• Round trip airfare from Toronto to Rome and return from Dublin (other gateways can be arranged)
• One way airfare Florence-Dublin
• 5 nights accommodation in Rome
• 5 nights accommodation in Sperlonga
• 5 nights accommodation in Florence
• 5 nights accommodation in Galway
• 7 nights accommodation in Dublin at Trinity College
• Breakfast and dinner daily (except Saturday dinners)

• Walking tour of Rome
Guided tour of
Colosseum and Forum
• Sperlonga - Mediterranean beach excursion
• Visit to San Gimignamo
Walking tour of Florence
• End of course banquet at National Yach Club, Dun Laoghaire
• Walking tour of Florence
• Walking tour of Galway City, Claddah, and Slalthill
• Galway Arts Festival

OPTIONAL TRIPS - Click here for Sign-up Form
Italy
Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius
Venice
Vatican City

Ireland
Newgrange and Boyne Valley
Glendalough and Wicklow Mountains

Full Day Excursion to Pompeii - ITALY
Pompeii was a thriving commercial centre when it was destroyed by the devastating eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79. Two-thirds of the city has now been excavated revealing a fascinating
example of urban geography. In addition to several private homes and temples, the guided tour includes: House of Caecilius, Forum, Basilica, Baths, Street of Shops, Theatres, and some free time to explore further in Pompeii. Following our visit we will climb to the top of Mt. Vesuvius for a spectacular view over the Bay of Naples. Admission fees to sites and museums are included.

Full Day Excursion to Venice - ITALY
Today we travel to Venice by private coach. Our day will begin with an exploration of Venice, the most romantic of cities whose exceptional position threatens its very existence. We will take a guided walking tour exploring the Doge’s Palace, San Marco, St. Mark’s Square, the Bridge of Sighs, St. John’s and St. Paul’s Square and the Rialto. We will return to Florence in the evening. Admission fees to sites and museums are included.

Half Day Excursion to the Vatican – ITALY
We will spend a half day visiting the Vatican City, a 109 acre state surrounded by a wall built in the 9th Century and by the colonnade of St. Peter’s Square. We will visit St. Peter’s Basilica, a majestic building standing over St. Peter’s Tomb and the spot where he was martyred. We will also visit the Vatican Museum and see the newly restored ceiling at the Sistine Chapel. Admission fees to sites and museums are included.

Full Day Excursion to Newgrange and Boyne Valley - IRELAND
Explore this land of legend, mystique, and folklore. Experience some of the most remarkable legacies of the ancient Celtic people on this day trip to the Boyne Valley. See the Hill of Tara, seat of power of the old High Kings of Ireland. In ancient Irish religion and mythology Tara was the sacred place of dwelling for the gods, and was the entrance to the otherworld. Nearby is the Hill of Slane where St. Patrick lit a Paschal Fire in 433 to proclaim Christianity throughout Ireland. Visit the Brú na Boinne Visitor Centre, designed to interpret the rich archaeological heritage of the Boyne Valley, which includes the Neolithic passage tombs of Newgrange. Take a guided tour of the tombs themselves at Newgrange, the oldest and largest Neolithic burial chamber in Europe (3000 BC).

Full Day Excursion to Glendalough and Wicklow Mountains - IRELAND
Glendalough, with its famous round tower and spectacular scenery is located in ‘the garden of Ireland”, in the heart of the Wicklow Mountains National Park. The English name Glendalough comes from the Irish Gleann Dá Locha which means "the glen of the two lakes". St. Kevin’s monastery founded in the sixth century was to become one of the beacons of learning throughout Europe’s Dark Ages. Indeed, Ireland was known as the "Island of Saints and Scholars". The settlement expanded and thrived for 600 years and was destroyed in 1398. The buildings which survive, date from the 8th and 12th centuries. We will also visit Avoca (Ballykissangel), home of the hand weavers, Avondale House, home of Charles Stuart Parnell, and visit the beach at Brittas Bay or Bray (weather permitting).

COURSES
(ENG3U) Grade 11 ~ English
(ENG4U) Grade 12 ~ English
(BBB4M) Grade 12 ~ International Business (see details)
(ETS4U) Grade 12 ~ Studies in Literature

See Courses for outlines and prerequisites

FEE DOES NOT INCLUDE
• Departure taxes and any fuel surcharges
• Optional insurance cost of $295
• Spending money
• Lunches
• Optional excursions
• Textbooks
• Application fee of $95

MORE INFORMATION

ROME

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Our first week is spent in Rome, we will be staying at the 4 Star, Hotel Royal Santina, on the Via Marsala beside "Stazione Termini" and "Piazza della Repubblica" in the centre of the city close to the Vatican. Meals will be in the hotel daily and classes will be held at the local high school, Scuola Danielle Manin, near Santa Maria Maggiore Church , a 6 minutes walk from the hotel.

The hotels prime location is within walking distance of the Terminus railway station, the underground and other transport means, provides a view of the splendid archaeological site of the Baths of Diocletian alongside the Roman Museum and the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels.

Our hotel is fully air conditioned and close to all attractions in one of the world's greatest cities. Our moving classroom will take full advantage of "The Eternal City" and locations close to our hotel base and the school, such as the Collisseum, and the Forum.

SPERLONGA

We will be staying at our 4 Star hotel; Virgilio Grand Hotel and Conference Centre, in the famous beach town of Sperlonga. Students will be in shared rooms, meals are in the hotel and classes will be held in the extensive and well equipped conference centre.

Sperlonga is a beautiful seaside town to the south of Rome, accessible by public transport. Whitewashed houses are clustered together on a steep headland, the streets warren-like stairways that bring you to unexpected terraces above the sea. The old town is compact and charming, and a pleasure to explore.

To the north of the headland is the modern part of Sperlonga, catering mainly for tourists keen on well-developed beaches. The real treasure lies south of the town. Beyond the harbour stretches an exquisite length of beach, with gorgeously clean sand and water. There are trees and greenery along the shore, and the atmosphere is luxuriantly peaceful. Most of the beach is taken up with beach establishments, where you pay to use the facilities and enjoy a shaded sunbed. But there are also generous stretches of 'spiaggia libera', free beach, where you can bring your own towels and equipment and bathe for free. And there is plenty of space to promenade along the water's edge without paying anything: it's fine to wander along the entire length. This is one of the loveliest and most inviting beaches I've seen in Italy, and I can't praise it highly enough.

If you walk along the beach from the Sperlonga headland (a lovely stroll, especially when you splash along in the shallow waves), you reach a WWF nature reserve by the rocky headland. You can also see through the railings into the ruins of the Roman villa, and the Grotto of Tiberius. A little further back along the beach you will find a lane leading inland - follow this to the main road and you'll arrive at the entrance to the Archaeological Museum (Museo Archeologico Nazionale). Entrance is cheap (€2 at the time of writing). Note that you won't be allowed in wearing swimming costumes.

It is known from contemporary accounts that the Emperor Tiberius was among the Roman VIPs to own villas in the Sperlonga area. Suetonius writes that the villa was known as 'the Cavern' after the banqueting hall sited in a natural cave. It was here, records the biographer, where the Emperor narrowly escaped death when rocks fell from the ceiling.

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FLORENCE

Bienvenuti a Firenze! During our stay at the home of the Renaissance we will be staying at the Four Star, Palazzio Ricasoli in central Florence.

Florence with its graceful red roofs, splendid domes, and bridges crossing the Arno River, is an art lover's treasure trove - Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Botticelli, and others have their timeless works showcased in local churches and museums.

The most photographed spot in Florence is the dome of the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, known as Il Duomo, with its massive dome atop one of the world's largest churches.

The Galleria degli Uffizi (Uffizi Gallery) has its' outstanding collection of Renaissance art by Fra Filippo Lippi, Botticelli, Rembrandt, Caravaggia, to mention a few. The Galleria dell'Accademia (Academia Gallery) has Michelangelo's extraordinarily lifelike sculpture David.

Get a feel a feel for the city, by browsing the Piazza Santa Croce with its leather shops, and enjoy bargaining with the jewelry vendors lining the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge). For fashion addicts Florence is home to the historical names of Made in Italy fashion such as Gucci, Emilio Pucci and Salvatore Ferragamo Prada.

GALWAY

National University of Ireland,    Galway

Galway, the top youth destination in Ireland, we stay at Corrib Village Residence and the National University of Ireland Galway. Classes are held on campus at NUI Galway on the banks of the River Corrib. We are ideally located in the vibrant and exciting medieval city of Galway. Explore the City of The Tribes, Spanish Arch, Middle Street, Claddagh, Eyre Square, and watch the sun on Galway Bay. Experience the street theatre, culture and ambience of this fastest growing and youngest city in Ireland during the The Galway Film Fleadh, a six day international film event held during July. This world famous Irish arts festival has so much to offer from music to dance, theatre and visual art - it's programs are truly spectacular. Galway is the gateway to Connemara, a Gealtacht (Irish speaking) area of Spiddal on the north side of Galway Bay. We will all have the opportunity to visit the spectacular Aran Islands and visit Dun Angus heritage visitor center overlooking the wind-swept Atlantic Ocean and site of late Bronze Age settlements dating to c.800 BC. What a way to start your visit to Ireland!

Beautifully situated on the banks of the river Corrib, Corrib Village, the student accommodation, is a complex of modern apartments and bungalows grouped around pleasantly landscaped court yards in a village setting. Designed for both students and tourists alike, the accommodation is of a higher standard than usually associated with University accommodation.

Corrib Village	Corrib Village rooms

Facilities at Corrib Village include:
• 24-Hour Security
• Direct Dial Telephone in All Bedrooms with Voice Mail Facility
• Broadband Internet Access available
• Fully Stocked Mini Market
• Fully Serviced Laundrette
• Floodlit Tennis Courts

DUBLIN
After flying on British Airways from Pisa we end our program in Ireland. All Celtic programs are centred in Dublin, the capital of Ireland which was founded by the Vikings in the 9th Century. Students will have ample opprtunity to explore this famous millenium city, steeped in history and buzzing with youthful energy. Dublin is at the same time Medieval, Georgian and thoughly modern with a truly cosmopolital flavour. It has been rated as one of the safest destinations in Europe (based on a 2006 Insurance Industry study). Dublin is the thriving centre of Ireland 's recent economic miracle and also the centre for culture. It is home of a great literary tradition - Shaw, Yeats, Becket, Joyce, Beckett are native sons, as well as it being home to Ireland's music phenomenon; from the Dubliners, The Chieftains, Cranberries, and Thin Lizzie to U2.

Dublin has many attractions - from Kilmainham Gaol (scene of the execution of Irish patriots in 1916, and setting for may films including In The Name of The Father), the word famous Abbey Theatre, Book of Kells at Trinity, Temple Bar, Croke Park (HQ of Gaelic games in Ireland) and museums, too numerous to mention. Dublin is also set in some of the most spectacular settings of any capital city, on the seacoast of Dublin Bay, surrounded by Howth to the north and Killiney and Dun Laoghaire to the south. There will be plenty of opportunity to take the included DART train and view spectacular vistas of Dublin from Howth, and Dun Laoghaire and Killiney - Ireland's Riviera. Come and see my home town of Dalkey, current abode of such Irish luminaries as Maeve Binchy, Hugh Leonard, Chris De Burgh, and Bono. Visit Dun Laoghaire and James Joyce's Martello Tower, the setting for Ullysses, also the home of George Bernard Shaw and our end of course banquet at the National Yacht Club. We are truly at home in Dublin and would like to share this great city with you.

TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN

Trinity Front Gates

In Ireland we are ideally located on the main campus of Trinity College Dublin, the oldest university in Ireland, founded by Queen Elizabeth I. Trinity has a beautiful campus atmosphere which belies its location in the urban centre of a capital city. This is in large part due to the compact design of the campus. The main buildings look inwards and there are a small number of public gates. The main campus is approximately 47 acres, set in the geographical centre of Dublin. There are cobbled squares, beautiful cricket pitches, playing fields, stunning historic architecture and state-of-the-art modern facilities; the accumulated architectural riches of nearly three centuries. Dublin offers a particularly congenial atmosphere for students and it has in all respects the resources of a capital city with a full and varied cultural and intellectual life.

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We will be staying at Goldsmith Hall which is on is on main campus of TCD located in the city centre and is steps to Stephens Green, Grafton Street, and Temple Bar. Click on the map to see our amazing location. Trinity and Goldsmith boasts:
• Modern safe and secure apartments on campus
• Single 5 bedroomed apartments (some doubles available) shared private bathrooms
• Breakfast on campus
• Dinners in Temple Bar
• Located adjacent to DART
• Full and free computer labs with internet access at numerous locations throughout the campus
• Access to the brand new TCD Sports Hall, incl swimming pool

Be part of the tradition - Join us for Celtic Summer 2009 - our 14th year!