Art, History, Food & Wine
October 30 – November 10, 2024 (12 days)
The Trip
Join Ross Elfline, Professor of Art History, and fellow Carls on this unforgettable, Carleton-exclusive learning adventure from Venice to Milan, Turin, and Alba. This well-paced tour begins with four nights at a hotel in the center of Venice and daily excursions throughout the city, including the islands of Murano, Mazzorbo, and Burano; Piazza San Marco for the Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica; and a full day at the Venice Biennale international art exhibition, which is held every two years in Venice’s Castello District.
Enjoy fabulous medieval, Renaissance, and contemporary art at a variety of other venues as well, including the Palladian Villa Valmarana ai Nani with its beautiful, 18th-century frescoes; Milan’s Pinacoteca di Brera, one of Italy’s foremost art collections, and Museo del Novecento, housing more than 4,000 works of contemporary Italian art; and Turin’s Castello di Rivoli Museum of Contemporary Art.
Stroll through historic cities and towns and admire stunning architecture, from an orientation tour of Milan, including its iconic Gothic Cathedral (Duomo); to Turin, capital of Piedmont, with its Piazza San Carlo and Piazza Castello featuring the Madame Palace and the Royal Palace of the House of Savoy. The landscape that we drive through is equally appealing, with stops in Sirmione, a charming hamlet on the shores of beautiful Lake Garda; and following the enchanting roads and gorgeous countryside of the Langhe, with vineyards and undulating hills.
Along the way we will savor delicious food and wine, including a stop at a bacari, a traditional inn popular with Venetians, to taste cicchetti (small bites) with wine; and at a historic Langhe winery for a tasting and private visit of the cellar. Topping off our adventure, we will join a trifolao and his trifolio (dog) to learn about the art and tradition of truffle hunting in the Langhe, and visit Alba’s renowned International White Truffle Festival, with thousands of products for tasting and for sale.
This Alumni Adventure is limited to a maximum of 24 travelers, so I encourage you to contact the Alumni Adventures office at (800) 811-7244 or carleton@studytours.org to reserve your space today.
Faculty Leader
Ross Elfline is Professor of Art History at Carleton, where he offers a range of courses on modern and contemporary art history, theory, and criticism. He has published widely on Radical Architecture from the 1960s and ’70s, and was the lead consultant for the Walker Art Center exhibition Hippie Modernism: The Struggle for Utopia. Prof. Elfline is currently working on a book project centered on the relationship between architecture and performance in the 1960s and ’70s. At Carleton, he teaches a variety of classes devoted to the work of living artists, and he sees his work as a scholar and educator as an attempt to understand how the challenging art of our present moment offers a means through which we can better understand the world around us. For Carleton, Prof. Elfline has previously led an off-campus study program called “Art Now,” which traveled to the Venice Biennale and other large-scale contemporary art exhibitions in Europe. The program offers students an unparalleled opportunity to study and grapple with the most recent art being produced today. He will also co-direct an off-campus program focusing on the history of European architecture and urban design.
Prices Per Person (10 nights)
Double Occupancy (21-24 participants) $8,445
Double Occupancy (17-20 participants) $8,745
Double Occupancy (13-16 participants) $9,345
Single Supplement $2,145
Single room supplement will be charged when requested or required (limited availability). With fewer than 13 participants, a small group surcharge may be added.
Itinerary
Wednesday, October 30, 2024: Fly to Venice, Italy
Thursday, October 31: Arrive in Venice | Private transfer to hotel | Welcome reception
Friday, November 1: Venice: Murano, Mazzorbo, Burano | Welcome dinner
Saturday, November 2: Venice: Walking tour, Doge’s Palace, St. Mark’s Basilica
Sunday, November 3: Venice: Full day at the Venice Biennale
Monday, November 4: Vicenza: Villa Valmarana ai Nani | Sirmione | Milan
Tuesday, November 5: Milan: Duomo, Pinacoteca di Brera
Wednesday, November 6: Milan: Museo del Novecento, PM at leisure
Thursday, November 7: Scenic Langhe drive | Winery visit | Santa Vittoria d’Alba
Friday, November 8: Turin: Walking tour | Castello di Rivoli Museum of Contemporary Art | Santa Vittoria d’Alba
Saturday, November 9: Truffle hunt | Alba: International White Truffle Festival | Santa Vittoria d’Alba | Farewell dinner
Sunday, November 10: Fly home
Additional Information
To reserve your space using an online form, click here.
For reservations or for more information, download the detailed brochure, call 800-811-7244 or email Carleton College Alumni Adventures.