Fly this afternoon from your departure city to Florence. Beverages, dinner and continental breakfast will be served in flight.
There is also a movie for your in-flight enjoyment.

     Arrive Florence in the morning, local time. Upon arrival,
we will be met and transferred to our hotel.

The brightest jewel of the Renaissance, known throughout the world for its treasures of art, this ancient capital of Tuscany in the foothills of the Apennines is justly called "La Bella" in Italy. From the Middle Ages onward, Florence has been the center of Italian intellectual and artistic life. It's the city of Dante, where the Italian language was born. It was here that Boccaccio and Machiavelli wrote, and Michelangelo, Galileoand da Vinci worked.

This afternoon a walking tour with a local guide will introduce us to Florence. Visit the Piazza Della Signoria and the 13th century Cathedral with its remarkable dome and Baptistry.

This evening we'll attend a get acquainted gathering (cash bar) to meet our trip director and fellow passengers. Dinner is included at a popular restaurant in Florence.

     This morning we will visit Michelangelo's David, probably the most famous sculpture in the history of western art.

Next, we will visit the Cathedral (Duomo) Organ, actually five parts controlled by three consoles. Cathedral Organist, Alfonso Fedi, will explain the organ's specifications to us, play briefly, and give us an opportunity to play this unique instrument. The acoustics give the organ twelve seconds of reverberation!

Next, we will visit the Church of the Annunciation, built in 1251. The Church has five organs. The principal two organs were completed in 1521 and 1634. The organs were given the same tonality in 1763.

We will also visit the Church of San Lorenzo, consecrated in 393 and the oldest church in Florence.

     Pistoia is one of the major organ centers of Italy, and the headquarters of the Italian Music Academy of Organs. At the Cathedral, we will visit the Tronci Organ (1793), one of the few
historic organs in Italy still in its original condition.

We will also visit the Willem Hermans Organ (1664) at the Church of Spirito Santo. This instrument is the only Hermans organ still surviving. Its reeds are the oldest existing in Italy.

Continue to Lucca, which became a Roman colony in 180 B.C. The town's Roman legacy is still evident in the regular grid pattern of its streets. Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) was born in Lucca; we will visit his birthplace and small museum.

In Lucca we will visit the small organ at the Mansi Palace, built by Ravani around 1650. In spite of its small size it has a beautiful sound and is considered one of the most precious organs in Italy.

After lunch in Lucca, we will journey into the lovely Tuscan countryside and visit the organ at the Abbey of St. Stefano, built by Onofrio Zeffirini in 1551. Zeffirini is one of the most important Italian organ builders. This organ is the only six foot organ surviving.

Next, we will take a break from organs and visit Pisa to see the famous Leaning Tower, one of the most photographed landmarks in the world.

Dinner this evening is in Viareggio, a lovely town by the Mediterranean Sea.

After dinner and a lecture on Madame Butterfly, we will proceed to Torre Del Lago to attend
a performance of Puccini's favorite and best known opera. As noted in the Grove Book of
Operas, Butterfly is the apotheosis of the frail, suffering heroine portrayed by Puccini.

Return to Florence after the performance.

     Full day at leisure in Florence.

In addition to seeing the art treasures—in and out of museums — take time for leisurely strolling, or just relaxing in a café. For shopping, Florentine leather is perhaps the finest in the world. The Ponte Vecchio, spanning the Arno River, has interesting shops of handcrafted silver and gold jewelry.

For more sightseeing, you may wish to visit the most glorious of the Florentine palaces, the Pitti Palace, once residence of the
Kings of Italy and today one of the finest centers of Italian art. The extraordinary Uffizi Gallery is the pride of Italy and houses one
of the greatest collections of art in the world.

This evening is at leisure to sample a Florentine restaurant on your own.

     This morning we will proceed to San Gimignano. San Gimignano
has a dramatic skyline with 14 towers. Little has changed here since
the 14th century. There is still a weekly street market in the cathedral
square, and water still flows from an ancient cistern in the Piazza del
Popolo. San Gimignano seems beautifully untouched.

We will visit the 11th century Cathedral and its organ, dating from
the 16th century. The inside walls of the Cathedral are completely
covered by frescoes.

Continue to Siena.

Beautiful, gentle Siena is built on three hills and is still surrounded
by its historic ramparts. Its medieval center has streets lined with
Gothic buildings in various shades of a reddish-brown color known
as "burnt Siena." The city became one of Europe's major centers
during the 13th and 14th centuries and is famous today for its
medieval art and architecture. We'll enjoy a walking tour of the town
and see the Piazza del Campo, site of the famed Palio horse race,
and the city's Gothic cathedral.

Next, we depart Siena and visit Montepulciano, one of Tuscany's
most interesting hill towns and, at 1,950 feet above sea level,
among the highest. The town is encircled by walls and fortifications
built in 1511. Inside the walls the streets are crammed with
Renaissance-style palaces and churches; the town is known for
its excellent wine.

Enroute,we will see themany vineyards of Italy's Chianti region.

Our next organ visit will be among our most interesting.

In Montepulciano we will visit the Church of Santa Maria delle
Grazie and its antique organ dating back to 1600. All of the organ's
more than 500 pipes are made of wood! The organ is the only one
of its kind in the world; organists from many countries come to
Montepulciano to play this unique instrument.

Dinner this evening is at the Café Poliziano with its magnificent
view overlooking the Tuscany countryside.

     Depart Florence this morning and proceed to Venice — perhaps the most fascinating city in Europe and certainly the most romantic.

Venice is built on 117 small islands spanned by more than 150 canals and 400 bridges. The main "thoroughfare" of Venice is the Grand Canal; enjoy a Vaporetto boat ride on this waterway and visit St. Mark's Square, called the "largest living room in the world." Visit the Basilica of St. Mark and the famous belltower in the Square. See the Palace of the Doges and the legendary Bridge of Sighs.

This afternoon we will enjoy a walking tour with a local guide.

Dinner this evening is at our hotel.

Antonio Vivaldi was born in Venice in 1678 and lived there most of his life. This evening we will be treated to a concert of Vivaldi's Four Seasons.

     Today we will hear and play the organs at the following churches in Venice.

1. Santa Maria Della Pieta, 1759. Organ built by students of Nacchini. Vivaldi
worked here during much of his career.

2. Basilica Dei Frari, 1795. Organ built by Gaetano Callido. The church has two additional organs.

A Franciscan church, Santa Maria Dei Frari was begun in 1250 and expanded in 1338. The artist Titian, who died in 1576, is buried here.

3. San Giorgio Maggiore, 1750. Organ built by Pietro Nacchini.

The Church, built between 1565 and 1580, is situated on an island across the Grand Canal, offering a magnificent view of the Venice skyline. The sanctuary includes two paintings by Tintoretto.

The balance of the day is at leisure for browsing, shopping, and exploring this fascinating city. For more romantic sightseeing, you may wish to hire a gondola.

This evening is at leisure to sample a Venetian restaurant on your own.

     Romeo exaggerates, of course, but his sentiment reflects the prestige and importance of Verona at the time of Shakespeare.

We'll enjoy a walking tour of Verona, visiting the Central Square, Piazza delle Erbe, and the 12th century cathedral. Verona is the setting for Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and we'll see the balcony from that immortal play.

After dinner and a lecture on Nabucco, we will proceed to the Roman Arena of Verona, an amphitheater, built in the first century A.D. during the time of the Emperor Augustus. The Arena is one of the greatest archeological monuments in Europe.

First performed at La Scala in Milan in 1842, Nabucco was Verdi's first triumph. Deriving from biblical sources, largely Jeremiah, Nabucco has no major tenor role. As noted in the Grove Book of Operas, the true protagonist of the opera is the
chorus. The choral lament "Va Pensiero" is the most famous piece in Nabucco, perhaps in all of Verdi. It became a symbol of Italian nationalism and unification, and has been called the "real" National Anthem of Italy.

     Perhaps the most famous violin maker in history was Antonio Stradivari, maker of the "Stradivarius." We will visit the Stradivari Museum at Cremona, and the collection of old violins at the Palazzo Communale, where the director will play for us on an original Stradivarius.

Next, we will proceed to Lake Como.

The Lake Region is the most beautiful part of Italy and one of the most beautiful areas in Europe.

We will visit the lakeside village of Bellagio. The Italians call Bellagio "la perla del lago" (the pearl of the lake.) Combining Alpine grandeur with Mediterranean sensuality, Bellagio is perhaps the most enchanting spot of an extraordinarily
beautiful setting.

Shop and stroll in Bellagio, and enjoy a cappuccino at a lakeside café.

Continue to Stresa on Lake Maggiore.

     Full day at leisure at Lake Maggiore.

Which of the Italian lakes is the most beautiful? Garda? Como? Maggiore? This is perhaps a question without answer, for all are beautiful in their own way. Maggiore does not have the Roman and medieval heritage of Lake Garda, or the romantic image of Lake Como. But it is the largest of the Italian lakes and includes three beautiful islands just opposite Stresa.

Today is at leisure to browse, shop, and sightsee.

Opposite Stresa on Lake Maggiore are three picturesque islands - Isola Bella (Beautiful Island), Isola Madre (Mother's Island) and Isola Pescatori (Fisherman's Island.) You may wish to take a boat ride on the lake and visit one or more of the islands. Shuttle boats run about every half hour.

On these magnificent islands, surrounded by Lake Maggiore, with the snow-capped Alps in the background, the setting becomes an unforgettable memory.

Dinner this evening is at a popular restaurant in Stresa.

     Milan is Italy's liveliest, most sophisticated and wealthiest city.

Over the centuries, there have been countless reproductions of Leonardo Da Vinci's "Last Supper." Today we will see the original work at the Church of Santa Maria della Grazie. Restoration of the painting was completed in 1999 — after 21 years of work!

Next, we will visit Milan's magnificent Cathedral, the third largest cathedral in Europe. We will hear and play the cathedral's Tamburini Organ, built in 1937 with 150 stops and 15,500 pipes.

We will visit the two organs at the Basilica of Santa Maria Della Passione. The Antegnati Organ dates from 1558.

This afternoon we will visit the Musical Instruments Museum at the Castello Sforzesco. The museum hosts a unique collection of more than 600 items, including Stradivari violins and 16th century harps.

At the end of the day we will proceed to our hotel at Milan Malpensa Airport. Our farewell dinner at the hotel will include Italian music.

     All good things must come to an end. This morning we will board our return flight to the U.S. Beverages and meals will be served in flight, and a movie will also be available.

Arrive back in the U.S. this afternoon.