Our itineraries are rich but not rushed. Savor each experience free from the logistical worries of travel, while enjoying comfortable, well appointed inns, palazzi, castelli, villas, cloisters, and charming hotels – with enough time to discover each place on your own after the guided visits each day. Our tours are planned to minimize multiple hotel moves. On each tour we stay in a few carefully chosen accommodations to allow for a breadth of experience of each region without a lot unnecessary packing and repacking.
In addition to our announced tours below, The Renaissance Company offers a wide range of programs custom designed for specific groups, educational institutions, businesses,and diverse organizations seeking itineraries and theme oriented travel. We are happy to speak with you about an offering tailored to the interests of your group.
The Hilltowns of Northern Italy Tour May 28 – June 8, 2012
This trip is designed for travelers who want to experience the renowned beauty of Tuscany, Umbria, and the Marches, to discover its artistic treasures, to absorb its dramatic history, to experience its people, to taste and feel its culture. We invite you to join us on this rewarding journey of exploration, reflection and enjoyment.
To learn more about this itinerary, expand the sections below.
Program Overview
The tour will begin in the city of Florence. During our brief stay here, we will use our time to become acquainted through lectures, slide presentations and discussion with the places we will visit, their special attractions, and the rich patterns of historical and cultural interconnection among them during the Renaissance. We will also begin reflecting and discussing what we can learn from our discoveries for living more fully and humanely in our own societies.
Departing from Florence, we will spend several days traveling through western and southern Tuscany and then through Umbria, a region of unique and unsurpassed natural beauty as well as home to richly-layered heritage of living culture, in which the making of wine and cheese, cooking, and working the land play roles as important as the creation of great art. Along the way we will visit towns like Siena, San Gimignano, Volterra, Pienza, Montalcino, Cortona, Arezzo, Sansepolcro, Gubbio, Assisi and Orvieto. In addition to following the “Piero della Francesca Trail” which will ultimately lead us over the mountains from Umbria into the Marches and the ducal city of Urbino, we will take a day trip through the breathtaking Casentino province of Tuscany to visit Mount La Verna where St. Francis of Assisi is believed to have received the stigmata.
Detailed Itinerary
Monday, May 28
Travelers arrive at the hotel in Florence. In the evening, we gather for a Welcome Reception and a brief orientation before dinner.
Tuesday, May 29
In the morning, we gather for a preparatory lecture and slide program to introduce some the major artists, cultures and monuments that we shall encounter in the days ahead. After pranzo, we visit the historic center of the city, the Duomo, Baptistry and Museo del Opera del Duomo. The evening is at leisure.
Wednesday, May 30
We leave Florence and travel to the home of the Palio, the majestic city of Siena. There we will visit the dramatic black and white cathedral which, even when viewed from miles away, seems to watch over the city and its passionate contrade ; and the famous Piazza del Campo and the Palazzo Publico with its soaring tower and the famous frescoes by Simone Martini. Later in the afternoon, we visit San Gimignano, the medieval city of skyscrapers.
Thursday, May 31
Thursday our journey takes us to the extraordinary, ancient Etruscan town of Volterra, known for its breathtaking landscape, for its historic production of alabaster objects and for its exceptional museum, offering a superb overview of Etruscan culture.
Friday, June 1
First, we visit the beautiful, luminescent 9th century monastery of San Antimo. After our morning visit, we arrive at Montalcino, home of the famous Brunello wine. There will be sufficient time at leisure to sample Brunello at the historic fortress with its renowned “wine library” (enoteca), enjoy the local cuisine and explore its medieval city center. Later in the afternoon, we depart for nearby lovely Pienza and its panoramic view of the Val D’Orcia.
Saturday, June 2
Today is devoted to Pienza, the tiny jewel of Renaissance urban planning, where we will visit its splendid cathedral, as well as the Piccolomini Palace. In its charming gardens we will discuss the central role of Pope Pius II Piccolomini, who undertook the project of creating an ideal city to embody the vision of Renaissance humanism here in Pienza.
Sunday, June 3
A few millennia before Frances Mayes’ Under the Tuscan Sun, Cortona was a bustling city with a population density equal to New York City. The city is little changed from the Renaissance when it was home to the great artist Luca Signorelli and Pietro da Cortona. During our morning here we will visit Cortona’s greatest artistic treasure the famous Fra Angelico “Annunciation.” In the afternoon we travel to Arezzo, our first stop on the Piero della Francesca Trail to view that artist’s magnificent fresco cycle “The Legend of the True Cross.”
Monday, June 4
This morning we travel through the ruggedly beautiful Casentino to Mount La Verna, the wooded retreat of St. Francis and his followers. It was at La Verna that Saint Francis prayed to receive the Stigmata. In the chapel of the Stigmata we view some of the most magnificent and beautiful of Andrea della Robbia’s works. After a picnic lunch at La Verna, we travel to Monterchi to see Piero della Francesca’s famous and newly rescued “Madonna del Parto.” Then, on to the charming and historic town of Sansepolcro, Piero’s birthplace.
Tuesday, June 5
In Sansepolcro, the home of Piero Della Francesca, we will visit the small museum housing perhaps his most famous work, “The Resurrection,” as well as his stately “Madonna Della Misericordia.” In the afternoon, we travel to the austerely beautiful medieval town of Gubbio, where we will spend three nights. After checking into our hotel, a restored Cappuccian convent, we visit Gubbio in the afternoon and evening.
Wednesday, June 6
Assisi, birthplace of St. Francis and itself one of the loveliest of the hill towns. Here we shall visit the famed basilica of San Francesco, built in the mid-13th century and decorated by many of the most renowned painters of the time. St. Francis’ beliefs, his humility, his love of his “brothers and sisters” as well as his celebration of nature, while having a tremendous influence on religion, gave rise to a wholly new humanistic vision in art and literature. Giotto was the master who transformed the rigidity of byzantine painting to the very human yet spiritually inspiring image seen in to the upper basilica depicting the life of the saint. After lunch we will enjoy the opportunity to visit first the “Carceri,” the retreat high up on Mount Sebastiano used by St. Francis and his companions, and then the little church of San Damiano where St. Francis received his mission from God to rebuild is ruined church. We return to Gubbio for an evening at leisure.
Thursday, June 7
We leave Gubbio early, traveling through the scenic Apennines to what was once one of the cultural centers of Europe, the small fairytale like city of Urbino. Urbino was the birthplace of Raphael and Bramante, but it is most famous for the creation of the ideal court under the rule of Federico da Montefeltro and his wife Battista Sforza. Urbino with its magnificent Renaissance Palazzo Ducale is our final stop on the Piero della Francesca Trail. Inside the palazzo, now a museum, is the “world’s greatest small painting” – The Flagellation by Piero della Francesca. After lunch and a stroll through the city, we return to Gubbio for our Festa di Addio.
Friday, June 8
In the morning, we travel to Orvieto, perhaps the most striking of the hilltowns for its dramatic setting atop a plateau of volcanic rock. We will visit the famed Cathedral with its beautiful facade of mosaics and carvings, and within it the dramatic frescoes of Luca Signorelli’s “Last Judgment.” In the late afternoon we travel to Rome. The tour officially concludes with our arrival in central Rome.
**N.B. To allow participants greater flexibility in planning their travels, the tour does not include hotel accommodations in Rome for Friday night, June 8. Participants wishing to spend the night in Rome should make hotel reservations independently in advance.
Cost of the Tour and Program Notes
Cost of the Tour:
The cost of the tour is $4875 per person, not including airfare. Participants are responsible for arranging their own transportation to Florence, arriving at the hotel in Florence on Monday May 28 for the opening reception beginning at 6:30 pm. The welcome reception is included in the price of the tour, as is the farewell dinner on the last night of the tour in Gubbio. Breakfast is included each day in the hotels. All other meals are at the expense of participants. The tour officially concludes with arrival in central Rome. All arrangements for subsequent travel and accommodation are solely the responsibility of the participant.
In addition to the accommodations specified below, the cost of the tour includes ground transportation and admission fees for all activities included in the itinerary. Participants are themselves responsible for all charges, including room charges and hotels, incurred in connection with any activity not explicitly specified in the itinerary.
Level of Physical Activity:
The nature of the tour program and the type of sites which the group will visit make for a moderately strenuous routine; those who need to limit their physical activity or who cannot easily walk longer distances are strongly encouraged to consult with the tour leaders prior to reserving space. The Directors reserve the right to limit individual participation in group activities at their sole discretion in cases where the group’s interests might be adversely affected.
Accommodations:
Cost is based on double occupancy in hotels. In some cases single rooms might be available at the hotels for a supplemental charge. All hotels are three or four star and have been carefully chosen for their location, comfort and quality of service. A list of hotels will be provided separately to registered participants. Room assignments are made by the hotel management. Breakfast is included each day at the hotel.
Reservations:
The tour is strictly limited to a maximum of 18 participants to ensure the comfort and focused attention of the group experience. Reservations on the tour are held in the order in which deposits are received. Places may be reserved by completing the application form in the “Make a Reservation” section of the website and mailing it with a deposit of one thousand dollars per person. Deposits are refundable according to the terms specified on the Reservation Form. The balance must be paid in full by April 1, 2012. Refunds in the event of cancellation are subject to the restrictions outlined in the Terms and Conditions section of this website. Please be sure to read these carefully before submitting a deposit. Travelers are strongly urge to purchase separate travel insurance including coverage for cancellation loss to protect themselves in the event that they are unable to travel for any reason.
Students who wish to take this tour academic credit through Georgetown University must
register for it as a Summer 2012 course through Georgetown University’s Liberal Studies
Program. Two classroom sessions, mandatory for credit students (other participants invited),
will be held on the Georgetown campus. Read the course syllabus carefully before you register.
All details of the itinerary subject to change based on availability of accommodations, changes in opening\closing schedules, acts of God and any other cause beyond the immediate and direct control of the Tour Directors.
Verona, Venice, Ravenna, and the Po Valley June 11 – 22, 2012
North of the Apennines, Italian Renaissance culture developed in ways that paralleled the emergence of the humanist renewal in Tuscany and Umbria, but was also shaped in distinctive ways by traditions and influences that gave it a particular character of its own. This itinerary is designed for travelers who wish to discover for themselves cities little known to most visitors, but whose historical, artistic and cultural riches and significance never fail to amaze the discerning eye. It offers the opportunity for a much richer experience than the commonplace Venice, Florence, Rome race through Italy. Join us for this engaging exploration of the origins and development of one the most unique episodes of human cultural transformations which history has recorded, and reflect on its continuing relevance in our lives today.
To learn more about this itinerary, expand the sections below.
Program Overview
Our adventure begins in the splendid city of Verona which will be our base for the first four evenings of our journey. We will spend the next two full days visiting the many distinctive monuments, both Roman and Renaissance, of this sophisticated city with ample time for you to visit its distinctive coffee bars, roam through the piazzas, and take in the views from its beautiful bridges. During our stay in Verona, we will make day trips to Vicenza, home of Palladio and the site of his most distinctive architectural work, and Mantua with its magnificent Palazzo Ducale, including the famous Camera degli Sposi (Room of the Spouses) frescoed by Andrea Mantegna.
Next, we travel to Bologna, the “Cultural Capital of Europe.” Home to the oldest university in Europe and as well as one of the continent’s best historically preserved cities, Bologna’s beautiful arcades, towers and plazas imbue the city with an active ambiance all its own. Bologna is equally famous for being the gastronomic capital of Italy and our stay here will afford the opportunity to partake of the culinary pleasures of the city. While residing in Bologna, we venture out on day excursions, first to the city of Ferrara, seat of the princely court of the d’Este family, and then to Ravenna, once capital of the Roman Empire and later Byzantium, with its fabulous 4th and 5th C mosaics.
Traveling toward Venice where we will spend the remaining four nights of our tour, we visit Padua, a secular and sacred pilgrimage city both for art lovers and followers of St. Anthony. Here, we will encounter masterpieces of two of the greatest artists in Western art: Giotto’s breathtaking fresco cycle of the Scovegni Chapel, his most fully complete and best preserved work; and Donatello’s creations for the Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padova, including the astounding bronze equestrian statue of “Gattamelata.”
Finally, we enter into the magical atmosphere of Venice, “La Serenissma”, for three full days of exploring both its artistic patrimony as well as perhaps the most fascinating urban environment ever devised by human imagination. During our stay, we will visit the Basilica of San Marco, the Doge’s Palace, the Accademia, I Frari and still leave you plenty of free time to wander the city on your own and experience the magic of the many moods of Venice.
Detailed Itinerary
Monday, June 11
Travelers arrive at our hotel in Verona for the first four nights of our tour. In the evening, we gather for a welcome reception and orientation before dining together.
Tuesday, June 12, Wednesday, June 13
We will spend two days visiting the principal sites of Verona: the Arena, the Roman amphitheater (accommodating an audience of 25,000), the Castelvecchio and the Museo d’Arte within it with the work of Mantegna, Pisanello, the Bellini, and Stefano da Verona; Chiesa di Sant’ Anastasia with its impressive frescoes and unique terracotta figures in the Cappella Pellegrini. Our two day visit will allow plenty of free time to relax and stroll the bridges and the piazzas and visit the cafes that give this city its unique, vibrant character.
Thursday, June 14
From Verona we travel for the day to Vicenza, city of Andrea Palladio, the most influential and imitated architect in the world. Vicenza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994, is home to Palladio’s best works, including the famous Teatro Olimpico. This sparkling Renaissance city with its elegant Palladian palaces, beautiful piazzas, continues to thrive as the cosmopolitan capital of the Veneto and one of the wealthiest cities in Italy. Our visit here will be especially memorable as we are guided by a renowned Palladio scholar.
Friday, June 15
Today we travel a short distance to bella Mantova (Mantua). Birthplace of Virgil (70 BC) and home of the Gonzaga family, Mantua became another great intellectual and artistic center of Renaissance. We will visit the splendid, imposing Palazzo Ducale of the Gonzaga including the very famous Camera degli Sposi with its celebrated frescoes by Andrea Mantegna. Later, we will visit Palazzo Te built and decorated in the Mannerist style. We end the day in Bologna, the “Cultural Capital of Europe” and equally famous as the gastronomic capital of Italy.
Saturday, June 16
We visit Bologna’s beautiful city center including the Palazzo Comunale. Another destination is the Basilica di San Petronio, dedicated to the city’s partron saint, St Pertronius, where we will see the work of Jacopo della Quericia and the expressive frescoes by Giovanni da Modena. For the brave, there will be the opportunity to climb the medieval Torre degli Asinelli, built in 1109 and still affording a breathtaking view of the city.
Other sights include the Basilica di Santo Stefano and the Chiesa di San Domenico which houses the beautiful tomb with the sarcophagus by Nicola Pisano (1267). Work of the tomb was completed by Michelangelo in 1494. Also in Bologna, Museo Morandi, the largest collection of the 20th C painter and engraver as well as a reconstruction of the artist’s studio.
Sunday, June 17
Today we visit the charming city of Ferrara, home to the illustrious d’Este family. The d’Este, great patrons of art, literature, and architecture, made Ferrara a cultural center of the Renaissance. We will visit the Castello Estense, home of the d’Este family as well as the Duomo, and the Pinateca Nazionale, which houses masterpieces of the Ferrarese, Emilian and Venetian Schools of painting.
Monday, June 18
Once the capital of the Roman Empire and Exarchate of Byzantium, Ravenna is home to the famous elaborate mosaics from the 5th and 6th centuries. Together we will visit the mid-5th C Mausoleo di Galla Palacidia, Basilica di San Vitale, Basilica di Sant’Apollinare Nuovo and make a short journey to the Basilica di Sant’Apollinare in Classe.
Tuesday, June 19
Padua is our focus for the day, site of the Scrovegni Chapel with the superlative fresco cycle painted in 1305-10 by Giotto. The 39 frescoes, the only fresco cycle of Giotto wholly intact, illustrate the lives of Mary and Jesus and include Giotto’s “Last Judgment.” Recently restored, the brilliance and sophistication of Giotto’s masterpiece is breathtaking. After, we will have an extended visit to one of the most important pilgrimage churches, the Basilica of San Antonio. Inside Il Santo with its magnificent nave, is the Capella dell’ Arco del Santo,the chapel of the tomb of St Anthony by Tiziano Aspetti and on the high altar, the dramatic bronze statues and reliefs by Donatello. Outside the church is the famous equestrian statue of the Venetian leader Gattamelata, a masterpiece by Donatello (1453) and the first Renaissance bronze equestrian monument.
We end the day in that most romantic of cities, Venice, “a fairy city at heart.” (Byron)
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, June 20 – 22
Over the course of the next three days, we will visit the Basilica of Mark and the Piazza San Marco, the sacred and secular heart of the city, the Palazzo Ducale, which served as the residence of doges and the seat of government from the 12-17C, and the Accademia, housing the most important Venetian art from 14-18C including the works of Bellini, Titian, Giorgione, Mantegna, and Carpaccio. There will be plenty of time to enjoy the legendary city, La Serenissima, (“the most serene”) on your own, as you wander over its many bridges and canals, experience its changing light and mood. Mysterious, regal, exotic, a labyrinth of streets and canals, for centuries the city has exuded its power to transfix its visitors with its elusive, magical character.
Finally, on Friday evening we will gather to have our Cena Adio, our farewell dinner and conclude our time together in bell’Italia.
**N.B.: Although the tour officially concludes with dinner on Friday evening June 22, the price of the hotel stay and breakfast the following morning are included in the price of the program.
Costs and Program Notes
Cost of the Tour:
The cost of the tour is $4875 per person, not including airfare. Participants are responsible for arranging their own transportation to Verona, arriving at the hotel on Monday, June 11 for the opening reception beginning at 6:30 pm. The welcome reception and dinner following is included in the price of the tour, as is the farewell dinner on the last night of the tour in Venice. Breakfast is included each day in the hotels. All other meals are at the expense of participants. The tour officially concludes with the farewell dinner in Venice. All arrangements for subsequent travel and accommodation are solely the responsibility of the participant.
In addition to the accommodations specified below, the cost of the tour includes ground transportation and admission fees for all activities included in the itinerary. Participants are themselves responsible for all charges, including room charges and hotels, incurred in connection with any activity not explicitly specified in the itinerary.
Level of Physical Activity:
The nature of the tour program and the type of sites which the group will visit make for a moderately strenuous routine; those who need to limit their physical activity or who cannot easily walk longer distances are strongly encouraged to consult with the tour leaders prior to reserving space. The directors reserve the right to limit individual participation in group activities at their sole discretion in cases where the group’s interests might be adversely affected.
Accommodations:
Cost is based on double occupancy in hotels. In some cases single rooms might be available at the hotels for a supplemental charge. All hotels are three or four star and have been carefully chosen for their location, comfort and quality of service. A list of hotels will be provided separately to registered participants. Room assignments are made by the hotel management. Breakfast is included each day at the hotel.
Reservations:
The tour is limited to a maximum of 18 participants to ensure the comfort and focused attention of the group experience. Reservations will be held in the order in which deposits are received. Places may be reserved by printing and completing the application form in the “Make a Reservation” section of the website and mailing it with a deposit of one thousand dollars per person. Deposits are refundable according to the terms specified on the Reservation Form. Payments must be made by check. The balance must be paid in full by April 1, 2012. Refunds in the event of cancellation are subject to the restrictions outlined in the Terms and Conditions section of this website. Please be sure to read these carefully before submitting a deposit. Travelers are strongly urged to purchase separate travel insurance including coverage for cancellation loss to protect themselves in the event that they are unable to travel for any reason.
Students who wish to take this tour academic credit through Georgetown University must
register for it as a Summer 2012 course through Georgetown University’s Liberal Studies
Program. Two classroom sessions, mandatory for credit students (other participants invited),
will be held on the Georgetown campus. Read the course syllabus carefully before you register.
All details of the itinerary subject to change based on availability of accommodations, changes in opening\closing schedules, acts of God and any other cause beyond the immediate and direct control of the Tour Directors.
The Florentine Renaissance: From Medieval to Modern,June 25 – July 2, 2012
The transition in Western Europe from the medieval to the Renaissance world both contributed to and was shaped by new modes of expression in art, literature, philosophy, and spirituality. Through a first-hand observation of some of the most important of these intellectual and artistic creations in their original historical settings, this tour will give participants a rich and lively understanding of one of the most fascinating episodes in human history – the Florentine Renaissance.
To learn more about this itinerary, expand the sections below.
Program Overview
We will reside in a four star hotel located near the center of the old city. Ordinarily, we
shall visit the city in the morning and most afternoons, although there will ample time free for
individual explorations.
The price of the tour is $2700. The price includes hotel accommodations (double occupancy)
with breakfast, all entrance fees and guided tours by the faculty as indicated in the itinerary
and subject to the specified conditions. Please read the “Terms and Conditions” carefully for full details. Airfare and ground transportation are not included.
Detailed Itinerary
Monday, June 25
Welcoming reception at the hotel beginning at 6 pm., followed by an introduction to the
program.
Tuesday, June26
This morning we begin with a walking tour of Dante’s Florence, following the circuit of the walls of the medieval town. In addition to orienting us to the old city center, this affords the opportunity to understand the vital historical developments in Florentine society that would serve as the foundations of its period of highest artistic flowering in the 15th century. In the afternoon, we will of the Uffizi gallery where we can view and discuss the developments in painting that mark the transition in style from medieval to Renaissance, including masterpieces by Giotto, Masaccio, Piero della Francesco, Botticelli, Leonardo, Michelangelo and Raffaello. The evening is at leisure.
Wednesday, June 27
Today we visit the Convento San Marco to see its beautiful frescoes by Fra Angelico. From there, we walk to the Palazzo Medici to see the fabulously restored frescoes there in the private chapel by Benozzo Gozzoli. The afternoon is free to visit the city at leisure.
Thursday, June 28
In the morning we visit the National Sculpture Museum in the Bargello, where the works of Donatello and the della Robbias are featured in an exceptionally evocative setting. From there we go on to visit the Museum of the Opera del Duomo, where we shall find, among many riches, Donatello’s sublime “Mary Magdalene” and Michelangelo’s “Florentine Pieta.” The afternoon is free to visit the city at leisure.
Friday, June 29
Our day begins with a visit to the spectacular collections of the Palazzo Pitti galleries. From there we walk a short distance to visit the church of Santa Maria del Carmine to see Masaccio’s masterful Brancacci Chapel frescoes. After the mid-day meal, we visit the first of the churches of the two great medieval Orders that played crucial formative roles in the development of the Florentine Renaissance, the Franciscans and Dominicans The Dominican Church of Santa Maria Novella, the site of Masaccio’s revolutionary fresco, The Holy Trinity, Giotto’ masterful crucifix and the beautifully preserved frescoes by Ghirlandaio, from whom Michaelangelo first learned the technique of fresco painting.
Saturday, June 30
This morning we visit the most well-known sites associated with Michelangelo in the city of Florence: the Galleria dell’ Accademia to see the David and the Bound Slaves; the Church of San Lorenzo and the Medici Chapel with its extraordinarily powerful tombal sculptures, and the Laurentian library. Then, in the afternoon we cross the town to visit the Franciscans’ Santa Croce, with its magnificent frescoes by Giotto and the tomb of Michelangelo and Galileo, Donatello’s crucifix, and the recently restored fresco cycle of the Legend of the True Cross by Gaddi.
Sunday, July 1
This morning, we visit the Palazzo Vecchio, the town hall and seat of government of
Florence for more than 800 years. The remainder of the day is free for a last leisurely afternoon
enjoying the dignified charm of Florence, until we gather In the evening for a festive Cena di
Addio, our farewell meal together.
Monday, July 2
The tour concludes with departure from the hotel after breakfast.
Cost of the Tour and Program Notes
Cost of the Tour:
The cost of the Tour is $2700 per person. The price includes hotel accommodations (double occupancy) with breakfast each day. The fare well dinner on the last evening is also included in the price. No other meals are included. All entrance fees and guided tours as indicated in the itinerary are included. Tuition for academic credit is an additional charge.
Level of Physical Activity
The nature of the tour schedule and the type of sites which
the group will visit make for a moderately strenuous routine; those who experience difficulty
walking distances at a normal pace or otherwise need to limit their physical activity should
consult with the tour leaders prior to reserving space. The directors reserve the right to limit
individual participation in group activities in cases where the group’s interests might be
adversely affected.
Accommodations
Cost is based on double occupancy at the hotel; some single rooms may be available at a supplemental cost to the participant. Upgrades to premium rooms may also be available at additional cost. Breakfast at the hotel each day is included; no other meals are included. The farewell Cena di Addio is included in the price.
Reservations
To enhance the educational opportunity and enjoyment for all
participants, places on the tour are strictly limited to no more than twenty. Reservations will be held
in the order in which deposits are received. Places may be reserved by
completing the Reservation Form and returning it with a deposit of one thousand dollars per
person (payable to The Renaissance Tour Company, LLC). The balance must be paid in full by
April 1, 2012. Refunds in the event of cancellation are subject to the restrictions outlined in the Terms and Conditions section of this website. Please be sure to read these carefully before
submitting a deposit. Travelers are strongly urged to purchase separate travel insurance including coverage for cancellation loss to protect themselves in the event that they are unable to travel for any reason.
Students who wish to take this tour academic credit through Georgetown University must
register for it as a Summer 2012 course through Georgetown University’s Liberal Studies
Program. Two classroom sessions, mandatory for credit students (other participants invited),
will be held on the Georgetown campus. Read the course syllabus carefully before you register.
All details of the itinerary subject to change based on availability of accommodations, changes in opening\closing schedules, acts of God and other conditions beyond the control of the tour directors. Be sure to read the Terms and Conditions carefully before submitting a deposit.