7 Days
Expert-Led
Lifelong Memories
All Inclusive
About The Tour
The Italian Renaissance stands among history's most transformative cultural movements: an age of radical artistic experimentation rooted in the rediscovery of classical learning and animated by humanist philosophy. Far from a simple revival of antiquity, it represented a conscious rethinking of the present — an effort to reconcile inherited classical ideals with contemporary political, social, and spiritual realities.
A defining feature of this programme is its privileged access to restoration laboratories and artisan workshops, where the methodologies of Renaissance botteghe continue to inform modern conservation and craft practice. Participants encounter the Renaissance not as a closed chapter of the past, but as a living tradition sustained through an ongoing dialogue between historical ideals and present-day expertise.
Signature Experiences
Our Florence itinerary is built around hands-on encounters with the traditions that define the country — not performances staged for tourists, but living practices you take part in directly.
Exclusive Experience
Inside a World-Class Restoration Lab
A behind-the-scenes visit to the Opificio delle Pietre Dure, one of the world's leading restoration centres, where Renaissance art is seen through the eyes of the people who conserve it.
Exclusive Experience
A Private Renaissance Banquet
An intimate dinner at Villino Torrigiani, the historic residence of the Marquis Torrigiani family.
Living Tradition
Florence at Christmas
An evening walk through the city's Christmas illuminations with mulled wine in Piazza Santa Croce, followed later in the week by visits to Florence's Christmas markets.
Living Tradition
Wine and Thermal Waters
An afternoon at a Tuscan villa with a wine tasting paired with local delicacies, followed by time in the villa's thermal spa.
Immersive Exploration
Villa Gardens Above Florence
A performance staged exclusively for our group — entirely non-verbal, told through the universal language of movement, image, and music, drawn from the mythological world of Svan culture.
Tour Itinerary
Inclusions and Activities
Accommodation
All accommodations (6 nights, Florence)
Meals
All breakfasts, plus welcome dinner (Day 1), mulled wine in Piazza Santa Croce (Day 1), private Renaissance banquet at Villino Torrigiani (Day 3), villa wine tasting with Tuscan delicacies (Day 4), and lunch at Villa San Michele overlooking Florence (Day 6)
Entrance
Guided access to all listed sites and museums (San Miniato al Monte, Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Medici Tombs at San Lorenzo, Accademia Gallery, Pienza Cathedral and Papal Palace, Opificio delle Pietre Dure, Uffizi Gallery, Villa Medici in Fiesole, Villa Gamberaia, etc.)
Signature cultural experiences
Behind-the-scenes visit to the Opificio delle Pietre Dure restoration laboratories (Day 5), private Renaissance banquet at Villino Torrigiani (Day 3), villa wine tasting with Tuscan delicacies and thermal spa in the Val d'Orcia (Day 4), Christmas illuminations walk with mulled wine in Piazza Santa Croce (Day 1), Florence Christmas markets (Days 5 & 7)
Expert-Speaker
Expert-led narration throughout by cultural historian Kate Bolton-Porciatti, with a dedicated tour coordinator and local guide
Optional
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Additional experiences available on request
Tour Managers
Dr. Eireann Marshall
Alumni Travel Curator
Dr. Marshall holds a PhD in archaeology from Barnard and is a veteran of alumni travel, having spent years designing and leading the scholar-led content that anchors CreaTour's alumni engagement work. She leads much of CreaTour's virtual content, including scholar-led webinars. She has led tours for established operators including Academy Travel, Andante Travels, and Context Travel — companies specializing in small-group, expert-led cultural and historical touring rather than mass-market travel.
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Terry Moore
Tour Director
Terry brings nearly decades of experience specifically in educational and affinity group travel. She worked directly with premier U.S. university alumni associations and cultural institutions to build customized educational group journeys, including programs with Stanford University and National Geographic Expeditions. Her background spans new business development, operations, and client services across both fast-growth startups and Fortune 500 organizations.
Due Diligence & Financial Protection
Financial Protection
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Traveler payments are held and processed through Repayd, a dedicated travel payments platform
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Trip insurance is available through AON/Arch Insurance and Travel Insured International, including Cancel for Any Reason coverage
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CreaTour carries AON professional liability coverage as standard
Partnership Terms
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No cost to your institution at any point in the process
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Standard deposit of $1,000 per person, with the balance due 65 days before departure
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No penalty to your institution if a minimum traveler count isn't reached — the program simply doesn't run
Accountability
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Clear, documented terms from first conversation through final departure
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No hidden fees or undisclosed revenue arrangements
Address
810 Memorial Drive, STE 103
Cambridge, MA 02139
United States
Phone
+1 (617) 812-6618
