Compare Voyages to Antiquity: Splendors of Italy and Croatia by Road Scholar vs Venice, Florence and Rome by Viandando Luxury Travel

Day 1
In transit
In Flight

Day 2
Arrive Rome, Check-in, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Rome D NH Collection Roma Palazzo Cinquecento
Activity note: Hotel check-in is available from 2:00 PM.

Afternoon: Upon arrival at the hotel, check in and get your room assignment. Then take some time to freshen up and relax before orientation. At 6:00 PM, meet in the hotel lobby for the program orientation. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the program theme, the up-to-date Daily Schedule and any changes, discuss safety guidelines, emergency procedures, roles and responsibilities, and answer any questions you may have. In addition to lectures and field trips exclusively for our Road Scholar group, you are invited to take advantage of activities and events aboard ship that are separate from the Road Scholar program. All meals aboard ship are included, as well as afternoon tea and late night snacks; non-alcoholic beverages, beer, and select wines included with dinner. Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions, All routes, field trips, and excursions are subject to change as weather and sea conditions may affect the itinerary. Sea conditions could affect the progress of the ship, making it run late and sometimes miss ports because it is not safe to dock. Because of this, the cruise itinerary should always be regarded as provisional. The operators reserve the right to change the content of field trips and excursions without prior notice.

Dinner: In the hotel dining room, we will enjoy a welcome dinner buffet with coffee, tea, water, and wine included; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow participants, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

Day 3
Rome, Italy / Colosseum
Rome B,L NH Collection Roma Palazzo Cinquecento
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Walking up to 2 miles, some uneven terrain, stairs, and standing in an archaeological site. Limited shade.

Breakfast: In the hotel dining room. On this program, breakfasts will be buffet-style with breads, cheeses, cold-cuts, yogurt, fruit, cereals, juice, milk, coffee and tea. Water will be served at every meal on this program.

Morning: This morning, we will board a motorcoach for a panoramic overview of Rome’s most significant sites. Traffic permitting, we will drive by Roman piazzas as well as the Vatican to admire some of the most famous buildings that have endured in Eternal Rome. Next, join a local expert to explore the archaeological wonders of the Rome. The Colosseum was the largest, most sophisticated arena in the known world when it opened in AD 80 with room for upwards of 50,000 spectators. About 2,000 years later and in grandiose ruins, it is the iconic symbol of Rome. The Forum was the heart of ancient Rome, with a concentration of temples and structures for public meetings and spectacles, religious ceremonies, courts of law, markets, business enterprises, and more.

Lunch: At a local restaurant in Rome.

Afternoon: Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out.

Day 4
Rome, Italy; Embark the Aegean Odyssey
Rome B,L,D Aegean Odyssey
Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach. Walking up to 1 mile.

Breakfast: In the hotel dining room.

Morning: This morning, we will transfer by coach to explore the Palazzo dei Conservatori with a local expert. We will see the archaeological finds in the Roman Garden before surveying the outstanding collections of art housed in the Musei Capitolini.

Lunch: The ship offers a welcome lunch buffet following embarkation.

Afternoon: After lunch, we will transfer by coach to the port in Civitavecchia and embark the Aegean Odyssey. After getting your cabin, take some time to freshen up and relax. We will gather late afternoon in the Observation Lounge for our Road Scholar orientation to the ship. Along with everyone on board, we will participate in the ship’s mandatory safety drill when announced.

Dinner: Aboard ship, you may choose from either the Marco Polo Restaurant or the Terrace Café. The former serves a variety of á là carte items while the café is buffet-style. Menus are inspired by fresh local ingredients. Wine is complimentary with dinner in both dining areas.

Evening: Most evenings aboard ship are free to enjoy as you like whether it’s attending a shipboard guest lecture or listening to live music in the Charleston Lounge.

Day 5
Sorrento, Italy / Pompeii
Sorrento B,L,D Aegean Odyssey
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Walking up to 2 miles, some uneven terrain, stairs, and standing in an archaeological site. Limited shade.

Breakfast: Aboard ship, breakfast will be buffet-style and served in the Terrace Café.

Morning: This morning, we will disembark the ship and board a motorcoach to transfer to Pompeii, considered the world's finest example of an ancient Roman town. The city, buried for centuries by hot ashes in 79AD, is a virtual time capsule of that era. With a local expert, we will explore the patrician mansions, baths and temples at the site. Step inside to admire the brilliant Pompeian Red walls, elaborate frescoes and gardens adorned with sculptures. View the sobering ash replicas of the citizens caught in their final moments.

Lunch: Aboard ship or explore local fare on your own.

Afternoon: After lunch, we will transfer back to Sorrento to explore the charming port town on your own. Stroll along Marina Piccolo or find your way to the lift that will take you up to the city center, perched high above the sea. Enjoy the bustle along the Corso Italia and perhaps sample the famous local limoncello at the Piazza Tasso. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. The ship’s shore excursion desk will tell you what is available and the cost involved.

Dinner: Aboard ship.

Evening: At leisure. The ship overnights in Sorrento so there is ample time to enjoy this charming port city.

Day 6
Sorrento, Italy / Free Time
Sorrento B,L,D Aegean Odyssey
Breakfast: Aboard ship.

Morning: Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. The ship’s shore excursion desk will tell you what is available and the cost involved.

Lunch: Aboard ship or explore local fare on your own.

Afternoon: Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. The ship’s shore excursion desk will tell you what is available and the cost involved.

Dinner: Aboard ship.

Evening: At leisure. The ship will overnight in Sorrento.

Day 7
Salerno, Italy
Aegean Odyssey - At Sea B,L,D Aegean Odyssey
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Walking up to 2 miles, some uneven terrain.

Breakfast: Aboard ship.

Morning: At sea. As we head towards Salerno along the Amalfi Coast, see and do what interests you most aboard ship. You might like to take a seat in the observation lounge with fellow Road Scholars, find something to read in the library, relax by the pool, or enjoy the spa. The ship will present a guest lecture.

Lunch: Aboard ship.

Afternoon: This afternoon, we will disembark the ship and board a motorcoach to transfer from Salerno to Paestum, one of the most important archaeological sites in all of Italy, where we will explore with a local expert. We will also visit the museum on site with some of world’s rare surviving examples of ancient Greek painting.

Dinner: Aboard the ship.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 8
Taormina, Sicily
Aegean Odyssey - At Sea B,L,D Aegean Odyssey
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Walking up to 2 miles, some uneven terrain.

Breakfast: Aboard ship.

Morning: At sea. As we head towards Taormina, see and do what interests you most aboard ship. You might like to take a seat in the observation lounge with fellow Road Scholars, find something to read in the library, relax by the pool, or enjoy the spa. En route the Aegean Odyssey will pass through the Straits of Messina and take you past the living volcano of Stromboli. The ship will present a guest lecture.

Lunch: Aboard ship.

Afternoon: This afternoon, we will disembark the ship and tender ashore for a short, scenic transfer by coach to the idyllic hilltop of Taormina with its mountainous backdrop, lemonblossom-scented air and narrow, medieval alleys. Led by a local expert, we will begin our overview walking past the Cathedral and the 15th-century Palazzo Corvaja with its black and white lava decoration. With our local expert, we will explore the theater. Originally built by the Greeks in the 3rd century BC and rebuilt by the Romans in the 2nd century AD, the site offers views of the sea and Mount Etna. You will have time to explore the Corso Umberto, a pedestrian walkway.

Dinner: Aboard ship.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 9
At sea
Aegean Odyssey - At Sea B,L,D Aegean Odyssey
Breakfast: Aboard ship.

Morning: At sea. As we head towards Corfu, see and do what interests you most aboard ship. You might like to take a seat in the observation lounge with fellow Road Scholars, find something to read in the library, relax by the pool, or enjoy the spa.

Lunch: Aboard ship.

Afternoon: At sea. The ship will present a guest lecture.

Dinner: Aboard ship.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 10
Corfu, Greece / Sarande, Albania (Butrint)
Aegean Odyssey - At Sea B,L,D Aegean Odyssey
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Walking up to 1 mile; some uneven terrain and uphill segments.

Breakfast: Aboard ship.

Morning: Disembark the ship and board a motorcoach to transfer to Corfu's historic Campielo quarter. With our local expert, explore a 15th-century church which houses one of Greece's most extensive collections of Byzantine art. After exploring the museum, walk to Corfu’s center to visit 16th-century rococo church dedicated to St. Spiridon, Corfu's patron saint, whose bones are preserved in a gleaming casket. You will have time to explore the maze of narrow streets where little has changed for centuries.

Lunch: Aboard ship as we continue sailing towards Sarande, Albania.

Afternoon: Disembark the ship and board a motorcoach to transfer to the Albanian archaeological site of Butrint to explore with a local expert. The approximately 50 square mile site is an Albanian National Park and is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993. Walk along the winding paths to discover layers of civilization: Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Venetian. Complete the visit with a view from Butrint's acropolis and a short visit to the museum.

Dinner: Aboard ship.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 11
Brindisi, Italy (Lecce)
Aegean Odyssey - At Sea B,L,D Aegean Odyssey
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Walking up to 2 miles; some uneven terrain and uphill segments.

Breakfast: Aboard ship.

Morning: This morning, we will disembark the ship and board a motorcoach to transfer to Lecce, a historic city of the Salentine Peninsula of Puglia. On foot, we will explore the city with our local expert with stops Piazza St Oronzo, the Roman Column, Santa Croce Basilica, the Governor's Palace, and Piazza Duomo.

Lunch: Aboard ship or explore local fare on your own.

Afternoon: Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. The ship’s shore excursion desk will tell you what is available and the cost involved

Dinner: Aboard ship.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 12
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Aegean Odyssey - At Sea B,L,D Aegean Odyssey
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Walking up to 1 mile; some uneven terrain and uphill segments.

Breakfast: Aboard ship.

Morning: This morning, we will disembark the ship for a walking overview of the city with our local expert. We will explore both the Dominican and Franciscan Monasteries, the former housing a fine collection of Renaissance paintings, as well as the Cathedral of our Lady which boasts Titian's Assumption over the main altar.

Lunch: Aboard the ship or explore local fare on your own.

Afternoon: Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. The ship’s shore excursion desk will tell you what is available and the cost involved.

Dinner: Aboard ship.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 13
Split, Croatia
Aegean Odyssey - At Sea B,L,D Aegean Odyssey
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Walking up to 1 mile; some uneven terrain.

Breakfast: Aboard ship.

Morning: This morning, we will disembark the ship and board a motorcoach to transfer to explore the Palace of Diocletian with a local expert. Diocletian became Emperor of Rome in 284AD. To ensure a comfortable retirement, Diocletian commissioned the construction of a massive limestone and marble palace in the town of Split. His palace complex included three temples as well as Diocletian’s massive mausoleum (now the Cathedral of St. Dominus), and could house around 9,000 people. Today, the palace contains bustling houses, shops and cafés.

Lunch: Aboard ship or explore local fare on your own.

Afternoon: Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. The ship’s shore excursion desk will tell you what is available and the cost involved.

Dinner: Aboard ship.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 14
Ancona, Italy
Aegean Odyssey - At Sea B,D Aegean Odyssey
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Walking up to 2 miles; some uneven terrain and uphill segments.

Breakfast: Aboard ship.

Morning: Disembark the ship and board a motorcoach to transfer to Urbino. Led by a local expert, we will first explore the childhood home of the artist Raphael. The home contains memoirs and artistic furniture of that period, and there is a small mural attributed to the painter in one room. The house is a very good example of a 15th-century home/workshop. Next, we will transfer by coach to Palazzo Ducale, Italy’s most beautiful Renaissance palace built for Duke Federico da Montefeltro, who ruled Urbino between 1444 and 1482. Today the palace is enriched with a comprehensive library, famous paintings including works by Piero della Francesca, Raphael and Titian and refined architecture. Finally, we will visit the Duomo, built in 1789 on top of a 6th century sacred site

Lunch: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. Your Group Leader can provide suggestions

Afternoon: We will continue our exploration to Urbino before returning by coach to the ship in the late afternoon.

Dinner: Aboard ship.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 15
Venice, Italy
Venice B,L,D Aegean Odyssey
Activity note: Getting on/off a boat. Walking up to 1 mile; some uneven terrain and uphill segments.

Breakfast: Aboard ship.

Morning: This morning, disembark the ship and board a smaller boat to begin our visits to the islands of Murano and Burano with a local expert. Our first stop will be to Murano, "the island of glass." By the 15th century, this was the leading glass producing center in Europe, noted especially for its chandeliers. To this day glass-making is the heart of the local economy. You'll have the opportunity to watch a master at work. Next, we will transfer by boat to Burano, which is an archipelago of islands connected by bridges. With our local expert, we will stroll along canals lined with brightly painted boats and colorful houses while learning about the lace trade of the 16th century.

Lunch: Aboard ship or explore local fare on your own.

Afternoon: Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. The ship’s shore excursion desk will tell you what is available and the cost involved.

Dinner: Aboard ship.

Evening: At leisure. Prepare for disembarkation.

Day 16
Disembarkation, Program Concludes, In Transit from Program
In Flight B
Activity note: See your program’s travel details regarding transfers.

Breakfast: Aboard ship depending on departure times. This concludes our program.

Morning: Transfer to Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) for departures. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!

Day 1: Arrival At Venice Airport And Private Transfer To Your Accommodation

Arrival at Venice International airport and transfer to your accommodation. Rest of the day at your leisure for resting and relaxing.

Day 2: Venice Wine Tour

Enjoy our Venice Wine tour. During this fascinating 2-hour walking tour of Venice, you’ll receive an insider’s glimpse into the lives and habits of authentic Venetians while visiting a favorite local Venetian hangout: winebars called baccari (or bacari). After meeting your guide in the center of Venice, you will wind through streets and over secondary canals as you learn more about lesser-known legends and hidden places off the beaten track. See unforgettable landmarks, and experience Venice as few visitors do! Your private walking and wine-tasting tour includes stops in two baccari (winebars) that are filled to the brim with Venetians at the classic aperitivo time of 7pm. At the winebar, crowded with locals, you can sip a bubbly Prosecco or a smooth Soave and devour a cicchetto, a local Venetian snack, while your expert local guide tells you more about the traditional cuisine, native wines, history, and assorted lore. Some typical cicchettos are small pieces of toast with baccala, tiny meatballs, hardboiled eggs filled with anchovies, or pieces of fried, seasonal vegetables. This tour is perfect before lunch or dinner. After the tour, you guide will be happy to suggest a great local restaurant for lunch or dinner where you can continue discovering this authentic side Venice!

Day 3: Murano And Burano Tour

Morning dedicated to the visit of the amazing islands of Murano and Burano. First stop is Murano. This island, where all of Venice’s glass factories have been located since the 13th-century, is the most famous place for glassmaking in the entire world – and for good reason, as you’ll see soon. You’ll stop at an authentic glassmaking factory, which we’ve handpicked both for its history and quality. Then you will continue to Burano, a working fisherman’s island, famous for its brightly painted buildings. Return to Venice around lunch time and afternoon at your leisure.

Day 4: Private Transfer To Venice Station, High – Speed Train To Florence And Transfer To Your Accommodation

Following breakfast and check out your private boat driver will meet you at your hotel and take you to Venice station. Catch your high – speed train to Florence. Upon arrival transfer to your accommodation

PRIVATE GUIDED TOUR OF FLORENCE WITH ACCADEMIA GALLERY

Start your Florentine sojourn with a guided orientation walk to admire the most important Florentine sites: the Cathedral with its Giotto Bell Tower, Piazza della Signoria with the Palazzo Vecchio and the Ponte Vecchio knowing for its gleaming gold shops. The tour also includes the visit of the Accademia Gallery that houses the David by Michelangelo.

Day 5: Cooking Class Followed By Lunch And Leisure Time In San Gimignano

Following breakfast your private driver will meet at your accommodation and take you to a lovely agriturismo immersed in a magnificent Tuuscan landscape. Enjoy a fun cooking class and learn all the secrets to prepare a full delicious Tuscan Menu. At the end of your class enjoy the fruits of your labour accompanied by the great wines produced at the Estate. In the afternoon take the chance to visit San Gimignano an enchanting hilly town known as the “medieval Manhattan” for its striking skyline, which outlines thirteen medieval watchtowers. Return to Florence late afternoon and overnight stay.

Day 6: Guided Visit Of The Uffizi Gallery And Palazzo Vecchio

Today enjoy a guided visit of the incredible Uffizi Gallery – one of the world’s oldest museums and one of the most important art collections anywhere. With works by Raphael, da Vinci, Botticelli and Caravaggio.This tour also visits the Palazzo Vecchio; one-time home to the Medici family. Here you’ll visit the Council of 500, made famous by Dan Brown and Michelangelo. Afternoon at your leisure.

Day 7: High – Speed Train To Rome And Trastevere Food Tour

Following breakfast and check out take your high – speed train to Rome. Upon arrival transfer to your accommodation. Late afternoon enjoy our Twilight Trastevere Food Tour. On this guided 4-hour walking food tour we explore this photogenic neighborhood by night. You’ll sample a sumptuous blend of Italian classics like pizza and pasta, real Roman street food, less-known meats and cheeses, and amazing wine in a secret cellar – its history will blow you away. Few activities in Rome deliver as many hidden surprises and enchanting moments as this, so be sure to join us for an unforgettable night in one of our favorite neighbourhoods in Rome. Take advantage of Rome’s vibrant nightlife by walking through the streets of Trastevere with a local.

Day 8: Underground Imperial Rome Tour

Enjoy a VIP tour of the Colosseum Underground & Arena Floor! Feel the fear and hear the roars of the crowd above you as you enjoy this full Colosseum Underground tour. Stepping beneath the arena floor, you’ll walk in the footsteps of gladiators who waited here before battle. As you tour the tunnels, your guide will tell you about the real life of gladiators before taking you back up to the arena floor. Walk out onto a recreation of the stage where the fighting took place and be blown away by the most impressive view of the Colosseum (seen by so few!). After your Colosseum and Colosseum Underground tour, you’ll experience the very heart of Ancient Rome: the Roman Forum. Here was where Rome ruled its empire of untold political and cultural influence—and of more than 2.5 million square miles and 65 million people. At the Palatine Hill you’ll discover the origins of Ancient Rome. Legend has it that this is the spot where Remus and Romulus were found by the she-wolf and where they battled to decide which would have the privilege of building their own town. Hear how this legendary battle impacted the world you know today (your very own life even!) We owe the Ancient Romans more than you’d believe!

Day 9: Small Group Early Bird Vatican Museums Tour

This morning enjoy our Pristine Sistine Early entrance Small group Vatican Tour (the tour starts at 07.15 am). Enter the museums before the general public to see the Sistine Chapel at a quieter time. See the best of the Vatican City in under four hours. With a guided tour of the Sistine Chapel, a Vatican Museums tour (including the Raphael Rooms) and a St. Peter’s Basilica tour, you’ll cover all the bases. Engage with the art and architecture of the Vatican. Our guides are passionate art experts, full of stories and familiar with even the smallest details of these massive museums. The tour will end around 11.00 am. Rest of the day at your leisure.

10: Fly Back Home

Following breakfast and check out your private driver will take you to Naples International airport to catch your flight back home.