Want to explore Italy? Then come with us as we head off  to experience all that the wonderful Italian summer has to offer. Eat Gelato in the shadow of the Colosseum in Rome whilst absorbing the history, culture and arts that make this ancient city the heart of Italy . Next we travel down the Amalfi Coast to magical Sorrento perched on steep white cliffs overlooking the Bay of Naples. Discover the birthplace of St Francis of Assisi and the romantic city of Venice. Quote Shakespeare in Verona under Romeo and Juliet's balcony and experience the Cinque Terre whilst looking forward to tasting locally made Chianti in medieval Siena. From North to South we cover Italy and provide lasting memories to treasure for a lifetime.

Rome - Coach Free Day.  This morning you are free until the city tour to explore the fabulous sights of this Eternal City. You will need to use public transport to get into the city and your tour leader will provide you with information on using the metro system.

You can then make your way to the Colosseum where we will meet our local guide for a walking city tour, your tour leader will confirm the time to meet, (headsets cost 2 € each). This provides an ideal introduction to some of the oldest sights in Rome. Our local guide has extensive local knowledge and will share with you many fascinating insights to Rome's ancient history! This tour will end at approximately 12pm at Piazza Navona.

The afternoon is free to visit Piazza Navona, Vatican city and the Sistine Chapel where Michelangelo spent 4 years painting the magnificent frescos that have graced the walls and ceilings of the Pope’s private chapel since 1512. You may also like to visit St Peter’s Basilica, the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps.

Subject to numbers we can offer an afternoon guided tour of the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel for 20 € per person plus 15 € admission.

Kumuka wishes to inform their clients that men visiting the Vatican City and St Peter's Square must wear t-shirts and shirts with sleeves and long trousers, whilst women should have their shoulders covered and wear a skirt that falls below the knee. This dress code is strictly enforced. 

Dinner is not included tonight so you will have plenty of time to continue exploring and perhaps try some traditional Roman gnocchi!

Sorrento - Coach Free Day.   Famous for it's breathtaking beauty Sorrento is yours to discover today. It has a unique atmosphere all of it's own to savour. Perhaps arrange a boat trip to the nearby Isle of Capri or maybe explore the small fishing harbour.  You may prefer to spend the afternoon at the Correale di Terranova Museum or just wander the old streets soaking up the atmosphere. Try some Limoncello, a liqueur made from the local large lemons grown nearby or sample some exquisite gelato that Italy is famed for.

Dinner is not included tonight so why not take the opportunity to find a shady spot to enjoy a meal whilst watching the spectacular sunsets over the bay?

Assisi to Venice.  Continuing north our destination today is Venice. We break our journey to have lunch in Bologna, known nationally as Italy's culinary capital. It is also an attractive city with it's well preserved centre. Besides famous pasta dishes, Bologna is also known for some of the best pâtés in Italy and many other culinary innovations. Seek out the best for lunch or indulge in some intense shopping - time the choice is yours prior to finishing the drive to Venice!

There is more to Venice than gondolas and water ways, the group of islands also has some of the most skilled glass blowers in the world. Dependent on traffic, we should arrive early evening in a suburb of Venice called Mestre, on the main land. As Venice is an island with tiny winding streets and canals between buildings, the main form of transport is gondolas and canal boats. It is therefore, still somewhat inaccessible to coaches!

We will stay in Mestre for two nights, and use the waterbus to get to Venice Island the following day.

Tonight, once the group has freshened up from the journey, we will meet and go to dinner.

Venice to Cinque Terre. First stop today is Verona, city of romance and love described beautifully as the setting of one history's greatest love stories written by Shakespeare, 'Romeo and Juliet'. See Juliet's balcony and rub her nearby statue for good luck. With it's sophisticated shop's, colourful history and lively atmosphere Verona  remains one of Italy's little known secrets.

Continuing one to the Cinque Terre region we will spend 2 nights amongst  this spectacular rugged coastal scenery on the Italian Riviera. The Cinque Terre is a National Park and Unesco World Heritage site since 1997. Here you will be able to explore the five villages that form the Cinque Terre, suspended between sea and land on sheer cliffs.

Dinner is included tonight

Siena.  Leaving the hotel early today we travel through the beautiful Tuscan countryside south to San Gimignano for lunch and a spot of wine tasting! We then carry on to Siena where upon arrival we will walk around and explore some of this medieval city's highlights. Afterwards you will have some free time to explore this historic city prior to checking in at the hotel.

Dinner is not included tonight  but Siena is an enchanting place in the evening. The façades of its Medieval buildings are lit up by the thousand street lights. Before dinner, why not go for a romantic walk, to Fonte Branda, for example, a charming fountain that dates back to 1080. Choose a small trattoria nearby and enjoy the true flavours of Siena cooking. Or perhaps choose a restaurant near the Campo for dinner and then continue your evening in one of the several clubs in the area, some of which also offer excellent live music.

Siena to Rome: We depart Siena for our leisurely drive to Rome where our tour ends upon arrival.

No dinner is included this evening.

No Accommodation is included on Day 12.

Whilst on tour you will probably want to stay in touch with family and friends. There are several ways of doing this:

Mobile Phone – Before departing your home country check with your phone supplier to see if it compatible with the mobile phone networks in the countries that you are traveling to, and how much will it cost to use abroad.

Email – Internet Cafes are very cheap and popular, and you are sure to come across several during your tour. If you haven’t done so already, set up a free Google Mail, Hotmail, or Yahoo email account which you can then access from any computer. Internet Cafes will charge a nominal fee for using their computers. Within Europe some hotels charge a wifi connection fee and we cannot guarantee a wifi connection at all hotels we use.

Twitter – A method of communication that is rapidly gaining in popularity on the Internet especially amongst travelers. Twitter allows you to send short messages and update your friends and family with where you are on tour and what you are doing. Create your free account at http://twitter.com. Visit Kumuka’s page on Twitter at http://twitter.com/kumuka

Facebook – Very popular website that allows you to upload stories, get in touch with fellow travellers before and after your Kumuka tour, upload photos and videos to share with other travellers, your family and friends. To create a free account, go to www.facebook.com and then become a fan of Kumuka’s Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/pages/Kumuka-Worldwide/26617121087?ref=ts

Postcards – The good ol’ fashioned postcard. But you will probably get home before the postcard does!

Please be aware that arrival times and the itinerary may change due to unforeseen delays or events such as festivals and public holidays. However, we shall endeavor to ensure all sites are visited and that your tour runs smoothly.As you will have read there are coach free days written into the itinerary. The reason for this is that EU law dictates that coach drivers are restricted to the number of hours they can drive in any one day and that they must have at least one day off in seven. Due to this and also for your convenience we try to get hotels that are close to public transport and centrally located. Public transport in Europe is of a good standard.

Travel insurance is compulsory for all tours. All clients MUST be insured to cover personal accident, medical expenses, cancellation, curtailment and repatriation. It is also very important that your insurance policy is relevant to the Kumuka style of travel. Kumuka offers a specially negotiated insurance policy specifically tailored to adventure travel. As well as providing substantial cover for medical emergency, cancellation and curtailment, personal luggage, money and valuables and legal expenses, this insurance will also provide cover for the adventure activities you may choose to undertake whilst on tour. Please call us on the Kumuka freephone number 0800 068 8855 (UK only), or on 1300 667 277 in Australia, for further information.

No client will be allowed on tours without suitable insurance. If you have already arranged insurance elsewhere, please be aware that many of the optional activities such as bungy jumping or water rafting may not be covered on your policy. If you plan on doing any of these activities please purchase additional insurance.

At the start of your tour you will be asked to present your original policy document and complete an insurance information form. We recommend that you have a photocopy of this document, which you keep separate from the original.

Please note: you will not be permitted to join a Kumuka Tour without travel insurance.

It is important that you obtain the appropriate visas before you embark on your Europe trip. Country entry regulations change daily, www.kumuka.com provides you with visa information. Please consult your relevant embassy for all details such as opening hours or costs. Visas cannot be obtained once you have started your tour, and during the peak summer months it can take longer than normal to get visas, please allow extra time to do this.

EACH CLIENT IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR OBTAINING ALL NECESSARY VISAS BEFORE JOINING A TOUR.

Please note:  If you require a Schengen visa, please ensure that you obtain a double entry visa for Germany.

Kumuka does not accept responsibility for changes in regulations or requirements for visas. The information provided is given in good faith.

Europe, like the rest of the world, is no stranger to theft. You must exercise extreme care with wallets, cameras and other valuables especially in towns or busy tourist areas. We advise that you make copies of your passport, credit cards, airline tickets and your insurance policy and that you keep a careful note of both used and unused traveller’s cheque numbers. At times when you are unable to store your valuables in safety deposit boxes in hotels we recommend that you carry some sort of money belt or hidden pouch for safekeeping of valuable items.

Please use your discretion and be sensitive to cultural differences in the countries that you visit, in particular visits to religious buildings and when taking photographs. Your Tour Leader will advise you of any specific customs to observe.

How much should I take?

• Because of limited luggage space on coaches and Eurostar, we must limit each passenger to ONE main suitcase or frameless backpack and one day bag. Your main bag must not weigh more than 20 kg’s.
• A frameless or internally framed backpack is the best way to carry your belongings since it is easy to lift on and off vehicles.
• A small daypack is practical for keeping general items (e.g. camera, books, wallets etc.) at hand when your main pack is out of reach. It is also handy for day trips and excursions. We also recommend that you keep your passport, credit cards Travellers Cheques etc. on you at all times, preferably in a money belt worn under your clothes.

TRAVEL TIP: You might be tempted to buy a few souvenirs here and there, so leave a little room for those extra purchases!

We suggest that you take into account the time of year you will be travelling, and pack accordingly to the season. Quick drying clothes are recommended, and at many hotels there are laundry facilities. Your tour leader will advise where this is possible.

Personal Effects:

Camera, Spare passport photos, Water bottle, Money belt, Sewing kit, Sunhat/ Sunglasses, Music CDs/Ipod, Books, Wet Ones, Soap to wash clothes, Writing materials, Swiss Army knife, Calculator, Personal toiletries, including tampons, contraceptives, Insect Repellent, Sunscreen.

For detailed information see www.timezoneconverter.com

Please remember, we are guests in the countries through which we travel and we may sometimes inadvertently cause offence by taking photographs without first asking permission.

It is absolutely forbidden by law to take photos at any borders, as they are all active military installations.

We have put a lot of thought and effort into locating the most appropriate type of accommodation for each tour. It will always be clean, comfortable and of a very high standard. All accommodation is in superior tourist class hotel. We guarantee accommodation in a twin room for every passenger on mainland European departures.

In Europe tipping is a way of life and very much expected. For many tipping is a means of supplementing their wage and is a normal part of payment for goods and services. Be sure to keep small denomination notes or coins on you to avoid embarrassment. Sales and service taxes are imposed in some restaurants and bars.