Bella Italia

Close your books and leave all of your stress behind! Today our route around Italy begins where you will  meet young people from all over the world. We will begin our trip in Madrid, the capital of Spain. Enjoy the trip!

We will begin our optional visit of this incredible spanish capital in the afternoon. During this visit we will see all of the main sites of the city such as Retiro Park, Alcala Gates, Cibeles, Sol and the Plaza Mayor, etc…

Following an intense day enjoying this city we will have some free time to eat dinner and in the evening we will hop on our bus and head towards Barcelona.

Did you know…

• The oldest restaurant in the world is located in Madrid! Casa Botín, founded in 1725, is recognised in the Guiness World Book of Records.
• The Royal Palace has some striking features. With a length of 135,000 square metres, is has become the biggest Royal Palace in Western Europe, and therefore one of the biggest in the world.
• Km O can be found in Puerta del Sol, the central point to all four corners of Spain.
• In Retiro Park, you can find the statue of Satan, one of the few representations of the devil in the world and the only one in Spain. It´s a Monument of the Fallen Angel and is exactly 666 metres above sea level.

After spending the night on the bus travelling across Spain, we will arrive at our next destination, Barcelona, in the early hours of the morning. The good news is you will have the whole day to discover this incredible city. Make sure you explore all of the main sites of the city which are the reason why this city has the title of the most touristic captial of the world. From the Sagrada Familia to Passeig de Gracia, to strolling down the legendary Ramblas and the gothic quarter with its impressive cathedral, you will not be disappointed.

Towards the end of the day we will hop on the ferry and voyage through the Mediterranean sea in oder to start this magical trip around Western Europe. We will spend the night on a beautiful cruise, with all kinds of services at your disposal, all of which will make the journey very enjoyable: a club, videogames room, restaurants, 24h cafes,  pool, gym, health center, casino… So order that gin tonic, and take in that warm mediterranean breeze, this tour has officially begun!

Did you know…

•  The construction of Gaudí’s Sagrada Familia is endless. The builder stated that “God had all the time on the planet to see it completed”. The cathedral is so big and complex that no one knows when and IF it will ever be finished.
• There is a Statue of Liberty in Barcelona, in fact it’s one of only three originals. The most famous one is in New York, another in Paris and in Barcelona, you can find it close to Arch of Triumph, in the Arus Library.
• Passeig de Gracia is an avenue that hosts the main masterpieces of Gaudí, the idol of architecture of XX. century. Be amazed by his famous houses Pedrera and Battló.

After a whole day enjoying the Mediterranean breeze, we will arrive at Civitavecchia and our Eurobus will take us to the former Caput Mundi to begin our route around Italy. It is an extensive cosmopolitan city full of culture, history, art and architecture with a very Mediterranean cuisine based on fresh products. as well as having all kinds of shops to explore.

Rome is known as the “Eternal City”, and you will understand why once we arrive. Time appears to have stopped here hundreds of years back due to the large number of remaining monuments and remains of grand buildings, which turns strolling through the narrow streets of Rome into a trip back in time to the capital’s golden age.

Italy´s famous capital, otherwise known as the old “Caput Mundi” (Leader of the world) and all of its history await us. There are so many reasons to visit Rome, things that make you fall in love with it and make you want to come back! A few of these reasons are obviously the incredible food and the lively atmosphere that you will find in every corner of the city.

Rome, without a doubt, is a city that occupies a lot of time from the tourists that come to visit it… considering the large number of monuments and sites it´s home to, this is no surprise! Today you will have the chance to see some of these famous sites, most importantly you will be able to visit the most popular monument in Italy: the Colosseum. The latter, depsite being half demolished, continues to radiate historical charm. Later you will be able to visit the Roman Forums, otherwise known as the commercial, religious, political and judicial centre of the ancient city of Rome.

*Optional Activity

• Rome Pack: Round trip transport + guided tour of Rome + Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums + Colossuem and Roman Forums

Did you know…

• In the Cathedral of St. Pedro, you will see various stars on the marble floor, directly in the middle of the aisle to the alter. These stars represent the diversity of the different catholic temples in the world.
• The Bocca Della Veritá is located in Sta. Maria, the most famous sewer entrance in the world. According to the legend, if you put your hand in the mouth and you tell a lie, you will be bitten.

Today on our tour around Europe we will wake up early and head towards the Vatican.

After putting Florence in the GPS, which we will visit tomorrow, we will stop off at the Vatican. Take note, Florence is an extremely lively city and has a great night life, so make sure you experience a real university party whilst you are here!

We will spend the night near Florence, the birthplace of the renaissance.

Did you know…

• The Vatican is a sovereign country covering no more than 0,44 km2, and is the smallest country in the world. It only has borders with Italy, which completely surrounds it. It hosts the Basilica of San Pedro, which is the world’s largest church.
• The Vatican Bank is the only bank in the world that allows users to select Latin as a language on an ATM to carry out its operations.

“Buongiorno Principessa” said Benigni, an actor from the city of Florence, in the film “Life is Beautiful”.

Today on our route around Italy you will have the chance to admire numerous incredible works of art  in the Museum ofthe Uffizi. If walking round an exhibition hall is not for you, you can take a stunning walk up the famous hills where you can get to the fantastic viewpoint of the mythical arch of Brunelleschi which dominates the city.

We will also have an optional activity for those who want to visit 5 Terre and the most famous tower that attracts visitors from all over the world due to its unusual inclination: The Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Are you ready to go to the beach? Grab your swimsuit, towel and sunscreen, it’s time to enjoy the Italian coast! 5 little towns with colorful houses, hanging from the cliffs. A place where pollution barely exists. There are very few cars and the way to travel between towns is either by foot or by a spectacular little train that runs along the seafront.

*Optional Activity:

• 5 Terre & Pisa

Did you know…

• 5 Terre is composed of five small towns allong 10km of the rocky the Italian coast, enclosed by two hills; Punta di Mesco y Punta di Montenero.
• It was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in  1997.
• It is a natural park, and its blue sea waters will take your breath away.
• The most famous attraction of the city is the leaning tower, which attracts thousands of tourists every year that want to take the iconic picture “holding” the leaning tower.
• The tower is considered one of the jewels of Romanesque art, therefore the government has requested help on various occasions to avoid the tower being knocked down.

After admiring this ting city that has almost 3000 years of history, we will continue with our tour around Europe, this time heading to anohter italian gem: Venice.

Venice had the honor of being crowned one of the most powerful, rich and populated cities over a period of many years in the past. It dominated trading routes in both the Mediterranean and the oreint. What´s more, the art that was fostered here is one of a kind which can clearly be exemplified in the works of Marco Polo.

Fall in love with this city! Venice is one of the most photographed places in the world. Don’t waste time, grab your camera and find your inner photographer; bridges, Vaporettos and Gondolas are all waiting to be snapped!

Make sure you take some time to enjoy the Byzantine influenced art which is best exemplifed in the architecture of the Basillica of San Marco. You should also take a stroll down the canal, starting from the Rialto Bridge. You could also just get lost in the narrow streets and see where you end up!

*Optional Activity:

• Venice Pack: Trip to Murano and Burano (the two islands located in the ventiain lagoon)

Did you know…

• The only way to get around the city is on foot or by water. It is illegal to drive a car or ride a bicycle in this district.
• Walking around Venice could give you the feeling that there are numerous canals, however there are in fact just two: the Grand Canal and the Giudecca Canal. The other little waterways that course through the restricted lanes are considered rivers.

All good things must come to an end…

Now you can say that you know Bella Italia and you can take the fond memories of this unforgettable trip and all of the people you have met back home with you!

We hope to see you again soon on another Euro-Adventure!