Bedouin Encounter
While at the Red Sea coast, in the cooling evening, we will trek (by Jeep 4x4s) into the Eastern desert to visit a Bedouin camp and experience their culture and hospitality.
Iceland’s Golden Circle
We’ll take trips out of Reykjavik to explore the natural beauty of Iceland’s three most famous natural wonders. At Thingvellir National Park, regarded by Icelanders as a national shrine, we’ll see the rift valley caused by the drift of the…
Sistine Chapel, Vatican City
We will visit St. Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museum, all of which are the most popular landmarks of Vatican City. We will pick out the museum's principal treasures before entering the Sistine Chapel and admiring its…
Palazzo Farnese, Caprarola
Palazzo Farnese is the most lavishly decorated palace of the sixteenth century. Filled with festive and intelligently designed frescoes, it is surrounded by an extensive garden which simulates the senses as it conveys messages about the Farnese dynasty and its…
Sacro Bosco, Bomarzo
The fantasy garden of Bomarzo captured the interest of Surrealists like Dalí, Breton and Cocteau—and for good reason! Set in a deep and verdant glen, the garden comes alive with a number strange and beguiling sculptures cut from the living…
Cooking Lesson in Cortona
During our stay in the scenic hill town of Cortona, we take a cooking lesson and learn the secrets of Tuscan cuisine.
Vineyard Tour & Lunch
On the outskirts of the Renaissance town of Pienza, we learn about Tuscan viniculture and enjoy a wine tasting and hearty lunch.
Abbey of Monte Oliveto
Nestled in the Tuscan countryside is the historical abbey of Monte Oliveto, which still houses a community of Benedictine monks. Its attractions include a pharmacy, baroque church, frescoed cloister, and soothing wooded park.
Main Chapel, Church of San Francesco, Arezzo
On a half-day visit to Arezzo, we explore the decorated mansion of artist and biographer Giorgio Vasari, and stop in the church of San Francesco to examine Piero della Francesca's striking murals. These paintings were made during a burst of…