Siena Italy Trip - Sample Itinerary*

July 29-Aug. 9, 2013

*Please note that this is a tentative itinerary that is subject to adjustment as planning is solidified.

We will be based in the medieval city of Siena for the entire trip, except the first and last night, when we will be staying in Rome to facilitate a day in Rome and travel in and out of Rome international airport. Hotel accommodations for Siena and Rome will be negotiated after the first of the year.  Last year’s group made the Jolly Excelsior, located on the Piazza della Lizza in Siena, their second home.

The following tentative itinerary is created with the intention to leave guests with a good deal of free time for exploration. We are happy to help guests organize their activities/tours during designated free time.  Please also note that the cost of the trip is per person and includes two meals per day and all transportation between Rome and Siena.

Monday, July 29: Day 1        Travel on own to Rome, Italy.
We recommend overnight flights that arrive in Rome sometime during the morning if possible. If you would like assistance with air reservations, please let us know.

Tuesday, July 30: Day 2         Arrival in Rome.  
Transportation from airport to hotel in Rome will be provided.

Wednesday, July 31: Day 3    Travel from Rome to Siena; bus will stop in Assisi on the journey to Siena.  

(Italian pronunciation: [asˈsiːzi], from the Latin: Asisium) is a town and comune of Italy in the province of Perugia in the Umbria region, on the western flank of Monte Subasio. It was the birthplace of St. Francis, who founded the Franciscan religious order in the town in 1208, and St. Clare (Chiara d'Offreducci), the founder of the Poor Sisters, which later became the Order of Poor Clares after her death. The 19th-century Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows was also born in Assisi. We will arrive in Siena in the late afternoon and get settled. Before supper, we will take a leisurely stroll in the city center to become familiar with all the necessary resources. A cena (supper) will be provided in the restaurant at the hotel.

Thursday, August 1: Day 4          Dr. Ron Herzman’s “Dante’s Siena”  
We will meet in the Sala Duccio di Buoninsegna in the hotel. An international expert on Dante and a veteran of teaching in Siena, Dr. Herzman will explain why Siena is a great place to understand the work of the great poet and how Dante remains relevant today. He will then take us on a walk around Siena connecting those ideas to this marvelous city.
We will gather later in the afternoon at a cooking school in Siena to make our own cena, or supper, under the direction of a master chef.

Friday, August 2:  Day 5             The Thermal Baths of Rapolano.  
For centuries, pilgrims and tourists have sought out the curative mineral waters of Tuscany for health and refreshment. Bring your swimsuit, as we will visit the thermal baths of Rapolano and have a nice lunch in the country.

Saturday, August 3:  Day 6          Free day for travel.
At the request of participants, we are leaving this day free for individual travel plans. We will assist you in making arrangements to pursue your own adventures.

Sunday, August 4:  Day 7              Sant’ Antimo/ Montalcino
The bus leaves in the morning for the Brunello wine district to sample wonderful treats. We will have the opportunity to attend a Latin Gregorian Catholic Mass led by monks in an 800-year-old monastery. We will picnic in a 14th-century castle.

Monday, August 5:  Day 8            Dr. Bill Cook, Private tour of the Uffizi in Florence
This morning will be an early start to meet Dr. Cook, an international expert in medieval history and art. He will take us places the general public is not allowed to go as we take in the extraordinary artistic patrimony of the Florentines. Participants will be given the afternoon free in Florence with alternative activities and a bus ticket back to Siena.

Tuesday, August 6:  Day 9            San GiMignano
San Gimignano is the best-preserved medieval city in Europe and the center of the Vernaccia wine district, the only wine Dante mentions by name.

Wednesday, August 7:  Day 10    Market Day/Dr. Bill Cook’s Siena
We will start out at 9 a.m. to enjoy the Siena Market.  We will also join Dr. Cook on a walking tour of medieval Siena.  Dr. Cook will explain how municipal engineering of the streets and the water system give us clues to social interaction and daily life in Siena during the high Middle Ages. We will leave you plenty of time for shopping and packing your goodies.

Thursday, August 8:  Day 11       Leave for Rome in the afternoon.

We’ll spend the night in Rome giving maximum flexibility for flights home the next day.

Friday, August 9:  Day 12          Travel home

<<Return to the Siena, Italy Alumni Trip