Italian Art and Religion Student Tour

Day 1

Flight to Rome

Flight to Rome: You depart from home today for the overnight flight to Rome.

Day 2

Arrival in Rome. Walking tour of the historic center

Arrival in Rome: You are met by your tour manager and private bus and transfer into the city and your hotel.

Historic Centre Walking Tour: After lunch you have a guided walking tour of the historic centre taking in all the famous sights. You start at the Spanish Steps and soon reach the Trevi where it is traditional to toss a coin into the fountain to ensure a return to the Eternal City. You next cross the Via del Corso, one of Rome’s principal shopping streets, and soon reach the Pantheon which was built by the Emperor Hadrian and later converted to a church. The tour continues to the wonderful Piazza Navona where you can try the world famous tartufo ice cream. You walk through the maze of narrow streets and cross the River Tiber via the Ponte Sant’Angelo, in the shadow of the vast Castel Sant Angelo and finally arrive at the Vatican and St. Peters Square.

Evening: Dinner this evening will be at a city center restaurant.

Day 3

Colosseum, Roman Forum, Basilica of St Clemente and the Jewish Quarter

Colosseum: This morning you visit the Colosseum. Gladiatorial combats took place here where over 50,000 spectators watched gladiators fight. You then enter the ruins of the Roman Forum, with its many temples and triumphal arches. Above the Forum you find the Palatine Hill and the ruins of its ancient palaces, once the home of Emperors and the site of temples.

Basilica of Saint Clemente: After lunch you visit the Basilica of Saint Clemente. In the crypt, vivid early Christian frescoes date from the eleventh century whilst below this level you can discover an early Roman house and a temple dedicated to the Cult of Mythras.

Jewish Quarter: This afternoon you explore the historic Jewish Quarter. In 1555 the Pope issued a Bull removing most rights from Jews and requiring them to relocate to a small area which was walled in and locked at night. This became the Jewish Ghetto and was only formally abolished in 1882. Indeed, it was the last in Europe until the rise of the Nazis. A plaque in the Ghetto commemorates the date of 16 October 1943 when the city’s Jews were forcibly deported.

Evening: You explore the lively piazza of Campo di Fiore which literally means Field of Flowers and there is still a flower market here to this day. Dinner will be at a city restaurant near the piazza.

Day 4

Vatican Museums, St Peter's Basilica, Scala Sancta and the Catacombs of St Sebastian

Vatican Museums: This morning you have a guided tour of the Vatican Museums which house one of the most impressive collections of archaeology in the world. Highlights of the tour include the magnificent Gallery of Maps, a stunning collection of frescoes which date from 1580 and depict in glorious colour the Pope’s dominions. The centrepiece is undoubtedly Michelangelo’s extraordinary ceiling in the Sistine Chapel.

St. Peter’s Basilica: You continue to St. Peter’s Basilica where there are many treasures and artworks including the famous Pieta sculpture by Michelangelo. At the altar you see Bernini’s magnificent Baldachin and his final masterpiece, the Monument to Pope Alexander VII, surrounded by the allegorical statues of Justice, Prudence, Charity and Truth, with the Angel of Death holding up the curtains over the Door to Eternity. In the crypt, you see the tombs of many former Popes stretching back hundreds of years.

Lunch: You have time for lunch and there are many options in this area.

Scala Sancta: You then continue to the Scala Sancta, the Holy Stairs, so called because they are said to be the stairs that Jesus climbed on his way to his trial before Pontius Pilate. The stairs are said to have been brought to Rome in the 4th century. Many people will stop and kiss points on the steps where glass reveals what is said to be drops of Christ’s blood.

Catacombs of St. Sebastian: In the afternoon you visit the ancient Catacombs of St Sebastian. Early Christians were persecuted by the Roman authorities and they buried their dead outside the city in underground chambers to protect the graves from Roman desecration. The remains of these tombs are the catacombs, hewn into solid rock. You will see a variety of burial chambers including those from the pagan period.

Evening: Dinner this evening will be at a city center restaurant.

Day 5

Borghese Gallery and the Maxxi Museum

Borghese Gallery: This morning you visit the stunning collection of sculpture and paintings in the Galleria Borghese. Housed in an impressive Palazzo, the collection contains sculpture by Bernini, as well as art by Caravaggio and Titian, and is undoubtedly once of the best art museums in Rome. Entrance is timed, and visits are strictly limited to two hours. On leaving the gallery, do spend some time in the delightful Borghese gardens, which can optionally be explored by pedal carts.

Borghese Gardens: Walking through the gardens you can enjoy the wonderful views of Rome from Pincio which overlooks Piazza del Popolo.
Lunch: You have time for lunch and there are many options in this area.

Maxxi Museum: In the afternoon you visit the Maxxi Museum of 21st century modern art. After taking in a lot of Ancient Roman and Italian Renaissance art and architecture, this museum provides a striking contrast and an opportunity to check out some edgy contemporary art and design. You can easily spend a half day exploring the thought-provoking artworks.

Day 6

The Life of St Francis of Assisi

Travel to Assisi: This morning you depart from Rome for the journey to Assisi which takes around three hours. Assisi is of course closely associated with the life of Saint Francis. You have lunch on arrival.

Walking Tour: In the afternoon you have a walking tour, starting at the Basilica di Santa Chiara which holds the remains of St. Clare of Assisi, the friend and protégé of St. Francis. In one of the chapels there is the cross which, according to the tradition, spoke to Saint Francis in 1205 inviting him to repair God’s home. Close by lies the Cathedral of San Rufino where St. Francis was baptized. In the town square you see the Temple of Minerva, built during Roman times and with columns and Corinthian capitals which are still intact, but renovated as a church in the baroque style during the 17th century.

Basilica of St Francis: At the top of the hill, you arrive at the majestic Basilica of St Francis, construction of which was started in 1228, two years after the Saint’s death and the day after Pope Gregory IX proclaimed him Saint. There are actually two basilicas here with the lower and most ancient one, the Basilica Inferiore, containing the vault and final resting place for Saint Francis. The Upper Basilica is famous for its frescoes depicting scenes from the Old and New Testament and from the life of Saint Francis.

Free Time: There will be free time for you to explore Assisi at your leisure before dinner this evening at a central restaurant.

Day 7

Continue to explore Assisi before traveling to Florence in the afternoon

St. Francis of Assisi: Today you visit some of the places associated with St. Francis. You begin at the Eremo delle Carceri, originally a natural cave where St. Francis lived between 1205 and 1206. You visit the Church of San Damiano where St. Francis first heard God’s voice, and according to the tradition wrote his Cantico delle Creature. Your last visit is to the vast Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli which was built in the sixteenth century to preserve the Porziuncola, the small Church which Francis restored and which became his favourite place for prayer and reflection. Behind the Porziuncola chapel there is another chapel of Transito (Cappella del Transito) which is where St. Francis died in 1226.

Travel to Florence: After lunch you travel to Florence, a journey of 2-3 hours. On arrival you stop at the Piazzale Michelangelo for a spectacular view across the city. After check-in at your hotel there will be time to explore the historic center including the Piazza della Signoria where you can have your photo taken by the Fountain of Neptune. The adjacent Loggia della Signoria is home to several bronze and marble statues including Perseus and the Medici lions.

Evening: Dinner this evening will be at a city center restaurant.

Day 8

The Uffizi and Accademia Museums, and the Duomo

Uffizi Museum: This morning you visit the Uffizi Museum, the most famous art museum in Florence. Situated near the Arno River and the Ponte Vecchio, it originally built for the art collection of wealthy Medici family. It became a public gallery as long ago at 1765 and today houses an incredible collection of paintings including artists such as Bellini, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. Among its most famous paintings are Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and Caravaggio’s Medusa.

Ponte Vecchio: Adjacent to the Uffizi is the famous Ponte Vecchio, the historic bridge which dates from 1345. During World War II it was the only bridge across the Arno that the fleeing Germans did not destroy. Instead, they blocked access by demolishing the medieval buildings on each side.
Lunch: You have time for lunch and there are many options in this area.

Accademia Museum: The Accademia is famous for the magnificent giant marble sculptures created by Michelangelo, and above all, the glorious David which stands in a position of prominence at the end of a long gallery. There are also works of art by several famous Italian artists including Botticelli, many of which were commissioned by the Medicis.

The Duomo: In the late afternoon we ascend the Cupola of the Duomo – the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. This spectacular basilica took more than 100 years to build and was completed by 1436. The dome was the work of the celebrated architect Brunelleschi and over a century later was decorated with frescoes of the Last Judgment by Vasari.

Evening: Dinner this evening will be at a city center restaurant.

Day 9

Pisa and the Leaning Tower

Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens: This morning you visit the Palazzo Pitti, the last residence of the Medici Family and now a museum housing a large collection of art. The Palatine Gallery includes Renaissance works by Raphael, Titian and Rubens, but also has a modern collection with artists such as Elizabeth Chaplin. The State Apartments with their elaborate ceilings painted by Vasari should not be missed. The Palazzo lies adjacent to the beautiful formal Boboli Gardens whose origins date back to the sixteenth century and which make a pleasant conclusion to the morning.

Travel to Pisa: After lunch you travel by private bus to Pisa where you explore the Piazza dei Miracoli with its Cathedral, Baptistry and of course the instantly recognisable Leaning Tower.

Leaning Tower of Pisa: The Tower is actually the campanile or freestanding bell tower, of the Cathedral. It took almost 200 years to build and was eventually completed in the 14th century. It gained its famous lean early in construction due to the soft ground on which it stands. You will be able to climb the Tower which will give you a sensational view across the city, as well as the unusual and somewhat unnerving experience of walking up the sloping staircase.

Evening: You spend your final night in Pisa and dinner will be at a city center restaurant.

Day 10

Flight Home

Flight Home:  This morning you transfer to the airport for your flight back home.