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 Italian History and Culture, May 2006
TENTATIVE ACTIVITIES CALENDAR
[The events, dates, & times in this activities calendar are subject to alteration in case of unforeseen conditions such as museum closings, inclement weather, or changes in the travel schedule.]
Be at the USAirways International check-in at the Charlotte Airport no later than 11:30 am! [Allow plenty of time for security check-in.] Depart Charlotte 2:10 pm, USAirways #42, for Philadelphia (arrive 3:45 pm). Depart Philadelphia 6:10 pm, USAirways #2, for Rome.
Arrive Rome 8:40 am. To Praiano by coach (Acampora Travel). Praiano walkabout & orientation. [Get Euros.] Dinner at hotel.
Praiano: 8:30 am, leave hotel for visit to Amalfi (the Cathedral & Crypt of St. Andrew, Via Genova & Via Capuano) & Ravello (steep ascent, alleys, villas, St John’s, & the site itself).
Praiano: 8:20 am, leave hotel for visit to Vesuvius & Pompeii.
Praiano: 8:00 am, leave hotel to catch boat for day-trip to Capri.
Praiano: 7:30 am, leave hotel with luggage for coach trip to Rome, via the Catacombs of San Callisto. Afternoon: after hotel check-in, Rome walkabout – Campo dei Fiori, Piazza Navona, Piazza della Rotonda, the Pantheon, San Luigi dei Francesi, Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, St. Ignazio di Loyola, Marcus Aurelius's Column, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps.
Rome: 8:00 am, leave hotel for St. Peter's, the Vatican Museums, & Sistine Chapel. [Reminder: St. Peter's has a strict dress code--no shorts, skirts above the knee, or bare-shoulders.]
Rome: 8:40 am, leave hotel for visit to Campidoglio, Capitoline Museums, Mamertine Prison, Imperial and Roman Fora, Colosseum, Arch of Constantine, San Pietro in Vincoli (Moses).
Rome: 8:15 am, leave hotel for visit to Bernini’s splendid Sant’Andrea al Quirinale, Santa Maria della Vittorio (Bernini’s St. Theresa in Ecstasy), the Borghese Museum, Via Veneto, Capuchine Monastery’s bone yard (Sta Maria della Concezione). Afternoon: EXPLORE ROME – ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITIES: Select from these options – Etruscan Museum, National Roman Museum, Campo dei Fiori, Piazza Navona, St. Peter in Vincoli, Castel Sant'Angelo (where the Borgias lived and killed people), Ara Pacis, Santa Maria del Popolo (more Caravaggio paintings), the Keats Museum, Ostia Antica (via metro; Rome's ancient port with Pompeii-like ruins), or train trip to American Military Cemetery at Anzio-Nettuno. Whatyouwill!
Rome: 8:30 am, leave hotel for Scala Santa (where pilgrims climb the steps on their knees), San Clemente, San Giovanni. Afternoon: EXPLORE ROME – ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITIES: select other activities from the list above. [Reminder: The churches have a dress code.]
Rome: 8:00 am, leave hotel with luggage for Florence via stopover in San Gimignano. After hotel check-in, Florence walkabout & orientation via Mercato Centrale, San Lorenzo, Piazza San Giovanni (the Baptistery and Duomo), Orsanmichele, Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio, & Mercato Nuovo.
Florence 8:35 am, leave hotel for the Bargello (Donatello’s David, Michelangelo's Brutus, etc).
Afternoon: EXPLORE FLORENCE – ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITIES: Giotto's Campanile (414 steps to the top), Palazzo Medici Ricardi (Gozzoli's magnificent Three Magi fresco), San Lorenzo (Laurentian Library, Medici Chapels), Museo Firenze Com'era (large models, aerial views, scenes of the city through the ages), Museo di Storia della Scienza (awesome science stuff, Galileo's tools, etc.), Pitti Palace, Boboli Gardens, Badia (art treasures by Lippi, etc.), Museo della Chiesa di San Marco (convent cells, famous paintings, courtyard), Archeological Museum (great Etruscan, Greek, Roman, Egyptian artifacts & sculpture), Michelangelo’s Studio, Santa Maria Novella, Palazzo Strozzi (courtyard), Dante’s House (most in Italian).
Florence: 7:40 am, leave hotel for day-trip to the Cinque Terre.
Florence: 8:35 am, leave hotel for the Museo dell'Opera dell Duomo & Santa Croce (tombs of Galileo, Machiavelli, & Michelangelo; monument to Dante; Pazzi Chapel). Afternoon: Santa Maria del Carmine (the Brancacci Chapel and incredible Masaccio frescoes).
Florence: 8:05 am, leave hotel for the Accademia (David), the Duomo and Baptistery, and San Lorenzo (Laurentian Library, Medici Chapels). Afternoon: the Uffizi.
Florence: 8:45 am, leave hotel with luggage for coach trip to Venice via stopover in Padua to visit the Scrovegni Cappella (the magnificent Giotto frescoes), the Basilica del Santo (with St. Anthony’s tomb & tongue), and Donatello's unique Gattamelata ("Honey Cat"). Late Afternoon: after hotel check-in, Venice walkabout & orientation.
Venice: 8:30 am, leave hotel for visit to Piazza San Marco, St. Mark's Basilica, & Doges' Palace. [Reminder: St. Mark’s has a very strict dress code.] Afternoon: EXPLORE VENICE – ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITIES: Grand Canal, Rialto Bridge & adjacent market, Church of St. John & St. Paul, Verrocchio’s equestrian Monument to B. Colleoni, Accademia Gallery, Campo San Gregorio, the famous islands of Murano (glass blowing) and Burano (lace making), the Lido (beach), the Jewish Ghetto. Wander & enjoy Venice! Look for its leaning tower.
Venice: 8:30 am, leave hotel for visit to Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari and Peggy Guggenheim Collection (modern art). Afternoon: EXPLORE VENICE – ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITIES: select other activities from the list above. Wander & enjoy Venice!
Venice: 7:30 AM SHARP!! leave hotel with luggage for Venezia Marco Polo. Depart Venice 11:40 am, USAirways #23, for Philadelphia (arrive 3:20 pm). Depart Philadelphia 5:55 pm, USAirways #145, for Charlotte (arrive 7:47 pm).
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