MSA CULTURAL TOURS FELLOW TRAVELERS NEWSLETTER SPRING /SUMMER 2010

Having conquered/survived another New England Winter, we enthusiastically welcome the advent of spring, the first daffodils, and warm sunny days. Even Florida during the first week of January failed to provide refuge from the cold weather. Springs arrival also brings increased travel activities commencing with an April 8 departure to Greece with a group of Fellow Travelers. The Annual May MSA Congress in Salamanca, Spain will follow Greece, then the Summer Sicily Program in June and the Nocciano Institute in July. We also need to find time for our commitment to lecture (actually we are not allowed to lecture anymore, they now must be called presentations) on a number of Seabourn and Celebrity Cruises. Since the last NEWSLETTER we have completed details for a NORTHERN FRANCE TOUR in April 2011 (see below) and concurrently are working on a Bavarian Alps tour for the fall of 2011. We also hope to return to Europe for a celebration of the 2011 New Year.

UPCOMING TOURS

GRAND TOUR OF ITALY: UMBRIA-TUSCANY-LIGURIA

NOVEMBER 4-15, 2010


$2695 CREDIT CARD $2645 NON-CREDIT CARD

There is still time for you to join this Grand Tour of Northern and Central Italy. The Cinque Terra, Siena, Assisi and the Republic of San Marino are only some of the wonderful places you will visit and enjoy on this tour. A Virtual Tour and Registration Form can be found on the MSACT WEBSITE http://msaculturaltours.com

ITINERARY


Day 1 Depart Boston for Milan Italy


Day 2 Lerici - Overnight Lerici


Day 3 Cinque Terra & Portovenere - Overnight Lerici


Day 4 Siena & San Gimagnino - Overnight Siena


Day 5 Siena - Overnight Siena


Day 6 Assisi - Overnight Assisi


Day 7 San Marino - Overnight San Marino


Day 8 Ravenna - Overnight Ravenna


Day 9 Ravenna - Overnight Ravenna


Day 10 Milan - Overnight Milan


Day 11 Milan - Overnight Milan


Day 12 Depart Milan for Boston

NORTHERN FRANCE: BRITTANY&NORMANDY APRIL 15-24, 2011

CREDIT CARD PAYMENT $2450 - NON-CREDIT CARD PAYMENT $2395. $100 TEACHER DISCOUNT BEFORE SEPTEMBER 1, 2010

Henry Adams, grandson of John Quincy Adams, published in 1904 Mont Saint Michel and Chartres. It is a remarkable work in which Adams explores two of medieval civilization’s most remarkable monuments, the Romanesque grandeur of Mont Saint Michel and the Gothic elegance and beauty of Chartres’ Cathedral. To Adams, Gothic architecture and sculpture, the Code of Chivalry, troubadour tradition and courtly love represented an increasing feminine influence and gentility of 12th Century culture. These magnificent monuments will be centerpieces of the tour, which also includes St Malo, Caen, Bayeux, Honfleur, Giverny and the World War II Normandy Invasion Sites. This Northern France tour represents a number of first’s for MSACT. It is our first venture into Northern France and the first time we have scheduled a Spring Vacation tour providing schoolteachers the opportunity to participate. We have received considerable assistance in creating this itinerary from an old University of Michigan colleague, Professor Emeritus Guy Mermier. Guy has frequently guided groups to France for the University of Michigan Foundation and his help and knowledge was invaluable. Finally we are attempting to make it possible for teachers to receive PDP and/or University credits for this tour.

DAY 1 ARRIVE PARIS OVERNIGHT CHARTRES

DAY 2 CHARTRES

DAY 3 CHARTRES TO SAINT MALO OVERNIGHT ST MALO

DAY 4 SAINT MALO TO CAEN VISIT MONT ST MICHEL.

DAY 5 CAEN

DAY 6 PONTE DU HOC, ARROMANCHES BAYEUX OVERNIGHT CAEN

DAY 7 CAEN TO HONFLEUR OVERNIGHT HONFLEUR

DAY 8 HONFLEUR

DAY 9 HONFLEUR TO PARIS AIRPORT. VISIT GIVERNY & LES ANDELYS ON WAY. OVERNIGHT NEAR PARIS AIRPORT

DAY 10 DEPARTURE FOR U.S.

There will also be an optional three-day extension in Paris. Contact Ben or Louise for details.

AUSTRIA AND THE BAVARIAN ALPS FALL 2011

This tour will take us from the famous beer gardens of Munich, to Hitler’s favorite domicile, the Eagle’s Nest on top of Mt. Kehstein, to Neuschwanstein, the unequaled picturesque castle of (Mad) Ludwig II and his Summer Palace at Herrenchiemsee on an island in the middle of Lake Chiemsee. Also included will be visits to historic Augsburg (2^nd oldest city in Germany), important for the Augsburg Confessions and center of the Fugger banking empire, and the Austrian cities of Salzburg (Mozart’s birthplace) and Innsbruck, capital of Tyrol, Austria’s most important tourist region.

ITINERARY BAVARIAN-SWISS-AUSTRIAN TOUR

DAY 1 ARRIVE MUNICH OVERNIGHT FUSSEN.

DAY 2. NEUSCHWANSTEIN & HERRENCHIEMSEE OVERNIGHT FUSSEN

DAY 3 INNSBRUCK – OVERNIGHT INNSBRUCK

DAY 4 DEPART FOR SALZBURG - OVERNIGHT SALZBURG

DAY 5 SALZBURG

DAY 6 SALZBURG TO MUNICH VISIT EAGLE’S NEST ON WAY

DAY 7 MUNICH

DAY 8 MUNICH EXCURSIONS TO AUGSBURG OVERNIGHT MUNICH

DAY 9 MUNICH

DAY 10 RETURN HOME

2011 NEW YEARS

After exciting New Year Excursions to places like Rome (and the castle in Nocciano), the Portuguese Algarve and Berlin, we remained in the U.S. this year. It is our intention to organize a New Year Celebration to welcome in 2011. Among the venues under consideration are Porta Delgada in the Azores, a return to Nocciano Castle (which would include time in Rome) and Granada Spain. We will have more definite information in the next NEWSLETTER.

FUTURE TOURS UNDER CONSIDERATION:

THE TYRRHENIAN SEA AND ITS ISLANDS: CORSICA, SARDINIA AND SICILY

THE ROAD TO SANTIAGO: THE PILGRIAM ROUTE FROM SOUTHERN FRANCE ACROSS NORTHERN SPAIN TO SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

ENGLAND FROM THE DRUIDS TO SHAKESPEARE.

THE GREAT AMERICAN WEST PART 2

SPECIAL INTEREST TOURS

MSACT is also experienced in arranging tours as funds raisers as it has for the Hyannis Public Library or special interest tours as it has for Roger Williams University and the Second Half Program at UMASS Dartmouth. We would be happy to do one for your organization or group. The relationship of MSACT and Mediterranean Studies Association (with over 400 academic members worldwide) provides access to local scholars who can arrange local tours and lectures at a specific venue.

MSA CULTURAL TOURS

P.O. BOX 79351    N. DARTMOUTH, MA. 02747

EMAIL: msaculturaltours@comcast.net

PHONE: 508-877-979-8687

PHONE: BEN TAGGIE - 508 264 4854 cell

ONLINE AT:  www.msaculturaltours.com