loading spinner
Italy

Italian Extravaganza: Rome, Florence and Venice at Their Finest

Program No. 22221RJ
With top instructors and ample time, discover Italy’s incredible art, architecture, history, food and more in three of the world’s most spectacular cities – Rome, Florence and Venice.

Enroll with Confidence

We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. Learn more

Protecting the Environment

We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Learn more

Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone? 800-454-5768
airfare
Need airfare?
Our airfare tool can help. Check it out
climate
Plan ahead.
What kind of weather can you expect? Take a look!
Select your type of room
Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
May 7 - May 18, 2023
Starting at
6,449
May 21 - Jun 1, 2023
Starting at
6,449
Sep 3 - Sep 14, 2023
Starting at
6,449
Sep 17 - Sep 28, 2023
Starting at
6,449
Oct 1 - Oct 12, 2023
Starting at
6,449
Oct 15 - Oct 26, 2023
Starting at
6,449
Oct 29 - Nov 9, 2023
Starting at
5,749
Apr 7 - Apr 18, 2024
Starting at
6,499
Apr 28 - May 9, 2024
Starting at
6,499
May 12 - May 23, 2024
Starting at
6,499
Sep 1 - Sep 12, 2024
Starting at
6,499
Sep 15 - Sep 26, 2024
Starting at
6,499
Sep 29 - Oct 10, 2024
Starting at
6,499
Oct 13 - Oct 24, 2024
Starting at
6,499
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
May 7 - May 18, 2023
Starting at
7,729
May 21 - Jun 1, 2023
Starting at
7,729
Sep 3 - Sep 14, 2023
Starting at
7,729
Sep 17 - Sep 28, 2023
Starting at
7,729
Oct 1 - Oct 12, 2023
Starting at
7,729
Oct 15 - Oct 26, 2023
Starting at
7,729
Oct 29 - Nov 9, 2023
Starting at
6,819
Apr 7 - Apr 18, 2024
Starting at
7,869
Apr 28 - May 9, 2024
Starting at
7,869
May 12 - May 23, 2024
Starting at
7,869
Sep 1 - Sep 12, 2024
Starting at
7,869
Sep 15 - Sep 26, 2024
Starting at
7,869
Sep 29 - Oct 10, 2024
Starting at
7,869
Oct 13 - Oct 24, 2024
Starting at
7,869

At a Glance

Italy must be savored like a fine wine — and there’s no better way to sample its many flavors than by exploring three of its most famous cities: Rome, Florence and Venice. With local experts to introduce you to the very best of each city’s historic treasures and cultural wonders, you’ll enjoy reserved entrance times to major museums and attend a special, after-hours private exploration of the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel with your group leader. Walk in the footsteps of the Romans at the Colosseum and navigate the canals of Venice by gondola. Along the way, enjoy ample free-time opportunities to explore charming piazzas, sample local delicacies at a farm in the countryside and get a first-hand view into what locals call “bella vita” — the good life.
Activity Level
Let's Go!
Field trips require extensive walking as the areas you explore are mostly car-free; up to four miles per day, with breaks. Many cobblestone streets.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Enjoy reserved entrance times to major museums including the Borghese Gallery, the Uffizi and Galleria dell’Accademia, the Doge’s Palace and a special, private field trip to the Sistine Chapel.
  • Delight in the musical offerings of Venice during an evening concert.
  • Savor a meal in a farm restaurant in the Tuscan countryside.

General Notes

Program includes independent time to explore the city and several meals on your own. Group Leaders will provide directions for self-directed excursions. Suggestions for free-time activities provided in preparatory materials. The off-hour visits in the Sistine Chapel follows a two hour prescribed route. Those wishing to explore the museum more fully are encouraged to make independent reservations during the flexible free time. Instructions will be included in the second mailing.
Featured Expert
All Experts
Profile Image
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 this program.

Profile Image of Jane Zaloga
Jane Zaloga View biography
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.
Profile Image of Rachel Potts
Rachel Potts View biography
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.
Profile Image of Erika Morri
Erika Morri View biography
Erika Morri has a degree in political science from the Università di Bologna and has worked in marketing, public relations and event planning. An elite athlete, Erika played on the Italian National Women's Rugby team for 12 years. Currently, she is a board member of the Italian Rugby Federation which governs professional, semi-professional and amateur play. She lives in Bologna and has an eye for photography and design.
Profile Image of Rosanna Giannotti
Rosanna Giannotti View biography
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.
Profile Image of Bruna Baravelli
Bruna Baravelli View biography
Bruna Baravelli is from Forlì, on the northeastern coast of Italy. After graduating from Liceo Classico, she got her PhD in English literature at the Università di Bologna. Before retiring, Bruna taught English literature and held administrative positions in the local school district. She has dedicated her time to public service as a member of the Forlì city council and the national council for equal opportunity. She is passionate about the merits of travel and has fostered educational exchanges in Europe and the United States.
Profile Image of Daniela Sarghini
Daniela Sarghini View biography
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.
Profile Image of Suzanne Myers
Suzanne Myers View biography
Suzanne Myers originally hails from Lincoln, Nebraska and has been living in Florence since 2011. She has a BA in art history from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota and an MA in art history from Syracuse University. She works as a lecturer for several study away programs in Florence and as a licensed group leader. Suzanne specializes in Italian Renaissance art, but also loves to lecture on a wide range of subjects from the Medici family to the Black Death to Florentine fashion.
Profile Image of Monica Chojnacka
Monica Chojnacka View biography
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.
Profile Image of Susan Steer
Susan Steer View biography
Susan Steer is originally from England. She came to Venice 20 years ago as an art history undergraduate with an internship at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, later serving as a supervisor of the British pavilion at the Venice Biennale. Living and working in Venice changed her life, falling in love with its architecture, art, and lifestyle. She returned to study for an MA and a PhD in Venetian art. Susan married a Venetian. They and their son share their time between the UK and Venice.
Profile Image of Cristiana Filippini
Cristiana Filippini View biography
Cristiana Filippini was awarded her doctorate from Johns Hopkins University with a dissertation on 11th-century frescoes in Rome. She has also completed specialized study in archeology and art history from the Università degli Studi di Siena, Italy and has taught at the American University in Rome and at Trinity College’s Rome Campus.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Venice: An Illustrated Miscellany
by Philippe Sollers
An illustrated literary stroll through the cultural heritage of Italy’s most romantic city that leads from Shakespeare through Henry James, Simone de Beauvoir and Antonio Vivaldi.
Ancient Rome: Art, Architecture, and History
by Ada Gabucci (Editor)
This lively, illustrated survey of Ancient Rome's monuments, history and art is a terrific introduction.
The City of Florence, Historical Vistas and Personal Sightings
by R.W.B. Lewis
A vivid tour of the city and its riches by the fine biographer of Edith Wharton and Henry James. Lewis has written what he calls "a partial biography of Florence," beautifully interweaving the personal and the historical.
The Colosseum
by Keith Hopkins, Mary Beard
This engaging overview of the history of the Colosseum deconstructs Hollywood-perpetrated misconceptions of gladiator-eating lions, Nero fiddling and other myths.
Brunelleschi's Dome
by Ross King
The story of the design and construction of the dome in the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, a tale rife with politics, cut-throat competition and mighty inspiration.
City of Fortune: How Venice Ruled the Seas
by Roger Crowley
An enticing read on the rise and decline of the Venice, from the Crusades to the 18th century.
The World of Venice
by Jan Morris
Morris displays her talent for research, telling anecdote and well-wrought prose in this spirited portrait of a beloved city, its history and inhabitants. If you are going to read one book on Venice, we recommend this favorite.
La Bella Figura, A Field Guide to the Italian Mind
by Beppe Severgnini
Italians themselves love this guide to the Italian character, which addresses their never-ending passion for beauty, disorder and high emotion. Severgnini opens the book with a snapshot of the hubbub at Malpensa Airport, then moves on to Tuscany, Rome, Naples and Sardinia.
The Art of the Renaissance
by Peter Murray
A classic, illustrated survey of the world of the Renaissance and its art. With chapters on Florence and its artists, the Netherlands, early illustrated books and many individual artists.
Blue Guide Concise Italy
by Paul Blanchard
The first ever guide to all of Italy by the venerable Blue Guides (which publishes individual guides to Northern, Southern, Central, Rome, Tuscany, Sicily et al), this lavishly illustrated, handy and compact guide covers key sights, museums, churches, art, dining and accommodations throughout Italy.
Italy in Mind
by Alice Powers
A terrific collection of some of the best literary writing on Italy, including pieces by Melville, Lawrence, Henry James, Mary McCarthy and many others.
Italy Map
by Borch Maps
A convenient laminated map of Italy at a scale of 1:800,000 with excellent topographic detail, an index and large maps of Sicily and Sardinia.
The House of Medici, Its Rise and Fall
by Christopher Hibbert
A well-written, entertaining history of the Medicis in Renaissance Florence. Great to read before going to Florence, where the influence of the Medicis and the artists they supported is still very much in evidence.
The Raphael Affair
by Iain Pears
In the first of the popular Jonathan Argyll art mysteries, Argyll sneaks into a small church near Campo dei Fiori identify an undiscovered Raphael -- unfortunately for him, the painting has disappeared.
Eyewitness Guide Italy
by Eyewitness Guides
Another gem in the Eyewitness series, this superb guide is handsome, convenient and up-to-date. Featuring color photography, dozens of excellent local maps and a region-by-region synopsis of the country's attractions.
Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling
by Ross King
Presented with flair and backed by a wealth of research, King's captivating chronicle of Michelangelo's painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel tells the story of its conception and creation.
La Bella Lingua
by Dianne Hales
Inebriated with the sounds of Italian, lovesick for its phrases and enamored of its earthy idioms, Hales, "a sensible woman of sturdy Polish stock," dives into the Italian of the piazza, literature, movies and streets in this charming memoir.





Important registration tip:
If you want to attend the live lecture, please do not wait until the last minute to enroll.
If you enroll after a lecture is complete, we’ll send you a recording of the event.