Through Stanford Travel/Study’s special contacts, dive deep into la storia di Firenze with local guest speakers. Stroll through the expansive Boboli Gardens and be awed by its distinguished collection of sculptures dating back to the 16th century. Develop new culinary talents at a local cooking school and watch a demonstration of 400-year-old leather-making methods at the leather school inside the Basilica of Santa Croce. Travel to quaint, lesser-known Tuscan villages and meet with local wine producers to taste the wines and oils produced in this fertile region. Enjoy several free evenings to discover restaurants independently.

$3,995

Sunday & Monday, April 7 & 8
DEPART U.S. / FLORENCE, ITALY
Depart on overnight flights to Italy. Upon arrival in Florence on Monday, transfer independently to Hotel Degli Orafi. Located in the historic city center and near the famous Uffizi Museum and Ponte Vecchio, our hotel makes it easy to explore Florence at all hours. Gather this evening for a welcome reception. HOTEL DEGLI ORAFI

Tuesday, April 9
FLORENCE
Breaking ground in 1296 under the auspices of the Florence city council and designed by Arnolfo di Cambio, Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore has long been integral to the history of Florence. This morning meet with local expert and director of the archives of the basilica, Lorenzo Fabbri. Gain an insider’s perspective by viewing historical documents that date back to the 14th century and learn about the tumultuous history of this Florentine and religious icon. After lunch, enjoy the afternoon at leisure to explore the city. Early this evening gather for a cooking class where we try our hand at creating traditional Tuscan dishes, then sit down together to savor our culinary masterpieces. HOTEL DEGLI ORAFI (B,L,D)

Wednesday, April 10
FLORENCE
The Medicis are credited as the patrons under whom the foundation of modern-day Florence was built; their name is synonymous with the city. Even today, it is difficult to escape the everlasting stamp of this powerful family. While at times merciful to the plebian population, they incited political riots and imposed laws considered draconian in nature. Though despised in the political realm, the Medici family was a well-known supporter of public arts as well as landscape architecture. This morning meet with Italian landscape architect expert, Nancy A. Leszczynski, to explore the Boboli Gardens. Initially built in the 16th century, the gardens were expanded to their modern-day size of 11 acres in the 17th century to accommodate a collection of Roman antiquities. Walk among the tall shrubs, blossoming flowers and pagan statues, which date back to the Renaissance. Enjoy lunch at nearby Piazza Santo Spirito. After lunch, the remainder of the day is free for independent exploration. HOTEL DEGLI ORAFI (B,L)

Thursday, April 11
FLORENCE
Throughout the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries, the humanism movement revived the language and art of the ancient Greeks and Romans while bridging the gap between the pagan past and the Christian present. Although the Renaissance was marked with the production of many famous pieces of art, it was also a time when the Scientific Revolution was slowly laying its foundation through the works of famous Florentines such as Leonardo Da Vinci and Galileo Galilei. This morning, enjoy a special presentation by the director of Florence’s Museum of the History of Science, Paolo Galluzzi. Dig deep into the genius of the founding fathers of the Scientific Revolution, a movement that would usher in the Age Of Reason. After lunch, enjoy an afternoon and evening at leisure. HOTEL DEGLI ORAFI (B,L)

Friday, April 12
FLORENCE / TUSCAN VILLAGES
Spend the day outside the city center roaming the rolling hills of Tuscany while visiting wineries and quaint towns on a private wine tour hosted by the former owner of a Michelin Star-rated restaurant. Learn about local agriculture and viniculture while soaking in the Tuscan sun and savoring the deep flavors of the local wines. Enjoy lunch in a local town, then return early this evening in time to relax and enjoy dinner on our own. HOTEL DEGLI ORAFI (B,L)

Saturday, April 13
FLORENCE
Meet with local host and Stanford Travel/Study faculty leader Roberto D’Alimonte and learn of the political turmoil in Italy and Europe. Well-known throughout Europe as a political journalist, his research on elections has made him a national figure in Italy. In Florence, Professor D’Alimonte is a professor of political science at the University of Florence and director of the Italian Center for Electoral Studies. Gather this afternoon for a special farewell lunch and, later this evening, for a special farewell reception. HOTEL DEGLI ORAFI (B,L)

Sunday, April 14
FLORENCE / U.S.
Depart on independent flights home. (B)

SIZE
This program is limited to 30 participants.

COST*
$3,995 per person, double occupancy
$4,695 per person, single occupancy
*Association nonmembers add $200 per person.

INCLUDED

• 6 nights of hotel accommodations in central Florence
• 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 1 dinner
• Welcome and farewell receptions
• Gratuities to porters, guides and drivers for all group activities
• All tours and excursions as described in the itinerary
• 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
• Airport transfers
• Trip-cancellation/interruption and baggage insurance
• Excess-baggage charges
• Personal items such as internet access, telephone and fax calls, laundry and gratuities for nongroup services

AIR ARRANGEMENTS
International and U.S. domestic airfare is not included in the program cost. Round-trip, economy-class airfare on Delta from San Francisco to Florence via Paris is approximately $1,300 as of September 2012 and is subject to change without notice. Information on recommended flight itineraries will be sent by our designated agent.

WHAT TO EXPECT
We consider this to be a moderately strenuous program. Half- to full days of touring are balanced with plenty of free time to explore Florence. Daily programs involve one to three miles of walking in museums and on city tours and may involve extended periods of standing. Participants will encounter uneven terrain, including some dirt and cobblestone paths, and must be able to walk up and down hills. In some instances, elevators are unavailable. Participants must be physically fit, active and in good health. We welcome travelers 15 years of age and older on this program.

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.edu/goto/membership or call (650) 725-0692.

Deposits, Payments and Cancellations
A $1,000 deposit is required to hold space. Deposits and any payments are fully 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. We strongly recommend that you subscribe to optional baggage and trip-cancellation insurance. A brochure offering such insurance will be mailed with your confirmation about one week after we receive your deposit. The product offered in this brochure includes special benefits if you postmark your insurance payment within a specified window: 15 days of the date listed on the confirmation letter for the Waiver of Pre-Existing Conditions and coverage for Financial Insolvency; 21 days for the Cancel for Any Reason benefit.

Responsibility
The Stanford Alumni Association, Stanford University and our operators act only as agents for the passenger with respect to transportation and ship arrangements 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. It is understood that the ship's ticket, when issued, shall constitute the sole contract between the passenger and the cruise company. The airlines concerned are not to be held responsible for any act, omission or event during the time passengers are not on board 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 at the time the brochure is printed and is subject to change without notice to reflect fluctuations in exchange rates, tariffs or fuel charges. As a condition of participation, all confirmed participants are required to sign a Release of Liability.

California Seller of Travel Program Registration #2048 523-50