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Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Activity note: Hotel check-in available from 2:00 p.m. Transfer from Florence Airport to hotel is 4 miles (20-minute ride). Walking less than 1 mile; urban terrain and cobblestones.
Afternoon: After you check in and have your room assignment, take some time to freshen up and relax before our Orientation session. Orientation: 4:30 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions We will learn from the Group Leader and a series of local experts who will give lectures and lead field trips. We will walk to and from field trips unless otherwise noted. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Next, we will join our Group Leader for a welcome cocktail (or fruit juice).
Dinner: At the hotel restaurant.
Evening: At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Activity note: Walking up to 4 miles throughout the day with extended periods of standing during site visits; cobblestones and mostly level urban stone sidewalks.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We begin the day in the hotel meeting room with a lecture on Florentine sculpture. The presentation by a local art historian examines the development of the art form from antiquity through the Renaissance with special emphasis on the works of Ghiberti, Donatello, and Michelangelo. We'll walk to the Bargello where an art historian will lead us through the museum and examine the development of sculpture from antiquity through the Renaissance with special emphasis on the works of Ghiberti, Donatello, and Michelangelo. Notable works include Donatello's David and bronzes by Cellini and Giambologna. Our local expert will then lead us back toward San Lorenzo where we'll learn about this imposing structure and its unfinished facade.
Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.
Afternoon: Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. We will regroup and walk to a cooking school with a local artisan who will teach us how to make pasta, pizza, and gelato using seasonal and local ingredients.
Dinner: At the cooking school, we will enjoy the foods we helped to prepare.
Evening: At a venue in the heart of the Oltrarno, we’ll attend a performance of opera arias by Giuseppe Verdi and Giacomo Puccini, native son of the nearby city of Lucca. The live performance is by a solo artist with piano accompaniment.
Activity note: Walking up to 4 miles throughout the day with extended periods of standing during site visits; cobblestones and some uneven urban stone sidewalks. Elevator available in the Palazzo Pitti.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We’ll set out on foot for our expert-led field trip to the Palazzo Pitti on the other side of the Arno. This former palace was inhabited by members of the Medici family from 1589 until the last, Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici, died in 1743. The palace was home to Napoleon when Tuscany was under French control and later was a residence of the House of Savoy under the period of Italian Unification. Today, the palace is home to works by Antonio Canova, Artemisia Gentileschi, Raphael, Tiziano, and Rubens.
Lunch: At a local restaurant.
Afternoon: From our restaurant, we’ll set out on foot with a local expert to explore the Oltrarno, the “left bank” of the Arno River. Along the narrow streets of the residential neighborhood, we can observe artisans at their craft. Depending on what shops are open, we may encounter potters, furniture restorers, leather workers, or bookbinders. After a short coffee break, we will attend a cooking school with a local artisan who will teach us how to make pasta, pizza, and gelato using seasonal and local ingredients.
Dinner: On your own to sample the local fare.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Walking up to 4 miles total throughout the day with extended periods of standing during site visits; cobblestones and mostly level urban stone sidewalks and streets. Elevator available at the Uffizi. Walking and other free time activities according to personal choice.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: In the meeting room of the hotel, an art historian will join us and give an overview of Renaissance Art and, with an illustrated presentation, describe highlighted works of art in the collection of the Uffizi. We will walk to the Uffizi; once inside, we’ll take in a self-directed visit of the many rooms of artistic treasures at your own pace. In the Uffizi, works are arranged in an order that illustrates the progression from the International Gothic style to Mannerist and examples of Baroque art with pieces by Caravaggio and Artemisia Gentilleschi. There is a coffee bar at the end of the corridor on the upper level where you can relax and purchase refreshments while enjoying a commanding view of the bell tower of Palazzo Vecchio and the Cupola of the Duomo.
Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.
Afternoon: Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Dinner: We will celebrate New Year’s Eve at a local restaurant.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Getting on/off a bus; driving about 40 miles one way to San Gimignano, under 1.5 hours riding time. Walking up to 3 miles throughout the day with periods of standing during site visits; uneven paths, cobblestones, mostly level urban stone sidewalks, pedestrian-only roads with inclines and descents. Gravel walkways at the agriturismo.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: Late morning, we will board a motorcoach and head south of Florence to the hills where Chianti grapes are grown and the famous red wine is produced. A few miles outside of San Gimignano, we will drive to an organic farm where you can visit the farm and wine cellar. The host explains the production of extra virgin olive oil, wine, saffron, and the characteristics of Chianina cattle.
Lunch: We’ll enjoy a farm-to-table lunch at an agriturismo.
Afternoon: We’ll board the bus and ride back to our hotel in Florence. Upon arrival, we’ll adjourn for the rest of the day.
Dinner: On your own to sample the local fare.
Evening: At a venue in the heart of the Oltrarno, we’ll attend a performance of opera arias by Giuseppe Verdi and Giacomo Puccini, native son of the nearby city of Lucca. The live performance is by a solo artist with piano accompaniment.
Activity note: Walking up to 4 miles throughout the day, extended periods of standing; mostly level urban stone sidewalks and streets, cobblestones; elevator available at Opera del Duomo Museum, unavoidable stairs. Extent of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We will gather in the hotel meeting room for a presentation by a local expert on medieval Florence. We’ll learn of the Roman origins of the city and how, by the end of the 15th century, the Medici family had established a powerful dynasty and went on to rule Florence, transforming it into a cradle of the Renaissance. The Medici rebuilt large areas of the city in Renaissance style; became patrons of the humanities, arts, and science; and collected art treasures. After a short break, we will set out on a field trip and walk to the Duomo where a museum docent will lead our exploration of Florence’s most famous landmark. Known officially as the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, it is called simply the Duomo. It is the third-largest church in the world. The magnificent dome, designed by Filippo Brunelleschi and completed in 1434, was startlingly innovative at the time and is considered one of the wonders of the Renaissance. We will also explore the Duomo Museum complex, recently reopened after a major renovation and modernization. It includes more than 750 works of art covering more than seven centuries of history including medieval and Renaissance statues and reliefs in marble, bronze, and silver by leading artists of the day.
Lunch: At a local restaurant.
Afternoon: We’ll meet at an appointed time and place to walk to the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella complex, located near the city's main train station, to meet our local art historian. Santa Maria Novella is Florence’s Dominican church, built on land assigned to the Order in the early 13th century. The present basilica was constructed in the early 15th century; its famous façade was designed by famed Renaissance man, Leon Battista Alberti in the 1470s. The interior of the basilica contains astounding works of 15th-century frescoes, including Masaccio's Trinity and Domenico Ghirlandaio's (and possibly young apprentice Michelangelo) Tornabuoni Chapel, not to mention works by Lorenzo Ghiberti, Giambologna, Bernardo Daddi, and Filippino Lippi.
Dinner: At a local restaurant.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Walking up to 3 miles throughout the day with extended periods of standing during site visits; cobblestones and mostly level urban stone sidewalks. Sculptures at the Accademia are on the ground floor; elevator available to the paintings on the first floor. Walking and other free time activities according to personal choice.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: Our day begins with a walk to the Accademia delle Belle Arti where we will marvel at Michelangelo's David. A local expert will lead the field trip through the sculpture collection in the main hall which includes the David as well as the unfinished pieces called the Prisoners, which seem to be still imprisoned in the block of Carrara marble. There are other small collections in the museum that you might want to browse on your own, such as the collection of early musical instruments or the painting gallery with works from the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and early 17th century.
Lunch: On your own to sample the local fare.
Afternoon: Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most.
Dinner: At the hotel restaurant. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Activity note: Hotel check-out by 11:00 a.m. See your program’s “Getting There” information regarding transfers.
Breakfast: At the hotel. For those with early departures, the hotel will prepare a bag breakfast to take. This concludes our program.
Morning: If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!