DAY 1 | ARRIVE IN ITALY
++The details of this itinerary have not been finalized including specific date and duration of the itinerary. ++ Arrive in Nice airport and transfer to San Remp. Check in at the hotel and have a nice welcome dinner.
DAY 2 | SEE SAN REMO
Enjoy a full day of sightseeing in San Remo and visit the Hanbury Gardens. In the SanRemo hinterland, to the east of the city, a road winds its way past greenhouses an fields of flowers and reaches a rocky buttress with the remains of a village apparently deserted. This is Bussana Vecchia. The village was completely destroyed by a violent earhquake on the 23rd of February 1887. It was abandoned by the few survivors who rebuilt the village in the valley below. But in the last few years, Bussana Vecchia has become the centre of an international community of artists. In the centre of the newly established village there is a Sanctuary dedicated to the Sacrek Hearth, erected with the funds provided by contributors from all parts of the world. The Russian Orthodox Church was built in 1910 by the Russian colony which was then very large in San Remo. It was consecreted in 1913. The site upon which it stands dominates the Largo Nuvoloni at the beginning of the Imperatrice Promenade. It is a building rare in Western Europe and unquestionabily the most photographed edifice in the city.
DAY 3 | BOAT EXCURSION AND WHALE WATCHING
Today enjoy a boat excursion and whale watching in the famous Santuario Delle Balene (Sanctuary of Whales) with a professional bioligist. The Ligurien coast is the only whale protected area of Europe! Here occurs many different kinds of dolphin as well as grind and bill whales. Many of the protected Ligurien whales are commonly unknown to this area of Europe. Many different kinds of dolphin come forwards among other things. Blue-white dolphins, usual dolphins, round head dolphins and large tuemmler. Often, these dolphin will swim alongside of the boat and sometimes jump up to 4 metres out of the water! Many of the large sea mamals are to be found here regularly like the Pottwale - 18 metres long, the largest tooth whales of the earth. And the gigantically large Finnwale - up to 27 metres they are nearly twice as long like your sailing boat! In the evening enjoy dinner at the hotel then experience your first night of the fireworks festivities.
DAY 4 | MONTE CARLO
Spend the first part of the day with a leisurely stroll through the quiet streets of the village. Then, prepare yourself for an afternoon of fun and gambling with a tour of Monte Carlo. In the evening, enjoy dinner in a fine restaurant with cabaret entertainment. [B,D]
DAY 5 | OLIVE OIL TOUR
Today see how olive oil is manufactured and bottled. You will enjoy a tour of the countryside with a lunch/tasting in a local restaurant of the area. But, do not dill yourself up or wear youself out because tonight is the final fireworks exhibition. Get ready to be amazed! [B,L,D]
DAY 6 | GENOVA AND PORTOFINO
Today move to the Levante Riviera to visit Genova and Portofino. Originally a small fishing village shaded by eucalyptus and olive trees, Portofino has become a sunny and relaxing paradise on the Ligurian Riveria. Dotted with palm trees and overlooking an azure sea, the tranquillity of the Italian countryside with its olive groves, holm oaks, pines and cypress trees is within a short walking distance, whilst the exquisite swimming cove at Paraggi is only a few minutes drive. From to the summit of Monte Portofino, above the town, are stunning panoramic views across the Mediterranean to the mountains of Corsica. Genoa is an amazing city containing many beautiful wonders. Palaces and galleries, bursting with fine art, are set around one of the loveliest streets in Italy, Via Garibaldi. Extravagant Rococo rooms with wonderful paintings, sculptures, tapestries, and Oriental ceramics are contained in the luxurious 17th-century, Palazzo Reale. After a short visit to the Palace of the Prince of Genova, boat excursion between Rapallo and Portofino. Tonight you will stay in a hotel in the sites of Chiavari and Portovenere.
DAY 7 | CINQUE TERRE
After breakfast, depart for a full day excursion in the famous Cinqu Terre. The Cinque Terre form one of the most unspoilt areas of the Mediterranean and one of the most extended areas in Liguria. They are a kingdom of nature and wild scents maintained as in the past. To visit the Cinque Terre means to visit five villages suspended between sea and earth, clinging on to cliffs and surrounded by green hills; it means to know the history of whom, for centuries, has fought against difficult land but it also means to taste the results of this millenarian struggle and in particular wine and produce. To visit these villages means to learn about the culture of the dry-stone walls and of the vineyard, of the fishermen and of their fishing nets, of the steep valleys and of their paths. Along the way, stop for local wine tasting and snacks.
DAY 8 | DEPARTURE FROM MILAN
Today is your last day. It is recommended that you depart from Milan. [B]
