"Il Duomo, Florence" by Nick Fewings is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

June 20-July 4, 2022

In this alumni tour we will study buildings, paintings, and sculptures in Italy that artists over the centuries have created to embody their understanding of the Christian faith. Our primary “texts” will include some of the most famous churches and museums in the world such as the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, the Uffizi in Florence, St. Peter's and the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, and the Borghese Galleries in Rome. We'll go from studying the earliest Christian art in the catacombs to the beginnings of the Italian Renaissance in Assisi, to the High Renaissance masterpieces of Michelangelo and Raphael, to the flowering of the Baroque in Rome where we will be feet, sometimes just inches away from the works of legendary artists like Caravaggio and Bernini.

We’ll start our travels together in the hill town of Assisi, the home of St. Francis, work our way to Florence, and finish our trip in Rome. We'll make a point of visiting a pottery factory in Deruta, go wine tasting in Montefalco, attend a papal audience if Pope Francis is in town, try our hands at cooking school in Rome, and sample the gastronomical delights everywhere, with stops in Siena and Orvieto too.

Fly home from Rome on July 4th in time to catch the fireworks at home, or stay longer to explore Italy and more.

Questions? Contact Tom at tpoundst@stmarys-ca.edu

Or join him for an online information session:

March 14th 8:00pm

March 16th 8:00pm

March 28th 8:00pm

Zoom link: stmarys-ca.zoom.us/j/765661832?pwd=NkFkYThiWDhGOHpUYjFJeHdkSy9kdz09

Trip Leader: Professor Tom Poundstone

Itinerary

Pricing

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