be viewed at