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Passport to Italy

An all-encompassing arts journey to Milan and Reggio
with Joe Marchio
March 24 - April 3, 2025
 
Trip Status:   WAITING LIST ONLY

 

Tour Cost:  $6,550

Included in the price are accommodations, most meals, ground transportation in Italy, entry to museums, scheduled events,  performances, instructor and administration fees and a $500 tax deductible contribution to the Cape Cod Symphony. 

Single Supplement:  $725
 
Activity Level: excursions require 2 hours of walking at a slow pace
Milan's Cathedral

Milan's cathedral - Il Duomo

When you think of Italy, what comes to mind?  Good food, sculpture, opera, The Four Seasons, high fashion or fast cars?

 

Well, in March of 2025, the CSO and Artful Journeys give you the opportunity to experience some of these cultural ideas and icons.   We will whisk you away first to Reggio Emilia, perhaps not so well known, but very well situated to experience some of the  Italian cultural identifiers, and then to Milan, where the symbol of opera is personified in  La Scala and where one of the world’s most famous religious art piece, The Last Supper, is located.

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Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan

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From Reggio, where we will stay at Hotel La Posta, owned by the nicest, friendliest guy ever, Umberto Sidoli, we will visit a parmigiano reggiano cheese factory; have a tour of the local theatre; visit Parma and its opera house;  have a look into balsamic vinegar production and a cooking class; dine in a Michelin restaurant outside of town; and yes, even have talks by Joe Marchio about some of the Italian  composers (Puccini, Rossini, Verdi, Vivaldi, Donizetti, to name a few). 

Umberto and his mother

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Perhaps, the crowning musical highpoint will be a visit to Cremona to the Stradivarius museum, hearing a recital there using the centuries’ old fiddles, and visiting the workshop  of a luthier, who makes reproductions of these age-old instruments.  Reggio wouldn’t be complete without a tour of the town and visits to its museums and some free time.

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A Strad in the Cremona museum

Cremona city center

La Scala costumes at Ansaldo

We’ll transfer to Milan on March 30, where we will stay in the very centrally located Hotel de la Ville.  In Milan, there are a handful of very significant art museums (i.e., the Brera, Sforza and Ambrosiana), which we’ll visit as time allows.   The Duomo itself qualifies as a museum.   We will visit 2 private collections – one of pianos, the other of art.

We’ll be attending two operas at La Scala, Tosca and L’Opera Seria,  which will end your trip in a spoofing spirit.  You will have a more thorough understanding of what goes into the opera experience after visiting Ansaldo, the production facility for La Scala, where sets and customs are made and assembled.

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La Scala 

ACCOMMODATIONS

Please note: This trip is a fundraiser for the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra. Reservations for the trip are on a first-come, first-serve basis. Images of the hotels and some of the available rooms are shown. You can see more information on the websites, which are listed. A number of suites are available for upgrades at Hotel La Posta for $150 per person. 

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Breakfast room

Bedroom in Hotel La Posta

Vittorio Emanuele Gallery
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Hosts

YOUR HOSTS

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Joan Hill
Owner, Host, & Director

In 2008, the seed of Artful Journeys was planted in her brain, when Joan brought together all of her life's passions, her love of music, an affinity for the beautiful things in life, and an ability to organize events to give birth to Artful Journeys, a program of art education trips for the soul.​

Joan was born and raised in the apple country of the Hudson River Valley in New York; her father was a gentle, very tolerant, educated land surveyor, and her mother was the efficient business administrator and home engineer. The youngest of four children, Joan was encouraged to pursue anything she wanted, but also to do her best. Sometimes that was very difficult, especially succeeding three very accomplished siblings.

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Joe Marchio
Instructor

Joe Marchio is a graduate of the College of Wooster, where he earned both a Bachelor’s degree in organ performance and a Bachelor of Arts in religious studies. He earned a Master of Divinity degree at the Yale University Institute of Sacred Music, and a Master of Music degree in choral conducting at the Boston Conservatory. Joe became Music Director of the Chatham Chorale in 2010. He is also the Pastor and Director of Music of the First Congregational Church of Chatham.

JOURNEY COST

Cost
Cost:  $6,550 per person double occupancy​​ including a $500 tax deductible donation to the CSO
  • All rooms, $6,550, double occupancy
  • $725 single supplement

  • NOTE: A  deposit of $500 per person is required upon registration.

  • Airfare is not included to enable travelers to use their “travel points,” upgrade flight arrangements, or to extend their trip.  

  • Not included are personal purchases and cocktails.

  • Travel insurance is strongly encouraged

  • Covid vaccinations and booster are required. 

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For details or questions, please click here to contact Joan Hill.
To register for this journey, please click below:

A detailed itinerary and policy page will be provided upon registration.

Please note that PayPal remittances must go through the form on this website.  Thank you.

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