Mr. Schiebel's Ancient Civilizations

42 Days until departure
June 20, 2025 - July 1, 2025
Trip ID: Schiebel-7800

Tour Itinerary print itinerary

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Day 1 Overnight flight to Italy
Day 2 Ciao Florence
Meet your tour director and check into hotel
Day 3 Florence landmarks
Florence guided sightseeing tour with Whisper headsets
Accademia Gallery visitBaptistery DoorsChiesa di Santa CroceDuomoPonte Vecchio
Optional  Uffizi Gallery  $19
Details: Accademia Gallery visit
Founded in 1563, the Accademia was the first school in Europe established to teach drawing, painting, and sculpting. Michelangelo's David (the biblical hero who slayed Goliath) is the most famous work on display.
Details: Ponte Vecchio
Stroll along the Ponte Vecchio, the oldest of Florence's six bridges and one of the best-loved sites of Florence. Lined with numerous shops, visitors often do not realize they are on a bridge until the reach the center arches that look out over the Arno.
Day 4 Florence--Sorrentine Peninsula
Travel to Naples by train
Details: Pompeii Excursion
guided tour of Pompeii led by a local guide – they will stop at various points of the sites to talk about the Volcanic eruption, the impact on the town and the ruins
Day 5 Sorrentine Peninsula
LEAP Cucina Napoletana!
Cooking class with dinner
Details: Capri excursion
The group will arrive in Capri at Marina Grande where they will take the funicular up to Capri Town that is located just opposite. In winter (until late March), sometimes the funicular is not in service but bus replacements are available. The ride is a very quick ascent, only a couple of minutes but the views are amazing. At the top, groups take advantage of the viewing platform to take photos. The TD will then take the group to the main square and start the tour from here. It’s a steep/hilly area so keep that in mind for any passengers with mobility issues. Usually, the TD walks through Capri Town (with lots of shops and cafes) to various scenic landmarks such as Villa Jovis where there are amazing views
Details: LEAP Cucina Napoletana!
Prepare traditional Neapolitan foods with direction from local chefs. Feast on your delicious creation with your group.
Day 6 Sorrentine Peninsula--Rome
Travel to Rome
Vatican City guided walking sightseeing tour with Whisper headsets
Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel visitSt. Peter’s Basilica visit
Details: Vatican City guided walking sightseeing tour with Whisper headsets
Visit St. Peter’s Basilica where from the outside, the church has four rows of columns that radiate out like welcoming arms; inside, the church seems enormous enough to embrace the entire world. The dome, partially designed by Michelangelo, rises 452 feet above the ground. Michelangelo’s mark is everywhere here, from the costumes worn by the Swiss Guards to his exquisite “Pietà” sculpture (the only sculpture he ever signed) to the amazing frescoes of the Sistine Chapel. Because he considered himself a sculptor and not a painter, Michelangelo hated working on these paintings, now considered masterpieces.
Day 7 Rome
Optional  LEAP Caesar's Gladiators  $109
Details: Rome guided sightseeing tour
Gods and gladiators, glory and gore. Ancient Rome lives on in its spectacular monuments, flavoring the frenetic present with tastes of the past. Don a space-age Whisper headset to get the inside scoop on the most spectacular, the Colosseum, a grisly battle arena that seated more than 45,000. An enormous retractable roof awning system kept spectators cool on sunny days. The nearby Forum provides a glimpse into everyday ancient life, with markets, meeting places, and temples all combined into one vast space.
Details: Colosseum visit with Whisper headset
The Colosseum, considered to be the greatest symbol of Ancient Rome's power and glory, was completed under Titus in 80 A.D. The Colosseum could hold 55,000 spectators, on a par with many of today's modern sports stadiums. Among the sights included is the Arch of Constantine, a triumphal arch finished in 315 A.D., commemorating the victory of Constantine I over Maxentius in the year 312 A.D.
Details: Forum Romanum visit
Tour the ruins and excavations of the Roman Forum, which features the remains of magnificent temples, basilicas, and triumphal arches that once formed the heart of the Empire.
Day 8 Rome--Athens
Fly to Athens
Plaka District tour director led-walking tour
Day 9 Athens landmarks
LEAP Mousaka & Sousta
Greek Taverna dinnerGreek dance lesson
Details: Athens guided sightseeing tour
Athens is one of the oldest and greatest cities of Western Civilization, with a recorded history that extends back 3,400 years. During the Classical Era, Athens was a center for the arts, learning, and philosophy. It was the home of Plato's Academy and Aristotle's Lyceum. Modern Athens is still a vibrant city with a rich culture that takes great pride in its long and complex history.
Details: Acropolis site visit
Visit the Acropolis, which has overlooked Athens for over 2,000 years; habitation traces indicate that it was occupied as early as the Neolithic Age. View the Temple of Athena Nike, and its successor, The Parthenon. The Parthenon is the crowning achievement of the Doric order, built to demonstrate the wealth of Athens in tribute to its patron goddess, Athena.
Details: Syntagma Square
Syntagma Square, located directly in front of the Old Royal Palace, is the central square of Athens.
Details: Agora
The Agora, or marketplace, is located at the base of the Acropolis. It has been a meeting place for thousands of years, going through cycles of destruction and rebuilding. Signs of its changing nature are abundant.
Details: LEAP Return or Remain: Who Owns Art?
The Parthenon Sculptures, taken by the British Earl of Elgin in the early 19th century, are now in the British Museum, leading to a controversy over whether they should stay in London or return to Greece.
Details: Acropolis Museum guided visit
Experience an up close look at the history, art and culture of ancient Greece from the foot of the Acropolis. Walk through this magnificent museum to see examples of Greek art and culture from the Archaic period all the way through the 7th century AD. Learn more about the world famous Acropolis, the Parthenon and the history that surrounds them.
Details: LEAP Mousaka & Sousta
Join hands for traditional Greek line dancing. Next, head to the taverna and live like a local. Enjoy Greek culture, cuisine—and a show!
Day 10 Athens
Delphi guided excursion
Delphi site visitTemple of Apollo
Details: Delphi guided excursion
Prophet from the past. Explore the impressive ruins at Delphi, which the Greeks considered the center of the world. Within the depths of the Temple of Apollo, a priestess would inhale intoxicating vapors that used to rise from the earth and, thus inspired, deliver the prophecies of Apollo. Modern visitors might find more inspiration in the view from Mount Parnassus, over 8000 feet high.
Day 11 Athens
Mycenae & Corinth full day excursion
Ancient Corinth visitMycenae site visit
Day 12 Flight home from Athens

Tour Includes

  • Round-trip airfare and other transportation described in the itinerary
  • Basic Medical, Dental, Emergency Evacuation Insurance during trip
  • Up to three college credits upon course completion (grades 9-12) or high school credit (grades 6-12)
  • Centrally located three- and four-star hotels
  • Plentiful daily breakfast to start the day energized and ready to go
  • Appetizing, culturally representative, three-course dinner daily
  • Full time, multilingual, WorldStrides tour director who is LEAP-trained in experiential education
  • Local guide at sites and on city tours as described in the itinerary
  • LEAP! Learning through Exploration and Active Participation; trademarked immersive approach of learning by doing
  • Entrances and transportation to sites and activities described in your itinerary
  • Local guide and local bus driver tips; see note regarding other important tips
  • 24/7 On Tour Emergency Support
  • Note: On arrival day only dinner is provided; on departure day, only breakfast is provided
  • Note: Tour cost does not include airline-imposed baggage fees, any required passport or visa fees, optional excursions, or recommended Tips for the Tour Director or multi-day Bus Drivers. Optional excursions, optional pre-paid tips, or other individual/group customizations will be listed as separate line items in the total trip cost, if included.

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