M. Louise Stanley: Art Lover's Tour 2010
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MILAN, VERONA, FLORENCE and CINQUE TERRE
with day-trips to Vicenza, Mantova and Lucca
Dates: We depart from San Francisco Thursday, June 3rd, 2010 and return 16 days later, June 18th.
Departure/Arrivals: San Francisco, California (SFO) to and from Milan, Italy
Cost: $4,085. (request brochure for particulars).
The Plan: We will explore several small medieval towns north of Florence, including Milan, the business and fashion center of Italy with several wonderful collections, a castle, and an outrageously Kitschy cemetery full of elaborate sculpture and tomb monuments. For those who want to see what's left of Leonardo's Last Supper, we'll get reservations before-hand on-line. Florence, of course is full of Renaissance highlights which you'll remember from your Jansen and we'll add new sights for you returnees who want to dig deeper. Verona, Mantova, Vicenza and Lucca are steeped in medieval history and artifacts and we'll draw, paint and explore them along with Santa Margherita Ligure which sits above the Cinque Terre, five coastal fishing villages and pedestrian towns strung out, walking distance from each other. Nothing tops the views and picturesque fishing harbors you'll see.
Our itinerary will include all the major 'must sees' in each of these cities with a walking tour full of historical information and little surprises along the way.
In Florence we've admission to the Uffizi and the Accademia (the David) to eliminate the long lines. We also have reservations and entrance to the Mantegna's in Mantova. Maybe we'll have another 'gold leafing' session after dinner in Florence? We break up into small groups which gives you some independence and for those who want to sketch or paint we'll have time in the afternoons when museums and churches are closed. You are encouraged to come with a purpose and to keep a journal along the way.
A pre-trip meeting will help us prepare and your suggestions are encouraged to flesh out our itinerary.
I am hoping to fill the tour after the holidays and am beginning to get commitments from people. We have several returnees who want to dig deeper and will intensify the treasure hunt! You don't have to be an artist, but you do need a healthy appetite for art, history and adventure.. And good feet! I'll consider the tour filled when I have about 18 to 20 people and we've commitments from 9 people so far.
The Itinerary
JUNE 3: Depart San Francisco
JUNE 4 - 6 MILAN: Milan houses two extravagant collections in the Brera and Poldi Pozoli Museums. We'll explore the Castello Sforzesco's grounds and collections and visit the Cemetere Monumentale with its extravagantly Kitsch Victorian tomb sculptures (great drawing material). The Duomo (dare to climb to the roof!), 'Last Supper' and La Scala opera are other delights.
JUNE 7 - 9 VERONA: is romantic even if Juliet's ghost is but fiction. Her balcony is a 1928 creation, mums the word! Housing one of the best preserved amphitheaters outside of Rome, the city's medieval palazzi, towers, churches, and stage-like piazzas take you back in time and are proof of it's wealth and influence.
JUNE 9 Day trip to VICENZA: the city Palladio built, includes his trompe l'oeil Theatro Olympico and Chiericati Museo. His human-scale architectural spirit lives. A short bus ride into the countryside will take us to the Villa Rotunda, inspiration for Jefferson's Monticello, and down a country path we'll find the Villa Valmarana with walls decorated by the Tiepolos.
JUNE 10 - 15 FLORENCE: On our way to Florence we'll visit the Ducal Palace of MANTOVA housing the extravagant Camera Sposi, fresco-cycle by Mantegna documenting the Gonzaga family. It's for certain, Maxfield Parrish visited here! FLORENCE, the'Renaissance Jewel' is home to the Medici and is watched over by Brunelleschi's Dome (hope you read the book!). We'll finally get to the top floor of the Bargello in time to draw before it closes and spend a delicious afternoon in the Uffizi. The David, Medici Chapels, the Fra Angelico's in San Marco, are musts for first-timers and we'll compare the Masaccio frescoes in the Brancacci Chapel with Giotto's in Santa Croce. On the Oltrarno (other side of the Arno) we'll see the Pitti museums, paint in the Boboli Gardens, visit the anatomy studies in wax by Susini at La Specola and see Galileo's telescope in the Musem of the History of Science (no madonnas here!). We'll climb the hill to San Miniato al Monte and paint the view over the city as did Corot.
On JUNE 13 we'll spend a day exploring and drawing in ageless LUCCA, birthplace to Puccini and a favorite hangout of Henry James. Winding medieval streets lead to numerous piazze with their accompanying churches.
JUNE 15 - 18 CINQUE TERRE: We'll end our tour in SANTA MARGHERITA LIGURE, above the CINQUE TERRE, five towns connected by an idyllic walking path overlooking the Mediterranean. With cappuccino in one town, a watercolor over lunch in another, gelato in yet another, we'll take the train back to our hotel in the evening. Trails pass through vineyards, lemon and olive groves and hug seaside cliffs with heart-stopping views of the coast, dropping down to romantic little fishing harbors and towns. The last night we'll make a late transfer to Milan where we'll spend the night before our flight home.
JUNE 18: Depart Milan, Italy
$500 Deposit required.
Early-bird incentive: $25 if received by December 28, 2009
Contact:
M.Louise Stanley
Emeryville California USA 94608T: 510.658.8468
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Email: lulu AT locrian DOT com
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