ITALY TRIP 2012

Register your child's trip with the US government by going to this link.

DAY 1

Thursday, 16 February 2012

Relax and enjoy our scheduled flight from Boston to Rome.

DAY 2
Friday, 17 February 2012

Our 24-hour Casterbridge Tour Manager/Guide will meet us at the airport and remain with us until our final airport departure.

We will have use of a private coach and driver, while touring for the next 3 days.

Stop on the way at Herculaneum. Herculaneum is another town that was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Unlike Pompeii, which was covered in volcanic ash, Herculaneum was covered by mud. As a result, its remains are better preserved. Food, wood structures, and second stories of buildings are able to be seen. Many amazing buildings have been passed on to us, including the Villa of the Papyri, which housed the only library to remain intact from antiquity.

Originally excavators believed most of Herculaneum's inhabitants to have survived, due to the low number of remains found. Upon excavating near the beach however, archeologists found hundreds of skeletons huddled together in boat houses, and this view changed.

Our base for the next 2 night(s) will be in Campania, where breakfast and dinner will be provided at the hotel.

The region of Campania is one of the most culturally diverse in Italy. Influenced by Roman, Greek, Byzantine, Norman, Spanish, and French cultures, Campania is known for its gastronomy, music, architecture, and divine beauty.

DAY 3
Saturday, 18 February 2012

Take a tour of Pompeii. This once thriving Roman city was buried in ash following the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Today, it provides us with a fascinating look at life in a Roman merchant city. Our guide will lead us through the excavations within the city walls, including those at the basilica, forum, baths, theater, and amphitheater.

Ascend Mt. Vesuvius, the active volcano that dominates Campania. When it erupted in 79 AD, it destroyed most of the nearby Roman settlements, including Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Stabiae.

DAY 4
Sunday, 19 February 2012

Today we will travel from Campania to Rome. En route, we will stop for a visit at Sperlonga, where we will explore the Museum erected on the grounds of the former Villa of Tiberius. The museum displays statuary celebrating the deeds of Odysseus. We will also explore Tiberius' Grotto, where many of the noteworthy sculptures now housed in the museum were originally located.

For the next 3 evening(s) we will enjoy the convenience of our centrally-located Rome hotel, where daily breakfast will be included.

Known to many as the "Eternal City," Rome is the capital of Italy, with an uninterrupted history spanning two and a half thousand years. As one of the founding cities of western civilization, Rome is filled with incredible historical sites. It is a city with many faces, encompassing medieval, Renaissance, and modern. To define Rome is an impossible task, but to enjoy Rome is a wondrous experience.

In Rome, the cost of public transport is included for all group sightseeing. Escorted by our guide, we will be able to experience the city in the same manner as the local people.

Explore the magnificence of St. Peter?s Square and then visit St. Peter?s Basilica, the largest church in the western world and the center of Catholicism. Highlights of the visit include Michelangelo?s Pietà and Bernini?s magnificent baldacchino (canopy) over the High Altar.

This evening, dinner will be provided in a local restaurant.

DAY 5
Monday, 20 February 2012

During the course of our tour we will gain from the knowledge and insight of 1 half-day local guide while we are here in Italy.

Enjoy a tour through the spectacular remains of the Roman Empire, beginning at the Colosseum, considered to be the greatest symbol of Ancient Rome?s power and glory. Completed under Titus in 80 A.D., the Colosseum could hold 55,000 spectators, on a par with many of today?s modern sports stadiums. Among the sights included on our tour is the Arch of Constantine, a triumphal arch finished in 315 A.D., commemorating the victory of Constantine I over Maxentius in the year 312 A.D. We will amble up the Palatine Hill, the fabled spot on which Rome?s first settlers built their huts under the direction of Romulus. In later years, this became a patrician residential district that attracted such notables as Cicero. We will also tour the ruins and excavations of the Roman Forum, which features the remains of magnificent temples, basilicas, and triumphal arches that once formed the heart of the Empire.

See the Mamertine Prison, originally created as a cistern for a spring. The prison was typically reserved for higher-profile prisoners and those that posed a threat to the security of Rome; the most famous of these was St. Peter.

Visit the Pantheon, one of the grandest and best-preserved Roman monuments, and the oldest large-scale dome in Rome. The Pantheon has been in continuous use throughout its history and today houses many tombs, including those of Italian kings Victor Emmanuel II and Umberto I, and painters Caracci and Raphael.

Today we will have a private coach and driver to accompany us for our half-day excursion outside the city.

By Own Arrangement
Gladiator School: Gladiatorial games began as a way to honor the dead, and grew to become a central facet of Roman culture, allowing the emperor to display his power and gain public support. Gladiators themselves were prisoners of war, slaves, criminals, or volunteers. We will learn more about the games, their place in Roman culture, and the gladiators themselves as we ourselves are condemned to Gladiator School this afternoon.

This evening we will dine in the Piazza Navona area. Built on the foundations of Domitian?s Circus, this magnificent square was designed in the 17th century by Bernini. It is full of life and is highlighted by one of Rome?s most spectacular fountains, the Four Rivers. The square is often filled with local artists. The surrounding neighborhood is also one of the best places in Rome to get a tasty tartufo or gelato ice cream.

DAY 6
Tuesday, 21 February 2012

Visit the Capitoline Museums, which house one of the greatest collections of classical sculpture in the world. Our visit includes the Picture Gallery, containing works from the 16th and 17th centuries by Caravaggio, Rubens, and Titian, among others.

By Own Arrangement
Pizza Making: This afternoon we will learn how to make pizza by participating in a demonstration at a local restaurant. After learning the details of the process, we will enjoy some pizza and dessert as well.

No trip to Rome would be complete without seeing the spectacular Trevi Fountain where it is traditional to toss a coin into the fountain to ensure a safe return to The Eternal City. Spend time at Rome?s meeting place, the Piazza di Spagna, home of the famous Spanish Steps. The piazza and steps are both named in reference to a 16th century Spanish ambassador who lived here. English poet John Keats lived and died in the house to the right of the steps, which is now a memorial.

DAY 7
Wednesday, 22 February 2012

Our rewarding and enjoyable tour comes to an end as our guide accompanies us to the airport on our final day.

INFORMATIONAL DOWNLOADS FOR FAMILES

PACKING LIST

FLIGHT INFORMATION

HOTEL INFORMATION

MEDICAL INFORMATION

PARENT MEETING OUTLINE