Spend Holidays in Italy with Tourcrafters’ 6-Night Holiday Package for $1265 with Airfare from NY

The Vatican in Rome at night. Tourcrafters has 6-night holiday package in Italy for the holidays for $1265 including air fare from New York. © 2014 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

Why not have a vacation over the holidays and spend Thanksgiving or Christmas in Italy? TourCrafters has put together a very affordable week-long Roman Holiday package that starts at only $1,265 and includes round-trip air fare from New York to Rome, six nights’ accommodation at the Hotel Rome Garden, daily buffet breakfast and fuel surcharge.

Rome is a delight any time with attractions like the Coliseum, Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, Vatican Museums, and restaurants and cafés galore, but it is especially appealing over the holidays. On Thanksgiving, which is not an official holiday in Italy, everything—stores, museums and restaurants—is open and some restaurants even serve tacchino (that’s Italian for “turkey.”)

At Christmastime the city is dressed up in holiday splendor. Piazza Navona offers a Christmas market complete with carousel, the smart shopping street Via Condotti is aglow with lights, there’s an enormous Christmas tree in Piazza Venezia and St. Peter’s Square displays a famous nativity scene and another huge lighted tree. TourCrafters can arrange an optional tour of St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums (Sistine Chapel) or even an optional excursion to Naples (pizza’s hometown) and the ancient ruins of Pompeii.

The 3-star Hotel Rome Garden is special, too. It’s an elegant 19^th-century villa located in a residential neighborhood that is close to a choice of good restaurants.

TourCrafters also has a 9-day/7-night Holiday Package to Rome and Florence that costs from $1,339 and includes airfare from New York to Rome returning from Florence, four nights at the 3-star Hotel Rome Garden, SMART class train from Rome to Florence, three nights at the 3-star Hotel Meridiana in Florence, daily buffet breakfast and fuel surcharge. (TourCrafters can provide add-on air fares from many other U.S. cities.)

Both packages offer daily departures from November 1 to December 28 but the packages must be booked and paid in full by August 28. The prices stated are per person, double occupancy, and are subject to availability. They do not include airport taxes of $109, city taxes (which must be paid in euros directly to the hotel) or the weekend supplement. The fuel surcharge is included but is subject to change by the airline.

For more information about the Rome and Rome & Florence holiday packages, visit www.tourcrafters.com, click “Special Offers” and then “Deal of the Week” For reservations, call 800-482-5995.

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Virgin Vacations Offers Tuscany, Amalfi Car-Hotel Packages Priced From $429 for 6 Nights

The fall months–when weather cools down and fewer tourists abound–are perfect for visiting Italy.  Virgin Vacations  is offering two different hotel-car packages for independent travelers who want to spend a week exploring Tuscany or Italy’s Amalfi Coast in depth, at their own pace.  Priced from $429 land only (from $1,419 with air from New York), the packages include 6 nights accommodations, a 7-day manual car rental with unlimited miles, and breakfast daily.

Travelers stay at the same hotel each night, using it as a base for day excursions, so there is no need to pack and unpack daily.  Depending on individual preferences, travelers can develop their own plans, or choose from Virgin Vacations’ suggested day itineraries.  Suggested drives range from 40 – 160 miles, round trip, with estimated driving times ranging from 1 ½ to 4 hours.

Tuscany Fly & Drive: From $449 land, $1,419 air inclusive

Travelers fly to Pisa, an hour’s drive from Montecatini, where home base is the modern Tuscany Inn in the center of town. Known for its spas and its historical significance in World War II, the town is just 30 miles from Florence.  Virgin Vacations’ travelers can drive or take the train into Florence, and drive to a number of medieval towns, only 50 miles or 2 hours roundtrip.  Or, for a longer itinerary, Siena and San Gimignano are a four-hour drive, or 160 miles.

Per person prices for the 6-night Tuscany Fly & Drive package begin at $449 land only, for departures through March 2014, depending on date selected.  Prices for 8-days, including air, start at $1,419 from New York, depending on departure date. Prices range up to $579 land only, for December 25 departure, and $1629 with airfare for December 18 departure.  Hotel upgrades are available beginning at $10 per person, while car upgrades begin at $109 for the 7 days. Automatic transmissions cost an additional $375 for the 7 days.

Amalfi Coast Fly and Drive: From $429 land, $1,479 air inclusive

Virgin Vacations’ travelers fly into Naples, and then drive 1.5 hours to the four-star Villa Romana, home base for the stay.  Located only 2.5 miles from Amalfi, Villa Romana is a two-hour drive, or 50 miles roundtrip, to Pompeii and to Positano; and 3 hours (110 miles) to Ischia, largest island on the Bay of Naples.

Prices for 6-nights begin at $429, land only, based on November departure dates; or from $1,479, for 8 days with air fare from New York, based on January 7, 2014 departure.  Prices range up to $789 land only, and to $1979 with airfare departing December 24. Hotel upgrades begin at $10, while car upgrades begin at $109 for the 7 days. Automatic transmissions cost $375 for 7 days

The Fine Print

Round trip add-on air fares are available from cities nationwide. Prices are per person, based on twin occupancy.  Air fares include airline taxes and fuel charges. Car rental prices include Third Party Liability Insurance (RCA), Collision Damage Waiver Reduction (C.D.R.), Theft Protection Reduction (T.P.R.), airport charges, and local taxes (VAT).

About Virgin Vacations

Virgin Vacations offers a wide selection of escorted tours, river and sea cruises, and independent packages worldwide, available with or without air fare on Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Australia and Virgin America, as well as other international airline partners.  Virgin Vacations travelers can enroll in Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club or Virgin America’s Elevate frequent flyer programs, and earn points for the land portion.

For information on other worldwide destinations available through Virgin Vacations, visit www.virginvacations.com.  As a member of the U.S. Tour Operators Association, Virgin Vacations protects travelers’ payments up to $1 Million through the USTOA Travelers Assistance Program.

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