Storia dell'Arte

This itinerary is the starting point for your tour, but it’s not set in stone. If there are days you would like to change, or specific places you’d like to go, we can work with you to create a personalized program that fits the needs of you and your students.

Day 1: Overnight Flight

Depart from the USA.

Day 2: Rome

Meet your ACIS Tour Manager and settling in to your hotel at the heart of bustling, historic Rome. As you begin to explore, perhaps enjoy people-watching in one of the city's stunning piazzas or seek out some of the amazing works of art that can be found simply by wandering into Rome's many churches—San Luigi dei Francesi Church is noted for its three Caravaggios.

Day 3: Rome

Today's panoramic drive of the city is a great introduction to the many phases of Roman history, art and architecture. Our local expert accompanies you through the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica. The best part is that these are timed entrances, meaning you'll breeze right by the long lines facing other tourists. Then go inside the iconic and historic Colosseum with a local guide (another line-avoiding timed reservation) and learn the many stories of this nearly 2,000-year-old Roman landmark that's considered one of the architectural wonders of the ancient world. In the evening, we'll enjoy an authentic, brick-oven Roman pizza dinner and learn the art of the Italian passeggiata romana around Piazza Navona to cap off an exceptional week.

Day 4: Florence

Begin your day with a timed reservation to the Galleria Borghese accompanied by a local guide. Within his 17th century villa, Cardinal Scipione Borghese amassed one of the world's greatest private art collections, including paintings by Raphael, Titian, Rubens, and Caravaggio, as well as incredible sculptures by Bernini—highlights you'll see include his Apollo and Daphne and Rape of Proserpina. In the afternoon journey to the Cradle of the Renaissance, Florence.

Day 5: Florence

During today's sightseeing tour a local guide provides commentary while showing you Brunelleschi's splendid Duomo, Ghiberti's famous Baptistry Doors, Ponte Vecchio, Santa Croce (where many illustrious Italians, including Michelangelo and Galileo, have been buried) and the Piazza della Signoria—the political center of the Renaissance city. Then breeze by the crowds with your own timed entrance to the Accademia, which houses Michelangelo's David.

Day 6: Florence

This morning learn about Italy’s most famous frescoes during a fresco making workshop and test your skills against Michelangelo’s after learning the technique from a master. You will certainly gain a deeper appreciation of what he accomplished with the Sistine Chapel. Then explore the world's greatest collection of Italian Renaissance art with a visit to the Uffizi Gallery. The collection, bequeathed by the Medici family, includes highlights such as Botticelli's Primavera and The Birth of Venus. Plus, your timed entrance means no waiting to get in.

Day 7: Paris

Transfer to the airport and fly to Paris this morning. Upon arrival, enjoy a guided sightseeing tour that takes you past some of the most famous attractions in Paris. Your expert local guide will show you the magnificent Arc de Triomphe at the top of the Champs-Élysées, Napoleon’s final resting place at Les Invalides and the Gothic wonder of Notre Dame.

Day 8: Paris

This morning breeze by the crowds with your timed entrance to the Louvre and discover the many famous masterpieces that call it home with the eye of an artist. Insightful commentary from your local guide highlights the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory, Venus de Milo and more as you wander through the galleries. From its beginnings as a royal fortress to its current status as the world's most visited art museum, the Louvre has long been at the center of Parisian culture and home to a collection of 35,000 works of art from around the world. The art theme continues in the afternoon with a Paint Paris painting lesson and walking tour of Montmartre. As you explore this artistic haven—once the haunt of luminaries like Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí and Claude Monet—a local artist explains the area's history and instructs you in painting techniques important to French art history for capturing its streets and buildings. You may even dine with some real artists this evening at an authentic French dinner on the Place du Tertre at the heart of Montmartre.

Day 9: Paris

Today take an excursion to Giverny. You will see Claude Monet's house with its famous pink walls, green shutters, sunflower-yellow furniture and Japanese prints, as well as the gardens—inspiration for his water lily paintings (open after April 1). Return to Paris with time to explore more at your own pace, perhaps with a walk along the Seine or discovering the Impressionist gems of the Musée d'Orsay.

Day 10: Departure

Depart for the USA.