Designed by Professor Mark Comeau | 11 days | March 2015

College Study Tours

ITALIAN ARCHITECTURE: ROME TO SICILY INCLUDED ON TOUR

Round-trip flights on major carriers; Full-time Tour Director; Air-conditioned motorcoaches and internal transportation; Superior tourist-class hotels with private bathrooms; Breakfast daily; Select meals with a mix of local cuisine. Sightseeing: The Vatican; Ancient Rome; Capri; Taormina; Mt. Etna; Palermo; Pompeii

Entrances: Sistine Chapel; St. Peter's Basilica; Forum Romanum; Colosseum; Capri Minicruise; Greek Amphitheatre, Taormina; Duomo, Monreale; Palermo Cathedral; Pompeii Roman Ruins

Overnight stays: Rome (3) Sorrento (1) Taormina (3) Night Ferry (Palermo-Naples) (1) Rome (1)

NOT INCLUDED ON TOUR Optional excursions; Insurance coverage; Beverages and lunches (unless otherwise noted); Transportation to free-time activities; Customary gratuities (for your Tour Director, bus driver and local guide); Portage; Adult supplement (if applicable); Weekend supplement; Shore excursion on cruises; Any applicable baggage-handing fee imposed by the airlines (see efcollegestudytours.com/baggage for details); Expenses caused by airline rescheduling, cancellations or delays caused by the airlines, bad weather or events beyond EF’s control; Passports, visa and reciprocity fees

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YOUR ITINERARY Day 1: Board Your Overnight Flight to Rome Day 2: Rome Arrive in Rome Welcome to Rome, the Eternal City. The city is an incredible mix of archeological gems, Roman genius, Renaissance art and religious treasure. As Italy's capital, it is also the bustling heart of this exciting country. With its fashionable shopping and café-culture, Rome really is a unique European experience. Dinner is included this evening. Day 3: Rome Guided Sightseeing of the Vatican The world's largest dome is located in the world's smallest country. See both as you tour St. Peter's Basilica, erected in Vatican City on the site where the saint was martyred. Enter the basilica under the watchful eyes of the brightly dressed Swiss Guard. Inside, admire Michelangelo's Pietà and try to find the artist's signature (it is the only sculpture he ever signed). Then continue on to the Vatican Museum, where elaborate galleries packed with one artistic masterpiece after another lead you directly to the Sistine Chapel. Between 1508 and 1512, Michelangelo painted some of the world's finest pictorial images on the Chapel's ceiling. This was his first attempt at working in fresco, which he did by standing up and craning backwards from a scaffold. Guided Sightseeing of Ancient Rome Your guided sightseeing of ancient Rome takes you into the Forum Romanum, once the heart of the Roman Empire. You will also visit the Colosseum, where gladiators once battled for their lives in front of 50,000 spectators. Free Time at the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain Enjoy free time in Piazza di Spagna. Climb the staircase to view the city below, or take the time to wander through one of Rome's most popular shopping areas. Alternatively, snag a moment to relax amongst the hustle and bustle of the city while enjoying a traditional Italian treat- gelato. You should also make sure to wander over to the famed Trevi Fountain and toss in a coin to ensure your return to Rome. Day 4: Rome Free Day in Rome Take an opportunity to sit on the grassy banks of the Circus Maximus and imagine what it was like to watch chariot races there. Rome also has some of the most fashionable shops to be found anywhere; a trip along the Via del Corso confirms this. If not, just find a café, order a soda and watch the noise and bustle of this fascinating city go by. Day 5: Rome | Capri | Sorrento Transfer to the Sorrento Region via a Guided Sightseeing of Capri Encounter beautiful views of the Amalfi coastline on an excursion across the Bay of Naples to the captivating and mountainous Isle of Capri. Travel by funicular to the town of Capri and board a cruise to see the most spectacular views of Capri's coast. You'll see the Arco Naturale, a majestic stone arch on the eastern cliffs, and the famous Faraglioni, three enormous, pale-ochre limestone colossi that loom out of the sea. When weather conditions do not permit a cruise, groups will visit Villa San Michele in the town of Anacapri instead.

Arrive in the Sorrento Region Experience the unparalleled beauty of Italy's favorite resort, which overlooks the Bay of Naples. Sorrento was first settled by Spaniards and Greeks, whose influence still remains. Dinner is included this evening. Day 6: Sorrento | Taormina Transfer to Taormina Perched high above the sea on the side of Mont Tauro, Taormina offers spectacular vistas of Sicily's eastern coastline. Dinner is included this evening. Day 7: Taormina | Mt. Etna Guided Sightseeing of Taormina An expert local guide introduces you to Taormina, a scenic town perched high above the sea. Pay homage to classical vistas and majestic Mount Etna, towering in the background. See the duomo and the 15th-century Palazzo Corvaia. Then visit the town's 3rd-century Greek Theatre-Goethe felt it boasted one of the world's most beautiful vistas. Guided Excursion to Mt. Etna Travel from Taormina to the base of Mt. Etna, Europe's largest and highest active volcano. Here you'll have a guided tour, with the chance to hike on the lava dunes and crater-strewn landscapes. Because it is a still-active volcano, the biosphere of this region is particularly interesting, with a variety of trees, shrubs and ground cover. Comfortable shoes and layered clothing are strongly recommended: temperatures on the mountain are cool in the summer and can be quite chilly the rest of the year. Day 8: Taormina Optional Guided Excursion to Siracusa Join a guided full-day excursion to Siracusa, located on the beautiful Bay of Syracuse. At one time Siracusa ruled all of Sicily. In fact, the town's power once equaled that of Athens and Rome, making it one of Europe's-and the world's-most prosperous cities. Plato taught in Siracusa, and it was here that Archimedes (who was born in Siracusa in 287 B.C.) jumped out of his bath exclaiming “Eureka!” upon discovering the theory of displacement. Enjoy a guided tour of an archaeological park, which includes two theaters, an ancient quarry and the world's largest altar. On the Island of Ortigia, stroll through the narrow streets of the Old City (Città Vecchia), which dates back 2,800 years. Here, near the sea, you can look for the remarkable Fonte Aretusa; according to legend the nymph Arethusa transformed herself into this freshwater spring to save herself from Alpheus, a river god who pursued her! (Please note that this excursion involves moderate walking.) Free Day in Taormina Those who do not participate in the optional excursion will enjoy a free day in Taormina. From magnificent beaches to cliff walks, spend another free day soaking in the Taormina's region's natural beauty. Day 9: Taormina | Palermo | Night Ferry Travel to Palermo for a Guided Sightseeing Pass the city's 16th-century palazzi on a guided tour of the capital-and chief port-of Sicily. You'll visit the Cathedral of Palermo, which is noted for its diverse history and many architectural styles. A Byzantine basilica that once stood on this site was turned into a mosque in the 9th century, and after the Normans gained control of Palermo in 1072, the mosque was re-consecrated as a Christian church. Continue on to Monreale for a visit to the town's magnificent Norman cathedral.

Board a Night Ferry to Naples Sleep in cabin style accommodations as you return to mainland Italy. Dinner is included this evening. Day 10: Night Ferry | Naples | Pompeii | Rome Arrive in Naples and Return to Rome via a Guided Sightseeing of Pompeii Learn how wealthy Romans lived 2,000 years ago on an excursion to Pompeii, one of the richest archaeological sites in the world. When neighboring Mt. Vesuvius erupted in A.D. 79, volcanic ash completely buried the Roman resort. Now it is fully excavated, and you can see the ruins of villas, ancient temples, and Stabian Baths. Dinner is included this evening.

Day 11: Board Return Flight Transfer to the Airport for Your Return Flight Your tour director assists with your transfer to the airport, where you'll check in for your return flight home.

Itinerary is subject to change For complete financial and registration details, please refer to the Booking Conditions at www.efcst.com/bc.

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