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Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Activity note: Hotel check-in 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 checking in to the hotel and getting your room, take some time to freshen up and relax before our Orientation session. 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 review COVID-19 protocols and will adhere to applicable requirements and guidelines throughout the program. Educational content will be provided by local experts. We will get around the city on foot unless indicated differently. Road Scholars will receive a "Firenzecard" — the official museum pass of the city — included in the program cost. It provides admission 80+ museums in Florence and is valid for the duration of our program. Except for breakfast, meals will be plated (each dish served to guests by a waitstaff) from a set menu unless specified otherwise. Water is included with all meals and other beverages including wine, tea, and coffee will be available for purchase unless specified otherwise. 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 set out on a neighborhood walk to locate ATMs, pharmacies, grocery stores, restaurants, etc. Returning to the hotel, we’ll gather for welcome reception to mingle with our Group Leader and fellow Road Scholars.
Dinner: At a local 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. This is a Road Scholar Independent program. It is designed for participants who want high-level Road Scholar instruction, a few group activities, and who are capable and comfortable setting out on their own for a significant part of the day/night. There will be several hours each day of educational content. Most meals will be on your own (excluded from the program cost) to have what you like, and there will be substantial free time for personal independent exploration. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
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: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Afternoon: Free time. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Please note that the period scheduled for free time is subject to change depending on local circumstances and opportunities for independent exploration. We suggest using the Firenzecard to explore the Palazzo Vecchio in the heart of medieval Florence. Built in 1299, it still serves the public as a center for local Florentine and Tuscany governments. Those with energy and stamina could climb the 233 steps of the 311-foot tower to the top for spectacular views of the city.
Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Walking up to 4 miles throughout the day, extended periods of standing; mostly level urban stone sidewalks and streets, cobblestones, unavoidable stairs in museums. Extent of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We will be joined in the hotel meeting room by an art historian who will provide an overview of medieval and Renaissance art in preparation for our field trips to the Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze and the Galerie degli Uffizi. We will then walk to the Accademia for an expert-led view of one of the most famous statues in the world, Michelangelo’s David. In addition to admiring this extraordinary figure, will also see the unfinished statues known as the Prisoners. It has been suggested that Michelangelo left them in their incomplete state to symbolize the struggle of humankind to free spirit from matter. We will also have some time after our field trip to explore other small collections in the museum, such as the collection of early string instruments or the painting gallery with works from the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and early 17th century.
Lunch: On your own to sample the local cuisine of your choice.
Afternoon: Free time. Take this opportunity to see and do what interests each of us most. We suggest using the Firenzecard to explore the Museum of San Marco, renowned for the paintings of Fra’ Angelico, one of the great artists of the early Renaissance, who frescoed extensive parts of the convent. Experience the peaceful atmosphere with a stroll around the cloister. The nearby Ospedale degli Innocenti, Florence’s original foundling hospital, hosts a touching museum filled with mementos of the building’s past, Renaissance artworks, and explanations of the building’s function today as the UNICEF Office of Research. Also of interest are the outer façade with Brunellescian architecture and ceramic rondelles made by the della Robbia workshop.
Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Extent of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We will regroup at the hotel in the late afternoon for an illustrated presentation on the Medici family, also known as the House of Medici. Members of the family arrived in Florence during the 12th century and later became successful in banking and commerce, attaining both riches and power. Their patronage of the arts led to Florence becoming a cradle of the Renaissance.
Lunch: On your own to sample the local fare.
Afternoon: Free time for independent exploration. We suggest using the Firenzecard to explore Palazzo Pitti, a large museum complex housing several important collections of paintings, sculptures, porcelain, furniture, costumes, jewelry, and objects. Its Boboli Gardens are one of the most famous of all Italian gardens. The Renaissance-style Palazzo dates from the mid-15th century. In the mid-16th century, the palace was acquired by the Medici, after which it was the residence of the Grand Dukes of Tuscany for almost four centuries. After the unification of Italy it became the royal palace, until 1919 when King Vittorio Emanuele III donated the palace and its precious collections to the Italian people. The Palazzo Medici-Riccardi, a palatial home commissioned by Cosimo de' Medici in 1444, is centrally located on the via Cavour. Admire the Renaissance-style inner courtyard and cloister, and Benozzo Gozzoli’s Chapel of the Magi with stunningly detailed frescoes of nature and brocade dress of the time. There is also a collection of late Baroque art.
Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like.
Evening: At leisure.
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 Uffizi, unavoidable stairs. Extent of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We will walk to the reserved entrance of the Uffizi Gallery for a self-directed field trip with the opportunity to see what interests each of us most and spend as much time as we wish. This is the most extensive collection of Renaissance art in the world, tracing the development from Gothic to medieval to Renaissance to Mannerist paintings as well as architecture and sculpture. Among the many recognizable masterpieces are Leonardo da Vinci’s Annunciation, Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, and Primavera as well as some Titians, Michelangelo’s Holy Family, and a few Caravaggios as well as Artemisia Gentileschi. There is a coffee bar at the end of the second corridor, on top of the Loggia, with a wonderful view of the watch tower and Duomo for refreshments and rest.
Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.
Afternoon: Free time for independent exploration. We suggest using the Firenzecard to explore the Museo Galileo to see centuries-old astrolabes, globes, and scientific instruments. A highlight of the collection is the telescope Galileo Galilei used to observe the heavens. Detailed storyboards describe the objects’ stories and how they work. Also nearby is the Basilica of Santa Croce, the city’s Franciscan church with a collection of funerary monuments to Italy’s great artists and writers along with renowned art works by Cimabue, Giotto, Filippo Brunelleschi, Donatello, Vasari, Ghiberti, della Robbia, and more.
Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Walking up to 5 miles total throughout the day, extended periods of standing; mostly level urban stone sidewalks and streets, cobblestones. Extent of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We will walk to the Mercato Centrale in the historic center, where a passionate local “foodie” will lead us on an adventure to learn about Tuscan foods and seasonal produce. We will browse Florence’s most popular food stalls and vendors, and — most importantly — see and taste the delicacies sold within this 19th-century iron and glass structure.
Lunch: On your own to sample the local cuisine.
Afternoon: Free time for independent exploration. We suggest using the Firenzecard to explore the 15th-century Basilica of San Lorenzo, designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, that served as the Medici family church. The adjacent Medici chapels house the private tombs of prominent members of the Medici family with exquisite architecture and sculptures completed by Michelangelo. We will cap off the afternoon with an expert-led wine tasting at an "enoteca" — wine bar — near Piazza del Duomo.
Dinner: At a local restaurant. Share favorite experiences 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 11:00 a.m. See your program’s travel details 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!