Lake Garda & The Verona Opera Festival: 8 days from £704
Relax
amidst the beautiful surroundings of Lake Garda before you head to
glorious Mantua, the setting for Verdi’s Rigoletto. sample delicious Italian gelato and, as evening falls, take your seat in Verona’s
impressive roman amphitheatre and enjoy the drama that unfolds in two
operas on the stage of the ancient arena.
Highlights- Two performances under the stars
- Visit beautiful Mantua
- Unspoilt resort on the lake
- Ticket upgrades available
Included excursionMeal arrangements- 4 nights half board and 3 nights bed and breakfast
Also included
- the services of an experienced Page & Moy tour Manager
- tickets for two performances as described
The operas:
Aida
Verdi’s spectacular and dramatic tale of Aida and Radames’ tragic love is a Verona classic.
Carmen
Revolves around a soldier, don Jose, driven crazy with jealousy by a gypsy woman, Carmen.
Available dates: 10 July, 24 July, 7 August, 14 August, prices based on two sharing flying from London Gatwick (regional departures available at small supplement).*******************************************************************
Torre del Largo and the Puccini Festival tour: 6 days from £1079The
beautiful village of Torre del Lago is once a year home to the Puccini
Festival, where the legacy of the great Italian composer Giacomo
Puccini lives on. Many operatic legends have performed here, including
the late Pavarotti.
The Puccini Festival 2008 sees the opening of the
new open air theatre on the edge of Lake Massaciuccoli and you will
have the opportunity to experience two of Puccini’s famed operas here
on this fabulous holiday. But it doesn’t end there; you will be staying
in the birthplace of Puccini himself, Lucca. From here, you can enjoy
visits to nearby Pisa, Florence and the stunning gardens of Villa Reale
at Marlia and Villa Collodi.
Highlights- Stay in beautiful Lucca
- Two opera performances included
- Pre-theatre dinner with wine in a local restaurant
- Visits to the gardens of two Lucchese Villas
Included excursons- Two operas (upgrade possible at a supplement of £28 per ticket)
- Walking tour of Lucca
- Visit to the gardens of Villa Reale and Villa Collodi
- Train tickets to Florence
Optional excursion
- Pisa Meal arrangements 5 nights bed and breakfast
Also included- The services of an experienced Page & Moy Tour Guide
The operas:
Turandot
This was Puccini’s last work and remained unfinished when he died in
1924. Based on Gozzi’s fable of the cruel Eastern Princess who slays
all those who love her, it tells the story of Princess Turandot who
decrees that she will marry the man who can solve her three riddles.
Anyone who fails will be executed. There are many twists and turns to
this gripping tale and the opera ends as the cast salutes the power of
love.
Madame Butterfly Set near Nagasaki, this is the tragic
story of Cio-Cio-San, nicknamed Butterfly, a 15-year-old Geisha who
marries Pinkerton, an American naval lieutenant. Her old uncle, who is
a priest, arrives at the festivities after the wedding and calls down a
curse on her for marrying a westerner and repudiating the religion of
her ancestors. Despite an absence of three years, and news from the
consul that her bridegroom has married an American woman, Butterfly is
confident he will return to her and their son. She refuses the suit of
the rich Prince Yamadori, who has long sought her hand.
When
Pinkerton finally returns from the sea with a new wife, Butterfly is
heart-broken, and the dramatic opera ends in tragedy. Tosca Set in Rome
during the Napoleonic Wars, Tosca is a fast-paced story of love,
politics and religion and one of Puccini’s most popular operas. Tosca
finds herself torn between the painter, Cavaradossi, whom she loves,
and his political enemy, Scarpia, who lusts after her. The loathsome
chief of police holds her lover’s fate in his hands. Filled with
appalling treachery, murder and unbreakable love, the opera captures
the events of a mere 17 hours amid the political turmoil of the
19th-century.
Available dates: 1st August 2008, prices based on two sharing flying from London Gatwick (regional departures available at small supplement).
Contact Andrea on 0845 475 0342 if you would like to book.
Your Accommodation
Hotel Celide (4-star), 5 nights bed and breakfast.
Situated
close to the Renaissance walls that enclose Lucca, and just a short
stroll into the heart of the city, this hotel features comfortable
rooms with a safe, minibar, satellite TV and hairdrier. Hotel
facilities include a bar, lounge and restaurant.
Your Itinerary
Day 1 UK/Lucca
We fly to Pisa and transfer to Lucca and our hotel for a five-night stay. The evening is at leisure.
Day 2 Lucca
Enjoy
our included guided walking tour of Lucca with a local guide. See the
site of the Roman amphitheatre in the pretty Piazza Anfiteatro and
explore the mediaeval lanes. The afternoon is free for your own
explorations of this graceful town, which is encircled by Renaissance
ramparts. This evening, enjoy dinner in a local restaurant in Torre del
Lago before taking your seat for the opera.
Day 3 Villa reale & Villa Collodi
See
the beautiful gardens of Villa Reale and Villa Collodi on our included
three-quarter-day excursion. Villa Reale at Marlia is a late baroque
garden designed by Morel for Napoleon’s sister (Elisa Baciocchi
Bonaparte) and restored in the early 20th century. The gardens of Villa
Collodi are often referred to as being some of the best in
Italy,featuring a vibrant mix of fountains, statues and flowers. This
evening, enjoy dinner in a local restaurant in Torre del Lago before
taking your seat for the opera.
Day 4 Pisa
You are free
to relax this morning or take advantage of our optional half-day
excursion to Pisa to see one of the most famous symbols of Italy – the
incredible Leaning Tower. It enjoys a beautiful setting in the
appropriately named Campo dei Miracoli or ‘Field of Miracles’. Nearby
is the majestic cathedral and baptistery, whose splendid blend of
Romanesque and Gothic styles makes for an unforgettable sight.
Day 5 Florence
Take
the train this morning to the stunning city of Florence, the cradle of
the Renaissance and a veritable treasure-house of art and architecture,
fuelled by the Medici family, who provided patronage to the likes of
Leonardo da Vinci and Botticelli. The superb collections of art and
sculpture in the Uffizi Gallery, Accademia and Bargello draw art lovers
from aroundthe world, and many of the city’s palaces and squares are
adorned with statues and intricate carvings. Of all the great Italian
cities, this is one of the best loved, with a wealth of great sights to
discover.
Marvel at the huge terracotta-hued dome of the
cathedral, designed by Brunelleschi to dwarf the buildings of ancient
Greece and Rome, which still dominates the skyline today; the
Baptistry, one of Florence’s oldest buildings; and Giotto’s Campanile,
elegantly clad in pink, white and green marble. Take a stroll to the
Piazzale Michelangelo and admire the city spread along the banks of the
Arno. Walk across the delightful Ponte Vecchio and shop for jewellery
in the wonderful silver and goldsmiths. Make time to browse in the
colourful markets, then linger over coffee in the Piazza della
Signoria, the impressive city square.
Day 6 Lucca/UK
We return to Pisa airport for the homeward flight.
Please note that on 17 July departure Days 3 and 4 are reversed.
Travel Extras
We know that picking your dream destination is the biggest part of
making your perfect holiday come true. But there are a number of other
decisions that have to be made such as where to park at the airport and
who to change your money with, to name but a few. So to really get
every aspect of your holiday sorted we have set up a one stop travel
shop and useful links section for you to organise all your travel
needs, leaving you to concentrate on having a memorable and relaxing
holiday with Page & Moy.
Holiday Extras - save up to 60%
You
can benefit from access to Holiday Extras, a separate company that can
organize a whole range of services from airport hotels and secure
airport parking to VIP liunges in airports, and more, at 23 airports
across the UK.
To book go to www.holidayextras.co.uk/pm.
If you find the same parking facility or hotel for less within seven
days of booking, tell Holiday Extras and they will match the price or
refund the difference. Conditions apply.
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Airport Lounges from Lounge Pass
Start
your holiday off refreshed and relaxed by taking advantage of our VIP
airport lounge offer, available at a number of airports, both here and
abroad. From as little as £15 each, you’ll enjoy a peaceful and
tranquil environment, where you can enjoy complimentary drinks and
snacks, read the papers, check your email or simply relax and watch TV
until your flight is called.
For details, please click here.
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Casual Clothing from Lands’ End
Lands'
End offer an extensive range of high quality casual and tailored
clothes for men and women. Choose from their selection of jackets,
knitted tops, trousers, dresses, skirts and more.
For details, please visit www.landsend.co.uk
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Currency Exchange from Travel Money
My
Travel Money offers competitive exchange rates on a wide range of
currencies. Order cash and travellers' cheques on-line, with guaranteed
next day delivery to your home. You pay one simple delivery charge,
with no complicated commission fees.
For details, please visit www.mytravelmoney.com
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Photography from Jessops
Jessops
is the UK's leading specialist photographic retailer. With great
on-line savings on hundreds of products, including digital cameras,
camcorders, lenses, batteries and much more, plus free delivery on
mainland UK orders over £75, Jessops has all your photographic needs
covered.
For details, please visit www.jessops.com
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Travel Accessories from Travel with Care
Travel
With Care offers a comprehensive range of travel accessories, with
everything you need for your holiday. From First Aid, DVT Prevention
and Healthcare to money belts, wallets, waterproofs, toiletries, alarm
clocks, and much, much more.
For details, please visit www.travelwithcare.com
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Getting you there - European Holidays
Fly direct from your local airport
Giving you choice is one of our main priorities, so when it comes to
flights, instead of offering just Heathrow or Gatwick as departure
airports, whenever possible we offer to fly you direct from your
nearest airport to your holiday destination either free or for a
supplement of just £29 per person.
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Choice of 20 airports
You
have the choice to fly direct to your holiday destination from up to 20
regional airports throughout the UK for a supplement of no more than
£29 per person return.
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Regional connecting flights to London from only £69
If
you can’t fly direct to your destination from your local airport (see
individual holiday details), usually you will have the choice of taking
a regional connecting flight to Heathrow or Gatwick from as little as
£69 per person return. If your connecting flight and your flight from
Gatwick or Heathrow is with British Airways or British Midland, your
luggage will automatically be checked through to your final
destination, so there’s no need to collect or check your luggage in
twice.
Fly from:
Aberdeen, Belfast, Durham
Tees Valley, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Jersey, Leeds/Bradford,
Manchester, Newcastle, Newquay
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Make your own way and save up to £150 per person
You
may want more flexibility to make your own travel arrangements to
combine your trip with visits to friends and relatives or travel from
an airport which we do not offer. If so, why not take advantage of our
make your own way option. We offer a reduction of £150 off many of our
holidays to allow you to make your own arrangements, if that is what
you want. Details of where this option is available are shown on each
holiday.
Please remember that these arrangements do not
include flights or transfers and you will need to make your own travel
arrangements at the beginning and end of your holiday.
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Getting you there - Worldwide Holidays
To get your holiday off to a great start, we offer a range of transfer options with our compliments.
You can choose from the following options:
1. Experience door-to-door travel with Page & Moy
If you live within a 250-mile drive of your departure airport, we will
arrange for a taxi to pick you up from your door and take you to the
airport, and drop you home on your return, with our compliments.
2. FREE Connecting flights
If you live further than 250 miles from the airport, or if you prefer,
you can opt to transfer to the main departure airport by a connecting
flight from an airport closer to home (subject to availability).
3. FREE National Express coach travel
Alternatively, why not
choose coach travel on the extensive national express network, with
over 1,200 collection points nationwide. What’s more, we’ll pay for
your ticket!
4. FREE airport car parking
If you would prefer the flexibility of travelling independently to the airport, we are pleased to offer
the option of free parking at your departure airport.
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There is probably no other cultural experience that could top enjoying the operatic spectaculars of Madame Butterfly or Carmen in Italy, the home of opera. So you might be pleased to know that there are very limited places available on two tours which take in either the performances of Aida and Carmen at Lake Garda and the Verona Opera Festival, or Madame Butterfly and Turandot at Torre del Largo and the Puccini Festival.
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