Day 1: Sunday, July 13, 2008/ August 17, 2008

Meet 3:00 p.m. sharp at JFK Airport, Terminal 1. Check-in, Mincha, snack and board plane for our 5:00 p.m. American Airlines direct Flight #263S to Fiumicino Airport in Rome.

Day 2: Monday, July 14 / August 18

Arrive at Fiumicino Airport, Rome at 7:25 a.m. (Flight # 1204) where we are warmly welcomed by our wonderful Rome tour director. We will daven Shacharis in a private area at the airport, followed by a small breakfast.

We begin our day/evening of touring with a panoramic ride around this wonderful city. Our walking tour of Rome begins with a stroll through Via del Portico d’Ottavia, the main street of the old Jewish Ghetto (1555-1789), in the San Angelo neighborhood, and its smaller, quaint sidestreets, followed by a visit to the Great Synagogue and its excellent Jewish Museum. Special lecture by Mrs. Supino, the charming Museum Curator. In addition to its unique collection of very rare artifacts and ceremonial objects, there is a permanent display commemorating the victims to the Nazi persecutions and deportation of Rome’s Jews.

The second part of the day will be devoted to Ancient Rome. We will visit  the Roman Forum, the ceremonial center of the Empire, the Arch of Titus, Basilica of Constantine, the Forum of Caesar, the Arch of Constantine and conclude with a thorough exploration of the Colosseum. A well-deserved dinner of gourmet Italian cuisine will follow. An exciting evening panoramic tour of the city covering especially the Vatican and Trastevere areas on the way back to our hotel. Plunk into bed!

OVERNIGHT:  Rome

Day 3: Tuesday, July 15 / August 19

We start our day with an 8 a.m. Shacharis at the Great Synagogue, followed by breakfast.

We will visit some of Rome’s must-see stops: the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, the Piazza Navonaand the Piazza di Spagna, the most famous square in Rome, and the Campo de’Fiori where thousands of Jewish books were burned in 1553. This will be followed by a wonderful picnic lunch near the Castel Sant’ Angelo. We then embark upon an afternoon exploration of Piazza San Pietro (St. Peter’s Square) and the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel (optional) and the nearby Basillica (optional).

Mincha and Ma’ariv at the Great Synagogue. Early dinner in the Ghetto. Guest Speaker: Rabbi Shmuel Di Segni, Chief Rabbi of Rome. Free time for evening stroll to the Trevi Fountain or shopping.

Day 4: Wednesday, July 16 / August 20

We start the day with an early rise, leaving hotel at 8:30 am, for one final morning panoramic tour in Rome for those important places we haven’t see yet! We then take a two-and-a-half hour trip to lovely Siena, along the Italian countryside. Siena is one of the surviving examples of a medieval city; it is also the home of Italy’s most lovely piazza, the Piazza del Campo. We will explore this piazza, one of Europe’s greatest medieval squares, and the narrow streets and alleys around it. We will end our exploration with a visit to the 1756 synagogue, one of the most beautiful in Tuscany, followed by a late picnic lunch at the Fonte Gaia, the famous 19th-Century fountain, whose water is still supplied by a 500 year-old aqueduct.

Afterwards, one final trip on this busy day: a one-hour ride due North to Florence, Italy’s vast and beautiful monument to the Renaissance. A comprehensive, panoramic tour all around the city is to be concluded with Mincha and an unbelievable view of the glorious sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo!

Late check-in to the hotel, wash-up, well-deserved delicious dinner and Ma’ariv. We end this fabulous day with free time to stroll along the romantic Arno River.

Day 5: Thursday, July 17 / August 21

We will discover Florence in one full day, starting with a 10 a.m. visit to the Moorish-style Great Synagogue (1874) and its Jewish Museum. We then head straight for either the Uffizi, Italy’s greatest art gallery, built in 1560 to house offices (Uffici) for Duke Cosimo, or for a visit to the Academia to visit David.

We then explore the 1345  bridge, Ponte Vecchio and the Bell Tower of Giotto in the Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie. Next, we take a beautiful walking tour, which includes stops at the Giardino di Boboli and Piazza Santa Maria Novella and all other major Florence attractions.

Mincha right before sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo! Wash-up, short rest and late dinner with guest speaker Rabbi  Borenstein, Chabbad Rabbi of Florence and Bologna. Evening stroll, and free time once again.

OVERNIGHT:  Florence

Day 6: Friday, July 18 / August 22

Very early morning rise (Shacharis: 7:00 a.m., breakfast, leaving Florence at 9 a.m. sharp!) for a one-hour trip directly west to Pisa to explore the Leaning Tower, mankind’s open challenge to the laws of gravity. We then view the nearby Duomo, one of the finest Romanesque buildings in Tuscan, and visit one of the most well-preserved Jewish cemeteries in Italy! All this, in addition to a final panoramic tour when we take leave of Florence.

(July) After Pisa, we embark upon a 250 km trip eastward via Bologna towards the Adriatic Coast. Renowned all along the Adriatic Coast in the Le Marche region of central Italy for its excellent facilities and classy service, this state-of-the-art hotel is located on the promenade of Gabicce Mare, one of the most elegant seaside resorts in Italy, between Rimini and Ancona. Its facilities include a large indoor heated pool, as well as two full-size outdoor swimming pools and a kiddie pool. The internationally-acclaimed Beauty Centre on premises offers customers hydro massages, sauna, two Turkish baths and a selection of beauty and health treatments. A beautiful synagogue and well-stocked Beis Medrash is also available. 

After a speedy check-in, the remainder of the afternoon will be devoted to hotel orientation, discovering the beach, (a visit to the Mikva for the men), sampling of delicious kosher ice-cream at about 5 pm, and some quaint shopping in town, with candle-lighting no later than 7:30 pm. Friday evening Kabbalat Shabbat at the beautiful shul in a huge tent, Seudat Shabbat (1) with our guest speaker, Rabbi Benilow of Milan. After the Seudah, socializing with hotel's guests, board games and delicious snacks and drinks throughout the night.

(August) After Pisa, we embark upon the longest journey of our trip, a northeast drive to Venice (3 1/2 hours; approx. 200 miles) passing  the famous 16-17th century Jewish cities of  Bologna, Modena and Ferrara. We arrive in glorious Venice to check in to our luxurious hotel.

Erev Shabbat shopping, a visit to the Mikva for the men and, perhaps, some kosher ice-cream! (To’Ameha Chaimzachu, Venetian style). Friday evening Kabbalat Shabbat at the Spanish Synagogue, Seudat Shabbat (1) with Guest Speaker, Chief Rabbi Richetti of Venice. Optional: Oneg Shabbat at the community center.

OVERNIGHT:  Gabbice Mare (July), Venice (August)

Day 7: Shabbat Kodesh, July 19 / August 23

(July) Delicious Glatt Kosher (Pat and Chalav Yisrael) five-star cuisine will be served throughout Shabbat under the strict Rabbinical supervision of the Milan Rabbinate, supervised by Rav Yitzchak Belinow and his dedicated staff of Mashgichim. A wonderful, properly run Italian-style tea room will be available 24/7.

Late Shacharis, sermon by Ha’Rav Rabinowich, an unbelievable Kiddusha Rabbah followed by an enjoyable, leisurely stroll along the gorgeous beach. Parshat Ha’Shavua with Ha’Rav Dr. Rabinowich; Seudat Shabbat (2), More Divrei Torah and then a well-deserved shluf. Pirkei Avot Shiur at 6:45 with our rabbi, followed by Mincha at 7:30 and a delicious dairy shalosh seudos. 

On Motzoei Shabbos, there area variety of shows and musical entertainment in the area. Art enthusiasts can also enjoy a Mini Montmartre, where dozens of painters and sculptors work and converse with the public. A charming road zigzags up to Gabicce Monte, part of the Mount San Bartolo Regional Park, set up in 1994. From there a breathtaking panorama can be enjoyed, as the mountain blossoms offer a colorful contrast to the absolutely crystal-clear waters of the coast.

(August) Late Shacharis, Kiddusha Rabbah and enjoy a leisurely stroll through the first-ever ghetto in Europe, the Ghetto Nuovo, well-preserved since its establishment in 1516! We continue walking over the bridge to the Ghetto Vecchio and the Ghetto Nuovissimo, both added to the original Ghetto in 1541 and 1633, respectively.

Parshat Ha’Shavua with Ha’Rav Dr. Rabinowich; Seudat Shabbat (2), Divrei Torah: Assistant Chief Rabbi Avraham Dayan. Then, a well-deserved shluf, guided r/t stroll through Venice from our hotel to the unbelievable Piazza San Marco.

Mincha at the schul, Seudah Shlisit (3) and Ma’ariv at the JCC. Free time, Motzoei Shabbat Kumits and Festive Melava Malka at our wonderful hotel. Treat your wife or date to a very romantic Gondola ride. And, no, it’s not free… But she’s worth it!

OVERNIGHT: Gabbice Mare (July), Venice (August)

Day 8: Sunday, July 20 (Shiva Asar B’tammuz) / August 24

We begin our first full day in Venice with a 10:00 a.m. visit to the Jewish Museum, in the Ghetto Nuovo which stores some fascinating early 16th Century Jewish books! As part of the visit we will view Venice’s famous synagogues: The Spanish Synagogue (1555), the Levantine Synagogue (1538) right across it, the German Synagogue, the oldest in Venice (1528), and the Italian Synagogue (1531).

After lunch – for those not fasting – we take a short trip by vaporetto (waterbus) to Lido, site of the famous Cemetery of Venetian Jewry– probably the second oldest existing cemetery in the diaspora, with one tombstone dating as far back as 1386. From there, back on the vaporetto to Murano, a cluster of small islands that has been the center of the glassmaking industry since 1290! Do some serious, discounted, opportunity-of-a-lifetime, Glass Shopping! We then return to the mainland to explore the Piazza San Marco — the most "elegant drawing room in Europe,” according to Napoleon) and, of course, the Rialto.

Optional: Explore the Palazzo Ducale (Doges’ Palace) and, time permitting, visit the Accademia, one of the world’s most famous museums. The Fast ends at 8:36 p.m. and we will daven Ma’ariv at the restaurant at 8:30 p.m. sharp. There will be plenty of free time after dinner to explore this unbelievable city on your own and to do some evening shopping. Why not treat your wife or date to a very romantic Gondola ride? (No, it’s not free… But she’s worth it!)

OVERNIGHT: Venice

Day 9: Monday, July 21 / August 25

8 a.m. departure from our hotel (Shacharis at  6:45 a.m. sharp) for the most relaxing and fun day of our excursion. Short 3/4 hour trip to the old university town of Padua to pray at the 16th and 17th Century grave sites of the very holy Abravanel and Rebbi Meir Katzenellenbogen (Maharam of Padua). We then visit – and daven Mincha – at the Italian-style synagogue of  Rebbi Moshe Chaim Luzatto (Ramchal).

A beautiful drive due west shall take us to Sirmione on Lake Garda, the largest and easternmost of the stunning Italian Lakes. Marvelous fun on the motor boat trips (optional) around the Sirmione Peninsula, observing the Roman ruins at its tip, and the boiling sulphur springs along its rim. Over picnic lunches you will never forget, we view the impressive scenery of the rocky cliffs and snow-covered mountains of Austria and Switzerland at the northern tip of the lake. We then take a wonderful, scenic drive farther west to Milan, the chic and busy metropolis of Northwest Italy, for a panoramic tour of the city, quick shopping, Ma’ariv and dinner.

Our  final scenic drive in Italy: one hour north to the simply breathtaking Lake Como, set in an idyllic landscape of mountains and rugged hillsides. Check-in, followed by completely free time to be inspired by this unique lake — a truly unforgettable evening!

OVERNIGHT: Lake Como

Day 10: Tuesday, July 22 / August 26

An early wake-up at 5:00 a.m. to experience the simply stunning sunrise over the spectacular Lake Como. Daf Yomi at 6:15 a.m., and Shacharis at 6:45 a.m., followed by a delicious, healthy breakfast.

We depart the hotel at 8:10 a.m. sharp to Malpensa Airport for our 10:35 a.m. AA Flight #199S to JFK International Airport, arriving at 1:40 p.m..

All shiurim and prayer sessions are voluntary!

Extensions to Israel possible,
before and after trip

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Rabbi Dr. Nosson Dovid Rabinowich: Rav and Scholar-in-Residence,is a noted historian and Talmid Chacham, author of nine critically-acclaimed books on topics varying from Jewish history to Geonic literature to Chassidus.

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