Gentlemen of Verona
Shakespeare's Italy—From Venice to Milan
April 20 – 30, 2006
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
“Brush up your Shakespeare
Start quoting him now,
Brush up your Shakespeare,
And the audience will kowtow.” —Cole
Porter
The Cole Porter musical, Kiss Me Kate (1948), is an adaptation of William
Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. In several songs
Porter incorporates the names of Italian towns into his lyrics as a
nod to the Bard’s intense affection for the place.
In all, William Shakespeare wrote a dozen plays
about Renaissance Italy. Most likely he never set foot there, yet he
looms large, both culturally and commercially, in cities such as Venice,
Padua, Verona and Mantua. So strong is his influence that another great
British writer, Charles Dickens, described going down Venice's Grand
Canal in Shakespearean references, imagining he saw “old Shylock
passing to and fro upon a bridge and a form I seemed to know as Desdemona
leaning out a latticed window to pluck a flower. . . Shakespeare’s
spirit was abroad upon the water somewhere, stealing throughout the
city.”
Italy has certainly been modernized and
rebuilt after much of it was bombed into rubble following World War
II, but there yet remains a great sense of the mysterious past here.
One can just imagine the spectral figures of Othello and Desdemona,
Petruchio and Kate, Proteus and Valentine, and Romeo and Juliet, wandering
along the narrow cobblestone streets and through the piazzas. Shakespeare’s
ideal of this medieval fantasy land is one of romance, tragedy, and
above all, atmosphere.
Italy has simply everything that a traveler
could ever want—fantastic food, great wine, heavenly art and music,
amazing architecture, and many centuries of complex history. If that
were not already enough, Shakespeare brought even greater drama with
his tales of political intrigue, tragic romance, and farcical adventure.
Venice, Mantua, Padua, Verona, and Milan are not fairy tale creations,
however, but very much living and breathing entities.
Venice is Queen of the Adriatic, an airy
delicacy moored precariously upon a tumultuous sea. Verona boasts many
Roman ruins, and Padua remains an artists’ magnet. Mantua is the
country’s cultural and architectural storehouse, while Milan serves
as the world’s ruling authority on what’s hot and what’s
not. Towering over them all are the gigantic Dolomite Mountains where
we also go for some invigorating walks.
Toto Tours invites you to step back in time
to experience a different side of Italy than we have offered before.
Springtime is simply the best time to visit, far from the maddening
crowds and the region’s boiling summer humidity. To quote the
Bard: “All the world’s a stage”—so strut your
stuff upon the set of Shakespeare’s Italy!
ITINERARY
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Departure
Today is a travel day. Depart the United States on an overnight flight,
arriving in Venice, Italy, tomorrow morning. We will be happy to arrange
hotel accommodations for you at our centrally located group hotel if
you would like to arrive a day or two early.
Friday, April 21, 2006
Arrive in Venice / Welcome Dinner
The tour commences today at our hotel in Venice. Since we are not
providing group air travel arrangements to Italy, everyone is responsible
for making his own way from the airport to the hotel. Transfer options
will be described in Final Documents mailed prior to departure.
Upon arrival, check in to your hotel room and
enjoy a free afternoon to explore Venice, the setting for Shakespeare’s
Othello, and obviously The Merchant of Venice. This
evening, we gather in the hotel's bar for introductions, then proceed
to the restaurant for our Welcome Dinner. Afterwards, you may wish to
sample some of the Venetian nightlife. (Dinner
Included)
Saturday, April 22, 2006
“Then Away to Venice”
After breakfast at our hotel, we begin our day with a morning walking
tour of Venice. To start, watch glassblowers work their magic to create
a gorgeous work of Venetian glass. Visit the San Marco Basilica, the
interior of which is decorated with mosaics and whose floor is of inlaid
marble and glass. At the ornate Doges’ Palace, see the white and
rose marbled facades begun in the 9th century and completed almost 500
years later. The fabled Bridge of Sighs, leading from the Doges Palace
to the prison, was nicknamed thus by poet Lord Byron not for any romantic
allure but for the sounds uttered by condemned prisoners on the way
to the executioner.
After a break for lunch we continue touring
with an afternoon boat excursion to Burano, one of the greater island
communities in the Venice lagoon, known for its lace, seafood and historical
ambience. We return to the hotel and the remainder of the day is free
for relaxation or independent sightseeing. (Breakfast)
Sunday, April 23, 2006
“I’ve Come to Wive It Wealthily in Padua”
After breakfast transfer to Piazzale Roma, the entrance and exit point
for the Venice Lagoon, where we board our motorcoach for the short drive
to Padova (formerly known as Padua). The setting for Shakespeare’s
The Taming of the Shrew, here one can see 3,000 years of history
upon the facades of its architecture. Visit the San Antonio Basilica,
one of Italy’s most richly decorated churches, with reliefs by
artists Lombardo, Sansovino, and Donatello. After a lunch break visit
the lovely Cappella Degli Scrovegni. The Scrovegni Chapel, a masterpiece
in the history of painting in Italy and Europe in the 14th century,
contains the most complete series of frescoes executed by Giotto in
his mature age. Wander through the ornate Palazzo del Bo, and the sculpture-adorned
Prato della Valle, an oval piazza surrounded by canals. The remainder
of the day is at your leisure. (Breakfast)
Monday, April 24, 2006
Ferrara / Mantua / Verona
After breakfast we depart Padova and enjoy a short drive to the town
of Ferrara. We make a brief stop to enjoy the atmosphere and perhaps
stretch our legs on a portion of the more than five miles of 500-year-old
walls with walking paths on top.
Continue on to Mantova (formerly known as Mantua)
and Verona, featured in both Two Gentlemen of Verona and Romeo
and Juliet. In Mantua, tour the Palazzo Ducale, one of Europe’s
grandest palaces, and see the Casa del Rigoletto, the setting of the
opera of the same name. This afternoon we arrive in Verona and check
in to our hotel with the remainder of the day free for individual exploration. (Breakfast)
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
“In Fair Verona”
After breakfast enjoy a full day of sightseeing in and around Verona.
Once again Italy proves to be a land fixed somewhere between legend
and reality, as we visit the actual locations where Shakespeare set
his fictional Romeo and Juliet. Tour Juliet’s House, including
the famous balcony, and visit Juliet’s Tomb, including the San
Francesco Al Corso Church. After free time for lunch, tour the ancient
Teatro Romano, dating from the end of the First Century B.C. It still
holds performances every summer. Finally, stroll through the Giusti
Gardens, one of the oldest gardens in the world, dating back to 1408,
and affording lovely views over the family villa to the town below.
We enjoy dinner together at a local restaurant this evening. (Breakfast
/ Dinner)
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Lake Garda / Bolzano
After breakfast, check out of our hotel and transfer north along the
shores of Lake Garda, Italy’s largest. Our leisurely drive will
stop at or pass through Bardolino, famous for the wine that bears its
name, the romantic resort of Garda, medieval Malcesine, and the quaint
harbor town of Torbole sul Garda.
Early this afternoon, arrive in Bolzano, the
gateway to the Dolomite Mountains and a crossroads of culture. Enjoy
a walking tour of the town's major sites. It boasts a music competition
honoring pianist Ferruccio Busoni, a house where Mozart slept, a central
piazza named for medieval troubadour Walther von der Vogelweide, one
street named for Dante and another for Goethe, and a conservatory named
for Haydn. The evening is free to explore and enjoy the fresh mountain
air. (Breakfast)
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Dolomites
Imagine mountains shaped like gothic cathedrals, ruined castles or
lofty church belfries, with immense walls, high towers, steeples and
pinnacles. The Dolomites change their color as the day goes on, from
sunrise, through the day, to sunset and on into the evening. This spectacular
mountain region of soaring peaks and pristine alpine villages is a walker’s
paradise. Today, enjoy a walking excursion in the lower foothills of
these grand edifices. Upon return to our hotel in Bolzano, the remainder
of the day is free. (Breakfast)
Friday, April 28, 2006
“By Mine Honesty, Welcome to Milan”
After breakfast check out of our hotel and transfer by motorcoach to
Milan, Italy’s financial center and the world’s fashion
capital. Our four-hour road trip will take us across mountainous Northern
Italy, with the occasional stop to stretch our legs and take advantage
of scenic overlooks, and continue on to the central plain leading to
Milan. Upon arrival, check in to our hotel and the remainder of the
day is free for individual exploration. (Breakfast)
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Milan
Enjoy a day of sightseeing at the main attractions in Milan. In addition
to the late-Gothic Duomo Cathedral, the world’s fourth largest
church, you will have a chance to view La Scala opera house. Linking
the secular Piazza della Scala on the north to the spiritual Piazza
della Duomo on the south is the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. This unifying
structure symbolizes the union of church and state which first came
into being with the nationalist revolution of 1848.
This evening Toto Tours hosts a Farewell
Dinner, during which we say “parting is such sweet sorrow”
to new friends and to Shakespeare’s Italy. (Breakfast
/ Dinner)
Sunday, April 30, 2005
Departure
The tour officially ends after breakfast this morning. We will assist
with arranging airport transfers for those departing today. (Breakfast)
ACCOMMODATIONS
(Click hotel name to see
its website)
Venice: Hotel
Bellini.
Padova: Grand
Italia.
Verona: Hotel
Accademia.
Bolzano: Hotel
Alpi.
Milan: Hotel
Galles.
SUGGESTED VIEWING / NETFLIX
Venice: The Merchant of Venice—Al
Pacino, Jeremy Irons / Don’t Look Now—Julie
Christie, Donald Sutherland / Summertime—Katherine
Hepburn, Rossano Brazzi
Ferrara: The Garden of the Finzi-Contini—Oscar
winning Foreign Film
Padua: Ripley’s Game—John Malkovich
Mantua: Saving Grace—Tom Conti
Verona: Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down—Antonio
Banderas (portions on location in Verona)
Dolomites: Fearless Vampire Killers and
Cliffhangers (mountain scenes only)
Milan: Boccaccio '70—Sophia Loren,
Anita Ekberg
TOUR PREPARATION
Entry Requirements—For entry into Italy, U.S.
and Canadian citizens need only a valid passport.
Immunizations—No immunizations are required,
but we recommend that your tetanus booster is current.
Exit Requirements—There is no departure tax
currently required other than that included with the cost of your airline
ticket.
WHAT TO BRING
Temperatures in the areas visited on this tour typically range between
the upper 40s and low 60s (F) at this time of year, with cooler weather
in Bolzano. Pack light and try to limit yourself to two small suitcases.
Pack medications in a carry-on just in case your bags don’t arrive
when you do. We suggest leaving expensive jewelry at home!
Suggested Packing List:
____ Passport
____ 5 pair long pants with belt (2 pairs blue jeans, the rest slacks
for sightseeing and meals)
____ Socks and underwear for one week
____ Light sweater and windbreaker
____ Hat, scarf, and gloves
____ Rain jacket for misty or stormy days.
____ Comfortable walking / hiking shoes
____ Daypack or fanny pack
____ T-shirts (5 - 6)
____ Casual long-sleeved shirts (4 - 5)
____ Sleepwear (optional)
____ Water Bottle for hikes and tours
____ Sunscreen / lip balm / sunglasses
____ Personal toiletries
____ Swimsuit
____ Camera, batteries & plenty of film or digital memory
____ A good book
MONEY MATTERS
Italy is on the standardized European currency of the Euro (EUR). As
of August 30, 2006, the inter bank exchange rate was €0.82 to U.S.
$1. Bank debit cards, Visa & Mastercard work for Euro cash withdrawals
in most ATMs, which are widely available throughout the country. It
is wise to carry some cash with you, however, in case you get caught
in a situation where an ATM is not available.
Tipping—You are not expected to tip on top of
restaurant service charges, but it is common to leave a small amount
(perhaps €1) per person. If there is no service charge you might
consider leaving a 10% tip, but this is by no means obligatory. You
should leave your spare change as a tip at bars and clubs. For taxi
drivers, always round up the fare to include a little something extra
as gratuity. We will present collective tips to guides and drivers throughout
the tour.
To reserve a place on this tour, click on the “Reservations”
link above. Type in the information requested, tabbing between fields,
print the form, sign and mail it to Toto Tours with your $500 deposit
check. The balance of $2,095 (double) or $2,595 (single) is due 80 days
prior to departure (by January 30, 2006). Tour registration is not complete
until we have received both the form and your deposit check.
Toto Tours does not accept credit cards
as a form of payment. An installment plan is possible. Our mailing address
is: Toto Tours, 1326 W. Albion Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60626-4753.
Make checks payable to: Toto Tours, Ltd.
LIABILITIES / DISCLAIMERS
Making a reservation with a deposit shall be deemed to be consent
to these conditions: Toto Tours does not accept responsibility in whole
or in part for any delay, loss, accidents, personal injury, sickness,
medical expenses, or property damage occasioned by fault of any person
from whatever cause. All participants are required to sign a standard
liability form.
The tour operators reserve the right to accept
or decline any person as a member of the tour at any time and to make
whatever changes become necessary with or without notice. Guaranteed
departure with a minimum of 10 participants.
Toto Tours is not responsible for airline
cancellation or change penalties incurred by individual tour participants
for air tickets purchased prior to notification that the tour is a confirmed
departure.
THE TOTO SPIRIT
Toto Tours provides Adventure Travel Experiences as differentiated
from tours in the traditional sense. Adventure Travel allows (even encourages)
you to be an active participant. Adventurers can be identified by certain
traits. They are:
- fun-loving optimists who have a sense of humor and accentuate
the positive;
- good natured realists who are willing to accept situations
as they exist;
- undaunted by the unexpected, like occasional delays or bad
weather;
- willing to forego some of the amenities we normally take for
granted;
- eager to try new things & test limits;
- punctual;
- not whiners!
Join us for an Renaissance Romp through a part of the world so beautiful
that it inspired William Shakespeare to depict it in many of his famous
plays. Don't be surprised if you return home speaking like the Bard,
forsooth! Verily, if you have any questions, please call: 800-565-1241.
THE BOTTOM LINE
(tour prices per person)
Price: $2,595 double occupancy
Deposit: $500
Private Room: $500 if available. (Not required. Toto
Tours can match you with a roommate if you are traveling alone and prefer
to share a room.)
Final Payment: $2,095 double / $2,595 single
(Assumes $500 deposit has already been made)
Final Payment Due: January 30, 2006
(Full payment required with reservation form if enrolling after this
date.)
Included: Nine nights hotel accommodations; motorcoach
travel between destinations; Welcome Dinner; Farewell Dinner; meals,
activities, and transportation as listed in the itinerary; fully guided
and escorted tour.
Not Included: Round-trip air transportation to Venice,
Italy, and returning from Milan, Italy; airport/hotel transfers; meals
and activities not specifically included in the itinerary; insurance;
all alcoholic beverages; soft drinks; bottled water; laundry; telephone
calls; faxes; any other expenses of a personal nature. Tips to drivers
and guides not included.
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