Italy Program Itinerary

Itinerary 2009 (subject to change)
28 days
four days in Rome
two days in Naples
three days in Florence
two days in Venice
one day in Sperlonga
one day in Gaeta
other days spent in Cassino

Classes in Cassino with digital projectors and digital video presentation capabilies. Classes at the following locations with lectures and on-site assignments.

    Naples
  1. Naples National Archeological Museum (highlights included the Farnese Hercules, the Alexander Mosaic, and numerous other works from the excavations at Pompeii.)
  2. Church of Pio Monte della Misericordia(highlight: Caravaggio’s Seven Acts of Mercy)
  3. Church of Gesú Nuovo
  4. Church of Santa Chiara (highlight includes a fresco by school of Giotto and the majolica of Santa Chiara
  5. San Severino Chapel (to see works by San Martino including his veiled Christ)
  6. The excavations at Pompeii and the summit of Mt. Vesuvius (allows one to survey the bay of Naples and see the regions of Pompeii and Herculaneum)

    Rome
  1. Roman Forums (highlights include a tour of the Colosseum, arches of Titus and Constantine, Trajan’s Forum and Column)
  2. The Pantheon
  3. Santa Maria sopra Minerva (highlights include Michelangelo’s Risen Christ and two works by Bernini. This church is an example of Gothic architecture in Rome.
  4. Piazza Navona (works by Bernini and Borromini, the two greatest architects of Baroque Rome)
  5. San Agostino (highlights include Madonna of the Pilgrims by Caravaggio and the prophet Isaiah by Raphael)
  6. San Luigi dei Francesi (three paintings of the life of St Matthew by Caravaggio)
  7. Santa Maria della Vittoria (the ecstasy of St Theresa by Bernini)
  8. Trevi Fountain
  9. Remains of the baths of Diocletian
  10. The Vatican Museums (including the Sistine Chapel, too many works to list highlights)
  11. St Peter’s Cathedral
  12. Triton Fountain, Piazza Barberini
  13. Borghese Gallery (too many highlights to list)

    Venice
  1. Venice Biennale (Gardens and the Arsenale)
  2. St Mark’s basilica tour (including examination of works on the exterior of the basilica and the exterior of the Doge’s Palace,
  3. Piazza San Marco (and surrounding architecture)
  4. The island of Murano for a glass blowing demonstration
  5. Church of San Zaccaria (highlight Madonna and Saints by Bellini)
  6. Sculpture of Colleoni by Verrocchio, Field of Saints John and Paul

    Florence
  1. The Baptistry and Duomo (Brunelleschi, Ghiberti, Giotto, Pisano, and others)
  2. Museum of the works of the Duomo (highlights include works by Ghiberti, Brunelleschi, Michelangelo and Donatello)
  3. Medici chapel, San Lorenzo (Michelangelo), photo
  4. Santa Croce (highlights include tombs of Michelangelo and Gallileo, funerary monuments for Leonardo da Vinci, Marconi, and Dante, Pazzi chapel by Brunelleschi)
  5. Bargello Museum (highlights include Michelangelo’s Bacchus, Verocchio’s and Donatello’s David sculptures)
  6. The Uffizi galleries (works by Leonardo, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Botticelli, Lippi, Giotto, Titian, Bronzino, Parmigianino, and others)
  7. Piazza della Signoria
  8. Hospital of the Innocents (Brunelleschi)
  9. The Accademia (Michelangelo’s David plus five other works by Michelangelo)-special exhibit--the photography of Robert Mapplethorpe with other works from the Casa Buonarrotti)

    Sperlonga, Cassino, and surrounding area
  1. Abbey of MonteCassino
  2. Sperlonga National Archeological Museum (the Palace and Cave of Tiberius as well as the sculptures of Odysseus and his men).
updated October 23, 2008