MSA CULTURAL TOURS NEWSLETTER
JANUARY 2014
Dear Fellow Travelers,
Louise and I wish everyone a happy, healthy and safe New Year, 2014 is MSACT Tenth Anniversary year and we have planned new travel experiences to share with you. Our seminal Tenth Anniversary event will be an Amalfi Coast /Eternal Rome Tour, the complete itinerary is below
I. SECOND HALF LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE
In recent years MSACT has collaborated with the Second Half Lifelong Learning Institute to provide educational opportunities integrating formal courses with educational travel. Second half does not sponsor MSACT tours, but several tours have grown out of Second Half Courses. Mariano Merino and Ben team-taught Second Half Courses on: Historic Spain, Road to Santiago and Andalusia, which were followed by popular optional tours offered by MSACT. Mariano and Ben plan to offer a course on Catalonia/Barcelona/Cathars this fall and Ben will possibly offer a spring 2015 course on Ancient Greece: Gods, Poets and Athletes. Both Courses will be followed by optional tours.
II. THE AZORES MAY 13 – 23, 2014
Another example of MSACT/SECOND HALF cooperation is a May 13-23 Azores tour lead by Anthony Cabral. This tour follows Tony’s large successful Second Half course last fall on the Azores. Louise and I will travel with the group to help make the trains run on time but Tony will be the Tour Guide and impart his extensive knowledge and passion for the Islands to the tour group.
III AMALFI COAST & ROME NOVEMBER 7-18, 2014
This will be the signature 2014 MSACT 10th Anniversary Tour. We will visit the beautiful Amalfi coast and spend the final 3 days in Rome. All hotel are 4 and 5 star, at this writing the tour is already over half full so please get your registration in and join us for this memorable experience.
ITINERARY
DAY 1 NOVEMBER 7 DEPART BOSTON FOR ROME
DAY 2 NOVEMBER 8
Arrive Rome, travel by coach to Paestum
Overnight Paestum at 5 Star Mec Paestum Hotel – DINNER ON US
After dinner a short walk to the unforgettable experience of seeing Ancient Paestum at night.
THE FIVE STARS MEC HOTEL PAESTUM http://hotelpaestum.com/index.htm
DAY 3 NOVEMBER 9
Visit the beautiful 7th Century BC Greek city of Paestum. The three Doric temples at Paestum are among the world’s earliest and most spectacular surviving Greek Temples and visit the museum near the archaeological site. DINNER ON US AGAIN OVERNIGHT PAESTUM
DAY 4 NOVEMBER 10
Depart Paestum for Positano stopping at the lovely Mountain town of Ravello. OVERNIGHT POSITANO 4 Star Positano Art Hotel Pasitea where every room has a balcony with beautiful Sea View.
POSITANO ART HOTEL PASITEA
DAY 5 NOVEMBER 11
Free Day to explore and enjoy the beauty of Positano
OVERNIGHT Positano Art Hotel Pasitea
DAY 6. NOVEMBER 12
Visit the medieval Italian Maritime city of Amalfi. Weather permitting we will take 15-20 minute water taxi to Amalfi.
OVERNIGHT Positano Art Hotel Pasitea
DAY 7 NOVEMBER 13
Morning departure for Naples, visit the remarkable National Archaeological Museum, home to many magnificent mosaics and frescos from Pompeii and Herculaneum. Those with sufficient maturity may visit the Museum’s Erotica Room not open to the public until the 1960’s. Our hotel is a 10-minute walk to the Museum. OVERNIGHT NAPLES
FOUR STAR PALAZZO CARACCIOLO NAPOLI MGALLERY
http://www.mgallery.com/gb/hotel-5565-palazzo-caracciolo-napoli-mgallery-colle
DAY 8 NOVEMBER 14
Those interested can take the ferry to the Island of Capri and/or visit Naples landmark Castel Nuovo and Naples many other famous site. OVERNIGHT NAPLES PALAZZO CARACCIOLO NAPOLI
DAY 9 NOVEMBER 15
Depart Naples for Rome with visit to Pompeii on the way.
OVERNIGHT ROME FIVE STAR LA GRIFFE ROMA – MGALLERY http://lagriffeluxuryhotel.com/
DAY 10 NOVEMBER 16
Free Day in Rome to visit the Vatican, Roman Forum, Coliseum, Sistine Chapel, Pantheon, Tivoli Fountain, Vatican Museum and other famous sites in Rome. OPTIONAL WALKING TOUR OVERNIGHT ROME
FIVE STAR LA GRIFFE ROMA
DAY 11 NOVEMBER 17
Free Day in Rome to see sites not seen the previous day.
OVERNIGHT ROME FIVE STAR LA GRIFFE
DAY 12 NOVEMBER 18
ARRIVEDERCI ROMA: DEPART ROME 10:15 AM FOR BOSTON
ARRIVE BOSTON 4:45 PM
IV CATALONIA/BARCELONA TENTATIVE DATES
MAY 14-24, 2015
The Tour Itinerary is a work in progress but will grow out the Catalonia/Barcelona/Cathars course Marino and Ben will teach this fall. It will include 2 nights in Tarragona, 5 nights in Barcelona and a night in the Parador in Cardona.
V GREECE: GODS, POETS AND ATHLETES
NOVEMBER 2015
This tour will include Athens, Ancient Olympia, Delphi, Mycenae and Epidaurus. Specific dates and details of the tour will be available in fall 2014
Louise & Ben
MSA Cultural Tours
PO Box 79351
North Dartmouth, MA 02747
Phone & Fax: 508 979-8687
Email: msaculturaltours@comcast.net
http://msaculturaltours.com