CAU > Seminars and Study Tours > Architecture, Art, and History in Genoa, the Cinque Terre, and Pisa: A Walking Tour

Architecture, Art, and History in Genoa, the Cinque Terre, and Pisa: A Walking Tour

May 17-28, 2009

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Overview

The natural and architectural splendors of Italy's northwestern coast, the exquisite art of its museums and churches, and its justifiably celebrated cuisine--including the best pesto in the world--will be ours to savor as we walk, talk, explore, and enjoy this intriguing region.

Faculty

Led by Jeffrey Blanchard, academic coordinator for the College of Art, Architecture, and Planning's Cornell Center in Rome, and accompanied by the erudite and sure-footed guides of Country Walkers, we'll make our way through Genoa and then hike the Ligurian coast, ending our journey with a brief stay in Pisa. Fine hotels, food, and wine will add to each day's pleasures.

Itinerary

Our explorations will begin in Genoa, home to great navigators (and birthplace of Christopher Columbus), land of trade and mercantile activity, and the city where Rubens, Van Dyck, Strozzi, and Cambiaso created many of their masterpieces. We'll visit the Cathedral of San Lorenzo and its treasury, the civic museum (housed in the sixteenth-century Palazzo Bianco), Piazzas San Matteo and de Ferrari, the aquarium, and the port zone. We'll also visit Palazzo Spinola and the National Gallery, with its original sixteenth-, seventeenth-, and eighteenth-century furnishings, frescoed ceilings, and excellent art collection. A scenic bus ride in the hills and another full day of touring by vehicle and on foot will take us to Castello d'Albertis, Santa Maria Assunta, the Sant'Agostino Museum, and Palazzo del Principe and its gardens.

Leaving Genoa, we will visit the acclaimed Wolfson Collection in Nervi and then move on to Santa Margherita Ligure, an elegant seaside resort, home to the sixteenth-century Villa Durazzo. After an afternoon's walk to picturesque Portofino, with time to explore the village and its churches, we'll return to Santa Margherita by boat for an outstanding view of its coastline. From the village of Ruta we will enjoy a day of walking the Portofino Promontory, a national park of beautiful trails ending at the sea, where we'll have a chance to swim. We'll follow a visit to a medieval abbey--a place of former splendor--with one to a Gothic country church, Basilica dei Fieschi, and then on to Chiavari, a town that has preserved its origins in the Middle Ages.

Our walking journey through the Cinque Terre will begin in Monterosso al Mare and take us to Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore.

Medieval artifacts as well as the natural and social history of the area will be our subjects en route, culminating along the spectacular and romantic Golfo dei Poeti, which inspired Dante, Byron, and Shelley to sing its praises. After excursions through the lovely towns of Sarzana, Luni, and Carrara, we will arrive in Pisa to spend our final day together visiting the cathedral, leaning tower, Camposanta, and Sinopia Museum before transferring to the airport for our flights home.

Program Cost and Travel Arrangements

The program fee of $6,650 (per person, double occupancy) includes all accommodations, many meals, all site visits and admission fees, gratuities, ground and water transportation, emergency medical-evacuation insurance, management services, and the full educational program. The supplement for single occupancy is $1,050. You are free to make your own international air arrangements.

Program Notes

This trip will involve walking for extended periods on cobblestone streets and through uneven and sometimes rugged terrain and is best for those who are reasonably fit and physically active. Cinque Terre has practically no flat land, and its hills and towns fall straight into the sea. All the walks in this region ascend and descend, sometimes along steep cliffs and on narrow winding paths, and often include steps--lots of steps! This is glorious hill-walking without let-up. The country treks are rated by experienced hikers as "moderate with challenging options" and will require good balance and strong legs. If you have any question about the physical demands of this trip, feel free to call us.

Map

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