Calling Asheville School alumni, parents, and friends of the School to join Asheville School Ambassador for Constituent Outreach Jay Bonner for travels in central Italy’s Apennine Mountain region. The group experience will be based in culturally rich Spoleto, lodging at Palazzo Leti, a 13th Century residence restored as a bed & breakfast. From the Italian-style garden, we will enjoy breathtaking views of some of Spoleto’s most iconic landmarks. From Spoleto, we will be mere hours from olive groves and wineries, from the cathedrals and art of Assisi, Siena, and Florence. Readings, contemporary and classic, will prepare us for the ambience and sights of our Italian travel. Discussions may be held, weather permitting, in the palazzo gardens with regional wine in hand.
Our guide, Lorenzo Muti, is a native of Spoleto and former faculty member at Duke University, and he is a great connoisseur of Italian art and history. In addition, Lorenzo is a professional conductor. Our stay will be enhanced by his intriguing insights into Italian culture and society generally, as well as, locally, insights into Spoleto’s charms.
You may be wondering how this concept came to fruition. We invite you to learn more from a Q&A with Jay Bonner here.
Trip Fees:
- Base Tour Price: $3,600 USD (for a shared room), $4,100 USD (for a single room), includes lodging, transportation in Italy, and breakfast and dinner each day.
- Required Tour Deposit: $375 is due upon application to reserve your spot
- Final Balance: Remaining $3,225 ($3725 for single room supplement) is due by July 1, 2023 for Fall 2023 Trip and January 1, 2024 for Spring 2024 trip.
- Additional Costs: International air travel, lunch, incidental expenses. There will be opportunities to shop not only in Spoleto but also the other cities we visit.
- Fees are calculated on 2023/2024 exchange rates and are subject to change. They include lunch on arrival day, continental breakfast and dinner each day, and travel and fees for all group activities included in the itinerary. This base tour fee does not include airfare, daily lunches, health or travel insurance, or personal expenses. insurance is at the traveler’s discretion; however, it is strongly advised.
Fall 2023 Dates: October 28 (depart U.S.)/29 (arrive in Rome) – November 5 (depart from Rome)
Fall 2023 Itinerary: Spoleto itinerary Fall 2023
Please view the full schedule in the linked itinerary to learn about the daily excursions, activities, and learning opportunities that await.
Fall 2023 Readings: Isn’t Pasta Pasta? Experiencing Italy
The Zoom class offers a tandem reading and/or experiential component: a chance to read about Italy or Italian settings and then join a trip to explore and to experience central Italy’s food, wines, and wonders. In advance of travel, participants will be asked to read a novel, After Hannibal, by Booker Prize award winner Barry Unsworth, set in the region, selections from Luigi Barzini’s The Italians, and selections from the Everyman Library edition titled Florence Stories (edited by Ella Carr).
The Zoom class will meet weekly on Wednesday evenings (7:00-8:00 pm), beginning October 4 and ending no later than October 25.
Spring Dates: Depart April 5 (depart U.S.)/6 (arrive in Rome) – April 13 (depart Rome)
Spring 2024 Itinerary: Spoleto itinerary (April 2024)
Please view the full schedule in the linked itinerary to learn about the daily excursions, activities, and learning opportunities that await.
Spring 2024 Readings: In advance of the travels, participants will be asked to read a novel (title to be determined) and a couple of other books from which we’ll pull selections. There will be a Zoom class of Italian readings offered in spring 2024 in anticipation of this experience!
Please contact Jay Bonner via email ([email protected]) or phone (828-712-8652) to learn more about these Italian excursions and commit to the Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 experiences.
Italy Trip Resources:
Please include your deposit or full payment check with the travel form to reserve your spot on the trip.
Checks should be made out to Asheville School and mailed to:
Asheville School
Attn: Kate Janson Foltz
360 Asheville School Rd.
Asheville, NC 28806