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Saturday, October 12. (D*). DEPART FROM HOME TO MILAN
Depart this evening aboard any airline of your choice to Milan, Italy. Dinner and light breakfast served on the plane.
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Sunday, October 13. (B,D). MILAN
Upon arrival at Milan International Airport, take a taxi to the centrally located luxury GRAND HOTEL et de MILAN, where you will stay three nights. Afternoon free. This evening we meet in the lobby of the hotel for a briefing and Gala Welcome dinner at “ Casa Lodi” a gourmet restaurant.
Milan has its origin from Celtic Settlements, which were subdued by the romans in 222 B.C.. In 312 A.D. Emperor Constantine published the Edict of Milan making Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire. On Christmas day , 800 A.D, Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne as the Holy Roman Emperor in the `Cathedral of Milan.
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Monday, October 14. (B). MILAN
This morning we will visit the Milan Cathedral, an exemplary Gothic-floral architecture full of precious sculptures and gleaming stained-glass windows, is the symbolic monument of Milan which reflects six centuries of the city’s history, from the Visconti era to recent times. Continuation of the visit we will be walking through the sumptuous galleria Vittorio Emanuele until we reach the La Scala theater and the gardens of the Sforza castle.
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Tuesday, October 15.(B). MILAN
Today we will do a general sightseeing in Milan by bus. First stop will be “Casa Verdi”. A visit to Casa Verdi is an unique experience. You immerse yourself in the memories of a residence that has a thousand lives to tell. Not only that of Giuseppe Verdi and his wife with their personal objects, furnishing, art collection and their respective tombs, but also those of the guests who have lived here in over a century of history. This evening we will see the opera DER ROSENKAVALIER by Richard Strauss at the world’s renown opera house Teatro La Scala.
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Wednesday, October 16. (B,L,D) MILAN – CREMONA – PARMA
Morning departure for Cremona where we will have a guided tour of the most evocative corners of the city, the Piazza del Comune, the real glory of the medieval and municipal city, which collects an extraordinary concentration of historic buildings such as the cathedral of Gothic layout with Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque additions, the baptistery, octagonal in shape, certainly one of the most beautiful sacred monuments of Cremona, brought back to its former glory by a restoration that lasted over 30 years, the Torazzo, the tallest bell tower in Italy (111m) and symbol of the city, the Museo del violin, in which you can admire famous instruments by Antonio Stradivari, including “il cremonese violin” from 1715. Light lunch will be served in a traditional trattoria. Late afternoon arrival in Parma where we stay at the centrally located STENDHAL / GRAND HOTEL DE LA VILLE for five nights.
PARMA was founded by the Etruscans in 525 BC. It became a roman station on Via Emilia in 183 BC and flourished under the French Bourbon rulers in the 18th and 19th centuries. Today it is famous for its prosciutto (ham), cheese, architecture, music, and the surrounding countryside. The most famous person in the musical world we know of Arturo Toscanini was born here.
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Thursday, October 17. (B,D) PARMA
This morning we do an orientation sightseeing tour by foot. Near our hotel are the magnificent Duomo with its Correggio cupola and the Baptistery by Benedetto Antelami, one of the most important Medieval monuments in Europe with a facade of pink Verona Marble and its beautifully painted ceiling. We will also visit the spectacular Teatro Farnese. This evening we will see the opera MACBETH by Verdi at Teatro Regio. During the interval we will serve you a light dinner at the Caffe del Teatro with wine.
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Friday October 18. (B). PARMA
This morning we are in for a very special treat – a private reception with appetizer at the Club Verdi dei 27. (Parma’s Verdi fan club extraordinaire) an amazing experience for Verdi Opera Lovers. Afternoon at leisure. This evening we will see the opera UN BALLON IN MASCHERA at Teatro Verdi in Busseto.
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Saturday, October 19. (B,D). VERDI SITES - PARMA
This morning we drive west to see Verdi sites. Verdi’s birthhouse in Le Roncole, Casa Barezzi, the home of Verdi’s first sponsor Antonio Barezzi, Teatro Giuseppe Verdi and villa Verdi and Saint‘Agata where he built an elegant home with extensive ground and planted exotic trees. This evening we will attend MESSA DA REQUIEM at Teatro Regio including dinner.
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Sunday, October 20. (B). PARMA
As we have an early performance of the opera LA BATTAGLIA DI LEGNANO by Verdi at Teatro Regio starting at 3:30 PM, this morning is free. Your tour manager will be around for suggestion how to spend this morning.
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Monday, October 21. (B,L). PARMA – MODENA – BOLOGNA
We'll depart from Parma in the morning and travel by deluxe bus to Modena. There, we'll embark on a brief walking tour. Modena is renowned for its Balsamic Vinegar, so we'll visit a farmhouse to witness the production process, followed by a light lunch. Afterward, we'll head to Casa Museo Pavarotti. Our journey will then take us to Bologna, where we'll check in at the charming Royal Carlton Hotel, where you'll stay three nights.
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Tuesday, October 22, (B,L) BOLOGNA – RAVENNA – BOLOGNA
A full-day excursion will be made to visit Ravenna which is among the eight early Christian monuments of the city on the World Heritage List. We will see the most beautiful of them decorated in gold-plated colored ceramic tiles, the Basilica Placida of San Vitale, Arian Baptistry and the museum of Gala Placidia. We will also visit the tomb of the great Italian poet Dante, who came here after he was banned from Florence. Light lunch en route.
RAVENNA remained the capital of the Western Roman Empire until 455 A.D., when Rome again became the center, only to have the Western Empire come to an end under the invasion by the barbarians. However, the eastern Byzantium (now Istanbul) and Ravenna were recaptured by forces of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian. It was during this period that the famous churches were built here, and they contain the finest surviving Byzantine mosaics in the world.
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Wednesday, October 23, (B,D) BOLOGNA
Morning sightseeing of this city, built predominantly of red bricks, to include Piazza Major, Neptune’s Fountain, the Basilica of San Potronio and the two very tall leaning towers rising above the old buildings nearby. We visit the University of Bologna to see the operation theater where medicine was first taught in the Western World. Afternoon at leisure. This evening we will have our gala farewell dinner in a gourmet restaurant.
BOLOGNA is one of Italy’s oldest cultural cities. The Etruscans settled it before the Romans got there in 189 BC, followed by barbaric tribes, the Huns and the Lombard’s. Europe’s oldest university was founded here in 1088 and it had the honor of having the first woman as a professor. She was said to be so beautiful, that she lectured from behind a screen, so as not to distract the students.
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Thursday, October 24, (B) BOLGNA BACK HOME
We will assist you with arranging your transport to Bologna International airport for your flight back home. Arrivederci. See you soon on another HAT Tour.
* B-Breakfast, L-Lunch, D-Dinner (including wine)
Departure: October 12, 2024 - 13 Days
Return: October 24, 2024
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