Day 1: Fly overnight to Italy
Day 2: Rome
Meet your Field Director at the destination airportEnjoy a pizza dinner in Rome
Day 3: Rome
Take a guided tour of Rome
With your expert local guide you will visit:
- Roman Forum, marking the former heart of the Roman Empire where Julius Caesar gave many of his political speeches
- The Colosseum, the world’s most famous arena used for gladiatorial combat
Take a self-guided walking tour of Rome
You will see:
- Trevi Fountain, Rome's iconic landmark
- Pantheon, built to honor all the gods of Rome
- Piazza Navona, a lively square lined with restaurants and shops
- Spanish Steps, Europe's widest staircase
Doria Pamphilj Gallery
Wander through the Doria Pamphilj Gallery, a large private art collection between Via del Corso and Via Della Gatta. The gilded walls hold masterpieces like Velasquez's Portrait of Innocent X, Caravaggio's Rest During the Flight into Egypt, Titian's Salome with the Head of John the Baptist, and others by Raphael, Tiziano, Bernini, and more. The palace was a family home for the Pamphilj family, and you can get a peek into their life as you visit the apartments that are still furnished with original décor.
Day 4: Rome
Take a guided tour of Vatican City, the headquarter of the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope
With your expert local guide you will visit:
- Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo’s breathtaking frescoes
- St. Peter’s Basilica, a site of religious and historical significance over which the Pope presides
Caravaggio art tour
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio had a formative influence on the Baroque school of painting. On this optional walking tour, you’ll view some of the Italian artist’s most famous works spread among three stunning churches.
Day 5: Rome • Assisi • Florence
Travel to Assisi, nestled between Mount Subasio and fields of olive groves on a hill overlooking Umbria, on your way to Florence
Visit the Basilica of St. Francis, where the remains of St. Francis are entombed in a stone crypt
Take a tour of Assisi
With an expert local guide you will see:
- Basilica of St. Francis, where the remains of St. Francis are entombed in a stone crypt
- Birthplace of St. Clare, who founded the Franciscan Order of Poor Ladies in the year 1212
Enjoy dinner in Florence
Day 6: Florence
Visit the Accademia to admire Michelangelo’s statue of David and explore the winding halls of busts
🔹 Cultural engagement: Take an art-themed tour of Florence with a local professor, including the ideas of power and patronage during the Renaissance, and discuss the social, political and artistic implications of the era
Day 7: Florence
Visit the Uffizi art museum to see Botticelli’s famous Birth of Venus painting up close and study the details of Leonardo da Vinci’s Annunciation
🔹 Independent exploration: Spend a half day exploring Florence on your own
Day 8: Florence • Paris
Fly to Paris
See Notre-Dame Cathedral, known for its sculptured facade, stained-glass rose windows, and seemingly weightless vaulted ceilings
🔹 Guided learning: Take a guided tour of Paris
With your expert local guide you will see:
- Place de la Concorde, a major public square
- Champs-Élysées, an elegant boulevard packed with high-fashion boutiques
- Arc de Triomphe, a monument honoring those who fought for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
- Eiffel Tower, built for the 1889 World's Fair and an iconic symbol of Paris
- Hôtel des Invalides, a grand hospital commissioned by Louis XIV
Day 9: Paris
🔹 Guided learning: Take a guided tour of the Louvre with a local historian, who will share insights about the artwork and artists represented at the incomparable museum
🔹 Cultural engagement: Visit a Parisian atelier and see where working Parisian artists draw their inspiration from, from potters’ wheels to fashion mannequins to canvasses
Enjoy a scenic view of Paris as you sail along the iconic Seine River
Day 10: Paris
Take a guided tour of the Museé d’Orsay with a local historian, which was built for the 1900 Universal Exposition and noted for its collection of Impressionist paintings
Monet's Giverny Gardens
Join an optional half-day excursion to the village of Giverny, where impressionist painter Claude Monet lived and worked for more than 40 years. As you explore Monet’s home you will not only see his other artistic work, but you’ll also see his personal collection of Japanese paintings as well as his studio. Make your way through the extensive gardens to the pond where Monet’s art comes to life as you stand on the wooden footbridge that spans the pond. You might recognize the view from the artist’s famous Water Lilies series. Enjoy free time to stroll through the gardens and visit the quaint village. (Please note: This optional excursion is only available April 1 through October 31. Monet’s home is closed Mondays except for Easter Monday. Participants must enroll in this excursion no later than 50 days prior to departure.)
Van Gogh's Auvers-sur-Oise
Opt to visit the town said to inspire some of the most noted French Impressionists. Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cézanne, Camille Pissarro, Jean Baptiste Camille Corot and Charles Françoise Daubigny lived and worked in Auvers-sur-Oise, a commune located in the northwestern suburbs of Paris. Stroll through the town and take in the views that inspired these great artists. You’ll see the inspiration for Cézanne’s La Maison du Pendu Auvers-sur-Oise and Ravoux Inn, where Vincent van Gogh spent the end of his life. Time permitting, you may wish to visit the museum at the house of Daubigny. (Please note: This optional excursion is only available November 1 throughMarch 31.)
Day 11: Depart for home
Add 2 more days
Day 11: Paris • Amsterdam
Travel by train to Amsterdam, the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands
Visit the Rijksmuseum and admire works including Rembrandt’s The Night Watch
Enjoy dinner in Amsterdam
Day 12: Amsterdam
Take a guided tour of Amsterdam
With your expert local guide you will see:
- Koninklijk Paleis (Royal Palace), once the home of the Dutch Royal Family
- Westerkerk (West Church), where Rembrandt is buried
- Dam Square, bustling central meeting point
🔹 Guided learning: Visit the Anne Frank House and reflect on themes that range from conflicting fundamental and human rights, to discrimination, and more
Day 13: Depart for home
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