Breakfast:
At hotel.
Morning:
We will be treated to an expert-led field trip to Flagler College, once the Ponce de Leon, Henry Flagler's first St. Augustine, traveling by trolley or minibus dependent on weather. We will learn about the history of the building and its stunning Spanish Renaissance architecture and manicured gardens of the campus. We will then take a trolley ride around St. Augustine, the nation's oldest continually occupied European settlement and at various times home to Native American tribes, British redcoats, Spanish conquistadors, pirates, and tycoons. We will see remnants of each era preserved in the city's historical sites, such as historic St. George Street, City Plaza, and the Spanish Military Hospital.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant. During lunch, we’ll be joined by a local expert who will give a presentation on Menorcan history and culture. Menorca (or Minorca) is one of the Balearic Islands off the coast of Spain. During the 1760s, some influential Europeans believed Florida’s climate would be suitable for crops such as grapes, olives, and oranges. They began recruiting colonists from among those they felt would be suited to both the climate and the crops, primarily Greeks and Italians. More than 1,400 people including Corsicans, French, and Menorcans, left the Mediterranean in 1768 and sailed for Florida. We’ll hear their story.
Afternoon:
From lunch, we will walk to visit Castillo de San Marcos, the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States, with construction beginning in 1672 when Florida was part of the Spanish Empire. Enjoy some time on your own in the Old City.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant. We will say our farewells as we prepare to depart St. Augustine the next day.
Evening:
At leisure.