You can start from New York, with air-inclusive rates, from $2,330 per person, sharing a double room, and there are add-on prices from other major cities. The $2,330 works out to $194.17 per person per day, not bad for the value you receive on this Road to Rome. What you get is a 14-day escorted trip from London, with stopovers in Paris, Lucerne, Venice and Florence. The price includes sightseeing or orientation tours in all six cities, a tour director tagging along, travel on a "Super Highdeck" (which means you can see absolutely everything as you sail along) air-conditioned motorcoach, and lodgings in centrally located first-class hotels, with service charges, taxes and porterage all included. You also get two continental breakfasts, ten enhanced (or buffet) breakfasts, five special-menu dinners (or buffets), plus tea or coffee as well as a special dinner with entertainment in Rome.
One highlight of the tour is a ride on the world's steepest cogwheel railroad, up Mount Pilatus in Switzerland. Also, you will cruise along Venice's romantic canals in a gondola on arrival there. In addition to seeing most of the top tourist targets en route (for instance, Michelangelo's statue of David in Florence), you will have quite a bit of free time in order to explore these cities at your own pace. An example of the hotels used is the Grand Hotel Principe, situated right on Venice's Grand Canal, rated four-stars by the Italian government.
For more information and to make reservations, contact your local travel agent. To look at Insight's portfolio of more than 80 escorted tours in 2002, including journeys throughout the UK and Ireland, Switzerland, Spain, Germany, France, the Eastern Mediterranean and even some throughout North America, go to their Web site, www.inusa.insightvacations.com.
