2026 Adriatic

We invite you to join us as we traverse the Adriatic and four countries that touch its shores – Italy, Greece, Montenegro and Croatia. Explore La Serenissima – Venice, the magnificent islands of Corfu and Hvar, and the historic coastal towns of Kotor, Dubrovnik and Omis. Delve into the history of the Venetian empire and the lives of artists, invaders, townspeople, and pirates.  

Following a Welcome Dinner, we’ll begin our stay in Venice with the Naval Museum of the Arsenal, learning about the ships, commerce, and military power that generated Venice’s wealth during the 14th-16th centuries. We’ll view Venice and its architecture first from the water, followed by a bird’s eye view of the city from a 16th century tower on San Giorgio Maggiore Island. We’ll explore the Dorsoduro and Cannaregio neighborhoods, and during free time, you may choose to visit the Piazza and Basilica San Marco, the Doge’s palace or the Bridge of Sighs.  

We’ll then cross the Adriatic, traveling by ferry to Corfu, which Venice ruled for nearly 400 years. We’ll tour the Old Fortress, the “New” Fortress of San Marco, and the Old Town and Campiello, viewing fortifications that protected against Ottoman invasions. We’ll also visit local villages, including Palaia, Liapades, and Old Peritheia, a 14th century hidden town that protected locals from attacks by pirates.

We’ll then travel by coach up the coast of Albania to Kotor, Montenegro, a World Heritage Site conquered by Venice in 1420. We’ll explore the Old Town (Cattaro) and Maritime Museum, and climb the serpentine stairs to San Giovanni Fortress. We’ll also visit Perast, a lovely coastal town, with lunch at a restaurant owned by an oyster and mussel farm. A boat ride will take us to Our Lady of the Rocks, where, according to local legend, fishermen found an image of the Madonna and Child.

We’ll travel next to Dubrovnik, the walled fortress of Old Ragusa, and explore the town and city walls in a private tour. A ferry will bring us to Hvar Island, where we’ll visit Hvar Town, the Fort, the Arsenal, and the Fishermen’s Museum, followed by dinner at a local farm. We’ll also wander through the Venetian-style streets of Stari Grad, stopping for afternoon wine-tasting. 

We’ll return to Split by ferry and proceed by coach to Omis (Almissa), held by pirates during the 13th and 14th centuries. We’ll explore the tiny streets of Old Town, visit the City Museum, and climb to Fortress Mirabella, once used by pirates as a lookout. We’ll travel by private boat up the River Cetina Canyon, which pirates used as an escape after attacking cargo ships. After a late lunch up river at Kaštil Slanica or Radmanove mlinice, we’ll return to Split for our final dinner, with either departure the following morning or an optional extended stay in Split.

We’re working on the remaining details. Vendors are reluctant to commit to pricing until January 2025. We hope to have a tentative itinerary up in November 2024. Please check back!

This tour will start in Venice, Italy and end in Split, Croatia. You’ll be able to view and print the most up-to-date itinerary here soon.

Our intention with each tour is to provide an itinerary that introduces you to key elements related to your destination or the educational theme, while also providing some free time for you to pursue your own interests or have some down time. The balance can vary from day to day, and from tour to tour.

You’ll get the most out of study travel if you research what to do during your free time. This allows you to reap the benefits of group travel, while also customizing the tour to your interests and activity level. Read more about How to Be an Independent Group Traveler.

Leslie Moore, ‘77, P ‘19, graduated from St. Olaf with a major in English and received her Ph.D. in English from Yale University. After teaching at Yale and publishing a book on Milton and his 18th century critics, Leslie attended Yale Law School and then joined the firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in New York. As a litigator and trial lawyer, she worked in employment, business and bankruptcy law, and on cases supporting the freedom of speech and religion, and the right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment.

In 2001, she moved to Sydney, Australia, as Deloitte Consulting’s Regional Legal Counsel, Asia-Pacific, and in 2003 became Deloitte Australia’s General Counsel. In 2015, she returned to St. Olaf as Director of the Piper Center for Vocation and Career and, later, became the college’s Vice President for Human Resources.

In the fall of 2023, she returned to the Piper Center, where she coaches students on law school, graduate school, and personal statements. Leslie is teaching a January 2025 interim, “World Courts,” with Political Science Professor Tony Lott, visiting courts and institutions in Geneva, Strasbourg, Luxembourg, and The Hague.

Leslie loves reading, traveling overseas, studying world languages, listening to classical music, and spending time with family and friends. She is currently working on a novel set in 18th century Venice and the Adriatic.

Expect to be dazzled by the people, history, architecture and culture of the Adriatic as we travel to Venice, Corfu, Kotor, and Croatia by land and sea. 

Movement between cities will be by ferry and by air-conditioned private motor coach. Movement within each city and at cultural/historic sites will be on foot, requiring a lot of walking and standing, often over uneven ground. You should be capable of walking a mile or more at a time and up to five to seven miles per day, often over uneven terrain; of climbing stairs that may not have handrails; of climbing in and out of various types of transportation; of keeping pace with an active group of travelers on long days of traveling; of dealing with the emotional highs and lows that can occur when experiencing different cultures; and of being a considerate member of the group (prompt, courteous and flexible).

Any participant who has demonstrated an inability, in the opinion of the tour leader, of keeping up with the group or of safely participating in program activities may be prohibited from participating in certain activities.

You will be responsible for carrying your own luggage throughout the tour. Traveling lightly is highly recommended.

Hotels will be tourist class (four-star or superior rating) with private baths, air conditioning, and English-speaking staff.

The tour price is PENDING and will be based on double occupancy. A supplement for single occupancy will apply. 

Inclusions and exclusions vary by tour, so please read the following information carefully. We try to strike a balance between not nickel-and-diming you once on the tour, while also allowing you some freedom in your price point (for meals, for example). A variety of modes of transportation tends to be pricier than a single bus throughout the tour. Highly rated guides are essential and should command higher wages.

Inclusions: discussions led by Leslie Moore, a full-time tour manager, accommodations, hotel taxes, breakfast daily and group meals as listed on the itinerary, admissions for group activities, ground transportation during the tour (except initial and final airport transfers), any ferry tickets or internal flights per the itinerary, gratuities to group guides, drivers, and meal servers, and some limited travel insurance.

Exclusions: Airfare to and from Europe is not included. Participants are solely responsible for all expenses not specifically included in the tour fee. Examples of excluded expenses are: international airfare, airport transfers, any passport and visa fees, any recommended immunizations or vaccinations, baggage and trip cancellation insurance, alcoholic beverages (often including at group meals), 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 tour itinerary.

This schedule is TENTATIVE and will be based on payments St. Olaf College must make to tour 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 tour.

Deposit due:                          $500 upon registration
Refund if you cancel:          $450 if you cancel on or before June 19, 2025. If the deposit is made after June 19, 2025 there is no refund.

Interim payment due:        $2,000 on June 19, 2025
Refund if you cancel:          $950 if you cancel on or before February 3, 2026

Balance due:                         February 4, 2026
Refund if you cancel:          None, unless the tour is full and your place can be resold

Cancellations must be in writing.

Read the Terms and Conditions and Release and Waiver (in draft stage).

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.

Take time to 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.

Mark your calendar for May 4–19, 2026 and watch for registration to open soon.