ORIGINS OF ROMAN ART:
CIVILIZATION OF ANCIENT ITALY

DAY 01
Arrive in Rome. Transfer to hotel, overnight.

DAY 02
Breakfast at hotel.
Departure to Tarquinia. Visit the Nationai Archaeological Museum with its well laid out exhibition of materiai and the splendid collection of sarcophagi. Afterwards, on to the nearby Necropolis of Montarozzi to admire the marvellously frescoed tombs which are one of the leading masterpieces of ancient painting.
Afternoon visit of the tufaceous Necropolis at Norchia. Check into hotel, dinner and overnight accommodation.

DAY 03
Breakfast at hotel.
Morning visit to the scared area of Pyrgi, commerciai emporium of the Mediterranean. Visit the Necropolis of the Banditaccia at Cerveteri, very similar to a citv both in urban layout and structure of the tombs.
Afternoon visit the excavation at Veio, the first etruscan city conquered by the Romans and birthpace of Vulca the sculptor who was responsible for the decorations of the Temple of jupiter in Rome. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight accommodation.

DAY 04
Breakfast at hotel.
Morning free at leisure.
In the afternoon transfer to Paestum. Check into hotel, dinner and overnight accommodation.

DAY 05
Breakfast at hotel.
Morning visit to the Archaeological Museum, the excavations and the exceptional temples of Paestum in the near perfect state of preservation. Afternoon visit to the sacred area of the River Sele and the excavation at Velia, the ancient Elea seat of an important philosophical school.
Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight accommodation.

DAY 06
Breakfast at hotel.
Morning transfer to Metaponto.
Afternoon visit to the Archaeological Museum of Metaponto which has been rearranged and the temple known as of the Palatine Tablets.
Continue to Taranto. Check into hotel for dinner and overnight accomodation.

DAY 07
Breakfast at hotel.
Morning visit to the Archaeological Museum at Taranto with evidence of sophistication reached by this city, one of the most important Greek colonies in Southern Italy.
Afternoon visit the excavation at Egnazia on the Adriatic coast and the Jatta Mueum at Ruvo with its extensive collection of Apulian ceramics.
Check into hotel at Manfredonia (the ancient Siponto), dinner and overnight accomodation.

DAY 08
Breakfast at hotel.
Morning visit to the collection of Daune Stele, housed in the Schwabian Castle of Manfredonia. Continue to Benevento.
Afternoon visit the Provinciai Museum of the Sannio which constitutes an important documentation of the life of the proud Samnites, fierce antagonist of the Romans. We will also visit the Roman Theatre and the Triurnphal Arch erected by the Emperor Trajan.
Tranfer to Naples, check into hotel for dinner and overnight accomodation.

DAY 09
Breakfast at hotel.
Morning visit the Naples Archaeological Museum with its exceptional collection which includes: Greek vases, Roman statues and mosaics all coming from private collections such as that of the Farnese family, or from the excavations at Pompei, Ercolano, etc.
Afternoon visit of the excavations at Pompei. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight accomodation

DAY 10
Breakfast at hotel.
Morning visit to Cuma, sacred to the famous Sybil originator of the books later purchased by the Roman King Tarquinius the Proud, now housed in the Temple ofjupiter Capitolinus.
Continue to Capua, primitive Oscan settlement transformed into a citv flrst by Etruscans and later by Romans. Further on to Santa Maria Capuavetere we will visit the grandiose Roman amphiteathre, the temple dedicated to the God Mithras and the socalled Arch of Hadrian.
Afternoon, on approaching Rome, stop at Matri to admire the impressive cyclopead walls. Check into the hotel for dinner and overnight accommodation.

DAY 11
Breakfast at hotel.
The whole day is spent visiting the Roman and Trajan Fora and the Palatine Hill where we will see the ancient huts of the originai Roman setlement, the basilicas of the Republican period and some of the most significant constructions of the Imperiai period. Return to the hotel for overnight accommodation.

DAY 12
Breakfast at hotel.
Morning visit to the Capitoline Museums, divided in two buildings housing a collection of Greek and Roman statues.
Afternoon visit the Ara Pacis, August's Mausoleum and Pantheon with its originai bronze doors; inside there are the Raffaello and Annibale Carracci's tombs.

DAY 13
Breakfast at hotel.
End of arrangements and departure to airport

ROME
THREE RELIGIONS TOUR

This tour is dedicated to the visit of the temples representing the major world religions: the Christian (St. Peter's Basilica), the Muslim (the Mosque) and the Jewish (the Synagogue).
We will start with the visit of the Mosque: Muslim art masterpiece, is composed by a portico and a sanctuary, a centrai niche indicated the Mecca's direction.
Then we continue our visit going to St. Peter's Basilica: the plan of the Basilica is a latin cross with a transept and a columned portico. It was built by Michelangelo and many other famous artists. Nowadays it's the biggest christian church in the world.
Lunch in local restaurant.
In the afternoon, we will visit the Synagogue: it was built in an oriental style in order to avoid any similitude with the christian churches. It is also possible to visit the Israelitic Community Museum that has a collection of various objects of the roman conmunity.