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Hotel
DAY 1: Arrival and Check-in at Gritti Palace Hotel Venice
DAY 2: The Grand Canal, the Doge’s Palace and the Basilica of San Marco
DAY 3: Day trip to Padua
DAY 4: The Great Churches and Confraternities of Venice (incl. San Marco)
DAY 5: The Islands of Venice – Murano, Burano, Torcello
DAY 6: Venetian Painting and the Secrets of the Gondola
DAY 7: Departure and Check-out Gritti Palace Hotel Venice
Venice was the longest lasting Republic in history, surpassing even the ancient republics of Greece and Rome. Venetian government was considered to be a perfect constitutional balance of monarchy (doge), oligarchy (senate) and democracy (Great Council). So perfect in fact, that the Venetian constitution was considered to be a gift from God. The city’s privileged position as cultural and economic bridge between the Eastern and Western Christian world contributed not only to its dominant economic and naval power in the medieval world, but also to the extraordinary uniqueness of the city.
“Once did She hold the gorgeous east in fee; And was the safeguard of the west: the worth Of Venice did not fall below her birth, Venice, the eldest Child of Liberty.”
William Wordsworth
— On the Extinction of the Venetian Republic, l. 1 (1807).
The art and architecture in Venice clearly display a combination of Islamic, Byzantine, and Classical influences. Artists such as Bellini, Giorgione, Titian and Tintoretto would make Venetian painting perhaps the only school to rival that of the Central Italian Renaissance of Florence and Rome. This program will examine the art, architecture, traditions and myths of Venice, as well as the history of perhaps the most singular city in the world.
It was – and still is today – La Serenissima – “the most serene republic”.
Join us us for a tailored and magical adventure in the world’s most unique city:
Walking tours may entail uneven terrain (e.g. cobblestones, city hills, stairs without handrails, the absence of elevators); archaeological sites; and some longer walks to get to city centers where coaches are prohibited.
DAY 1: SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2025 – Arrival and check-in
3:00 pm – Arrival and check-in at Gritti Palace Hotel, Venice.
7:00 pm – Welcome group dinner
DAY 2: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2025 – The Gran Canal, Scuola Grande di Marco, and the Doge’s Palace
9:00 am – Welcome Lecture at the Hotel “The Splendors of Venice”
10:30 am – The Grand Canal by Private Boat
The Grand Canal was the Fifth Avenue of Venice and is lined with more than 170 buildings, most of which date from the 13th to the 18th century. The most wealthy and noble Venetian families used this aquatic urban thoroughfare to build magnificent palaces such as the Ca’ Rezzonico, Ca’ D’Oro, Ca’ Foscari, and Palazzo Dario to demonstrate their socio-economic status.
11:30 am – Visit to the church of San Giovanni and Paolo and the Scuola Grande di San Marco
The Basilica di San Giovanni e Paolo, known in Venetian as San Zanipolo, is one of the largest churches in the city; and from the fifteenth century, funeral services for all of Venice’s doges were held there. Twenty-five doges are buried inside the church. Its most important work is the Equestrian Statue of Bartolomeo Colleoni by Verrocchio.
The fifteenth-century Scuola of San Marco was instead home to one of Venice’s most prestigious scuole, or confraternities. Although the major original paintings that once adorned the building are now located in the Accademia Gallery in Venice, we shall see reproductions of these works in sitù to better understand their original context.
12:45 pm – Group lunch at traditional Venetian restaurant
2:25 pm – Private Visit of the Secret Itineraries of the Doge’s Palace
DAY 3: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2025 – Day trip to Padua
8:45 am – Depart hotel by boat for Venice train station
9:35 am – Departure by 1st class Frecciarossa train for Padua
10:00 am – Arrive at Padua train station and depart on foot to the Scrovegni Chapel
10:45 am – Visit to the Scrovegni Chapel
Giotto’s 14th Century fresco cycle in the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, Italy, is perhaps the seminal motion picture in Western Art. The artist transformed the iconic, sacred subjects of his contemporary painting world into a very human story- or what I call the “visual vernacular”. This visit will examine a surprisingly modern aspect of Giotto’s work, the cinematic quality. To put it simply, the paintings in the chapel read like a motion picture or a film, in which humanity is the star. Giotto’s mise en scène is full of expressive character types, landscapes, colour and visual arrangements. The sequential arrangement and juxtaposition of scenes, instead, produce a visual narrative of which most modern film directors would be envious. In a purely visual medium, Giotto can evoke sounds and smells, emotions and expectations, humor and terror.
12:30 pm – Group lunch at traditional local restaurant
2:30 pm – Visit to Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua (Il Santo)
In 1455, the great Florentine sculptor, Donatello, also went to Padua to create a large, bronze equestrian monument to the mercenary general Erasmo dei Narni, better known as “Gattamelata”. Donatello’s sculpture was the first equestrian monument since Roman times, and still stands today outside of the Santo. Donatello was then commissioned by the friars of the church to produce a series of bronze sculptures to decorate the high altar of their church. These often-overlooked sculptures are not only some of Donatello’s finest but are also some of the most influential pieces of the Renaissance.
4:00 pm – Depart Basilica of St. Anthony by taxi for Padua train station
5:00 pm – Departure by 1st class Frecciarossa train for Venice
5:30 pm – Arrive in Venice and water taxi to hotel
DAY 4: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2025 – The Great Churches and Confraternities of Venice
Venetian Scuole or “schools” were confraternities whose members performed charitable acts for the less fortunate towards the scope of redeeming their own souls. There were six “major” scuole and as many as two hundred minor scuole. In addition to charity, the scuola became a type of para-political institution that allowed its members to express social rank and wealth at a time when membership in Venetian government was rather restricted. These scuole often invested extraordinary amounts of money to decorate their private buildings, commissioning the greatest artists of their time.
9:30 am – Visit of the Scuola Grande of San Rocco
The Scuola di San Rocco is often described as the “Sistine Chapel of Venice”. Decorated entirely with paintings by the great painter Tintoretto, the only still active scuola in the city continues to represent one of Venice’s most important religious and social traditions.
11:00 am – Visit of the Basilica of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari
12:15 pm – Visit of the Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista
1:00 pm –Group lunch at traditional Venetian restaurant
3:00 pm – Free afternoon
7:30 pm – Exclusive after-hours visit to the Basilica of San Marco
DAY 5: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2025 – The Islands of Venice
9:30 am – Depart by private boat to the island of Murano for visit of glass-making studio
11:30 am – Depart Murano by private boat for the island of Burano
1:00 pm – Group lunch at traditional local restaurant
3:00 pm – Visit to the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta in Torcello Island
4:00 pm – Depart Torcello
5:00 pm –Arrive at hotel
DAY 6: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2025 – Venetian Painting and the Secrets of the Gondola
9:30 am – Depart hotel on foot for the Accademia Gallery
10:00 am – The Treasures of the Accademia Gallery
12:30 am – Visit to church of San Sebastiano
1:00 pm – Farewell Lunch at traditional Venetian restaurant
3:00 pm – Visit to Squero di Trovaso F.lli Tramontin
DAY 7: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2025 – ARRIVEDERCI VENICE!
12:00 pm – Check out of Gritti Palace Hotel, Venice and (sadly) the end of the program
All participants will be staying at the Gritti Palace Hotel, Venice . A legendary 5-Star hotel.
HOTEL:
Set on the Grand Canal in the heart of Venice, The Gritti Palace boasts one of the most enthralling views of the lagoon city – from the island of San Giorgio Maggiore past landmarks Punta della Dogana & Santa Maria della Salute Basilica to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. Dating to 1475, this noble palace and luxury hotel on the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy, is a place of exceptional art and elegance that has retained its reassuringly intimate and familiar feel of a private residence. A historical treasure where heritage and culture blend with renewed Venetian style, our 5-star hotel is a refined version of its iconic self, offering attentive service, a delectable culinary experience, and new avenues for relaxation and pleasure. From the design of its signature suites and iconic terraces to the Gritti Epicurean School, Riva Yacht experiences and Riva Lounge and the Gritti SPA branded by Sisley Paris, The Gritti Palace is where generations of elite global influencers gather to explore, taste, and celebrate.
LOCATION:
The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice – 5 Star
Campo Santa Maria Del Giglio
30124 Venezia
Italy
+39 041 794611
ACCOMMODATIONS:
September 28 – October 4, 2025
Double Occupancy – $11,190.00/person
Single Occupancy – $13,950.00/person
Includes:
– 6-night accommodations in Deluxe or Venetian room in the Gritti Palace Hotel (breakfast included)
– All lectures with Dr. Rocky
– All admissions
– All group meals
– All ground and water transportation between September 29 and October 3, 2025
– Welcome dinner and Farewell lunch
Not included:
Airfare to Venice and transportation to the Gritti Palace Hotel, Venice.
Payment:
A deposit of 30% of the program fee is required to reserve a space on a program. All payments may be made by credit card or check. Deposits are applied to final payment of the program price.
A second deposit of 30% of the program fee is required 6 months after the first payment, unless otherwise noted.
The balance is due 60 days prior to the first day of the program, unless otherwise noted. If full payment is not received by the final payment due date, your place cannot be guaranteed on the program.
Wait List:
If the program of your choice is fully subscribed, you may choose to be placed on a waitlist by contacting us at info@rockyruggiero.com or by phone. Individuals on the wait list will be contacted if space becomes available and can inquire about program status by contacting us. If you choose to withdraw from a wait list, please notify us.
Cancellation and Refund Policy:
Following enrollment, a participant’s withdrawal from the program for any reason, including, but not limited to, illness, injury, family engagements, work-related issues, geopolitical concerns, or airline delays and/or cancellations, etc., will be deemed a cancellation. Please understand that there will be no exceptions to our cancellation policy.
Per person cancellation fees are based on date of written notice to Rocky Ruggiero. We will refund on the following basis:
– Cancellations within 10 days of booking: Full Refund
– Cancellations after 10 days of booking: Full Deposit Retained
– Cancellations made within final payment date, 60 days before departure: No Refund
– Cancellation by Rocky Ruggiero: Full Refund or Credit
– Non transferable to other travel programs, tours and online and in-person events.
Travel Protection Plan:
Purchase Travel Insurance to Protect your Vacation
Special Travel Arrangements:
Participants may wish to extend their stay in the group hotel either before or after the tour. We will work with you on these arrangements, dependent upon space availability.
Should you decide not to participate in certain parts of the program, no refunds will be made for those unused parts of the program.
READ CAREFULLY: RESPONSIBILITY STATEMENT AND LIABILITY DISCLAIMER
Neither Rocky Ruggiero nor faculty shall be held liable for personal injury, death, property damage or accident, delay or irregularity arising out of any act or omission of these suppliers. Rocky Ruggiero and other faculty reserve the right, without penalty, to make changes in the published itinerary whenever, in their judgment, conditions warrant, or if they deem it necessary for the comfort, convenience, or safety of tour participants.
Rocky Ruggiero and designated faculty also reserve the right, without penalty, to withdraw the program announced, to decline to accept any person as a participant in a program, or to require any participant to withdraw from the program at any time (including, but not limited for inappropriate, or offensive behavior) when such action is determined by program staff to be in the best interests of the health, safety or general welfare of the program group or the individual participant.
Dates, schedules, tour details, and costs, although provided in good faith based on information available at the time of publication on the website, are subject to change and revision.
AS A CONDITION OF ACCEPTANCE OF ANY APPLICATION, EACH APPLICANT MUST AGREE TO THE STATEMENT SET FORTH BELOW:
The undersigned has read carefully the Responsibility Statement and Liability Disclaimer set forth above, the schedule of activities for this program, as well as the terms and conditions of application and participation as set forth in the program materials and recognizes and accepts any risk associated with the program and the conditions, including the refund policy, set forth in the program materials. The undersigned further acknowledges that there are many risks and uncertainties inherent in any travel program, including but not limited to the hazards of various modes of transportation, forces of nature, acts or omissions of foreign governments, terrorism, war or insurrection, theft, illness, and damage to person or property due to the negligent acts or omissions of program staff or others. In consideration of, and as part payment for, the right to participate in the program, the undersigned, on behalf of himself, his dependents, heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, agrees to release Rocky Ruggiero, its Regents, officers, employees, representatives or agents, the United States, from liability for personal injury, death, property damage or loss suffered by any person in connection with this tour, even if caused by the negligence (but not the reckless, willful, or fraudulent conduct) of program staff or other related persons or entities. In addition, by registering for this program, the applicant certifies that he or she is mentally and physically capable of full participation in this tour. By registering for a “Rocky Ruggiero Program in Italy”, the participant agrees to the Responsibility Statement and Liability Disclaimer and the Terms and Conditions herein.
