Arrive To: Rome airport next morning, transfer to hotel.

Morning: Leave luggage at hotel while waiting for lunch at 12:30. The room may be ready earlier than the official check-in time, but if not, the group leader will arrange a brief neighborhood walk for travelers with morning arrivals.

Lunch: Lunch at a local eatery. Try your first gelato.

Afternoon: Settle in room, meet at appointed time for Orientation, Welcome Reception, and Neighborhood Walk to familiarize yourself with banks, pharmacies and stores.

Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant.

Lodging: Hotel Tiziano

Meals Included: Lunch, Dinner

Underground Rome \ Treasures of the Vatican and S. Peter's \ Forum and Colosseum

Note: In archaeological sites, terrain is uneven and steps may be without railing.

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet in the hotel dining room.

Morning: Join archaeologists who lead an exclusive excursion to underground ancient Roman buildings.

Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Meet in lecture room where an art historian gives an illustrated lecture on the artistic highlights of masterpieces in the Vatican Museum including Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel and S. Peter's Basilica. Late afternoon expert-led visit to the Forum, ancient downtown and center of civic and religious life and the Colosseum, imagine gladiatorial drama.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: Walk around the area where Julius Caesar was assassinated. See who can spot the most cats.

Lodging: Hotel Tiziano

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Reserved entrance Vatican Museums \ S. Peter's Basilica \ Mosaic Laboratory

Note: Expect crowds at the Vatican Museums. Walk a few flights of stairs to visit the various galleries and art filled rooms. Steps along the path to the Sistine Chapel.

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet in hotel dining hall.

Morning: Transfer to the Vatican Museums for reserved entrance time. Meet the local expert who will lead you through this singular museum. The visit continues to S. Peter's Basilica to see Michelangelo's Pieta' and works by Bernini. With the free time that follows, some may desire to climb the 450 steps of Michelangelo's Dome. Catch your breath only to have it taken away by the stunning panorama of Rome.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Participate in creating your own mosaic with instructors at a local art school. Coach to the hotel.

Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant.

Lodging: Hotel Tiziano

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet in hotel dining room.

Morning: Expert-led visit at the Capitoline Museum where you can examine up close masterpieces of ancient art, including the famous bronze She Wolf, Marcus Aurelius and remains of the Constantine's colossal statue. Passing through the Tabularium you reach the Palazzo Nuovo wing where the Dying Gaul and Capitoline Venus are on display. Before exiting the museum, ascend the stairs to the balcony of the monument to Victor Emanuel II, for a splendid panoramic view of Rome. Continue on to the Circus Maximus and the "Mouth of Truth," returning to the hotel through the old Jewish Ghetto.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Free Afternoon

Dinner: Dinner on your own.

Evening: A leisurely stroll to the Trevi Fountain for the traditional coin toss and Spanish Steps.

Lodging: Hotel Tiziano

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet in the hotel dining room.

Morning: Have checked luggage ready for van transfer to the hotel in Florence. Leave hand luggage in the hotel deposit area. Short walk to the Pantheon and Piazza Navona.

Lunch: Lunch on your own. Group leader will offer suggestions. Meet at the appointed time to pick up your carry-on bag and transfer to the train station.

Afternoon: Experience travel on a high speed train at speeds reaching 120 mph. Ride to Florence is 95 minutes. Check into the hotel and gather shortly after for a lecture on Renaissance Florence to help contextualize your stay in the city known as the Cradle of the Renaissance.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: Excursion of the historical section of Florence to orient everyone on the layout of the city, locate landmarks, find ATM's and pharmacies.

Lodging: Hotel Corona d'Italia

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet in the hotel dining hall.

Morning: Expert-led visit to see Michelangelo's David and the Archaeological museum to see the Chimera from Arezzo.

Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Free time for walk of discovery or ascent for panoramic view from the bell tower of Giotto or the Duomo's cupola. Group leader will provide suggested activities and information about monument visiting hours.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: Gelato tasting walk.

Lodging: Hotel Corona d'Italia

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: The exclusive visit to the upper gallery of the Baptistery is reached by a narrow staircase, about 20 steep steps. One may remain below but miss the up-close view of the mosaics.

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet in hotel dining hall.

Morning: Walk through Florence's central food and soft goods market toward S. Maria Novella. With your new found knowledge of fresco painting, an expert expounds on the frescoes by Masaccio and Ghirlandaio found in the church. Informative video presentation of Florence's Baptistery followed by special access to the upper level to get a close-up view of the mosaics.

Lunch: Lunch on your own. The group leader will have suggestions for places to eat around the Baptistery.

Afternoon: Learn from an art teacher the steps required to paint using the fresco technique; from creating the lines with a sack of coal dust, to spreading the fresh plaster and mixing the pigments. Once it dries you can take home the 6"x 9" tile you have created. Expert-led visit of Palazzo Vecchio, Florence's city hall, to see original pieces of art, including Donatello's Judith and Holofernes and sculptures by Michelangelo. See Machiavelli's study when he was Secretary of State for the Republic.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: Enjoy walking in the squares closed to vehicular traffic. Be entertained by street performers as you savor a refreshing gelato.

Lodging: Hotel Corona d'Italia

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Note: The Uffizi Gallery visit requires climbing 3 flights of stairs.

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet in the hotel dining hall.

Morning: Lecture on Renaissance Art in preparation for the self-guided visit of the Uffizi Gallery.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Reserved entrance to the Uffizi Gallery for self-directed visit. The group enters at the appointed time but you visit the gallery rooms at your own pace and stay as long as you want. At the end of the second corridor is a refreshment bar for snacks. The balcony has a wonderful view of Brunelleschi's Dome and the watch tower of Palazzo Vecchio. Free time follows.

Dinner: Dinner on your own.

Evening: Walk of discovery after dinner, perhaps cross Ponte Vecchio to explore the "Oltrarno" district.

Lodging: Hotel Corona d'Italia

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet in hotel dining hall.

Morning: Your bag goes by van. High speed train to Venice, a 2 hour ride. Short walk to the hotel.Your bag will be delivered to your room.

Lunch: Lunch at the hotel restaurant and check-in to the rooms.

Afternoon: Lecture on Venetian history and brief walk to familiarize yourself with Venice's unique 'streets' around the hotel.

Dinner: At a local restaurant to savor Venetian cuisine.

Lodging: Hotel Principe

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Vaporetto vessels are often crowded. Monumental staircase at the historic Ducal Palace.

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet in hotel dining hall.

Morning: Receive vaporetto (public boat) pass and ride the boat to the island of Murano. Learn about glass making and create your own glass tile decoration under the supervision of an instructor at a glass working school. The tile you create will later be fused in the kiln and delivered to your hotel.

Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Expert-led visit S. Mark's Basilica. Marvel at the mosaics decorating the walls and ceilings, over 60,000 square feet. The visit continues to the Doge's Palace, Venice's government headquarters, decorated by Titian, Canaletto and Giorgione, just to mention a few.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Lodging: Hotel Principe

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Row, row, row your boat hard if you want to win; otherwise sit at the stern and enjoy the ride.

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet in the hotel dining hall.

Morning: Team up with the Venetian Crew Club for a dragon boat race along the canal.

Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Having been surrounded by ancient and Renaissance masterpieces and structures, enjoy the modern art collection at the Peggy Guggenheim Museum. Relax in the courtyard of the palazzo on the Grand Canal while the docents introduce the life and times of the wealthy American collector. Once inside, the docents divide the group by age. The comments directed towards the younger students focus on having them express the form and function they see in the works of art.

Dinner: Dinner on your own.

Lodging: Hotel Principe

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Note: Extended walking over bridges and through Venice streets and campos (squares).

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet in hotel dining hall.

Morning: Learn the Venetian manner of shopping at the market around the Rialto Bridge. Then, visit an artisan's workshop to learn about the carving techniques of making gondola oars and oar locks.

Lunch: Lunch on your own.

Afternoon: Free Afternoon. Use your Vaporetto pass to explore another corner of Venice.

Dinner: Farewell dinner at the hotel restaurant. Your glass mementos will be available for you to gingerly pack them.

Evening: Ride the Vaporetto to take some artistic evening photographs.

Lodging: Hotel Principe

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Depart From: Transfer from the hotel to the Venice Marco Polo airport for departure.

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet in hotel dining hall. Sack breakfast for those with early departure times.

Meals Included: Breakfast