Info on Italy

Itinerary

I'm only going to highlight some of the big things since the one the teacher gave us is like ten pages long. =)

Saturday -
OF COURSE we'll be eating wonderful Italian food... But in edition, we'll have an introductory walk around the sites close to our hotel which include: Francesco de Sanctis' Spanish Steps, the Pantheon, and the Colosseum (which requires a ticket to get inside, unfortunately). In addition, we'll look at the Arch of Septimius Severus, Temples of Vespasian, Saturn, Julius Caesar, Castor and Pollux, Vesta, Romulus, etc. (There are a lot of temples.) We'll see the Column of Trajan, House of the Vestal Virgins, and a small museum dedicated to the Forum. We'll end it after dinner with the most famous fountain in Rome: The Trevi. You're supposed to drop a coin in it to insure that you will be back.

Sunday -
We'll see a lot of churches. (Many of them are only open for visitors on Sunday.) We'll see St. Peter's Basilica, the Palazzo di Guistizia, the Tiber River, the Ara Pacis (Peace Alter), some more churches, where the 1960 Olympics were held, and then we'll be allowed to explore the city independently after dinner. =)

Monday -
Of course, there are some more churches, but we're also going to see some catacombs!!! (Creepy!) Then we'll rent bikes and ride along the Via Appia Antico complete with tombs, ruins, and collective burials. O_O We'll see some gardens (yay!) and some more churches. (My professor is an architecture major so I think he mentioned EVERYthing we'd pass, heehee.) We'll also view some sights on the largest and highest of Rome's seven hills, the Esquiline.

Tuesday -
Two things are really exciting to me about today. We'll see the Ecstasy of St. Teresa by Bernini and the Villa Gregorina - "a very special, quiet descending wooded park, waterfall, and grottoes." I'm all about city-gardens. In addition, we'll see the Baths of Diocletian.

Wednesday -
First stop is an Early Christian mausoleum and Michelangelo's Ponte Pia. In addition, the Museo Borghese (more gardens!), the Etruscan collection in the Villa Giulia, and then SHOPPING before lunch! =) We'll visit some museums, an old Jewish ghetto (now a very desirable neighborhood), some antique shops and a flower market, and finally a concern at the Auditorium Parco della Musica.

Thursday -
We have a tentatively planned private tour of Termini Station. We'll also try to go to the Lido, or Rome's beach. (Fun! Although I probably won't be swimming, I do love beaches. It will be funny to see the Atlantic Ocean from the OTHER side...) In addition, we'll see the Baths of Caracalla.

Friday -
We'll go to Florence!!! I'm going to try to see their gardens in the Palazzo Pitti. They're said to be some of the best in the world. I'll also try to see a lot of Michelangelo, such as the David. (Cliche, but if you're going to see something, it'd probably best be that!) We'll have a special dinner celebration as it will be our last together. =(

Saturday -
We'll be home.

Final Note
I'll try to drop a line in at night and a photo or two if all goes as planned. =)
Just wanted everyone to know a bit of what I'll be seeing/doing. (But of course, I won't tell you how many times I've stuffed my face full of gelato!!!
It should be great. =)