January 25 is the deadline for making your decision regarding the excursion to Rome on our free day. There will be a few members of our group who opt out of the trip to Rome. They will be making alternative plans for that day, and you may choose to join them if you wish. The trip to Rome will take the full day and, providing we have at least twenty people who choose to take the trip, it will cost $100. That price will include your transportation to and from Rome, the services of a local guide, and all entrance fees and tips. Like the rest of the group, persons traveling to Rome will be responsible for the cost of lunch and dinner that day. I will be accompanying the group to Rome. Here is the tentative itinerary for the trip to Rome:
The tour begins with a visit to St. Peter's Basilica. Highlights include both the colonnade and the Baldachhino (Altarpiece) designed by Bernini and Michelangelo's Pieta. Then you will take a tour of "ancient Rome" that takes you to the Roman Forum, the political center during the Roman Republic, the triumphal Arch of Constantine, the Arch of Titus, and the Coliseum, the largest amphitheater built in the Roman Empire. Finally, you will enjoy a walking tour of Rome that includes some of Rome's most famous monuments such as the Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, and the Spanish Steps. Following the walking tour, you will return to Montecatini. You will also have whisper earphones during your tour. You will be responsible for lunch on your own.
