Date
Jun 5, 2026 - Jun 14, 2026
Trip Type
By Land

Group Size: 15 - 32 participants
Price: Starting from $9,990 per person, double occupancy 
Co-sponsored with: Harvard Exclusive

Single occupancy sold out!

Activity Level
3

Trip Overview

Step into the heart of Renaissance Italy on a journey that uncovers how curiosity, innovation, and imagination reshaped our understanding of the universe. From Galileo’s experiments and Medici patronage to anatomical theaters and celestial mosaics, the itinerary brings the scientific revolution to life. In Florence, explore the birth of modern thought through architecture and astronomy. Padua reveals the foundations of anatomy and physics within its historic university halls. Venice offers a cosmic finale, where sacred art and maritime science intertwine. Expert guided visits, curated collections, and meaningful moments of reflection make this a rich and immersive exploration of past insights that still shape our world today.

Highlights

  • In Florence, discover Galileo’s world at Museo Galileo, including Medici scientific collections, Coronelli’s globes, and rare instruments of prediction.
  • Experience the masterworks of da Vinci, Botticelli, Michelangelo and Giotto on a privately guided tour of Florence’s Uffizi Gallery.
  • Visit Arcetri, including the exterior of Galileo’s final residence and a small-group experience at the Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory.
  • Dine at Trattoria Omero, a beloved Florentine institution nestled in the hills, known for its classic Tuscan dishes and sweeping views over the city — a favorite of locals, celebrities, and even royalty.
  • Take a privately guided tour of Palazzo Bo in Padua, where Galileo once taught, featuring the original Anatomical Theatre and Galileo’s podium.
  • Discover insight into centuries of astronomical history with a curated visit to Museo La Specola in Padua, with original 18th-century telescopes and scientific instruments.
  • Weave past the quiet canals and hidden corners of Venice on a private walking tour before arriving at the iconic Piazza San Marco and the breathtaking St. Mark’s Basilica.
  • Delve into the grounds of Venice’s legendary shipyard and see full-scale gondolas, 18thcentury naval weapons, and the Enrico Dandolo submarine.

Schedule by Day

Independent departures from your home city on an overnight flight to Florence, Italy.

Arrive in Florence and check in at the Lungarno Gallery Hotel Art, a contemporary boutique hotel just steps from the Arno River and Ponte Vecchio. Begin your visit with stops at the Duomo and Palazzo Medici Riccardi, a cornerstone of Renaissance civic and cultural life. In the evening, gather with fellow travelers for a welcome reception and dinner.

Meals: R, D

Overnight: Lungarno Gallery Hotel - Art/Gallery Room

Begin the day with a lecture on Galileo and the birth of modern science. Tour the Museo Galileo, home to the Medici scientific collections, Coronelli’s globes, and rare instruments of prediction. Visit the Basilica di Santa Croce and conclude with a guided tour of the Uffizi Gallery, featuring works by da Vinci, Botticelli, Michelangelo, and Giotto. Dinner is on your own schedule, with plenty of local options from which to choose.

Meals: B, L

Overnight: Lungarno Gallery Hotel - Art/Gallery Room

Today focuses on Galileo’s later work and legacy. Travel to Arcetri to view the exterior of his final residence and take part in a small-group experience at the Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory. Enjoy a traditional Tuscan lunch at Trattoria Omero, a hilltop favorite with sweeping views of the city. Dinner tonight is on your own.

Meals: B, L

Overnight: Lungarno Gallery Hotel - Art/Gallery Room

Transfer to Padua by business-class train and spend the morning at the Morgagni Museum, viewing 18th-20th century medical instruments and anatomical artifacts. Visit Palazzo Bo, where Galileo once taught, including the world’s first permanent Anatomical Theatre and Galileo’s original podium. Check in at Hotel President Terme, a historic property in the heart of the Euganean Hills, offering comfortable rooms and thermal wellness facilities. Enjoy a free evening to explore and dine at your own pace.

Meals: B, L

Overnight: Hotel President Terme - Classic Room

Today’s lecture explores key advances in anatomy and physics during the Renaissance. Discover Padua’s historic city center, including Piazza delle Erbe and the medieval Palazzo della Ragione, once the seat of civic and commercial life. Visit MUSME, the Museum of the History of Medicine, located in Padua’s first hospital and featuring interactive exhibits tracing the evolution of medical science. Continue to the Giovanni Poleni Physics Museum at the University of Padua, home to early scientific instruments and experimental apparatus used in the study of mechanics, electricity, and magnetism.

Meals: B, D

Overnight: Hotel President Terme - Classic Room

Visit Museo La Specola, housed in an 18th-century astronomical observatory that was once part of a medieval tower used by the Carraresi family. The museum showcases centuries of astronomical history, including 18th-century telescopes, celestial globes, and precision instruments used for star mapping and timekeeping. It also highlights Padua’s role in advancing observational astronomy. Enjoy a leisurely afternoon and evening, with time to explore and dine at one of Padua’s many acclaimed restaurants, known for regional Veneto cuisine.

Meals: B

Overnight: Hotel President Terme - Classic Room

Travel by motor coach to Venice. Check in at the Starhotels Splendid Venice, a refined property tucked between the Rialto Bridge and Piazza San Marco, offering elegant rooms and a rooftop terrace with panoramic views of the canals and cityscape. Take a private walking tour through the city’s hidden corners, ending at Piazza San Marco and St. Mark’s Basilica. The visit includes the Torre dell’Orologio, Venice’s historic astronomical clock tower. Enjoy dinner at your leisure, with numerous excellent restaurants to choose from. Starhotels Splendid Venice.

Meals: B, L

Overnight: Starhotels Splendid - Venice/Deluxe Rooms

Visit the Natural History Museum of Venice, housed in the historic Fondaco dei Turchi, featuring exhibits on marine biology, paleontology, and local ecosystems. Continue to the Arsenale, once the largest shipyard in Europe and a symbol of Venice’s naval supremacy. At the Museo Storico Navale, examine historic gondolas, 18th-century naval weaponry, detailed ship models, and the Enrico Dandolo submarine—Italy’s first postwar submarine. Enjoy lunch at your leisure, with a wide array of nearby trattorias and osterias offering traditional Venetian fare.

Meals: B, D

Overnight: Starhotels Splendid - Venice/Deluxe Rooms

After breakfast, transfer to the Venice Airport for your independent return flights home.

Meals: B

Pricing

  • $9,990 per person, double occupancy
  • $11,990 single occupancy

Accommodations

  • Three nights at the Lungarno Gallery Hotel - Art/Gallery Room
  • Three nights at the Hotel President - Terme/Classic Room
  • Two nights at the Starhotels Splendid - Venice/Deluxe Room

What to Expect

Activity Level 3

In order to make the most of what each locale has to offer, this moderately active program is at times physically demanding and busy, with some early departures from the hotels and activities scheduled throughout the day. While we will maintain a moderate pace throughout the program, participants should be fit, in active good health, and able to keep up with the group without assistance from tour staff.

Local travel on land will be by modern air-conditioned motorcoach, with most drives generally lasting under 60 minutes at a time, sometimes over winding roads. In addition, there will be travel by high-speed train on when the group travels from Florence to Padua, which takes approximately two hours. Motorcoaches may not have close access to historic city centers, and you will need to walk some distances where the streets are cobblestoned and uneven, and where stairways occasionally may not have handrails. Excursions involve up to three miles of walking on some days, and you can expect to spend up to three hours at a time on your feet, sometimes remaining fairly stationary, as in a museum or church, and sometimes covering a moderate distance. Note that many historic buildings do not have elevators.

This promises to be a memorable journey, but as with all travel, a flexible attitude, a spirit of adventure, and a willingness to explore new areas will enhance your enjoyment of this program. You do not have to participate in all the scheduled activities, except when traveling to the next destination. We are sure you will be pleased with the exciting educational program provided, but we want you to be aware of the pace and activity level.

Study Leader(s)

Robert Wheeler Willson Professor of Applied Astronomy
Professor of Epidemiology and Professor of Medicine

For More Information

Please email haatravels@harvard.edu or call our office at 800-422-1636 or 617-496-0806.