Independent Florence: From Medieval to Modern Culture

After you enroll, we’ll ask you to provide or update your personal information and preferences, which includes your health information, lodging and meal preferences for your program.

A passport is required for this program. It must be valid for at least 6 months after your return date.

This information about travel documents pertains to participants holding U.S. passports. Non-U.S. citizens should refer to their country's requirements to ensure they have the necessary documentation for travel.

United States citizens don’t need a visa for any of the countries you’ll be visiting. Non-U.S. citizens should refer to their country's requirements to ensure they have the necessary documentation for travel.

All information we obtain regarding health precautions is from the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta at 404-332-4559 or www.cdc.gov. Please remember that we are a travel company and are not authorized to prescribe any inoculations or medications. The CDC recommends that your Hepatitis A and B, COVID-19, and routine immunizations (chickenpox, DTP, flu, MMR, polio, shingles) be current. No inoculations are required to enter Italy. For additional information, please visit the CDC page for Italy at wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/italy

If Road Scholar is arranging your air travel to and from the program, and you travel on the scheduled start and end dates, you’ll receive free round-trip transfers from the airport to the hotel.

Arrival day is on October 14, 2025

Meet the group at Palazzo Castri 1874 in Florence

Start of Trip:  2:00 p.m. Day 2 hotel check-in; 4:30 p.m. Orientation; 6:30 p.m. Welcome Reception;7:00 p.m. Welcome Dinner.

Getting to the site: Taxi: To reach Florence Vespucci Airport, take a taxi. The city sets taxi fares at €28–32 per cab, depending on the time of day. Supplements may be added for luggage. Tram: If you opt for public transportation, you can walk from the hotel (15 minutes—0.6 mi) or take a taxi to the Piazza dell'Unità Italiana tram stop. Taxi fare runs between €7-10 with luggage. In the Piazza dell'Unità Italiana, board the T2 tram (at the head of the line) and take to the terminal at Florence Airport (end of the line). The journey time is approximately 20 minutes. Trams depart starting at 5:00 a.m. with service until 12:30 a.m. (Sunday–Thursday and bank holidays) or 2:00 a.m. (Friday–Saturday). Single tickets are €1.70 and available from any tram stop ticket vending machine. The ticket vending machines accept most debit and credit cards (Visa and MasterCard) and cash (bills and coins). Tickets must be validated upon boarding the bus. Single tickets are valid 90 minutes after validation and can be used on multiple vehicles.

Getting to the site by train or bus: There is a tram from Florence Airport to piazza della Stazione, just outside the main train station of Florence Santa Maria Novella.

Your trip ends on: Monday, October 20, 2025 in Florence at Palazzo Castri 1874

End of Trip: 10:30 a.m. after breakfast; 11:00 a.m. hotel check-out.

Getting to the airport: Kindly see the above instructions.

Information if you are purchasing your own airfare: Participants who have not purchased airfare through Road Scholar are responsible for making their own transfer arrangements to the first site at the beginning of the program, as well as from the last site at the end of the program. The Information Packet Road Scholar sends in advance of the program includes details needed to make your transfer arrangements. If you wish to purchase airfare through Road Scholar, please call (800) 241-1404. Please note: In the unlikely event Road Scholar must make changes to the program's arrival or departure details, we will notify all participants as soon as possible. Participants who have purchased Road Scholar airfare are protected against airline change fees; however, anyone who has not purchased Road Scholar airfare will be required to make their own adjustments and may incur fees imposed by the airline.