From Rome to Nice: A Voyage on the World Traveller

Activity note: Check-in available from 3:00 PM

Afternoon: After arriving at the hotel, check-in and take some time to unpack and relax. Attend an orientation meeting. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the program theme, the up-to-date Daily Schedule and any changes, discuss safety guidelines, emergency procedures, roles and responsibilities, and answer any questions you may have. Indicated times are approximate. Program activities, schedules, and personnel may need to change due to local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Unless otherwise noted, all lectures and field trips will be led by our Group Leader, a local expert.

Dinner: Welcome dinner at the hotel.

Evening: Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

Activity note: Today is a walking Field Trip. Walking up to 3 miles on uneven terrain. Comfortable shoes and hat are recommended.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Free time to explore Rome on your own. We will walk to the restaurant for lunch.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: This afternoon we will walk to visit the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. Officially known as the Flavian Amphitheater, the Colosseum was the greatest in the Roman Empire and could hold more than 50,000 spectators. Historical records, as well as popular culture in our time, have made it an iconic symbol of gladiatorial combat and the sacrifice of untold numbers of slaves, prisoners of war, condemned criminals, and animals from throughout the empire. The Roman Forum was the civic, religious, and political hub of ancient Rome. We will see the two remaining triumphal arches of Septemius Severus and Titus. The Arch of Constantine contains friezes and bas-relief sculptures recycled from other arches and monuments. We will walk back to the hotel.

Dinner: At the hotel.

Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out, transfer, and embarkation tomorrow.

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach, 2-4 steps up/down; approximately 1 hour riding time to Civitavecchia. Walking up to 2 miles on uneven terrain. Comfortable shoes and hat are recommended.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We will check out of the hotel, board our motorcoach, and ride to visit the Etruscan Necropolises of Cerveteri and Tarquinia on the way to Civitavecchia. These two large Etruscan cemeteries reflect different types of burial practices from the 9th to the 1st centuries BCE and bears witness to the achievements of Etruscan culture. Some of the tombs are monumental, cut in rock and topped by impressive tumuli (burial mounds). Many feature carvings on their walls, others have wall paintings of outstanding quality. The necropolis near Cerveteri, known as Banditaccia, contains thousands of tombs organized in a city-like plan, with streets, small squares and neighbourhoods. The site contains very different types of tombs: trenches cut in rock; tumuli; and some, also carved in rock, in the shape of huts or houses with a wealth of structural details. These provide the only surviving evidence of Etruscan residential architecture. It is famous for its 200 painted tombs, the earliest of which date from the 7th century BC.

Lunch: At a local restaurant en route to Civitavecchia.

Afternoon: We’ll arrive in Civitavecchia and board the ship. After completing boarding procedures and getting your cabin, take some time to unpack, freshen up, relax, and start becoming familiar with the ship. There will be a mandatory passenger briefing and safety drill. Please note that your departure is part of our Adventures Afloat programs. All routes and excursions are subject to change – weather and sea conditions may affect the itinerary. Sea conditions affect the progress of the ship, making it run late and sometimes miss ports because it is not safe to dock. Because of this, the cruise itinerary should always be regarded as provisional. The operators reserve the right to change the content of excursions without prior notice.

Dinner: Aboard ship. Chef-prepared meals feature fresh ingredients in tasty preparations. Non-alcoholic beverages, unlimited wines, premium craft cocktails and brews at dinner are included.

Evening: At leisure. Enjoy activities aboard ship, spend time with fellow Road Scholars.

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach, 2-4 steps up/down. Walking up to 2 miles in the morning.Comfortable shoes and hat are recommended.

Breakfast: Aboard ship.

Morning: We will board our motorcoach and visit Villa San Martino which was the summer residence of Napoleon Bonaparte. The emperor, lived in exile on Elba Island from May 4, 1814 to February 26, 1815. The Villa houses a collection of 19th-century prints and period furnishings throughout the frescoed rooms.

Lunch: Aboard ship.

Afternoon: Free time for independent exploration or enjoy activities aboard ship.

Dinner: Aboard ship.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; 2-4 steps up/down; driving 1 1/2 hours each way from Livorno to Florence. Walking up to 3 miles.Comfortable shoes and hat are recommended.

Breakfast: Aboard ship.

Morning: We will board our motorcoach for our 1 1/2 hour ride through the Tuscan hills to Florence. Upon arrival, we will discover the city that gave birth to the Italian Renaissance on a walking exploration through the history and art of Florence. We will walk past such landmarks as the 10th-century Ponte Vecchio spanning the River Arno. From the outside, we’ll view the Duomo cathedral flanked by Giotto's Bell Tower. See the Baptistry, where Ghiberti and Donatello competed to design the bronze doors. We’ll also admire the exterior of Basilica di Santa Croce where Michelangelo and Machiavelli are interred. We’ll then pause in Piazza della Signoria, the site of Fra Savonarola’s Bonfire of the Vanities in 1497.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Next, we will enjoy a guided visit of the world-renowned Uffizi Gallery. The 16th-century palace, built when Cosimo Medici was the First Grand Duke of Tuscany, houses such Renaissance masterpieces as The Annunciation by Leonardo da Vinci, the exquisite Madonnas of Filippo Lippi, and an entire room of Botticellis, including The Birth of Venus. Foreign artists from Rembrandt to Rubens are also represented. After our visit, we will board our motorcoach for our 1 1/2 ride back to the ship in Livorno.

Dinner: Aboard ship.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: Ferry to Cinque Terre. Walking up to 3 miles on cobblestones, uneven terrain, narrow/steep paths. Comfortable shoes and hat are recommended.

Breakfast: Aboard ship.

Morning: We will board a ferry to Cinque Terre. Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore are the names of the Cinque Terre (Five Lands) that comprise this region on the Italian Riviera. We’ll enjoy the beauty of the region on a walking field trip to explore some of what the five villages have to offer. You’ll be immersed in the beauty of the region, and perhaps driven to follow in the footsteps of Lord Byron and pen your own ode to Italy, “the garden of the world, the home of all art yields.”

Lunch: On your own.

Afternoon: Free time for independent exploration or enjoy activities aboard ship.

Dinner: Aboard ship.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: Today is free to explore on your own.

Breakfast: Aboard ship.

Morning: Free time while the ship is in port in Portofino. Sitting on a peninsula in the Tigullio Gulf east of Genoa is the picturesque, half-moon shaped seaside village of Portofino. Originally founded by the Romans, today it is known as a resort of the rich and famous, and is filled with boutiques, restaurants, cafes, and luxury hotels including the world-famous Hotel Splendido, situated high up on the a cliff with spectacular views. At sea level, beautiful pastel houses line the shores of the harbor, making it one of the most perfect, most photogenic fishing ports in the Mediterranean.

Lunch: Aboard ship.

Afternoon: Free time. Continue exploring Portofino on your own or enjoy activities aboard ship.

Dinner: Aboard ship.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: Full day at sea.

Breakfast: Aboard ship.

Morning: Free time. Enjoy the activities of your choice aboard ship as we sail to Monte Carlo.

Lunch: Aboard ship.

Afternoon: Free time. Enjoy the activities of your choice aboard ship.

Dinner: Aboard ship.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; 2-4 steps up/down. Walking up to 2 miles on cobblestones, uneven terrain, narrow/steep paths. Comfortable shoes and hat are recommended.

Breakfast: Aboard ship.

Morning: After arriving into the glitz and glamour of Monte Carlo, we’ll we will make our way to Monaco Rock where elevators and escalators will take us up to the Old City and the Palace Square for an exterior view at Prince Rainier's magnificent residence palace. We’ll stroll through the Old Town and see the Cathedral, where Princes and Princesses of Monaco are buried. Next, we'll drive to the hills to the ancient village of Eze, with its fabulous views over Saint Jean-Cap Ferrat. Perched on rock 1,400 feet above sea level, the village centers on the ruins of a 12th-century castle – a testament to centuries of occupation, from Romans and Moors to the House of Savoy – that offers scenic views and photo opportunities. We will have a guided visit of the quaint cobblestone streets filled with craftsmen’s boutiques and pass bougainvillea-wrapped villas that lead down the hillside to the Mediterranean. We will board our coach and head back to the ship for lunch.

Lunch: Aboard ship.

Afternoon: Free time for independent exploration or enjoy activities aboard ship.

Dinner: Aboard ship. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.

Evening: At leisure. Prepare for disembarkation in the morning.

Activity note: Disembarking the ship. Getting on/off a motorcoach, 2-4 steps up/down. Walking up to 2 miles on cobblestones, uneven terrain, narrow/steep paths. There is a 15 minute walk from the bus parking lot to St. Paul de Vence.

Breakfast: Aboard ship.

Morning: After completing disembarkation procedures, we will board our motorcoach and ride to the hill town of St. Paul de Vence where we will have a guided walking exploration. NOTE: there is a 15 minute walk from the bus parking lot to St. Paul de Vence. One of the oldest medieval towns on the French Riviera, it is notable for its picturesque winding streets, modern and contemporary art museums, and galleries. We will walk back to our motorcoach and ride to Nice for lunch.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: We will explore some of the sites of Nice. We will drive past the Russian Orthodox Church, stop at Castle Hill for a panoramic view of the city, and drive along the Promenade des Anglais. Upon arrival at the hotel, we will check in.

Dinner: On your own.

Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.

Activity note: Hotel check-out by 12:00 Noon.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: This concludes our program. 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. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!