Not content with selling out many of their previous deals, that amazing Italian tour operator based in Illinois, Tourcrafters, is still at it. Through March 31, 2003, they have a Venice Spring Special at $682 per person when four share a three-star, two-bedroom apartment for five nights. That works out to $136 per person, per night, including the roundtrip airfare from five east coast U.S. cities.
The special flight is on mid-week Lufthansa departures from New York, Newark, Boston, Philadelphia or Washington, D.C. (Airport taxes of $115 per person are not included and there is a weekend travel surcharge of $25 per person.)
The apartments are located on the first and second floors of a restored building located in the central zone of Dorsoduro, not far from the Ca'Rezzonico vaporetto (motorboat) stop and the Accademia. The building faces the Campo Angelo Raffaele and the back of the 16th-century Church of San Sebastiano (the latter with its paintings by Veronese). The modernized apartments have foyer, living room, fully-equipped kitchen (with microwave and freezer), two bedrooms and a bathroom with shower, washing machine and hairdryer. Upgrades to grander four-star and even five-star apartments are possible for an extra charge.
Through March 15, 2003, there's a five-night Rome Special, costing $599 and including roundtrip air from New York, Newark and Boston, lodging in a three-star hotel, daily breakfast and hotel service charges and taxes. The five-night Florence Special is similar, also costing $599 and the same provisions as for Rome.
Land-only bargains to Rome, Florence, Naples and Sicily are also available. Each covers five nights of lodging, daily breakfast and hotel service charges and fees. Packages for Naples and Sicily are valid until March 31, 2003.
All prices given are per person, double occupancy (except the Venice apartments, quadruple occupancy), do not include airport taxes and are subject to availability. First come, first served!
Phone TourCrafters at 800/482-5995, www.tourcrafters.com, or e-mail them at info@tourcrafters.com.