Program Highlights Included in Price Arrive in Rome on March 16; depart on March 23. Price for seven-day program: $4970.00
Program Leaders
Itinerary (subject to change) Saturday, March 16, 2019 Arrival and afternoon in the heart of Rome Meet program assistant at Rome Fiumicino airport and transfer to Hotel Ponte Sisto. In the early afternoon, take an orientation walking tour in the heart of Rome known in ancient times as the Campus Martius, a roughly four-block area where narrow alleyways spill into breathtaking piazzas and you find important monuments along the way. This introduction to the city will excite and acquaint you with the neighborhood, which is filled with significant works by artists including Michelangelo, Caravaggio, and Bernini. This evening, join fellow trip participants for a welcome aperitivo on the roof of the Ponte Sisto followed by a welcome dinner. (reception and dinner) Sunday, March 17, 2019 Ancient to Contemporary Art: Ara Pacis and Maxxi Join Professor Mary Ann Calo and local expert, Elaine Ruffolo, for an introduction to the program followed by a visit to the Ara Pacis and Maxxi, a wonderful way to enjoy the contrast of splendid Ancient art with the new contemporary art gallery in Rome, the Maxxi, acclaimed as Hadid's finest built work to date and a masterpiece fit to sit alongside Rome's ancient wonders. Return to hotel by private coach. You are free for lunch on your own. This afternoon, stroll through the lively Campo dei Fiori, into the Jewish Ghetto, and up the Capitoline Hill. Experience Michelangelo s Campidoglio, a masterful setting for the ancient equestrian monument of Marcus Aurelius. Enter into the Capitoline Museum filled with Ancient, Renaissance, and Baroque art with an interesting contemporary art installation. Segue immediately to evening enjoy dinner in the heart of the Jewish Ghetto. (breakfast and dinner)
Monday, March 18, 2019 Papal Rome: St. Peter s Basilica, Scavi, and Private Vatican Museums/Sistine Chapel Vatican City is the living, beating heart of Roman Catholicism and of High Renaissance art and architecture. No other complex in the world better combines Renaissance grandeur with the deeply rooted piety of a 2,000-year-old religious tradition. During this unforgettable day, by special permission, descend deep under St. Peter s Basilica into the Vatican scavi in search of the burial place of St. Peter. Enter the world s largest basilica and experience Michelangelo s breathtaking dome and heartbreaking Pietà. Return to hotel where you are free for lunch on your own. In the early evening, gather with fellow travelers for an apericena to fortify yourselves for the memorable evening ahead. Transfer by coach to the Vatican Museums, where the group will enjoy an exclusive private entrance to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel. The Vatican Museums, the largest in the world, house the collection of the Papacy, including an extensive collection of sculptural antiquities, Raphael s splendidly decorated papal apartments, and of course, the Sistine Chapel. (breakfast and apericena) Tuesday, March 19, 2019 Trastevere: Farnesina, Tempietto, and American Academy Cross the Tiber River and enter the lively neighborhood known as Trastevere. Visit the charming Villa Farnesina, once owned by the Pope s banker, Agostino Chigi, designed as a pleasure palace for Popes and Roman nobility. Travel to the top of the Janiculum Hill for an overlook of Rome and an exploration of Bramante s Tempietto, one of the most perfect buildings of the High Renaissance. Finish the morning at the American Academy of Rome, where Colgate alumnus Mark Robbins 77 serves as president and CEO. Enjoy a group lunch in Trastevere. Free afternoon and dinner on your own. (breakfast and lunch)
Wednesday, March 20, 2019 Day Trip to Villas and Gardens: Villa Madama, Tivoli, and Hadrian s Villa Begin the day with a private visit to Raphael s Villa Madama, designed for Medici Pope Clement VII. The unfinished villa is perched high on Monte Mario and used today as a ceremonial venue for heads of state (our visit is contingent on permission from the Italian government). Continue on to Tivoli and visit Villa d Este and Hadrian s Villa, an Italian Garden masterpiece and UNESCO World Heritage Site. With its impressive concentration of fountains, nymphs, grottoes, plays of water, and music, it constitutes a much-copied model for European gardens in the mannerist and baroque styles. Enjoy a group lunch at Ristorante Sibilla and continue your guided tour through Tivoli. Return to Rome in the early evening where you are free for dinner on your own. (breakfast and lunch) Thursday, March 21, 2019 Collectors and Collections: Modern Art Museum, Galleria Borghese, and Villa Aurora This morning, travel to the famous Borghese Gardens and visit the Modern Art Museum and Borghese Gallery. The National Gallery of Modern Art contains an extensive collection of 19th and 20th Century Italian art as well as examples of European modern masters such as Cezanne and Rodin. The Villa Borghese offers a rare opportunity to visit a 17 th century villa, built for Cardinal Scipione Borghese to house his amazing art collection, including masterpieces by Bernini, Caravaggio, Titian, Raphael, and others. Enjoy la dolce vita on the famous Via Veneto with a group lunch. Finish the day with an exclusive visit to the Villa Aurora, hosted by Principessa Boncompagni-Ludovisi. (breakfast, lunch, reception)
Friday, March 22, 2019 Splendors of the Baroque: Santa Maria della Vittoria, San Carlino, Sant'Andrea, and Trevi Fountain Free afternoon and lunch on your own. This evening, celebrate your Roman sojourn at the Palazzo Doria Pamphili, which has a history dating back to the 15th century. The palazzo is still inhabited by members of this historic family, including their personal memories and art. Admire the original furniture, burnished mirrors, and shimmering chandeliers, as well as paintings by Carracci and Caravaggio. This privately-owned collection is one of the finest in Rome and worth a visit if only for one masterpiece: the Velasquez depicting Pope Innocent X, a member of the Doria-Pamphilij family. Enjoy a farewell reception and dinner in the palazzo s grand dining room, recapturing the glory of Papal Rome. (breakfast, reception and dinner) Saturday, March 23, 2019 Departure Group departure from hotel to the airport.