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Tuscany and
the Italian
Riviera
F E AT U R I N G S I E N A’ S PA LI O
J u n e 2 6 to July 7, 2015
a p ro g ra m of th e sta nfo rd
a lu m ni asso ciatio n
D
Y
Italians have a special gift
for la bella vita. Come enjoy the good life as we
explore two of Italy’s most spectacular regions,
the Riviera and Tuscany. We call on longtime
Stanford contacts to help immerse you in the
scenic beauty, spectacular regional cuisine
and rich traditions of these unique areas. In
Liguria, hike among the rustic fishing villages
of the Cinque Terre and soak up the glamour
of Portofino. In Tuscany, stay in a 13th-century
castello, savor great wines and cuisine, and get
to know our hosts, the Count and Countess
Guicciardini. Explore Florence, Cortona and
Lucca, each a treasure trove of history and art,
and witness Siena’s unforgettable Palio from
trackside seats.
B R E T T S. T H O M P S O N , ’ 8 3, D I R E CTO R , STA N F O R D T R AV E L / ST U DY
MICHELANGELO’S DAVID
Highlights
H I K E the spectacular
coastal trails that link the
Cinque Terre, five pastelhued fishing villages
clinging to sheer cliffs.
COVER: MANAROLA, CINQUE TERRE
PIAZZA DEL CAMPO, SIENA
W I T N E S S the Palio—
Siena’s legendary bareback
horse race and medieval
pageant—from VIP seats
in the Piazza del Campo.
E X P L O R E the quarries
of Carrara, Michelangelo’s
source of marble for his
many masterful sculptures.
Camogli Santa Margherita
I TA LY
Ro
Portofino
Cinque Terre
Carrara
Lucca
Ligurian
Florence
Pisa
Sea
Me
I TAL
Siena
diterra ean Sea
n
Itinerary
F R I DAY & S AT U R DAY,
J U N E 26 & 27
U.S. / PISA, ITALY /
SANTA MARGHERITA
Depart the U.S. on overnight
flights to Pisa, arriving on Saturday.
Transfer to our hotel, located in the
charming town of Santa Margherita
on Italy’s Ligurian coast. Check
in and enjoy a stroll through town
before we gather for our welcome
reception and light supper this
evening. HOTEL CONTINENTAL (6/27: D)
SUNDAY, JUNE 28
a World Heritage site comprised of
five fishing villages strung out along
a rugged coastline linked by a walking path. This spectacular section
of the Italian Riviera rivals the Amalfi
Coast for stunning views. Conditions permitting, a half-hour walk on
the Via dell’Amore brings us to the
village of Manarola. From here, take
the ferry to Vernazza, to explore the
town and enjoy lunch on our own in
one of the many seafood trattorias.
Continue to Monterosso al Mare
by small boat or train, or opt for a
guided hike on the scenic trail that
links the two villages high above
the sea. Gather for dinner at a local
restaurant this evening. HOTEL
SANTA MARGHERITA /
CAMOGLI / PORTOFINO
CONTINENTAL (B,D)
Board a local train for a short ride
to the picturesque town of Camogli.
After time to explore, take a boat to
the medieval Benedictine abbey of
San Fruttuoso, a hidden gem set
in a rocky cove overlooking the
emerald waters of the Bay of Tigullio.
Continue by ferry to picture-postcard-perfect Portofino, or hike along
a spectacular trail that winds its way
above the sea and descends into
the town’s elegant harbor, lined with
private yachts. Stroll the cobbled
streets of brightly colored houses
and lovely shops before returning
by ferry to Santa Margherita.
This evening is at leisure. HOTEL
T U ES DAY, J U N E 3 0
CONTINENTAL (B)
M O N DAY, J U N E 2 9
SANTA MARGHERITA /
CINQUE TERRE
Take the local train to Riomaggiore,
the first town of the Cinque Terre,
SANTA MARGHERITA /
CASTELLO DI GARGONZA
Depart Santa Margherita this
morning and travel south to the
Castello di Gargonza in the hills of
southern Tuscany. En route, we are
introduced to Tuscan scenery at
a wine tasting and lunch. Arrive
in Gargonza and enjoy a relaxing
afternoon before a special reception this evening, followed by dinner.
CASTELLO DI GARGONZA (B,L,D)
W E D N ES DAY, J U LY 1
SIENA
This morning a short drive brings us
to the beautifully preserved Tuscan
city of Siena. Like Gargonza, Siena
still retains its medieval character,
providing a sense of what Tuscany
must have been like in the Middle
Ages. Our walking tour includes the
Piazza del Campo, Siena’s central
Cas
Gar
Cor
square; the Palazzo Pubblico, with
its spectacular frescoes; and the
Cathedral with its brilliant marble
façade. Enjoy lunch on our own in
any one of Siena’s many wonderful trattorias and time at leisure for
individual exploration. CASTELLO DI
GARGONZA (B,D)
T H U R S DAY, J U LY 2
SIENA (IL PALIO )
Today we witness Siena’s Palio, one
of the world’s most spectacular medieval pageants. Stroll through the
feverishly busy courtyards, piazze
and streets to observe the preparations for the centuries-old wild,
bareback horse race we will later
watch from our reserved VIP seats
in the Piazza del Campo. Following
a historical parade featuring flag
throwers and drummers, competing
districts of the city vie for victory in
front of some 50,000 spectators.
CASTELLO DI GARGONZA (B,L,D)
F R I DAY, J U LY 3
CORTONA
Board our coach for a short drive
to the Etruscan hamlet of Cortona.
One of the oldest hill towns in
Tuscany, Cortona was made
famous by Frances Mayes’ book,
Under the Tuscan Sun. Take a
walking tour of this picturesque
city followed by lunch on our own.
Return to Gargonza to join the
Castello’s chef for a cooking lesson.
CASTELLO DI GARGONZA (B,D)
S AT U R DAY, J U LY 4
LUCCA
Drive to Lucca, home of opera
composer, Giacomo Puccini. Walk
ome
LY
stello di
rgonza
rtona
FLORENCE
through the Piazza dell’Anfiteatro,
a sun-bleached oval of medieval
houses built on the ruins of a Roman amphitheater, and visit the
San Michele in Foro basilica with its
wedding cake façade. Ride bikes
atop the historic city walls or sample
the traditional tortelli lucchese, one
of Lucca’s best-known pasta dishes.
HOTEL SAN LUCA PALACE (B)
S U N DAY, J U LY 5
FLORENCE
Drive to Florence, cradle of the Italian
Renaissance, where art and historical
treasures are everywhere apparent.
Take a walking tour through the historic city center, and visit the Accademia,
home to Michelangelo’s towering and
exquisite David. Enjoy free time in the
afternoon or continue sightseeing with
our guides before returning to Lucca.
HOTEL SAN LUCA PALACE (B)
M O N DAY, J U LY 6
CARRARA
Begin the day with a spectacular drive
to Carrara, Michelangelo’s source of
marble for the David and other masterpieces. Visiting the quarries here is
an unforgettable experience—walls of
shining white stone soar skyward, cut
out of the high mountains and accessible only by narrow roads. Return
to Lucca for an afternoon at leisure
and celebrate the end of our journey
at our farewell dinner this evening.
ABOUT THE PALIO
Few public spectacles are as thrilling as Il Palio, Siena’s legendary
800-year-old medieval pageant, which culminates in a wild bareback horse race around the famous Piazza del Campo. But before
the race, the excitement that grips Siena is indescribable as drummers and alfieri (flag throwers) lead parade contingents through the
city. Inside the Piazza del Campo, the Corteo Storico, the procession that celebrates Siena’s Golden Age, recaptures the grandeur
of medieval times and ushers in the spectacular, drama-filled horse
race. The experience is unforgettable and sure to be the highlight
of our journey.
ABOUT CASTELLO DI GARGONZA
Castello di Gargonza is an authentic medieval village, complete
with tower, parish church, town walls and a host of other original
buildings converted for modern use. Our accommodations are the
former homes of the farmers and tradesmen who worked long ago
on the surrounding estate. These houses, still bearing the names
of the initial inhabitants, have been transformed into cozy cottages,
with kitchens, living rooms and all the idiosyncrasies of the original
dwellings. The castle now boasts a conference facility, a gourmet
restaurant and a swimming pool nestled in an olive grove with a
spectacular view. Houses vary in size and features, and some uphill
walking is necessary to access them from the dining room.
HOTEL SAN LUCA PALACE (B,D)
T U ES DAY, J U LY 7
PISA / U.S.
Following breakfast at our hotel,
transfer to Pisa Airport for our return
flights to the U.S. (B)
GARGONZA
LUCCA
CARRARA
THE PALIO, SIENA
CORTONA
Trip Information
DATES
June 26 to July 7, 2015 (12 days)
Personal items such as internet access,
telephone and fax calls, laundry and gratuities
for nongroup services
SIZE
Limited to 35 participants
COST*
$8,195 per person, double occupancy
$10,145 per person, single occupancy
*Association nonmembers add $200 per person
AIR ARRANGEMENTS
International and U.S. domestic airfare is not
included in the program cost. Round-trip,
economy-class airfare on Delta Airlines between
San Francisco and Pisa is approximately $1,980
as of November 2014 and is subject to change
without notice.
INCLUDED
10 nights of 4-star hotel accommodations
10 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 7 dinners
Welcome and farewell receptions Gratuities
to guides, drivers and hotel staff for all group
activities All tours and excursions as described
in the itinerary A scheduled group transfer
and baggage handling on program arrival and
departure days Minimal medical, accident
and evacuation insurance Educational
program with lecture series and pre-departure
materials, including recommended reading list,
a selected book, map and travel information
Services of our professional tour manager to
assist you throughout the program
NOT INCLUDED
International and U.S. domestic airfare
Passport and visa fees Immunization costs
Meals and beverages other than those specified
as included Independent and private transfers
Trip-cancellation/interruption and baggage
insurance Excess-baggage charges
WH AT TO E XPECT
We consider this to be a moderately strenuous
program that is at times physically demanding
and busy. Participants must be physically fit,
active and in good health. The centers of many
of the towns we visit are closed to traffic. You
must be capable of extensive walking—two
to four miles—in historic centers, in museums
and on city tours, as well as extended periods
of standing on excursions. Participants will
encounter uneven terrain, including some dirt
and cobblestoned paths, and must be able to
walk at least 20 minutes up and down hills in
Tuscan towns and at Gargonza. At the Palio,
participants must be able to sit outside for several hours on metal bleacher seats with limited
legroom. Summers in Tuscany can be hot and
humid, though less so on the Riviera. Average
temperatures on this program range from the
high 70s (°F) to the high 80s during the day and
the 70s in the evenings. We welcome travelers
15 years of age and older on this program.
TUSCAN COUNTRYSIDE
Terms & Conditions
Deposit & Final Payment
A $1,000-per-person deposit is
required to hold space for this
program. Complete and return the
attached reservation form or place
your deposit online. Final payment
is due 120 days prior to departure.
As a condition of participation, all
confirmed participants are required
to sign a Release of Liability.
Cancellations & Refunds
Deposits and any payments are
refundable, less a $500-per-person
cancellation fee, until 120 days prior to
departure. After that date, refunds can
be made only if the program is sold
out and your place(s) can be resold,
in which case a $1,000-per-person
cancellation fee will apply.
Insurance
Stanford Travel/Study provides
all travelers who are U.S. or
Canadian citizens with minimal
medical, accident and evacuation
coverage under our group-travel
insurance policy. Our group policy
is intended to provide minimal levels
of protection while you are traveling
on this program. You may choose to
subscribe to optional trip-cancellation
and baggage insurance. A brochure
offering such insurance will be
provided to U.S. residents with their
welcome materials. The product
offered in this brochure includes
special benefits if you purchase your
policy within a specified window:
14 to 21 days of the date listed on the
welcome letter, depending on your
destination and state of residence.
Eligibility
We encourage membership in the
Alumni Association as the program
cost for nonmembers is $200 more
than the members’ price. Parents
and their children under 21 may
travel on one membership. For
more information or to purchase a
membership, visit alumni.stanford/
goto/membership or call (650)
725-0692.
Responsibility
The Stanford Alumni Association,
Stanford University and our operators
act only as agents for the passenger
with respect to transportation and
exercise every care possible in
doing so. However, we can assume
no liability for injury, damage, loss,
accident, delay or irregularity in
connection with the service of any
automobile, motorcoach, launch or
any other conveyance used in carrying out this program or for the acts
or defaults of any company or person
engaged in conveying the passenger
or in carrying out the arrangements of
the program. We cannot accept any
responsibility for losses or additional
expenses due to delay or changes
in air or other services, sickness,
weather, strike, war, quarantine, force
majeure or other causes beyond our
control. All such losses or expenses
will have to be borne by the passenger
as tour rates provide arrangements
only for the time stated. We reserve
the right to make such alterations
to this published itinerary as may
be deemed necessary. The right is
reserved to cancel any program prior
to departure in which case the entire
payment will be refunded without
further obligation on our part. The
right is also reserved to decline to
accept or retain any person as a
member of the program. No refund
will be made for an unused portion
of any tour unless arrangements
are made in sufficient time to avoid
penalties. Baggage is carried at the
owner’s risk entirely. The airlines
concerned are not to be held
responsible for any act, omission or
event during the time that passengers are not onboard their plane
or conveyance. Neither the Alumni
Association, Stanford University nor
our operators accept liability for any
carrier’s cancellation penalty incurred
by the purchase of a nonrefundable
ticket in connection with the tour.
Program price is based on rates
in effect in November 2014 and is
subject to change without notice to
reflect fluctuations in exchange rates,
tariffs or fuel charges.
California Seller of Travel Program Registration #2048 523-50
TEL (650) 725-1093 FA X (650) 725-8675 EMAIL [email protected]
© COPYRIGHT 2014 STANFORD ALUMNI ASSOCIATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
PRINTED ON RECYCLED, FSC-CERTIFIED PAPER IN THE U.S.
Faculty Leader
E D W A R D S T E I D L E joined the Stanford faculty in 1984.
“I think Ed Steidle
could make anything fascinating.
He is fantastic
and I’d consider
signing up for
any trip on which
he is the faculty.”
He has taught in the Western Culture Program and in the
literature and the arts track of the English department, for the
Graduate Humanities Program and for the Continuing Studies
Program. His area of study is comparative literature of Late
Antiquity and the Middle Ages. He is currently offering a series of
classes on the Renaissance and its impact on European global
expansion in the 15th through 18th centuries. When asked what
sites and themes he looks forward to exploring during our trip,
Steidle says, “We will visit four of the cities most responsible for
the creation and evolution of the Renaissance from its origins to
its maturity. We will witness its beginnings in the Romanesque
churches of 13th-century Pisa and Lucca, its first blooming in the
Palazzo Pubblico of 14th-century Siena and its full blossoming
in the artistic masterpieces of 15th- and 16th-century Florence.
We will also explore the region that gave birth to Garibaldi and
Mazzini, two of the great architects of the Risorgimento and the
emergence of Italy as a modern nation.”
— BA, English and Eastern philosophy, Franklin and
Marshall College
— MAs, comparative literature, Johns Hopkins University
and UC-Berkeley
SUSAN TERMOHLEN,
J D ’81, V E N I C E A N D
T H E V E N E T O, 2 014
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— PhD, medieval comparative literature, UC-Berkeley
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Reservation Form
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SIGN U !
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Tuscany and the Italian Riviera
MR. / MRS. / MS.
MISS / DR. / PROF.
NAME
AGE
STANFORD CLASS
AGE
STANFORD CLASS
MR. / MRS. / MS.
MISS / DR. / PROF.
NAME
ADDRESS
CITY / STATE / ZIP
PHONE
BED PREFERENCE:
Twins
Double
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person) for _____ space(s).
Enclosed is my check
CELL / WORK / HOME
(payable to Stanford Alumni Association)
OR
Charge my deposit to my:
EMAIL ADDRESS
I/We have read the Terms and Conditions for the program
and agree to them.
SIGNATURE
If this is a reservation for one person, please indicate:
I wish to have single accommodations.
OR
I plan to share accommodations with:
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I’d like to know about possible roommates.
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CARD #
EXPIRATION DATE
CARDHOLDER SIGNATURE
DATE
Mail completed form to address on mail panel or
fax to (650) 725-8675 or place your deposit online
at alumni.stanford.edu/trip?tuscany2015. Submit
your reservation only once to avoid multiple
charges to your account.
14388
“It was an unforgettable trip that gave us a
delicious taste of Tuscany and an enduring
appreciation for Italian history and culture.”
C H R I S T I N A V A N Z A N D T , R O M E & T U S C A N Y , 2 0 11
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THE PALIO, SIENA
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Jun e 26 to Ju l y 7, 2015
F E AT U R I N G S I E N A’ S PA LI O
Tuscany and
the Italian
Riviera
(650) 725-1093
Stanford Travel/Study
Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center
326 Galvez Street
Stanford, CA 94305-6105
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Stanford Alumni
Association