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C A N A L S O F E U R O P E DEPART AUSTRALIA Day 1: Friday 18 August Bound for la dolce vita, we look forward to arriving in Venice as a new day begins. ARRIVE VERONA (ITALY) Day 2: Saturday 19 August While the canal-crossed streets of Venice beckon with dreamy intent, we save the discovery for a later date with good reason. Believe it or not, there's a city just as romantic over the horizon. Weaving between crumbling Roman relics and stone buildings of deep ochre hues, we're rendered starry-eyed as we arrive in Verona – celebrated by Shakespeare in one of his most famous works, 'Romeo and Juliet'. Cocooned within the city's ancient heart, the Palazzo Victoria is our resplendent home for the next three nights. Our very own whirlwind love affair begins with an outstanding dinner set in the shady Veronese courtyard. VERONA Day 3: Sunday 20 August We set out on a tour of Verona encapsulating everything from Juliet's Balcony to the elaborate Arche Scaligeri tombs and the market near the Piazza delle Erbe. The road we take later traces a path through the bucolic Veneto countryside, spilling out between the vines of Valpolicella. It's here we seek Italy's finest red, the coveted Amarone. After tastings to cherish, the village of Bardolino puts forward a feast of three delightful courses at a welcome dinner on the edge of Lake Garda. We will then enjoy a pleasant wander through the alleys and squares of Garda and Lazise. It's no accident that we are here during the acclaimed Arena di Verona Opera Festival, and we have arranged VIP seats beneath the pink-tinged marble arches for an evening operatic performance we'll never forget. VERONA Day 4: Monday 21 August After prima colazione, we set our course to discover the riches of Castelvecchio, the 14th century fortress straddling the river Adige. Within the museum, we explore artefacts and artwork dating back to the Middle Ages, followed by a pleasant stroll through the Renaissance gardens of Giardino Giusti. There are box hedges manicured to within an inch of perfection and evergreen cypresses reaching towards the sky, creating a picture too flawless for words. Fresh from some time to ourselves, we come together at twilight and fall even further under Verona's spell with a lavish dinner set for us in a private villa garden, illuminated with candles fluttering in the gentle summer breeze. VENICE Day 5: Tuesday 22 August Arriving into the City of Canals, Venice is our next stop, where the stunning Hotel Danieli awaits. A walking tour along the streets paved with cobblestones makes for a most idyllic discovery. The day then takes us to St Mark's Basilica which we are privileged to have all to ourselves during an exclusive after-hours tour. Tonight's exclusive dinner sets the scene for a tour that's set to sparkle. Gondolas drift into view as each course disappears with pure delight. A d r i a t i c S e a Included Flight Coach Rail Belmond Venice Simplon-Orient-Express MS Jeanine Loire Valley Paris Venice Verona ITALY Champagne A d r i a t i c S e a Petit Ouges Saint Jean de Losne Dijon Venice Dole Ranchot Besancon GERMANY AUSTRIA ITALY (SEE INSET) FRANCE Exquisite Arena di Verona bathed in golden splendour Opposite: Give in to the heart of Burgundy 1800 650 738 | captainschoice.com.au 49