TRIP #7 – ROMA AMOR – ROME IS LOVE SPELLED BACKWARD, By Judith Testa
arthisto August 26th, 2011
Judith Testa At Her Best
October 10 – 17, 2012 ~ 8 Days ~ Group Size: 6 – 8
Price: $4,100.00
We are so very fortunate to have Judith Testa, in person, bringing her book to life in her beloved Rome. I will be among the lucky travelers that will make up this group, as we gather around this fun and funny font of knowledge, and become friends.
Following post by Judith Testa:
There’s a saying, “Roma, non basta una vita,” which means “Rome, a lifetime is not enough.” But even if you don’t have a lifetime to devote to exploring the Eternal City, you can see and experience an amazing amount in a well-organized week, and that’s what Art History Alive promises you.
We’ll take in the astounding sweep of Rome’s art and history, from the emperor Augustus in the first century BC to his 20th-century wannabe, Mussolini. But don’t worry– we won’t rush you around the city all day, every day, merely glancing at monuments before hurrying on to yet another site. Instead, by carefully choosing sites near to one another, we can visit some of Rome’s best-known treasures as well as a couple of its lesser-known gems, and still have time for delicious meals and some hours on your own.
On the day of your arrival, you’ll no doubt want some fresh air and something wonderful to look at, so we’ll ascend the Gianicolo–Rome’s Janiculum Hill– to admire the Acqua Paola, a gorgeous Baroque fountain that overlooks a fabulous panorama of the city.
On subsequent days, we’ll visit the Ara Pacis, the altar dedicated to peace by Rome’s first emperor, Augustus, and then walk around a corner to view a piazza designed for Mussolini. We’ll visit the Pantheon, one of the greatest buildings in the world, once a temple to all the Roman gods and now a church, and just a few streets way, the Baroque church of Sant’ Ignazio, with ceiling paintings that will truly blow you away.
Prosciutto and Melon - A delicious work of art
We’ll also go inside the Colosseum, the huge arena where gladiators and wild animals once fought for the entertainment of the Roman populace. And rather than tramping through the Roman Forum, the seat of the ancient Roman government, we’ll view it from the summit of the Capitoline Hill– the latter re-designed by Michelangelo, and a superb example of High Renaissance city planning.
A visit to the small but interestingly decorated catacombs of St. Priscilla, a site few tourists succeed in finding, will acquaint you with the world of early Christianity as seen through a subterranean “city of the dead.” Medieval Rome will be right on our doorstep, in the form of the church of S. Maria in Trastevere, according to some, the earliest Christian site in Rome, and housing marvelous mosaics and other works of art from various periods.
No visit to Rome would be complete without seeing St. Peter’s, the epitome of High Renaissance grandeur and Baroque splendor. A visit to the Vatican Museums will end in the Sistine Chapel, where Michelangelo’s ceiling paintings provide one of the most unforgettable experiences in a city full of peak experiences.
