French Riviera to Venice
Faculty: Rick Muthiah and Nathanael Ankeny
Class meeting time: Wednesdays from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
Trip Dates: May, 2024
Highlights
This course will explore history and culture through all five senses: the sight, sound, scent, taste, and touch of southern France and northern Italy. We’ll start by exploring the art of Van Gogh in Arles, alongside an ancient Roman amphitheater and 10th century castle ruins, complete with trebuchet demonstrations. Next, it’s on to Villefranche-sur-Mer on the French Riviera for a cooking course (the art of French cuisine), famous gardens, hiking, and visits to Nice and Monaco. Then we’ll arrive at Cinque Terre in Italy, five coastal villages famous for fishing, pesto, beaches, and incredible sea views from hiking trails. Traveling northward, we’ll stop in Milan on our way to Varenna, seeing Da Vinci’s Last Supper, hearing world-class music and experiencing the Milan Cathedral. After exploring Varenna’s historical villas and sites on Lake Como, we’ll end our trip in Venice: gondolas, St. Mark’s Cathedral, nearby island towns, and swimming in the Mediterranean.
With five main locations to stay in, this study tour is geared towards students who would benefit from a slightly slower-paced trip. Day trips still give students opportunities to see a wide variety of places. And this tour gives a balanced experience of many aspects of culture: contemporary and historical, urban and rural, plus food, nature, art and music.
Tentative Itinerary
| Day 1 | Travel Portland to Marseille; train to Arles |
| Day 2 | Arles - Van Gogh walking tour of the artist’s famous paintings in the city |
| Day 3 | Arles - Castillo de los Baux and the ancient Roman Arles Amphitheatre |
| Day 4 | Arles - exploring outdoors with area nature reserves and gardens |
| Day 5 | Arles to Villefranche-sur-Mer |
| Day 6 | Villefranche-sur-Mer - day trip to Nice: Cuisine Sur Cours Atelier gastronomique cooking class |
| Day 7 | Villefranche-sur-Mer - day trip to Monaco: the Palace, the Aquarium |
| Day 8 | Villefranche-sur-Mer - day trip to Eze, Le Gardin Exotique and Nietzsche Path hike |
| Day 9 | Villefranche-sur-Mer - the gardens at Villa Ephrussi de Rothchild |
| Day 10 | Travel to Cinque Terre |
| Day 11 | Cinque Terre - hiking the towns |
| Day 12 | Cinque Terre - exploring the beaches |
| Day 13 | Travel to Varenna via Milan - Da Vinci’s Last Supper, the Milan Cathedral and music at La Scala (TBD) |
| Day 14 | Varenna - Boat tour on Lake Como |
| Day 15 | Varenna - history and architecture at Villa Monastero, Church of San Giorgio and Church of St. John the Baptist, and Vezio Castle |
| Day 16 | Varenna - Exploring day: kayaks, hiking, beaches |
| Day 17 | Travel to Venice via Verona |
| Day 18 | Venice - St. Mark’s Cathedral, St. Mark’s Square, the Doge’s Palace |
| Day 19 | Venice - Venice Lido, swimming in the Mediterranean |
| Day 20 | Venice - exploring Murano and Burano, islands of glass and colorful architecture |
| Day 21 | Venice to Portland |
