June 30th - July 9th 2017

Dear Vassar Travelers,

I am delighted to host a trip this summer to the islands of Corsica and Sardinia. The islands are known both for their natural beauty and for their rich history of human occupation, and we will encounter both on this trip. Corsica and Sardinia are the second and fourth largest islands in the Mediterranean respectively (Sicily is the largest and Cyprus is third). Corsica is French and Sardinia is Italian – these days, but their history of human occupation can be traced back 9000 years! For the most part, both islands have managed to escape an influx of tourism– indeed, both islands seem to have been relatively overlooked by the whole of the twentieth century!

When Henri Matisse first visited Corsica, “the Isle of Beauty,” in 1903 he marveled at the Mediterranean light and later declared the island was where his passion for color began. Several hundred species of plants (with 130 found nowhere else in the world) give the island its fragrant “maquis.” The people of Corsica continue a thousand-year-old tradition of gathering and using the native vegetation for medicinal, culinary, and aromatic purposes. Nearby Sardinia offers an almost primeval landscape of rocks, sculpted by the wind and the sea, forests filled with aromatic plants, and shoreline washed by the clear blue waters of the Mediterranean.

The islands have seen many people come and go (Corsica was the birthplace of Napoleon), and the remains and legacy of their roads, homes, forts, and castles create a dense patchwork of history layered upon the land and reused again and again. In the second millennium BC, Nuraghic culture, named after the stone towers, Nuraghi, that still dot the landscape, emerged to give the islands a distinctive and unified cultural identity. Next came Phoenicians, sailing from West Asia, who became Carthaginians, led from the powerful Punic city of Carthage in North Africa. Romans seized the islands in the Punic Wars, built their famous roads, and used the islands for their grain production - this is where my own teaching and the history of the islands unite. Later, Byzantine and Roman churches were built in the Middle Ages, Arab raiders plundered the shores, and rebellions gave the islands their current political alignment.

Please join me for a fascinating visit to the peoples and landscapes of Corsica and Sardinia.

Sincerely,

Bert Lott Matthew Vassar, Jr. Professor of Greek and Roman Studies and Associate Dean of the Faculty

Corsica & Sardinia

The cost of this itinerary, per person, double occupancy is: Land only $3580 Single supplement $ 760

Airfares are available from many U.S. departure cities. Please call for details.

The following services are included:

Hotels: 8 nights’ accommodation in first-class hotels, including hotel taxes and service charges Coaching: All ground transportation as detailed in the itineraryMeals: Breakfast daily, 2 lunches, 4 dinnersGuides: Vassar host and Discover Europe tour guide throughout Local guides for sightseeing and excursions as requiredExpenses: Porterage of one large suitcase per personEntrances: Entrance fees to all sites featured in the itinerary

Please Note: Travel insurance is not included in the program fees and the Vassar Travel Program will be sending pertinent information on travel insurance on

receipt of your registration.

Discover Europe Ltd. 95 Adams Street Keene, NH 03431 USA

e - info@discovereuropeltd.comw - www.discovereuropeltd.com

t - (toll free ) 866-563-7077f - (fax) 603-563-7137

Vassar Travel ProgramEducational Excursions for Alumnae/i, Family, and Friends

Friday, June 30th - Evening departure from your chosen US gateway city. Overnight: Plane

Saturday, July 1st - Morning arrival in Rome to connect with your onward flight to Cagliari, the capital city of Sardinia. We’ll be met on arrival at the airport and transferred to our city center hotel. After free time to unpack and relax, your tour guide will lead a short walking tour through the old city to the base of the “Castello” – the site of the original Phoenician set-tlement – which will conclude with a guided visit to the National Archeological Museum, with its fabulous collection of Roman and pre-Roman artifacts. Dinner at the hotel this evening welcomes the group to Sardinia. (D) Overnight: Cagliari

Sunday, July 2nd - This morning a scenic drive around the coast brings us to Nora, where we explore the remains of its Punic temple and Roman baths and forum. Spectacularly set on a narrow peninsula, Nora was originally a Phoenician town. We contin-ue around the southwest coast and head back to Cagliari in the mid-afternoon. The rest of the day will be free to visit the cathedral or the National Picture Gallery and to search out a local restaurant for dinner. (B) Overnight: Cagliari

Monday, July 3rd - Our first stop this morning, as we head north, is at the village of Barumini, where we will visit the Nuraghe Su Nuraxi, the largest of the mysterious Nuraghic villages on the island. These prehistoric monuments date from around 1,500 - 500 BCE. We’ll then cross through the central mountain spine of the island and descend to the east coast via the charmingly situated town of Nuoro. We’ll break our journey here for lunch before continuing up the Costa Smeralda (the Emerald Coast), a region of spectacular natural beauty where pink granite headlands set off the fine sand beaches, and a favorite destination of the original 1960s “jet-set.” Late this afternoon we cross over the Straits of Bonifacio by ferry to land on Corsica in time for a late dinner at our hotel. (B, L, D) Overnight: Bonifacio

Tuesday, July 4th - Our morning tour of Bonifacio includes a vis-it to the Citadelle and a walking tour around the old streets of the Gothic city. This afternoon is free – why not take a leisurely boat ride around the harbor for views of the Citadelle, the Escalier du Roi d’Aragon, and the grottoes of Sdragonato and of St. Francis.

The evening is free to sample a local restaurant. (B) Overnight: Bonifacio

Wednesday, July 5th - Heading northeast out of Bonfacio we soon reach the town of Sartene. This area

contains some of the oldest prehistoric monuments on the island; we’ll visit the site at Filitosa where the dolmen known as I Stantari is considered to be the best preserved of its kind in the world, with

its burial chamber completely intact. We contin-ue to the port of Ajaccio, the birthplace of

Napoleon Bonaparte, where we will have lunch before visiting the house where he grew up, the Maison Bonaparte. There will be time for individual exploration before we head back to our hotel in Bonfacio for a free evening. (B, L)

Overnight: Bonifacio

Thursday, July 6th - Today we have a pan-oramic bus tour of the island, stopping in the old

walled, Genoese town of Porto-Vecchio and continuing all the way to the town of Calvi, with its citadel perched above the spectacular north coast of the island. Along the way we’ll stop at an organic farm, growing plants and herbs for medicinal use and see the pro-duction of the essential oils for which the island is famous. Dinner is included this evening at a local restaurant. (B, D) Overnight: Bonifacio

Friday, July 7th- Back across to Sar-dinia on the ferry this morning. We’ll stop in Sassari, a delight-ful medieval town nestling around its cathedral, before con-tinuing to our hotel in Alghero, a region where they still speak a native Catalan dia-lect. There will be time to explore this charming seaside town and find a local restaurant on the harbor for dinner. (B) Overnight: Alghero

Saturday, July 8th - This morning there is an excursion to the nearby ancient rock-cut cemetery of Anghelu Ruju and the Nu-raghe Palmavera. We return to Alghero for a final free afternoon – boat rides are available to the fabulous Neptune’s Caves, just around the coast. A farewell dinner is included at our hotel this evening. (B, D) Overnight: Alghero

Sunday, July 9th - Morning transfer to Alghero Airport for the short flight to Rome where you connect with your returning inter-national flights. (B)

Key to included meals: B - breakfast, L - lunch, D - dinner

Alghero

Cagliari

Bonifacio

Erbalunga, Corsica

Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, Sassari

Sardinia

Bert Lott, Matthew Vassar, Jr. Professor of Greek and Roman Studies, has taught at Vassar since 1997. Bert earned his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania and his B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis.

At Vassar, in addition to Greek and Roman Studies, he was a founding member of Media Studies and has served on the steering committees of Medieval and Renaissance Studies and Environmental Studies. As an historian of ancient Rome, Bert works on the political, social, and religious changes associated with the beginnings of the monarchical Roman Empire and the development of the “epigraphic habit” of publicly displaying significant texts on stone and bronze.

He is the author of two books published by Cambridge University Press, The Neighborhoods of Augustan Rome (2004) and Death and Dynasty in Early Imperial Rome (2012) as well as numerous articles. Bert is also the parent of a Vassar grad, Amelia ’15.

Registration Form

Passenger Details: Corsica & Sardinia (0630/VCS)Names: 1. Title First Middle Last

2. Title First Middle Last

Address:

City: State: Zip:

Preferred Telephone: ( ) work/cell/home

circle one

Secondary Telephone: ( ) work/cell/home

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E-mail:

Passport 1: Exp.Date: DOB:

Special Dietary Requirements: Health Information:

Other Comments or Notes:

Year of Graduation from Vassar: Trip DetailsDeparture Date: Return Date: Departure Airport or City: I would like to extend my trip to:

Please return this form to:

Passport 2: Exp.Date: DOB:

Discover Europe, Ltd. 95 Adams Street, Keene, NH 03431(603) 563-7077 ▪ info@discovereuropeltd.com

General Instructions1. Make checks payable to Discover Europe Ltd.2. Complete both sides of this form.3. Detach the bottom section and mail it to Discover Europe with

your registration deposit of $800 per person. The remaining balance will be billed and payable 90 days prior to trip departure.

Detailed InstructionsPassenger Details1. Name(s). Please make sure your name appears on this form

exactly as it does on your passport.2. Address. If you have a secondary address, please let us have the

details, including dates that you are there, on a sperate sheet.3. Passport Details. Having your passport details ahead of time

enable Discover Europe to speed the check-in process at hotels and helps in the event of lost or stolen documents.

4. Dietary Requirements. Please let us know if you require any special meals both for the hotels and the airlines.

5. Health Information. A certain amount of walking is involved in this trip. Check the itinerary with your physician to ensure a safe, comfortable journey. Travelers requiring special assistance must be accompanied by a companion.

Emergency ContactThis information is essential.

Flight Information1. Discover Europe will be very happy to book your flights for

you. The fee for this service is $40 per ticket.2). If you are arranging your own flights to join the tour, it

is essential that Discover Europe has your complete flight information. Please make sure you give us the following: dates of travel, airline(s), flight numbers, departure and arrival airports and departure and arrival times for all flight segments that you have booked.

Rooming RequirementsPlease tick the appropriate boxes. We will book non-smoking rooms (where available) unless otherwise requested.1. If you are sharing a room, please let us know with whom. If

you would like to share a room but do not have a roommate, we will be happy to try and match you up but unfortunately cannot guarantee that this will be possible. If no match is available, the single supplement will apply.

2. A twin room has two separate single beds in it. A double room has one large bed. Please let us know your preference.

Emergency Contact InformationName(s): 1. Address:

City: State: Zip:Home Telephone: ( ) Flight Information (Please check one)

Do you want Discover Europe to book your flights :□Yes □NoFlight details (if self-arranged):

Rooming Requirements (Please check one)

□ I would like a single room (see itinerary for supplement) □ I will be sharing with: ____________________________ We would like a □double □twin-bedded room PermissionsDiscover Europe may include my e-mail address on the tour passenger list. □Yes □No

SignaturesThe undersigned has read the tour itinerary and recognizes and accepts any risk inherent therein. The undersigned also understands and hereby agrees for and on behalf of his/her dependents, heirs, executors, administrators and assigns to abide by the conditions set forth in the terms and conditions listed in this brochure and to release and hold harmless Vassar and any of their officers, trustees, agents, licensees, or representatives, from any and all liability for delays, injuries, or death or for the loss of or damage to his/her property however occurring during any portion of, or in relation to, the tour.

Signature: Date:

Signature: Date:

Terms & ConditionsRegistration and payment waive and release Discover Europe, Ltd., and the Vassar Travel Program, their affiliates, directors, officers, employees, including any person or entity employed or utilized by them, from all claims arising from any injury, loss, damage, accident, delay or expense resulting from events beyond their control, including, without limitation: natural disasters, war, strikes, incidents of politically-motivated violence, sickness or quarantine, government restrictions or regulations, and in the absence of its own gross negligence, arising from the use of any vehicle or from any act of omission by any bus or car rental agency, airline, taxi or tour service, hotel, restaurant, or other firm, agency, company or individual.

Tour Cost AdjustmentsDiscover Europe makes every effort to guarantee that the published cost of your chosen tour will not change - in fact we have not had to invoke this clause in the contract in 15 years of operation. However we do reserve the right to make adjustments in the following circumstances:1. Exchange rates. Should the value of the dollar fall against the

currency of the countries visited on your tour by more than 10% in the year prior to trip departure.

2. Group size. Your tour has been based on a group size of 15 - 20 paying participants. Should we end up with less than 15 people, Discover Europe will work with the group organizer to determine a course of action which will involve either paying a surcharge to keep the tour as is, or making adjustments to the tour in order to keep the cost the same.

Refund Policy:1. Participants who withdraw more than 90 days prior to tour departure

will receive a refund of all monies received by Discover Europe, Ltd., less a $200 cancellation penalty.

2. Participants who withdraw less than 90 days and more than 60 days will receive a refund of all monies received by Discover Europe Ltd., less a $1000 cancellation penalty.

3. Participants who withdraw less than 60 days prior to the day of tour departure will not receive a refund unless they have purchased travel insurance.

4. Comprehensive travel insurance is not included in your tour package. Discover Europe, Ltd., strongly advises that you purchase

travel insurance for your upcoming trip. The Vassar Travel Program

will be providing you with details of a recommended insurance company.

5. All cancellations must be received in writing (mail or e-mail).6. There is no provision for refund for any activities missed due to

the participant’s absence once the tour has started.

Inclusions & Exclusions1. All inclusions on Corsica & Sardinia are listed here.2. The following are not included (unless specifically mentioned in

the itinerary): transportation to and from the participant’s home to their departure airport, transatlantic airfare, passport fees, excess baggage charges, and items of a personal nature.

Responsibility Clause: Participation of the Vassar Travel Program / Vassar College (VTP) is limited to the educational sponsorship of the program described in this brochure (The Program). VTP and their officers, trustees, agents, licensees, and/or representatives assume no responsibility or liability for any act, error or omission, or for any injury, loss, accident, delay or irregularity that may be occasioned by reason of any defect in any aircraft, ship, train, bus, or other c arrier, or through neglect or default of any subcontractor or other third party which may be used wholly or in part in the performance of their duty to the participants of The Program. The passage ticket issued by the carrier is the sole contract between the participant and the carrier. Nor will VTP and/or their agents be responsible for loss, injury, damages or expenses to persons or property, due to illness, weather, strikes, local laws, hostilities, wars, terrorist acts, acts of nature or other such causes in connection with The Program or anything beyond their reasonable control. Participants understand risks and responsibilities inherent in travel described in the brochure and participate at their own risk. In the event it becomes necessary or advisable for the comfort or well-being of the participants, or for any reason whatsoever, to alter the itinerary at any time, without notice to the participants, such alterations will be made without penalty to VTP. Additional expenses if any will be borne by the participants. VTP reserves the right to decline any person as a participant at any time or to require any participant to withdraw from The Program at their own expense when such an action is determined by VTP to be in the best interest of the participant’s health and safety, or the general welfare of the other participants.