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Program No.
Ages
Length
days
New
Not yet reviewed
Starts at
Close
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Activity Level — Varies
Activity Level
Details
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ROOMING OPTION PRICING
The figures below indicate the rooming options available.
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| DATES | ||||
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Jul 21 - Jul 29, 2023
2,899
2,499
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Jul 21 - Jul 29, 2023
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-
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2,899 / Adult
2,499 / Child
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3,199 / Adult
2,499 / Child
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Jun 14 - Jun 22, 2024
3,099
2,699
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||||
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Jun 14 - Jun 22, 2024
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-
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3,099 / Adult
2,699 / Child
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3,399 / Adult
2,699 / Child
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|
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Jun 21 - Jun 29, 2024
3,099
2,699
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||||
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Jun 21 - Jun 29, 2024
|
-
|
3,099 / Adult
2,699 / Child
|
3,399 / Adult
2,699 / Child
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|
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Jun 28 - Jul 6, 2024
3,099
2,699
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Jun 28 - Jul 6, 2024
|
-
|
3,099 / Adult
2,699 / Child
|
3,399 / Adult
2,699 / Child
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|
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Jul 5 - Jul 13, 2024
3,099
2,699
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Jul 5 - Jul 13, 2024
|
-
|
3,099 / Adult
2,699 / Child
|
3,399 / Adult
2,699 / Child
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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 the airport to hotel is 40 miles (1-hour ride).
Afternoon: After you arrive at the hotel, check in, and get your room, 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 review COVID-19 protocols and will adhere to applicable requirements and guidelines throughout the program. This is a Road Scholar Family program. Adult participants are responsible for their children at all times. If/when separate age group activities are conducted concurrently, program staff will supervise. Minors are never to be left unsupervised. Breakfasts will be buffets. Other included meals will be plated and served from a set menu unless indicated otherwise; water is included, other beverages will be available for purchase. Lectures will be conducted by accredited educational professionals and occasionally by our knowledgeable Group Leader. Museum visits will be led by licensed individuals (with the exception of those that are self-directed). Program-related travel and transportation will be provided primarily by motorcoach and regional train. 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/current 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 drink and begin getting to know our fellow Road Scholars.
Dinner: At the hotel.
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: Getting on/off a train; riding about 40 miles throughout the day, approximately 1 hour riding time. Walking up to 5 miles throughout the day, extended periods of standing; cobblestones, mostly level urban stone streets/sidewalks; unavoidable steps/stairs without handrails. Biking about 4 miles; vehicle-free, paved pathway.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We’ll walk to the station and catch a morning train to the town of Lucca, where we will have an opportunity to bike atop the 16-foot medieval walls to get another perspective of this unique town. Those who prefer not to go biking can explore the Palazzo Pfanner gardens independently. From the time Lucca was a Roman colony, a protective wall fortified the city from invaders. With urban expansion, the original walls were extended in the 17th century. Today, the 2.6 miles of the wall that encircle Lucca have been turned into a wide tree-lined path — the favorite promenade for residents of all ages. We will then meet a local expert who will lead us on a pleasant walking field trip along a portion of the surrounding defensive walls. Along the way, we’ll learn how the walls were built 500 years ago to defend the city from invaders and how they now serve a peaceful purpose as a favorite walking path for walkers and recreational bike riders. The high walls provide a wonderful panorama of the city.
Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.
Afternoon: We will regroup at an announced time and place, then walk to the station in Lucca to catch a regional train back to Montecatini, where a taxis will be waiting to take us back to the hotel. Impariamo l’italiano! We will gather in the meeting space with our Group Leader for a general introduction to Italian. Then, we’ll learn to greet people, order a coffee, ask for directions, and more.
Dinner: At a local restaurant.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Walking up to 4 miles throughout the day, extended periods of standing; cobblestones, mostly level urban stone streets/sidewalks, unavoidable steps/stairs. Getting on/off a funicular.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We’ll gather in our meeting room for a presentation by a local expert about the region of Tuscany. We’ll then walk across the street for an expert-led field trip in this famous resort town, Montecatini Terme, and its renowned Terme di Tettuccio complex. These thermal springs have been popular since Roman times and gained even more popularity during the 15th century when Medici Grand Dukes restored the buildings and grounds. The current spa structure was built in the 18th century and renovated in the early 20th century.
Lunch: At a local restaurant.
Afternoon: We will have some time for independent exploration, then take the funicular up to the hillside town of Montecatini Alto. Constructed in 1898, the “funicolare” provides spectacular views. It has been modernized over the decades, but the cable-operated red carriages are original, ascending and descending the steep hill in about ten minutes.
Dinner: At a restaurant in Montecatini Alto.
Evening: We will take the funicular back down into Montecatini Terme. Returning to the hotel, the remainder of the evening will be at leisure.
Activity note: Getting on/off a regional train and motorcoach; riding about 60 miles throughout the day, approximately 2.5 hours riding time. Walking up to 5 miles throughout the day, extended periods of standing; cobblestones, mostly level urban stone streets/sidewalks, unavoidable steps/stairs. Elevator available at Museo Galileo.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We will walk from the hotel to the Montecatini station to catch a regional train to Florence. Upon arrival at the city’s main station, we will meet a local historian who will lead us on a walking field trip through this enchanting Renaissance city. Next, we will visit the Museo Galileo, where a docent will lead our explorations. We’ll 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.
Lunch: On your own to sample the local fare.
Afternoon: We will have some time for independent exploration, then rendezvous back in Piazza della Signoria and walk to the Oltrarno neighborhood across the Ponte Vecchio. There, we will attend a cooking school with a local artisan who will teach us how to make pasta and gelato using seasonal and local ingredients.
Dinner: At the cooking school, we will enjoy the foods we helped to prepare.
Evening: We will return to the hotel by motorcoach after our busy day in Florence.
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach and regional train; driving about 30 miles throughout the day, approximately 1 hour riding time. Walking up to 4 miles throughout the day, extended periods of standing; cobblestones, mostly level urban stone streets/sidewalks, unavoidable steps/stairs.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We will take a motorcoach to Montale, a small town outside Pistoia, where we will stop at a chocolate factory and shop to learn about Tuscan chocolate making. Best of all, we’ll have an opportunity to taste and try our hand at making chocolates. We’ll then ride on into Pistoia, where we will stop for lunch.
Lunch: At a restaurant in Pistoia.
Afternoon: Following our lunch, we will explore the historic Piazza del Duomo and the Museo dello Spedale del Ceppo with a local expert. There, we will see and learn about the building’s role as a hospital from 1277 until 2013. We will also see the fascinating late-18th-century anatomical theater. Returning to Montecatini by regional train, the remainder of the afternoon will be free for independent exploration, spending time with fellow Road Scholars, or just relaxing by the pool.
Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 70 miles throughout the day, approximately 2 hours total riding time. Walking up to 3 miles throughout the day, extended periods of standing; cobblestones, mostly level urban stone streets/sidewalks, unavoidable steps/stairs. No elevator at Leaning Tower; 269 steps to top.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We will board a motorcoach and ride to Pisa. Upon arrival, it’s a short walk to the Piazza dei Miracoli, also known as Piazza del Duomo, where we will meet a local expert who will lead our field trip to explore the Duomo and baptistery. The lacy white marble tiers of the buildings contrast with expansive green lawns, unusual for a city cathedral. Until the port silted up, the city of Pisa was a strong maritime republic along with Genoa, Amalfi, and Venice. The city’s wealth is demonstrated by the civic and religious pride of its inhabitants, who funded such a grandiose construction — that began to lean shortly after its construction in the 12th century! Those with energy and stamina are welcome to climb the 269 steps to the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa and back down.
Lunch: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to have what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Afternoon: Returning to Montecatini Terme by motorcoach, we will have time for independent personal exploration to see and do what interests each of us most. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Dinner: At a local restaurant.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Getting in/out a motorcoach; driving about 35 miles throughout the day, approximately 1.5 hours riding time. Walking up to 5 miles throughout the day, extended periods of standing; dirt pathways, cobblestones, mostly level urban stone streets and sidewalks, unavoidable steps/stairs. For those who would like to swim at the vineyard, bring a bathing suit and a towel.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We will walk with our Group Leader to the local market to see vendors from around the area setting up their carts along the streets with leather goods, pottery, scarves, and souvenirs. Stalls also display and sell fresh cuts of meat, salumi, cheeses, breads, and other delectable foods. We will then set out by motorcoach for a field trip to Vinci, the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci, the incomparable Renaissance artist, architect, engineer, mathematician, and scientist. We will begin at Leonardo’s birthplace in nearby Anchiano with a self-directed exploration featuring holographic videos. We’ll then ride to Vinci and the Museo Leonardiano for an opportunity to learn about his scientific discoveries. This museum hosts an impressive collection of models of Leonardo’s inventions based on his drawings. In addition, there are explanations in each room in English to enlighten us.
Lunch: At a local restaurant.
Afternoon: Next, we’ll ride a few miles west of Vinci to an agriturismo, where we’ll explore the farm and vineyards and have ample time to cool down and relax by the pool. Bring a bathing suit and towel if you would like to take a dip. We’ll gather with our Group Leader outside to learn about rustic Tuscan cooking and Italian culinary traditions.
Dinner: At the agriturismo. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
Evening: Returning to the hotel in Montecatini Terme by motorcoach, the remainder of the evening will be at leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Activity note: Hotel check-out 11:00 a.m. See your program’s “Getting There” information regarding transfers.
Breakfast: At the hotel depending on departure times; for those with early departures, the hotel will prepare a bag breakfast. 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!