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For 2007 May/July Programs go to:

Rome-Florence-Munich May and July 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

last year's site: 

Itinerary Rome-Florence-Munich Arts & Ideas College of Saint Benedict / Saint John's University Trip 1:   May 18- June 6, 2006 Trip 2:   July 13 - August 1, 2006       Picture yourself landing in one of Europe's most magnificent capital cities, settling into a student hotel right in the center of the city and taking in the wonders of Italian culture.  Within the first couple days you will explore the splendors of Rome's Classical, Renaissance and Baroque art and architecture -- The Coliseum and the Roman Forum, the Pantheon, Saint Peter's Basilica and the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel, the Spanish Steps, the wonders of Giotto's, Michelangelo's and Caravaggio's greatest works, the Trevi Fountain.  Here you can discuss how art and architectural forms came to be and the political purposes they served.  Picture yourself heading through Umbria to medieval town of Assisi and through the beautiful Tuscan countryside to a magical vineyard where you will learn about the secrets of Tuscan winemaking.  Now you can enjoy something of small town culture and discuss how art forms from the capital city and Florence made their way into the countryside of Italy.  After exploring the exquisite Tuscan city of Florence and the Mediterranean village of Monterosso in Cinque Terre, we will break for several days to allow you to explore Italy and parts of Southern Europe in small groups, further expanding your experience and knowledge of the Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque cultural movements.  Finally, we will gather for a final three days of seminar in the Bavarian capital of Munich, where we will compare and contrast these art and architectural movements in their manifestations on the other side of the Alps.  Here is our itinerary.  Join us for the trip of your life! Program Itinerary 2006        July Itinerary 2006 and Recommendations for Small Groups May 18   Depart from Minneapolis at about noon. May 19    Arrive in Rome where we will live for four days.  May 23    Travel to Assisi and through Tuscany to Florence, where we will stay for three overnights. May 26    Beginning of small-group travel.  Train to Cinque Terre or to other places in Italy (e.g. Venice, Pisa, Pompeii) or elsewhere in Europe (Interlaken, Salzburg, Vienna, Prague). June 3    Group gathers in Munich to resume the seminar for three days. June 6    Flight back to Minneapolis from Munich.  Arrive in Minneapolis about 7 P.M. on May 30.   Day by Day Day 1: Depart USA —  Arrive at Minneapolis-Saint Paul airport at  12:30 p.m. sharp.  Depart at 3:15 p.m. with Delta Airlines flight 1858.   Day 2:    Arrival in Rome and Hotel Smeraldo about 11 a.m.  Walk to Campo di Fiori and the Coliseum.   Walking Tour through Ancient Rome -- the Coliseum, Forum, Capitoline Hill, and Pantheon, ending up at the magnificent Baroque square, Piazza Navona.  Possible Audience with the Pope. Group dinner at a wonderful Roman Restaurant at around 9 p.m. and further sightseeing around the Campo di Fiori area.  Your first taste of true Italian gelato!  Here's a map of our hotel's location.  Day 3  -- Tour of the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel and small group through Rome Day 4  —  Tour of Saint Peter's Basilica and small group explorations of the sites of Rome Day 5  —   More explorations of the sites you have marked on your Top Ten maps.  Day 6  —   Possible Mass with the Pope and more sites you have marked on your Top Ten maps.  Day 7 —   Travel from Rome to Assisi, a Tuscan vineyard and olive grove, and Florence where we will stay at a hotel near the market square.  Group dinner at the wonderful restaurant, Trattoria Za-Za in Florence.    Day 8  --  Michelangelo's David and other sculptures and Byzantine icons at the Academia museum.  Chance to climb the Duomo (cathedral dome) and study the church, baptistery and bell tower. Day 9  -- Tours through the magnificent Uffizi museum and other wonders of Florence, including Piazzale Michelangelo at sunset.  Here are some good views of Florence.  Day 10-18  —  Small-Group independent Travel.  Here are just a few of the places you can plan to visit together with a few other group members:  The beautiful italian cities of Pisa, Venice, Sorrento and Naples; Switzerland and the Alpine town of Interaken; the wonderful cities of Salzburg, Vienna and Prague; the Romantic castles of Bavaria.  I will be on hand to help you make arrangements.  The books Let's Go Europe and Lonely Planet Europe are excellent resources.  Day 18 —  Arrive in Munich and settle into Hotel Conrad de Ville, Schillerstraße 10, near the train station.  Here is a map of our hotel's location for you to print out.  Once we are settled, we'll go on a bicycling tour! through the beautiful city center of Munich and through the magnificent Englischer Garten. Day 19 -- Seminar and free time for small group explorations to the Castle of Neuschwannstein and the Concentration camp at Dachau. Day 20  —   Sunday morning Mass in our hotel's patio.  Visit to the beautiful baroque Asam Church for drawings and reflections.  Seminar Wrap-Up and free time.  Day 21  -- Gather for 10:45 A.M. flight out of Munich with Delta Airlines .  Arrival in Minneapolis at about 7 p.m. from Atlanta on June 6. For your independent travel time, Eurailpass has several options for students, depending on the number of countries you want to visit.  And Eurailpass Youth is a Website for unlimited travel for a specific time period.  Our own International Education Office in Quad 128 can help you order the right Eurailpass for your needs.  The recommendation from past groups is that you buy a ticket at your local travel agent for five days, four countries.  If you get these in the USA, you could save more than $100.