Venice Program 2027 "The Splendors of Venice"

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Venice Program 2027 "The Splendors of Venice"

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AT A GLANCE

DAY 1: Arrival and Check-in at Hotel Gabrielli, Venice
DAY 2: The Grand Canal, the Doge’s Palace and the Basilica of San Marco
DAY 3: The Great Churches and Confraternities of Venice
DAY 4: Day trip to Padua
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 of Hotel Gabrielli, Venice

*All of our Travel Programs are Led by Dr. Rocky Ruggiero*

The Splendors of 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”.

Tour Services

Hotel

Main Attractions

Guide

Sightseeing Tickets

Meals

Overview

Join us us for a tailored and magical adventure in the world’s most unique city:

Enjoy an exclusive after-hours visit to the Basilica of San Marco with Dr. Rocky with special access to restricted areas of the great church.
View the Grand Canal and its magnificent palazzi from a private luxury boat
Visit and learn about the main art historical and architectural sites of Venice with Dr. Rocky
Visit the “Secret Itineraries” of the Ducal Palace through the areas of the palace that are off-limits to the general public
Explore the islands of Venice – Murano, Burano and Torcello – by private luxury boat
Visit one of the oldest glass-making workshops on Murano and enjoy an exclusive demonstration of how the world’s most famous glass is made
Luncheon at the Trattoria Gatto Nero on the charming island of Burano
Visit the nearby city of Padua and Giotto’s extraordinary paintings in the Scrovegni Chapel, and one of Europe’s most important pilgrimage churches – the Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua
Visit an active squero, or gondola workshop, and watch first-hand how Venice’s most iconic boats are made
Sojourn at the luxurious Hotel Gabrielli

Activity Level: Moderate

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.

Itinerary

DAY 1: SUNDAY OCTOBER 10, 2027 – Arrival and check-in

3:00 pm – Arrival and check-in at Hotel Gabrielli, Venice.

7:00 pm – Welcome group dinner

DAY 2: MONDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2027 – 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

The Doge’s Palace was the seat of the great republic’s political power and the former residence of the rulers of Venice (Dogi). This lecture will explore the magnificent halls, opulent rooms, and lavish decorations of the palace, many of which were created by Venetian master artists. We shall also venture into the murky prisons of the palace via the iconic “Bridge of Sighs”.

8:30 pm – Exclusive after-hours visit to the Basilica of San Marco

The Basilica of San Marco was originally constructed in the 9th century CE to house the mortal remains of St. Mark the Evangelist, which had been “saved” from the Muslim city of Alexandria in 829CE. The style of the church is the perfect marriage of eastern and western Christian architecture, showcasing the world’s most extensive and beautiful program of mosaic decoration.

DAY 3: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2027 – 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

The 14th century Franciscan church of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari is the second largest church in Venice after the Basilica of San Marco. In addition to housing extraordinary paintings by Bellini and Titian, and monuments to Titian and Canova, the church is also one of the city’s greatest expressions of Venetian Gothic architecture.

12:15 pm – Visit of the Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista

We shall visit the exquisite exterior courtyard space of the nearby Scuola of San Giovanni Evangelista.

1:00 pm –Group lunch at traditional Venetian restaurant

3:00 pm – Free afternoon/Evening

DAY 4: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2027 – 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 5: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2027 – The Islands of Venice

9:30 am – Depart by private boat to the island of Murano for visit of glass-making studio

It is not known exactly when the art of glass making began in Venice, except that it has been confined by law to the island Murano since 1291. Since then, Murano glass has been celebrated worldwide for its craftsmanship, creativity and originality. Murano glass is still made by hand by a team of artisans known as a piazza working around a glass master who sits in his scagno (“studio”) while directing and working the glass with his team.

11:30 am – Depart Murano by private boat for the island of Burano

The second island we shall visit is Burano, a picturesque fisherman island known for its brightly colored houses and for its lace school.

1:00 pm – Group lunch at traditional local restaurant

3:00 pm – Visit to the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta in Torcello Island

For more than a millennium, Torcello was also home to the bishop of Venice, whose seat was the 7th-century cathedral of Santa Maria dell’Assunta, which still maintains some of its original 11th and 12th- century mosaic decoration.

4:00 pm – Depart Torcello

5:00 pm –Arrive at hotel

DAY 6: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2027 – Venetian Painting and the Secrets of the Gondola

10:00 am – Depart hotel on foot for the Accademia Gallery

10:30 am – Visit to church of San Sebastiano

The 16th century church of is dedicated to one of the major protector-saints against plague – St. Sebastian. It is also a veritable shrine to the great 16th-century painter Paolo Veronese who spent three periods between 1555 and 1570 decorating various parts of the interior of San Sebastiano, including wall paintings, ceiling canvases and frescoes on the nave and altar walls.

12:00 pm – Visit to Squero di Trovaso F.lli Tramontin

One of the few surviving gondola workshops. This old boatyard has been in continuous operation since its opening in the 17th century. Producing only ten new gondolas per year, the workshop also provides maintenance and repairs for already active gondolas. We shall learn about the boatyard’s history, as well as the secrets of the most iconic of Venetian boats – the gondola.

1:30 pm – Lunch at Local Trattoria

3:00 pm – Free Time

4:30 pm – The Treasures of the Accademia Gallery

The Galleria dell’Accademia houses the largest and most impressive collection of Venetian paintings in the world. Founded in 1750, the gallery occupies three buildings that were originally a church, monastery and scuola. Amongst the museum’s most treasured works are the “Tempest” by Giorgione, the cycle of the “Legend of St. Ursula” by Carpaccio the “Miracle of the Slave” by Tintoretto, the “Feast in the House of Lev”i by Veronese, and the “Pietà,” which was Titian’s last work.

DAY 7: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2027 – ARRIVEDERCI VENICE!

12:00 pm – Check out of Hotel Gabrielli, Venice and (sadly) the end of the program

Lodging

All participants will be staying at the Hotel Gabrielli, Venice . A luxurious 5-Star hotel.

HOTEL:
Overlooking the evocative Riva degli Schiavoni, just a few steps from Piazza San Marco, the Biennale Gardens, and the Arsenale, Hotel Gabrielli is a jewel of exclusivity and charm in the heart of Venice. Held by the Perkhofer family for five generations, the hotel has reopened its doors following an exceptional restoration that enhances its historic allure, securing its place among the most exclusive destinations in the lagoon city.

The timeless appeal of its history blends harmoniously with excellence in comfort and contemporary design, enriched with references to Venice’s illustrious past. Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy an extraordinary experience thanks to the panoramic terrace with breathtaking views, the 600-square-meter private garden, the private dock, and the luxurious spa, a true sanctuary for wellness and relaxation. Each space has been designed to offer an atmosphere of exclusivity and tranquility, ideal for an unforgettable stay.

The elegant Felice al Gabrielli restaurant offers an extraordinary culinary journey with refined dishes and selected ingredients, while the cozy K Lounge Bar invites guests to enjoy a signature cocktail in a sophisticated and relaxing setting. A place where history, beauty, and contemporary comfort meet to offer an authentic and timeless experience in the heart of Venice.

LOCATION:

Hotel Gabrielli, Venice – 5 Star

Riva degli Schiavoni 4110 30122 Venezia Italy

+39 041 84491

https://collezione.starhotels.com/it/i-nostri-hotel/hotel-gabrielli-venezia/

ACCOMMODATIONS:

Participants will enjoy a DELUXE ROOM WITH LAGOON VIEW (upgrade possible upon request)
Breakfast is included
*For hotel stay extensions, room upgrades, and other lodging requests, please contact us directly at info@rockyruggiero.com with details.

Dates & Prices

October 10 – October 16, 2027
Double Occupancy – $12,392.50/person
Single Occupancy – $14,950.00/person

Includes:
– 6-night accommodations in Deluxe room with a lagoon view in the Hotel Gabrielli (breakfast included)
–        All lectures with Dr. Rocky
–        All admissions
–        All group meals
–        All ground and water transportation between October 10 and October 16, 2027
–        Welcome dinner and Farewell lunch

Not included:
Airfare to Venice and transportation to the Hotel Gabrielli, Venice.

Terms & Conditions

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.