Italy
The Best of Italy: Rome, Florence and Venice
Program No. 18206RJ
Learn about three great Italian cities as you visit Rome’s preserved ruins, explore Renaissance architecture in Florence and discover the renowned cathedrals and cuisine of Venice.
Program
At a Glance
Duration
12 days
Program Begins
Rome
Program Concludes
Venice
Group Type
Small Group
Meals
21 (
10B, 5L, 6D
)
Activity Level
Experience the beauty of three historic capitals of Classical, Medieval, and Renaissance acclaim as local experts lead you through some of Italy's greatest cities. Follow the path of legendary artists, scientists, and philosophers from the classical remnants of Rome to the preserved treasures of Florence and Venice.
Best of all, you'll...
- Trace history as you visit the Colosseum, Pantheon and Galleria Borghese.
- Journey to Florence and Venice via a high-speed train, reaching speeds of over 190 mph.
- View the statue of David — and ride in a gondola through the canals of Venice.
Featured Expert
All Experts
Jane Zaloga
Jane Zaloga holds degrees in architecture and business administration from the University of Notre Dame, an MA from Syracuse University, and has done further graduate study at Harvard University. She has received several fellowships to study in Rome and in Florence, including the prestigious Fulbright Fellowship. She now lives in Florence and teaches with several American university programs, including Syracuse University and New York University.
Please Note:
This expert may not be available for every date of the program
Please Note:
These experts may not be available for every date of the program
Jane Zaloga
Jane Zaloga holds degrees in architecture and business administration from the University of Notre Dame, an MA from Syracuse University, and has done further graduate study at Harvard University. She has received several fellowships to study in Rome and in Florence, including the prestigious Fulbright Fellowship. She now lives in Florence and teaches with several American university programs, including Syracuse University and New York University.
Paolo Alei
Paolo Alei is an art historian from Rome. He received his M.A. in art history and archaeology from Columbia University and his Ph.D. in Italian Renaissance art from Oxford University. He is an adjunct professor at the University of California and Loyola University and serves as the curator of the museum of the Castello Odeschalchi of Bracciano. Paolo has extensive publications and is an internationally acclaimed lecturer in Italian art history.
Rachel Potts
Rachel Potts is a licensed excursion leader in Rome. She graduated from Manchester University with a bachelor's in Philosophy and French, and later studied garden design at the London Gardening School. Having grown up in Rome, she chose to return to Italy and share her knowledge and love of Rome and the surrounding areas.
Rosanna Giannotti
Rosanna Giannotti is a Senior Authorized Venice Guide Lecturer who has devoted her life to studying the art and history of her home city. She is fluent in English, French, and Spanish, and she has always had a penchant for traveling and cosmopolitanism, in order to expand her knowledge and connect Venetian history with the world context. Rosanna is a member of the most prestigious Italian and European Associations of Guide Lecturers and has cooperated with Road Scholar programs in Venice for over 30 years.
Giulietta Seme
Julieta is a passionate student of history, specializing in the history and culture of her native city of Rome. She studied at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma with a concentration in painting before earning a degree in classical archaeology and art history from the Università degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza." Outside of history, Julieta enjoys hiking beautiful nature trails by the seaside or in the mountains of Italy.
Cristina Davanzo
Cristina Davanzo is a native of Treviso (a city just north of Venice) and has an advanced degree in foreign languages and literature from the Università Ca' Foscari in Venice. She has taught at the primary school level and has studied and worked in Spain, England and Italy as an interpreter, group leader and administrative assistant. When she returned to Italy, she began managing educational travel programs as well as leading Road Scholar groups since 2005. She is fluent in Italian, Spanish, English and Portuguese.
Daniela Sarghini
Daniela is a licensed travel leader for the city and province of Rome. She studied and worked in other countries in Europe, in China and Morocco. Daniela defines travel as learning about and appreciating different cultures. With a young family, her most recent adventures have been traveling in time, rediscovering ancient sites and historic curiosities in sites off the beaten path in Rome, the city she considers the most beautiful in the world.
Marco A. Ceccarani
Marco Ceccarani, a native of Assisi, holds a PhD in humanities from the Università degli Studi di Perugia. His field of expertise includes medieval and Renaissance Italian civilization and literature. He has taught for several American universities in the United States and currently teaches in Florence for American university study away programs.
Monica Chojnacka
Monica Chojnacka earned her PhD in European history from Stanford University and undergraduate degrees from Kalamazoo College and the London School of Economics and Political Science. From 1994-2007 she was a professor of history at the University of Georgia, where she authored numerous publications. She has published books relating to Venice on topics as diverse as women of the Renaissance, food and wine. Monica continues to teach in Venice, primarily for study away programs for American universities, as well as online courses.
Emily Moloney
Emily Moloney, who is originally from Buffalo, New York, first came to Italy over ten years ago. She holds a master's degree in Renaissance art history and is an officially licensed tour guide. In addition to working as a private guide, Emily lectures as a professor of art history and Italian culture at several study-abroad centers in Florence. In her free time, you can find Emily at the park with her growing family.
Eduardo Damiani
Eduardo Damiani earned a degree in psychology from the University of Maryland—studies which have served him well while working as a manager and docent in the hospitality business over two decades. As a British and Italian national, Eduardo is fluent in Italian and English; he further acquired conversational Portuguese while living in Brazil. Eduardo brings a wealth of international cultural experience, passion, and positivity to leading lifelong learners on educational adventures throughout his native Campania.
Helen Bayley
Helen Bayley received her B.F.A. in painting from the Rhode Island School of Design and her M.F.A. in painting from Indiana University. As a professor for over 30 years, Helen has inspired learners of all ages with her extensive knowledge and artistic talents at universities in the United States and Italy. While Helen is passionate about art history throughout space and time, she is aesthetically drawn to the 18th century in all its musical and sartorial particularities.
Activity Level
Let's Go!
Walking up to six miles a day. Extended standing during site visits with limited or no public seating. Uneven terrain, limited public handrails, unavoidable stairs, marble and terracotta flooring, cobblestones, inclines, loose gravel, escalators. Elevator use is limited or restricted in historic sites. Venice's canal bridges have ramps or stairs with handrails. Expect crowded conditions in pedestrian centers and museums. Program-related travel and transfers will be via bus, high-speed train, vaporetto, and water taxi. Sheltered waiting areas may not be available at docks.
Small Group
(13 to 24)
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
Suggested Books and Resources
View Full List
You can also find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone?
We can help. Give us a call, and we can answer all of your questions!
Call
800-454-5768
Enroll with Confidence
Peace of Mind
We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. That’s why we go to the ends of the earth to give you peace of mind, from the moment you enroll until the day you return home.
Assurance Plan
Road Scholar is committed to the well-being of every participant, whether on a program in the United States or abroad. That’s why all participants are covered under our Road Scholar Assurance Plan, which provides 24-hour assistance in the event of an emergency during your program, as well as insurance for emergency medical evacuation.
Want to Protect Your Investment?
Road Scholar is pleased to offer its Trip Protection Plan as a way to protect your program investment. You may purchase this optional trip protection plan when enrolling in your program.
Sustainable Travel
We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Read about our commitment to a more sustainable planet.
- Peace of Mind
We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. That’s why we go to the ends of the earth to give you peace of mind, from the moment you enroll until the day you return home.
- Assurance Plan
Road Scholar is committed to the well-being of every participant, whether on a program in the United States or abroad. That’s why all participants are covered under our Road Scholar Assurance Plan, which provides 24-hour assistance in the event of an emergency during your program, as well as insurance for emergency medical evacuation.
- Want to Protect Your Investment?
Road Scholar is pleased to offer its Trip Protection Plan as a way to protect your program investment. You may purchase this optional trip protection plan when enrolling in your program.
- Sustainable Travel
We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Read about our commitment to a more sustainable planet.