Bon voyage

The bustle of the Eternal City of Rome, capital of the ancient world, is a disparate contrast to the leisure pace of Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast

Each is a highlight all its own during ISBA President-elect Joseph G. Bisceglia's planned presidential travel program from Oct. 5 to 13 in Italy.

Rome has been a political, religious and artistic center for 3,000 years. Its stunning art, architecture and grandeur survive despite crowded sidewalks and snail-pace traffic.

The rugged, rocky cliffs of the Tyrrhenian coastline from Sorrento to Positano are studded with charming towns full of white and pastel buildings. Fresh seafood complements exceptional cuisine.

Bisceglia's trip will begin with departure from Chicago on Friday, Oct. 5, and connection the next day from Paris to the Grand Hotel Palatino Roma in Rome and a welcoming dinner.

A half-day guided tour of the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, the Roman Forum and the Pantheon is scheduled Oct. 7. An optional tour of the Vatican City on Oct. 8 will include entrance to the Vatican Museum and St. Peter's Basilica.

The ISBA group will leave Rome on Tuesday, Oct. 9, stop in Pompeii for a tour of the excavations, and arrive at the Hotel Cesare Augusto in Sorrento.

A full-day Amalfi Coast excursion on Oct. 10, via Positano, will include a panoramic city tour of Amalfi, entrance to a limoncello factory, and a visit to a mozzarella factory in Agerola.

An optional jet-foil visit to the Isle of Capri on Oct. 11 will include entrance to the Blue Grotto and a ride on the funicular from Capri Pier to the main square.

The group will return to Rome on Oct. 12, Columbus Day, for a farewell dinner, with the return flight to Chicago on Saturday, Oct. 13.

The projected price of $3,090 per person, double occupancy, covers round-trip airfare, accommodations for four nights in Rome and three in Sorrento, an English-speaking tour manager, daily breakfasts, two dinners, airport and hotel transfers, and baggage handling.

A representative of Carrousel Travel will be present throughout the trip. For more information or early reservations, call (800) 800-6508.

GoNext, an ISBA-affiliated travel coordinator, is offering several fall tours. Call (800) 842-9023 for more information about the following.

Enchanting Ireland (9 days and 7 nights) Sept. 7 – Lakes and mountains around Killarney and Kilkenny; $1,949.

Prague and Fairy Tale Bavaria (9 days and 7 nights) Sept. 13, Sept. 27 and Oct. 11 – Includes central Germany and West Bohemian area of Czech Republic; $1,899.

Italy's Lake Garda and the French Alps (9 days and 7 nights) Sept. 14 and Sept. 28 – From Mediterranean climate to snow-capped peaks that surround Chamonix resort; $1,899.

Dynamic Beijing (8 days and 6 nights) Oct. 31 – Includes architectural wonders of ancient China; $1,699.