Day 1 Thursday, April 20
DEPART USA
Depart from the U.S. today on your flight to Venice.
Day 2 Friday, April 21 Accommodations: Hotel Continental VENICE, ITALY
Arrive this morning or afternoon in Venice. A Grand Circle Representative meets you at the airport and helps you transfer to your hotel. The balance of the day is at leisure to relax after your overseas flight or do some exploring on your own. In the early evening, get to know your Program Director and traveling companions over a Welcome Drink. Afterwards, enjoy your first dinner with your group of fellow travelers.
Day 3 Saturday, April 22 Accommodations: Hotel Continental
VENICE/OPTIONAL GONDOLA RIDE WITH MUSIC
INCLUDED TOUR: Venice
OPTIONAL TOURS: Gondola Ride
After breakfast at your hotel, enjoy a walking tour of the City of Canals. We take you by the local form of transport, the vaporetto (motorized public water bus), to the Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square), the center of Venice. This square was the heartbeat of the Serenissima (Serene Republic) in the heyday of Venice’s glory as a seafaring republic, and the city’s major attractions are centered here. It is one of the most beautiful and most photographed squares in all of Europe. Dominated by the lovely St. Mark’s Basilica, the spacious square is surrounded with outdoor cafés, and is the perfect place to do a little people watching Italian-style while sipping a cappuccino. Ornate St. Mark’s Basilica is so richly embellished that it looks like it could have been moved intact from Istanbul. Though the domed church is a conglomerate of many architectural styles, its main influence is Byzantine. Its façade is adorned with marble and mosaics that depict the life of Christ and St. Mark (whose body was smuggled into Venice in a pork barrel to confound Moslem officials who would refuse to search anything that touched pork). Outside the basilica is the campanile (bell tower), which was rebuilt after it collapsed in 1902. It is now open should you want to ascend (via elevator) for a good view of the six cupolas of the church. Around the corner is the Palazzo Ducale, or Doges’ Palace. As we view this grand palace from the outside, note that this Venetian-Gothic palazzo is considered by many to be the grandest civic structure in Italy. Here also is the Bridge of Sighs which links the Doges’ Palace with the cellblocks that housed the prisoners condemned by Venice’s Council of Ten. The “sighs” in the bridge’s name stemmed from the sad laments of the numerous victims led across it to certain torture and possible death. You have the afternoon and evening at leisure to explore this lovely city on your own. You might want to return to explore the Palazzo Ducale in more depth. Entry into the palace is through the magnificent 15th-century Porta della Carta. A great deal of the building and its masterpieces were destroyed in a fire in 1577, but many of the greatest Venetian painters of the 16th century contributed to the restored palace. Here are some of the most celebrated works of Veronese and Tintoretto. Exit the Palace through its magnificent 15th-century Porta della Carta, richly decorated with gothic themes. In Death in Venice, Thomas Mann wrote: “Is there anyone but must repress a secret thrill, on arriving in Venice for the first time…and stepping into a Venetian gondola?” Join us this afternoon for an optional gondola tour with music. You will be poled through the canals by one of the city’s many colorful gondoliers. Here, you will have a chance to see the Grand Canal, Venice’s great road of water that is lined with many Venetian-Gothic style palazzi, and is filled with vaporetti, motorboats, and gondolas.
Day 4 Sunday, April 23 Parkhotel Laurin or Hotel Luna
VENICE/VERONA/BOLZANO
DISCOVERY SERIES EVENTS: Italian With and Without Words Language Lesson
DISCOVERY HIGHLIGHTS: Italian With and Without Words Discussion
After breakfast at your hotel you check out and begin your journey to Bolzano. During your ride today, your Program Director will brief you on the details of your trip and answer any questions you may have. You’ll also have the opportunity to hear about and purchase Optional Tours. Along the way to Bolzano, we stop for a walk in Verona, the setting for the most famous love story in the English language, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Here you’ll see Verona’s handsome square, the Piazza dei Signori. You alight from your motor coach in the city center, near the famous arena that is home to the Opera during the summer. You have free time to discover sites in town on your own. Your Program Director can provide you with directions if you’d like to use your independent time to take a short walk to Juliet’s legendary balcony. Lunch is on your own in Verona. We arrive in Bolzano in mid afternoon and check into our hotel. Bolzano is located high in the Alps and near the border of Austria, and is a true blend of Italian and Tyrolean cultures. Note the architecture of the houses and churches, and the cuisine—all of which are part of Southern Tyrol’s distinct character. This is a mountainous region with a long and convoluted history, with Italy gaining Southern Tyrol from Austria by the treaty of St. Germain in 1919. Exclusive Discovery Series EventEarly this evening, you’ll benefit from a Discovery Series language lesson that’s likely to put a smile on your face as it strengthens your Italian vocabulary. In Italian With and Without Words, you’ll learn some basic Italian words and expressions, along with a few of the gestures that Italians use for emphasis, which often communicate just as effectively as the words themselves. Italians are masters of using non-verbal communication for everything from simple greetings and small talk to expressions of satisfaction, disappointment, or love. Some gestures are universal—like making a pillow of your hands as you say andiamo a dormire (let’s go to sleep)—while others are uniquely Italian. Today’s lesson may have you saying mille grazie (many thanks) for helping you communicate with Italians even when your pronunciation is less than fluent! We dine together this evening at your hotel, sampling local specialties at an included Tyrolean dinner.
Day 5 Monday, April 24 Parkhotel Laurin or Hotel Luna
BOLZANO: Accommodations: Parkhotel Laurin or Hotel Luna
DISCOVERY SERIES EVENTS: "When Cultures Collide" discussion
INCLUDED TOURS: Walking Tour of Bolzano
Join us this morning as we explore controversial topics during a Discovery Series discussion, “When Cultures Collide.” Then you’ll have a walking tour to introduce you to Bolzano’s Austrian and Italian influences. Since medieval times, Bolzano was a staging point on the route south through the Brenner Pass to Rome. In the Old Town center, see vivid examples of Bolzano’s Germanic Gothic history. Visit the Duomo, a 14th-century wonder featuring remarkable frescoes, and stroll the pedestrian-only Piazza Walther. Across the Talfer River in New Bolzano, the Italian influence prevails in the foreboding buildings constructed during Mussolini’s regime. Spend the afternoon and evening exploring Bolzano on your own. Perhaps you’ll take a leisurely cable car ride up to the scenic Alpine Renon Plateau, stroll down Bolzano’s colonnaded via dei Portici, or visit the Archeological Museum of Bolzano, whose highlight is the 5,000-year-old mummified body of a hunter, a man who climbed up to the icy heights of the Schnalstal glacier and died. He was found by accident in 1991, with his clothes and equipment, mummified and frozen: an archaeological sensation and a unique snapshot of a Copper Age man. Thanks to modern procedures, anatomical peculiarities and pathological alterations have been diagnosed. The results of the studies are presented in the museum with multimedia stations, videos, and information panels. Maybe you’ll want to venture out into the hills surrounding the city, and see the vineyards and orchards for which the region is famous. You are free to find an enticing spot to dine on your own.
Day 6 Tuesday, April 25
BOLZANO/OPTIONAL DOLOMITES TOUR
OPTIONAL TOURS: Dolomites Mountains
The morning is at leisure. Continue your explorations in Bolzano or relax as you wish. Join us this morning on a full-day excursion to the Dolomites. See some of the most spectacular alpine scenery in Europe. In the course of the day, you’ll see Lake Carezza, the impressive “Sella Massive,” and the “five fingers” formations. You’ll cross Campolongo and Groedner Passes. You’ll also stop at Ortisei, one of the main hubs for skiing and celebrated for its woodcarving, and in the charming village of Castelrotto, with its beautiful houses decorated with frescoes. We’ll stop for lunch, too, and savor the hearty food of the mountains. The cost of this optional tour is includes lunch. Dinner is on your own tonight with the rest of the evening at leisure.
Day 7 Wednesday, April 26 Parkhotel Laurin or Hotel Luna
BOLZANO/OPTIONAL INNSBRUCK TOUR
OPTIONAL TOURS: Innsbruck
You have the day at leisure. You can ask your Program Director for assistance in arranging train tickets to visit nearby areas.Today you can journey further into Tyrol to visit the capital city of Innsbruck, Austria. Your scenic journey will take you over the Brenner Pass and via the Europabrucke, the tallest road bridge in Europe. The setting is enhanced by the backdrop of the Karwendel foothills’ deep green fir and pine forest, and by the snowy peaks beyond.Nestled in a bend of the river Inn, the historic capital of Innsbruck is surrounded by the Alps. Before reaching the city center for our guided visit, you’ll view the Wilten Basilica, whose exterior features a kaleidoscope of soft colors, mixed with glorious gold and lavish rococo plasterwork.Continuing your panoramic drive, you’ll also have the opportunity to admire the Bergisel Ski Jump Arena. Erected in 1925 and recently renovated in recent years, this stadium has been the site of the Winter Olympic Games in 1964 and in 1976.Then you’ll discover Innsbruck’s Old Town, a small area of sturdy medieval houses painted in pastel colors and supported by sloping buttresses. You’ll enjoy a walking tour along the city’s main thoroughfares—such as the Maria-Theresien Strasse—to the magnificent City Tower, built in 1442 and later crowned by a baroque bulbous cupola. Here, you’ll encounter the city’s Market Square, full of 15th- and 16th-century houses. Beyond, a labyrinth of alleyways invites aimless strolling.Perhaps though, the most charming landmark in Innsbruck is the Golden Roof Palace, erected by Archduke Friedrich IV in the early 15th century as the residence of the Tyrolean sovereigns. You’ll have an opportunity to capture its beauty during a photo stop.The tour will come to a close with a visit to the nearby Swarovski Crystal showroom, where you’ll have the opportunity to learn more about this traditional handcraft and view the splendid artifacts on display. After the tour, you’ll have free time for discoveries and for lunch on your own.You are free to choose a restaurant for dinner on your own this evening.
Day 8 Thursday, April 27 Accommodations: Hotel Europa or Hotel Jolanda
BOLZANO/ITALIAN RIVIERA
You have breakfast at your hotel and then travel to the Italian Riviera. This is a striking coastal area marked by mountains and promontories falling into sparkling seas, and by gentle hills covered with green forests, vineyards, and colorful fishing villages.We stop for lunch on your own, and arrive at the hotel in the late afternoon. You have a little free time to relax or explore the town on your own.This evening we gather for a Welcome Drink and dinner together at your hotel.
Day 9 Friday, April 28 Accommodations: Hotel Europa or Hotel Jolanda
ITALIAN RIVIERA/BOAT RIDE ALONG THE RIVIERA/PORTOFINO
INCLUDED TOURS: Portof
inoThis morning, you’ll have a tour along the beautiful Italian Riviera on an included excursion to Portofino, enjoying a boat ride to this scenic area. Portofino is the gem of the Italian Riviera, with an idyllic location on a miniature cove. The town is tiny, and you can walk wherever you wish to go, admiring the pastel-colored houses, lovely gardens, and elegant villas. Stroll past old private villas to the lighthouse, or climb steps from the port to the little parish Church of St. George with its panoramic view of the port and bay. During today's tour you have time to relax over lunch on your own. You then have the remainder of the day at leisure to do as you wish. You can return to your hotel on an early boat, or you can spend more time in Portofino exploring its streets and relaxing on the waterfront. You are free to seek out an interesting spot for dinner on your own tonight.
Day 10 Saturday, April 29 Accommodations: Hotel Europa or Hotel Jolanda
ITALIAN RIVIERA/ITALY TODAY DISCUSSION
DISCOVERY SERIES EVENTS: Italy Today discussion
You have a full day to savor the delights of the Rapallo area according to your own interests. You might want to take a cable car to the 16th-century Sanctuary di Montallegro and then walk to Monte Rosa for what is considered one of the finest views of the Ligurian coast. Perhaps you’ll want to find a good café (there are many) and simply enjoy wandering about on the Riviera. You could also consider taking a train ride to nearby Cinque Terre for a look at the quiet and rugged rocky coastline dotted by a few villages, the steep slopes not easily accessed by cars, and the ever-present vineyards. Exclusive Discovery Series EventEarly this evening join us for an exclusive Discovery Series event that spotlights Italy Today and features a discussion of Italian culture along with political and social trends.
Day 11 Sunday, April 30 Accommodations: Hotel Ambasciatori
ITALIAN RIVIERA/PISA/FLORENCE
DISCOVERY SERIES EVENTS: The Art of the Renaissance discussion
This morning after breakfast we begin our journey to Florence. Along our route we stop in Pisa, where you have free time to explore the Piazza dei Miracoli (the Square of Miracles) at your own pace. The square is decorated by the stunning marble architecture of its Cathedral, the Baptistery (with its marvelous echo), and the Leaning Tower. This famous tower brings to mind one of civilization’s most illustrious names—Galileo Galilei, the genius who helped to found modern science. The scientist began his studies at the University of Pisa at the age of 17, and it is here that many of his greatest theories and inventions were born. One such invention was the telescope, which Galileo was first to turn to the heavens, creating the beginning of modern astronomy. At the square’s Cathedral, you can still view the lamp that inspired Galileo’s theory of the pendulum, and he used the vantage point of the top of the Pisa tower to demonstrate speed and velocity. It was in Pisa that he developed the theory of modern experimentation, relying only on what can be seen, touched, and measured. In its December 1999 issue, Time magazine selected Galileo as “the Revolutionary of the [17th] Century.” His theories of how the universe obeys the language of mathematics contradicted church dogma, and the Inquisition condemned him to house arrest for the remainder of his life. After lunch on your own in Pisa, you continue on to Florence, arriving in mid afternoon. Set on the banks of the Arno River, Florence came into its own as a commercial and cultural center during the 13th century when merchants and tradesmen organized guilds that commissioned works of art to adorn their churches and palaces. The powerful Medici family, represented by Cosimo “the Elder” and Lorenzo “the Magnificent,” ruled the city-state in the mid-15th century, and it was their interest in art and architecture that gave birth to the Italian Renaissance. Lorenzo became what is still perhaps the greatest patron of the arts the world has ever seen, and his most famous protégé was the struggling artist Michelangelo. This extraordinary revival lasted through the 16th century. It completely changed the face of Florence and Tuscany, spread through all of Italy, and into the rest of Western Europe. Florence was the wellspring of the Renaissance, and it is through the names of the great artists of Florence that we best know this “rebirth”—Dante, Boccaccio, Ghiberti, Fra Angelico, Donatello, Botticelli, and the incomparable genius of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Early this evening, you can join us for a Discovery Series presentation on the history of the Art of the Renaissance. Dinner is on your own tonight. Your Program Director will assist you with recommendations. Perhaps stroll about Florence after dining. This is a charming city with soft lights and bustling evening crowds.
Day 12 Monday, May 1 Accommodations: Hotel Ambasciatori
FLORENCE/OPTIONAL TREASURES OF TUSCANY TOUR
INCLUDED TOURS: Florence
OPTIONAL TOURS: Treasures of Tuscany
This morning, embark with us on a walking tour to orient yourself in Florence. See Gothic Santa Croce (Holy Cross) Church, completed in 1442 and containing the tombs of such Renaissance luminaries as Dante, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and Galileo. Stroll through Piazza Signoria, the busy square that was the ancient center of city life during the days of the Medici. For centuries, Michelangelo’s classic statue, David, stood in this square until it was moved to the Academia Gallery in the 19th century. Of course, you will marvel at the beautiful Duomo. This elegant church with its remarkable octagonal Brunelleschi dome is one of the most magnificent structures in Florence. The construction of the dome, with its brilliant design and extraordinary engineering, is said to mark civilization’s transition from the Middle Ages into the Renaissance. Brunelleschi was the first to develop design based on mathematics, proportion, and linear perspective, and his theories inspired future architects, including Michelangelo when he began to construct the dome over St. Peter’s in Rome. The balance of your day is at leisure to relax and explore on your own. Maybe you’ll want to stroll through the lively Oltrarno section to the Palazzo Pitti, now a complex of museums housing one of Europe’s great art collections. Here you can tour the Galleria Palatina of the Pitti Palace, and view the remarkable collection of old masters. You can also visit the Pitti Palace’s royal apartments, which the Medici family once called home. Dinner tonight is on your own. Or join us on a full-day optional Treasures of Tuscany tour to discover the rare beauty of Tuscany. Whatever your personal vision of Tuscany may be—rolling hills covered by vineyards; remote medieval towns and sun-drenched castles; a grass-wrapped bottle of robust Chianti—you’ll find it today along with many other treasures of this beloved wine country. You’ll head out toward the medieval hill-town of San Gimignano, known as the “Town of Towers.” You’ll have ample time to explore the narrow, stone-paved streets that lurk and twist beyond the mystic walls of this quaint town. Perhaps you’d like to climb one of the few remaining medieval towers, or just wander past the many shops and tiny wineries that carry the many specialties of the region. From here, you’ll travel roads lined with elegant cypress trees, past endless stretches of grapevines, through the marvelous Chianti wine country. The idyllic peacefulness of the Tuscan countryside wasn’t always evident; in the past, there was frequent fighting and territorial skirmishes between the two neighboring states of Siena and Florence. Many families built lovely, isolated castles, such as Castle Oliveto, where they would retreat in the summer months to escape the heat of the city and enjoy the countryside. Today the castle has become a peaceful retreat for travelers and a producer of fine wine and olive oil. It is renowned by Italians as a place for delicious dining and memorable weddings and festivities. You will enjoy lunch here today, as well. The cost of this optional tour includes lunch with a Chianti wine tasting.
Day 13 Tuesday, May 2 Accommodations: Hotel Ambasciatori
FLORENCE/OPTIONAL SIENA TOUR
OPTIONAL TOURS: Siena
Your day is free to do as you please. You may want to visit the Casa Guidi, Elisabeth Barrett-Browning’s home in Florence, just next to the Ponte Vecchio. Or take advantage of our full-day optional tour to Siena. Discover this medieval walled city, built on three ridges and dominating the land between the valleys of Arbia and Elsa. Siena was a rich and powerful city during the Dark Ages. From the 12th century into the 16th century, its banking activities and trade in wool and textiles placed it in direct rivalry with Florence. Its influence decreased after that time, as it spent much of its energies in defense against foreign conquerors. Today’s Siena still retains the air of the Tuscan Middle Ages. The 334-foot slender Italianate tower of the town hall soars from the rim of the Piazza del Campo, an inclined, central square that is one of the most beautiful in all of Italy. Surrounding this square are numerous lovely churches and palaces dating from the twelfth to sixteenth centuries. Here and throughout the city are some of the most splendid examples of Gothic architecture in Italy. Automobiles are banned from the city center and you’ll enjoy a guided walk in town. You can view the beauty of the palaces, built in red brick with windows decorated by elegant Gothic frames in white marble. Our tour also takes you inside the Cathedral, and you have the opportunity to view the Palace belonging to Monte di Paschi di Siena, founded in 1492 as Siena’s bank and still an active player in today’s financial market of Italy. During our excursion, we pause for an included lunch. You have some free time to explore on your own before returning to Florence in time for dinner. Cost of this optional excursion includes lunch. Dinner is on your own. Perhaps stroll about Florence after dining. This is a charming city with soft lights and bustling evening crowds.
Day 14 Wednesday, May 3 Accommodations: Hotel Ambasciatori
FLORENCE/OPTIONAL MICHELANGELO’S FLORENCE/AGRITURISMO FARMHOUSE LUNCH
DISCOVERY SERIES EVENTS: Tuscan Delights Agriturismo farmhouse lunch
OPTIONAL TOURS: Michelangelo’s Florence
Today is free for you to visit some of Florence’s sites on your own. The historical center of Florence is full of striking buildings and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sculptor, painter, architect, poet—and Italy’s supreme artist. Join us this morning on an optional walking tour that will unveil the secrets of the genius of Michelangelo. First, we’ll visit the sacristy of the church of San Lorenzo, which hosts the monumental Tombs of the Medici Family. The sacristy was designed by Michelangelo between 1526 and 1533 according to the new aesthetic ideals of the Renaissance that he helped create. Here we shall also admire the sumptuous octagonal chapel decorated entirely with inlaid rare marbles and semi-precious stones such as lapis lazuli, mother of pearl, and coral. We will then continue our stroll through the elegant streets of Florence to the Accademia Museum, which hosts the quintessential Renaissance statue, the majestic “David,” carved in the year 1501 from a block of white marble that had been spoiled by another sculptor. The result of Michelangelo’s labors is the 13.5-foot-high statue of young David looking out for the enemy with confident defiance. This masterpiece epitomizes the spirit of Renaissance man: the embodiment of classical culture, the celebration of individuality, and the symbol of the city’s independence. At the end of our visit, you will be free to stay longer in the museum on your own admiring Michelangelo’s unfinished “Prisoner,” for the prospective tomb of Julius II, the pope who commissioned the artist to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Later we will be guests of a family-run agriturismo. Your palate is sure to be pleased when you sit down for a special agriturismo dinner served at a farm that produces some of its fresh ingredients. You’ll delight in a typical full-course meal of regional specialties, complete with homemade wine from a local vineyard. The wine-producing province of Chianti is part of Tuscany, and the region as a whole boasts 19 registered varieties, including some red wines regarded as among Italy’s finest. Tuscan fare is simpler and lighter than that of the rest of Italy, and it is actually the foundation of the French haute cuisine. It is said that when Lorenzo’s daughter, Catherine de Medici, married France’s future King Henry II, she was dismayed both by the cooking and the table manners of the French court. She brought her own cooks with their wonderful Tuscan cooking and that odd little Italian invention—the fork. Tuscans often favor soup for their first course (primo piatto). Depending on the season and your chef’s choices, you may savor a hearty ribollita, made with bread, beans, and other vegetables; or a pappa col pomodoro, made with bread, tomatoes, and basil. Beans (fagioli) are also prominent in Tuscan cuisine, whether simmered with olive oil and pepper in fagioli al fiasco or prepared with garlic and tomatoes in fagioli all’uccelletto. Of course, Tuscans have their own ways of preparing pasta, such as papardelle alla lepre (with a sauce made from stewed hare) and nastri alla Borracina, ribbon pasta with chopped spinach and spices. While your menu may feature other typical Tuscan dishes, you can be sure that whatever your chef prepares will be a tasty repast.
Day 15 Thursday, May 4 Accommodations: Visconti Palace
FLORENCE/ROME
{Day 16 Friday, May 5 (ROME/FLIGHT HOME)}
We have breakfast at our hotel and then check out early for our transfer to Rome. Along the way we will visit the UnoAerrE 18-karat Italian gold factory in the outskirts of Arezzo. Grand Circle Travel is the only American tour operator to visit an Italian gold factory. We stop for lunch along the way and arrive in Rome in the mid afternoon. Join us this evening, with your memories and newfound friends, to celebrate your adventures with a Farewell Drink at the hotel. We then venture out to a local restaurant for a festive Farewell Dinner accompanied by live music. We then gather for an included illuminated tour of the highlights of the Eternal City.
Day 1 Friday, May 5
Rome/Optional Angels & Demons tour
If you choose this optional Post-Trip Extension, you remain today and for the next three nights in Rome at the same hotel you have stayed in during the main trip.
Today you are at leisure to relax and begin an in-depth exploration of this great and fascinating city. Rome’s many monuments stand as testament to its sweeping history. The Eternal City is easily one of the great centers of Western civilization and a city that many spend a lifetime exploring. Ask at the Hospitality Desk for suggestions as you begin each day.
Spend your morning following in the footsteps of professor Robert Langdon, the protagonist of author Dan Brown, on our optional Angels & Demons tour.
You’ll explore the sites of Rome featured in the novel of the same name, as you visit several of the “Altars of Science,” including the Baroque churches of Santa Maria del Popolo and Santa Maria della Vittoria, where the first and third assassinations take place. These churches are adorned by the magnificent sculptures of Bernini: the Chigi Chapel and the Ecstasy of Saint Theresa.
You’ll then continue to the Pantheon, the only domed building still standing from Ancient Roman times, which contains the tomb of the great Renaissance Master Raphael. From here we stroll through Rome’s picturesque streets to reach the last “Altar of Science”: the Fountain of the Four Rivers located in nearby Piazza Navona.
En route to your hotel, you’ll drive by Castle Sant’Angelo, the so-called “Illuminati Lair.” Originally the monumental tomb of Rome’s first Emperor, Caesar Augustus, due to its favorable location along the Tiber River the Mausoleum was soon transformed into a Castle defending the Vatican after the fall of the Roman Empire. You’ll make a photo stop here to allow you to take in this grand fortress crowned by the statue of the Archangel Michael by Bernini. (If you wish to enter the Castle, you may leave the tour at this time. The cost of admission is not included in the cost of the optional tour.)
Day 2 Saturday, May 6
Rome/Optional Vatican Museums and St. Peter's Tour
You have a full day to savor the delights of Rome on your own. Consider visiting the Trastevere district, the only medieval district left in Rome, or the Ghetto, with its impressive ruins of the Portico d’Ottavia. Or just sip some espresso in a local café in this colorful neighborhood and enjoy the atmosphere of a small Italian community. You might want to stroll the Campo dei Fiori, and explore the piazza with its booksellers, inns, small shops, and colorful morning markets (except Sundays). It is a lively spot by day and at night.
Join us for an optional half-day tour of the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica.
Vatican City is actually an independent city-state on the right bank of the Tiber River in Rome, as well as the official seat of the Pope. What is less known is that the Vatican also oversees a collection of churches, museums, palaces, and galleries that house an incredible repository of treasures from across the world. Here you can see paintings of great masters, ancient Egyptian artifacts, and Greek and Roman sculptures, as well as outstanding architectural masterpieces.
You can stand under Michelangelo’s magnificent frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. The great Renaissance artist labored over these frescoes for four years, and for hundreds of years thereafter they were dimmed by generations of soot and grime. In November of 1999, an ambitious ten-year project of restoring and cleaning the treasures was completed. Today, the frescoes gleam with the same vital, vibrant colors that Michelangelo first used on them.
After our visit to the Vatican Museums, we continue to St. Peter’s Basilica. Possibly the largest church in Christianity, it covers an area of 23,000 m² and has a capacity of over 60,000 people. One of the holiest sites of Christendom, it is believed to be the site of crucifixion and burial of the basilica namesake Saint Peter, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and first Bishop of Antioch and later first Bishop of Rome. Tradition holds that his tomb is below the baldachin and altar; for this reason, many Popes have been buried there, including the late John Paul II. Inside the basilica we’ll have the possibility to admire Michelangelo’s famous Pietà, a representation of the death of Jesus. We will also have time to take in the size and perfect proportions of Michelangelo’s dome.
Day 3 Sunday, May 7
Rome/Optional Rome of the Caesars Tour
Today, you may want to take a walk up Palatine Hill, where tradition tells us the first settlers of Rome built their huts under the direction of Romulus, and which was later the home of Caligula, Nero, Tiberius, and Domitian. Maybe you’ll be enticed to visit the Pantheon, the only building of ancient Rome that remains intact.
You can see the ancient Roman walls of the Baths of Caracalla, built in the third century to accommodate as many as 1,600 bathers. Or you could stop at Bernini’s baroque masterpiece, the Fountain of the Four Rivers, whose four stone statues represent the world’s greatest rivers—the Ganges, Danube, della Plata, and the Nile.
Join our optional Rome of the Caesars tour, which includes a visit to the Roman Forum and the Coliseum.
Though it’s only a shell of its former glory, the Coliseum remains the greatest architectural heritage from ancient Rome. It was here in this massive structure, capable of holding 80,000 people that the fabled and bloody gladiator combats took place. In the Middle Ages, the structure was used as a fortress and later sustained damage from several earthquakes.
The ancient Roman Forum was the political and commercial center of Rome when Rome was at its greatest power. The Forum was constructed over some 900 years with various emperors adding and extending temples, monuments, and buildings. Here the emperors, Roman senators, and consuls met to plan and pass the laws that governed Rome. The Forum remains one of the most powerful monuments to the grandeur that was Rome. You will view the Basilica Aemilia (the site of the great meeting hall) and the Curia (the Senate house), as well as other historic sites.
Day 4 Monday, May 8
Rome/Depart
This morning you transfer to the airport and board your flight home.