This tour will be conducted by EF College Tours from May 7 – May 27, 2011.
Professor Christine Reising will be the Art Department representative. She will
teach the studio portion of the program. The primary activity while in Italy will be
the collection of documentation for two handmade journals that reflect the student's
interests and experiences while on the journey. Students will draw and paint, write,
photograph, and collect collage materials for inclusion in their journals. They will
be expected to present completed journals after they return from Italy and will
share their creative experiences with the Siena community in a group exhibition.
For additional information or questions contact Professor Reising at
creising@sienaheights.edu or call her at 517/264-7866.
Overnight Flight
Arrival in Rome, Italy
Arrive in bella Roma, the
Eternal City. After clearing customs, meet your
EF Tour Director, who will accompany you to your hotel
Guided sightseeing of Rome
Pass the grassy
ruins of the ancient Forum Romanum, once
the heart of the Roman Empire, and admire
the enduring fragments of Rome’s glorious
past. Then visit the mighty Colosseum, Rome’s first
permanent amphitheater whose three tiers are
approximately equal to a 12- to 15-story building.
Later, visit the legendary Forum Romanum, once the
heart of the Roman Empire.
Walking tour of Rome
Continue on to the
legendary Trevi Fountain and make sure to toss
in a coin to ensure your return to Rome. Then
view the Pantheon, one of the best-preserved
ancient buildings in the city. Finish off in the
Piazza Navona, the popular square where you
will see Bernini’s impressive Fountain of the
Four Rivers.
Visit to Vatican City
Today, you will explore Vatican City, the world’s smallest country. Begin at the Vatican Museum, where elaborate galleries filled with one artistic masterpiece after another lead you directly to the Sistine Chapel. Next, tour St. Peter’s Basilica, erected on the site where the saint was martyred. Enter the basilica under the watchful eyes of the brightly dressed Swiss Guard. Inside, admire Michelangelo’s Pietà, the only sculpture he ever signed.
Transfer via Assisi
Stop in Assisi, birthplace of both St. Francis and St. Clare. On your visit to the Basilica of St. Francis, follow the life of one of Italy’s most beloved saints through Giotto’s artful frescoes.
Arrival in Florence
Art and Architecture tour of Florence*
Take a tour of Florence today with an expert local guide. As the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, Florence is home to some of the world’s most exquisite art and architecture.
Visit to the Accademia
Admire Michelangelo’s original statue of David inside Florence’s acclaimed Accademia Gallery. The museum also houses the artist’s four famous unfinished statues, the Prisoners.
Visit to the Uffizi Gallery
See Boticelli’s famous “Birth Venus” painting up close. Study the details of Leonardo da Vinci’s “Annunciation.” The Uffizi is one of the oldest and most renowned art museums in the world, with a collection of paintings and statues that include original masterpieces by such artists as Titian, Boticelli, Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.
Night train to Paris
Board an overnight train With couchette for your transfer to Paris.
Arrival in Paris
Welcome to Paris, cosmopolitan City of Light. After clearing customs, you are greeted by your EF Tour Director, who will remain with you throughout your stay.
Guided sightseeing of Paris
Discover the city on the Seine, beginning with the imposing Arc de Triomphe, commemorating Napoleon’s Grande Armée. Take a drive down the elegant Champs-Élysées to the Place de la Concorde. Pass the Conciergerie, where prisoners of the Revolution spent their final days, and see Les Invalides, Louis XIV’s grand retirement home for wounded soldiers. You’ll also see the École Militaire. Next, make a photo stop at the Eiffel Tower to marvel at the 6,000-ton centerpiece for the 1889 World’s Fair. Pass the Opéra Garnier, where the famous Phantom of the Opera haunted his dear Christine, and marvel at Église de la Madeleine,designed as a temple of glory for Napoleon’s army. Continue past the geometric gardens of the Tuileries as you make your way to the Place Vendôme, a vast square surrounded by elegant 17th-century façades.
Visit to Notre Dame Cathedral
Built between 1163 and 1361 over the remains of an ancient Roman temple, it was here that Napoleon crowned himself emperor in 1804. Step inside to admire the stained-glass rose windows and seemingly weightless vaulted ceilings.
Guided visit to the Louvre
An expert guide will share insights about the artwork and artists represented at the incomparable Louvre during a guided tour for your group. Built to defend the city in the 13th century, the Louvre today safeguards one of the world’s greatest art collections. Enter the museum through world renowned architect I.M. Pei’s glass pyramid, constructed in 1989. Inside, discover priceless antiquities from Asia, Greece and Rome. You’ll also see precious objects from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, as well as iconic European paintings such as the Mona Lisa.
Visit to an atelier
See where working Parisian artists draw their inspiration on your visit to an atelier. You can find everything from potters’ wheels to fashion mannequins to canvasses that stretch to the ceiling inside. Dedicated to creative reflection, these studios are sanctuaries for artists of all mediums.
Guided visit of the Musée d’Orsay
Today, an expert guide will introduce you to the Museé d’Orsay’s highlights. Part of this museum’s draw is the building itself, not just the artwork that adorns its walls. Built for the 1900 Universal Exposition, the Gare d’Orsay functioned as a train station until 1939 and was converted into a museum in 1986. The museum is noted for its collection of Impressionist paintings—a walk through the upper gallery will reveal works by Monet, Renoir, Degas, Sisley, Pissarro and countless others.
Optional excursion to Giverny
Join an optional half-day excursion to the village of Giverny, where impressionist painter Claude Monet lived and worked for more than 40 years. As you explore Monet’s home you will not only see his other artistic work, but you’ll also see his personal collection of Japanese paintings as well as his studio. Make your way through the extensive gardens to the pond where Monet’s art comes to life as you stand on the wooden footbridge that spans the pond. Participants must enroll in this excursion no later than 50 days prior to departure.)
Return home
Your tour director assists with the transfer to the airport, where you’ll check in for your return flight home.
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