The Friuli region of northeastern Italy is one of the country’s most beautiful regions, and one of Italy’s best kept secrets. Just across the border, neighboring Slovenia is an unknown gem with stunning mountains, picturesque valleys, incredible food and wine … and very few tourists. Both regions have their own heritage of food, wine, and history that are unique in all of Europe.

We’ll start at the lovely city of Belluno, using it as our base to explore. Perfectly situated in the southern Dolomites, Belluno’s Renaissance architecture is overshadowed only by the dramatic mountain landscape surrounding it. It sits in a wonderland of green valleys, tumbling rivers, and impressive peaks. Then we’ll move east into Slovenia, and begin to appreciate the wonderful Slovenian culture, scenery and people. From the vineyards of the Wine Road to the stately buildings of the capital, Ljubljana, from the lonely, windswept mountain villages to the take-your-breath-away scenery of Lake Bled, you’ll be enchanted by this delightful country.

We’re partnering with a tour operator that specializes in hiking and walking, Go Get Lost, and as with all their adventures, we’ll be walking the trails, (all of them EASY) visiting the villages, sampling the wine, meeting the locals, enjoying the food, marveling at the incredible views, and slowly easing into the pace of life in these two wonderful areas.

View all the details below or use the Register Now button above to join us.

We’ve teamed up with a tour operator who knows that the best way to experience an area is to get out of the bus, put your feet on the ground, and get to know a place at a slower speed.

Slovenia especially is a little-known hiking gem, but so is the Friuli region of Italy that we’ll be in. Both regions have their own heritage of food, wine, history, traditions, and norms that are unique in Europe.

This itinerary immerses you in your surroundings and helps you participate in the journey so that you can better appreciate the landscapes, histories, cuisines, cultures, and local perspectives.

This program was custom designed to get to know these two countries at 3 mph. We’ll also meet the residents, sample the food and drink, and learn a bit about life in these less-oft visited places.

This itinerary is subject to change. Travel demands flexibility. We will strive to balance adaptability with remaining on schedule. Please trust that, when it is not possible to follow the plan laid out below, your program leaders will work to find substitutions that retain the quality of this Study Travel program. Various details may be added or changed due to information obtained while making reservations, or perhaps on site, especially because of the weather. Our thanks to Go Get Lost for all land arrangements. BLD indicate included group meals, and T indicates an included tasting.

Choose from the two sets of dates above.

Day 1                                        Depart USA
Depart on individually-booked flights from your home town.

Day 2                                        Arrive Belluno (D)
Our Italian adventure starts today in Belluno, our home base for the first part of our adventure. Located in the Italian Regione of the Veneto, Belluno is a picturesque town on the southern edge of the Italian Alps. You should plan to arrive in Belluno by midday at the latest. Tonight we’ll have our orientation meeting, (of course with local wines), and afterwards we’ll walk to one of Go Get Lost’s favorite spots for our welcome dinner. There is an amazing variety of food in this region, probably owing to the amazing variety of landscapes to be found! From alpine mountains and valleys to fertile plains, from lush vineyards producing legendary wines to the Adriatic coast with its infinite variety of seafood, the Veneto region is rich in culinary abundance! So while we’re exploring the countryside, villages and towns, we’ll be sure to explore the wonderful cuisine as well. And as there’s no point in waiting, we’ll start tonight at our orientation dinner with an excellent meal of local dishes! An after-dinner passegiata in the town piazza will cap off your first day in the far north of Italia.

Day 3                                       Valley di San Pellegrino (BLT)
This morning we’ll meet our local guide and have a fascinating walk in the mountains to the Rifugio Fuciade. The landscape changes dramatically here as we walk through an alpine forest to beautiful green pastures surrounded by the Dolomites craggy peaks. Here we’ll enjoy a light meal before continuing on the trail to marvel at the spectacular mountain vistas. This afternoon will find us at the 200 year old kitchen of La Stanga farm, where we’ll see what the chef is preparing today and taste the specialty of the day. And of course we’ll taste their excellent wines, cheeses and salami as well!

Day 4                                        Le Zercole (BLT)
Today we’ll walk through the pastures and into the mountains and we’ll get to meet a local herbologist and have a tour of her incredible mountain herb and flower gardens. Afterwards we’ll enjoy a unique lunch prepared with her own produce. Later we’ll have an easy walk to La Latteria, a dairy farm that’s been in operation for generations. Here we’ll see how cheese is made, still using techniques handed down through the centuries. Of course we have a chance to enjoy the cheeses, washed down with an abundance of their local vintages!

Day 5                                   Slovenia’s Wine Country, Ljubljana (BLTD)
This morning we’ll journey eastwards across the rolling hills of Italy’s Friuli region, crossing the border into western Slovenia. Almost immediately we’ll find ourselves in the picturesque Slovenian wine country, with more vineyards than almost any other European wine region. We’ll enjoy a tour and tasting at one of the typical family-run vineyards that dot the rolling hills of the area, where they will proudly introduce you to their Slovenian wines. This afternoon we’ll make our way deeper into Slovenia, eventually arriving at the capital of Ljubljana, our home for the next two days. Ljubljana, one of the most interesting cities of Europe, has a rich history of many different conquerors. Originally settled around 2000 BCE, the town was occupied by tribesman, then Romans, Huns, Lombards, Franks, and finally the Slovenes. Each civilization left their mark on the city and their contribution to the culture. Tonight our guide will take us to one of their favorite local restaurants.

Day 6                                         Ljubljana (BL)
After breakfast we’ll meet our local guide for a fascinating walking tour of the city to explore the fabulous food and wine heritage of Ljubljana. With frequent stops into bars and restaurants only the locals know, your guide will introduce you to the wonderful culinary specialties of Ljubljana, washed down with excellent but generally unknown locally produced wines. This afternoon there’s a bit of free time to get lost on your own in Ljubljana.

Day 7                                          Velika Planina and Zgornje Palovce (BLD)
Today we explore an intriguing but little-known area of Slovenia. Using ski lifts, our Slovenian guide will take us to the Velika Planina, a picturesque high plateau with astounding views. Here we’ll find a shepherds village, where we can observe daily life as it has been for hundreds of years. Later we’ll have an easy downhill walk through forest and meadows to the small village of Zgornje Palovce. Tonight we will check into our Slovenian hotel in the small village of Radovljica. After exploring the town, we’ll have a special dinner at our hotel, complete with a Slovenian wine tasting.

Day 8                                         Lakes Bohinj and Bled (BLD)
Our private coach will take us on a short, scenic drive today to reach Lake Bohinj. This little-known lake is overshadowed by the more-famous Lake Bled, but Slovenians know that Bohinj is unmatched as one of the most picturesque and romantic lake in all of Europe. Of course the best way to enjoy the views of Bohinj is to walk around it, and then sit down to a picnic lunch…with a view! Tonight we have a very special farewell dinner planned at a charming spot overlooking Lake Bled.

Day 9                                            Depart (B)
After breakfast, we’ll have a private group transfer to the airport in Ljubljana (we’ll provide recommended flight times closer to departure).

August 26–September 3 Program Leaders: Donna McMillan, Professor of Psychology, and Steven Bayne, Retired Political Science Professor, Century College

Donna McMillan is a Professor of Psychology at St. Olaf, and her teaching and research focus on understanding people, psychological well-being, and ways that both culture and our relationship to the natural world affect us psychologically.

Steven Bayne recently retired after teaching political science for more than 20 years in the Minnesota State College University System, particularly at Century College. Steve’s interests include international relations, political theory, and history.

Donna and Steve love traveling, exploring, and learning, and they have been fortunate to sojourn to 25+ countries on five continents. They have hiked around Uluru in Australia, slid down a mountain in Switzerland (not on purpose), sailed on the Nile, and trained from Shanghai to Beijing. Together, Donna and Steve led St Olaf’s 5-month-long Global Semester, taking 28 students around the world, and just before the pandemic hit, they led an Alumni & Family Travel program on a Tanzanian safari.

Donna has seven times taught an off-campus January Interim course on Environmental Psychology at Rocky Mountain National Park; she spent a semester as a visiting faculty member in Denmark; and she co-taught a course for the St. Olaf Band during their tour of New Zealand and Australia. All of this is to say that Donna and Steve are frequent and enthusiastic travelers, who look forward to exploring Italy and Slovenia with you!

During the program, Donna will help participants explore the connection of culture and place, and the psychological significance of nature.

This active land tour features daily hikes that are easy to moderate in difficulty. To fully enjoy the experience, participants should be in good walking condition and enjoy hiking. We will walk between 3 and 6 miles per day, with mostly flat or gently rolling terrain. Although steps and steep stretches may be encountered, they are not frequent. Surfaces are generally solid, but can have occasional stretches of loose stones or uneven surfaces. Walking times will vary between 2-4 hours.

Keep in mind that all of these ratings are for people who are fit, and are accomplished walker/hikers. The ratings apply to an average walker/hiker, not beginners and not experts. For example, a Moderate rating means that a fit walker will enjoy the route but not be challenged by it. If you don’t have a history of fitness or walking (couch potato), then a Moderate route would be more like a Challenging route to you. The tour guide will assess your fitness level on the first day or two of the trip. They will then be able to counsel you on what the best route for you may be on certain days, or when a particular walk may be more than you can handle. For your safety and for the group safety, all decisions of the trip leader are final.

You should plan on seeing your family physician or a travel doctor at least four to six weeks prior to departure, preferably earlier, to talk about routine vaccinations. For more information on travel health, visit cdc.gov or who.int.

COVID INFORMATION

As a condition of participation in this program all attendees must have received a COVID-19 vaccine and received a booster shot at least 2 weeks prior to attending the program. (A 2^nd booster is recommended by the CDC for individuals over 50 years of age.] Because changing conditions may result in additional or different participation restrictions, we will strive to keep you promptly informed of any changes resulting from the ongoing pandemic.

What happens if you develop symptoms or test positive for covid while traveling on the St. Olaf program?

• We will expect everyone to follow the isolation and other protocols of the host country and will provide those to you, to the best of our knowledge, closer to departure, as they may be updated frequently in the next several months
• our itinerary cannot be altered, so if it calls for the group to move to a new city/hotel, we will do so
• group leaders cannot stay back with sick or covid-positive individuals
• the injury and illness coverage provided with your program fee includes covid-related illness

Here is the language from the latest FAQs:

Is there coverage for COVID-19? (new as of 5/1/21)
Yes, participants diagnosed with COVID-19 would have the same coverage as if they had any other illness.

Is there coverage for pandemic quarantine? (new as of 5/1/21)
Yes, if the participant is required to quarantine while on a covered trip due to exposure to, or a confirmed case of a virus/illness due to epidemic/pandemic not requiring hospitalization, the policy would provide up to $5,000 of benefits for food and lodging. If the participant requires hospitalization, the basic emergency medical coverage would apply.

You can read more, including the full FAQ and a Summary document, on our Travel Insurance page.

Inclusions and exclusions vary from program to program. Please read the following information carefully.

The program fee for either set of dates is $4,054 per person. Based on double occupancy, it includes full-time tour guide plus local guides as relevant, accommodations, breakfast daily and group meals as listed on the itinerary, admissions for group activities, ground transportation during the program (except arrival airport transfer), gratuities to group guides, drivers, and meal servers, and some limited medical coverage while overseas. Add $495 for single occupancy.

Airfare to and from the program is not included. Participants are solely responsible for all expenses not specifically included in the program fee. Examples of excluded expenses are: Airfare between your home town and Europe • Airport transfers • Any passport fees • Any recommended immunizations or vaccinations • Baggage insurance • Trip cancellation insurance above $2,000 lifetime coverage • Beverages at most group meals • Gratuities to housekeeping staff • Laundry • Dry cleaning • Phone charges • Room service or other items of a personal nature • Expenses incurred during free time or non-group activities • Lunch and dinner, unless specifically included on program itinerary • Items not specifically listed above as included.

A $500 per person deposit is required upon registration. View the full Payment and Refund schedule below.

This schedule is based on payments St. Olaf College must make to program vendors to guarantee group rates. We highly recommend that you purchase additional trip cancellation insurance at the time of registration to recover your payments should you need to withdraw from the program.

Because of ongoing uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, it is possible that a program could be postponed. In such a case, while we will strive to make full refunds when we can, there are certain expenses that may not be refunded to either St. Olaf or the participant.

Deposit due:                          $500 upon registration
Refund if you cancel:          Full refund ($500) until September 30, 2022. If the deposit is made after September 30, 2022, there is no refund.

Interim payment due:        $2,000 by October 1, 2022
Refund if you cancel:          $1,000 until May 25, 2023

Final payment due:             May 26, 2023
Refund if you cancel:          None, unless the program is full and your place can be resold

Cancellations must be in writing.

Make a Payment

Read these legal documents: Terms and Conditions and Release and Waiver.

Review the latest information on recommended immunizations, visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Check your passport: ensure that it has at least 6 months’ validity past the program return date. Should you need to renew, visit the U.S. Department of State for instructions. A Travel Authorization will be required for entry into both Italy and Slovenia, per new rules for Schengen Zone countries starting in January 2021. We will give you more information about this process a couple of months prior to departure.

Prepare for your adventure by checking out a variety of resources, including frequently asked questions, general health information, included travel insurance, safety overview, and more.

Hold the dates of August 26–September 3, 2023 or September 4–12, 2023. Do NOT book your flights until we announce the program is a GO. For some tips, review our information on Booking Your Flights.