
I am so grateful that the Club offers travel opportunities as part of its mission to educate and inform!Nanette Stringer, Commonwealth Club Traveler
Past Trips
Based in Taormina, experience Sicily’s intriguing cultural heritage, including Agrigento’s remarkable “Valley of the Temples.” After a Mt. Etna excursion, enjoy lunch at a family-run farm. Tour Matera’s ancient cave dwellings and Alberobello’s medieval white-washed houses. Discover Lecce, the “Florence of the South.” Highlights of a four-night Sorrento stay include evocative Pompeii, a Neapolitan cooking lesson, an Isle of Capri excursion, and a breathtaking Amalfi Coast drive. Explore Rome independently with an optional 4-day/3-night extension.
Explore legendary sites in Greece and Turkey aboard the 34-guest yacht, Callisto, with lecturer and award-winning author and historian Andrew O'Shaughnessy who will trace the line from ancient Greece and Rome to America, exploring how the democratic ideals of classical philosophers shaped the American Constitution.
Science and art enthusiasts will delight in this unique journey to Switzerland, which showcases Albert Einstein, exceptional Swiss museums, and a visit to the Supercollider campus at CERN which houses the world’s most advanced scientific equipment. Experience a behind-the-scenes meeting with scientists who work on a detector on the Large Hadron Collider. Take guided tours of Kunsthaus Art Museum's modern art collection, and in Bern, visit Einsteinhaus, where Einstein lived. Savor delicious Swiss wines and food, including a traditional raclette fondue lunch in the medieval town of Gruyères.
Experience six countries on an 8-night Baltic Sea cruise aboard the 5-star Le Champlain from Copenhagen, Denmark to Stockholm, Sweden. Enjoy a specially arranged presentation by the former president of Poland Lech Wałęsa. Visit Island of Bornholm, Gdańsk, Tallinn, Riga, Helsinki, and Visby. Norway Pre-Program and Stockholm Post-Program Options.
Begin in Valletta, the vibrant capital city of the island nation of Malta and one of the most concentrated historic areas in the world. Then embark Sea Cloud II for a splendid seven-night cruise circumnavigating Sicily. Explore the island’s treasures with stops in Trapani (for Segesta, and Erice or Marsala), Palermo, Giardini Naxos (for Taormina and Mt. Etna), and Syracuse. Spend a day in the Aeolian Islands, one of seven UNESCO sites visited during this cruise, as well as a specially-timed sailing to enjoy up-close views of the still-active Stromboli volcano. Pre-trip extension on Malta and Gozo, with visits to remarkable Neolithic and medieval sites.
Enjoy an active walking tour amid France’s idyllic landscapes of the Dordogne and Loire valleys. See the towering cliffs of La Roque Gageac and discover the medieval town of Sarlat. Marvel at the painted Lascaux Caves. Enjoy local French wine and cuisine and Loire Valley gardens. Learn about the sparkling wines of the region.
Cruise for eight nights aboard the Five-Star small ship Le Bellot from France to England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland. Meet Dwight David Eisenhower II and Allen Packwood, who will provide exclusive lectures. Enjoy guided excursions in each port of call, including the beaches of Normandy. Paris/Giverny and Edinburgh/Glasgow optional extensions.
From vibrant Istanbul to exploring ancient ruins, stunning landscapes, and the dramatic Turquoise Coast, Turkey offers an unparalleled 15-day small-group experience. Discover the sites of Pergamum and Ephesus. Experience ancient Konya and the unique Cappadocia region with an optional 5-day/4-night post-tour extension.
Join this incomparable journey from the Costa Rican rainforest through the mighty locks of the Panama Canal, during a daylight transit. Spend one night in a deluxe hotel in San José, Costa Rica. Cruise for seven nights aboard the exclusively chartered, Five-Star Le Champlain. Experience the terrestrial wonders of Costa Rica’s National Parks, wildlife refuges, botanic gardens, and pristine waters. Costa Rica pre-trip and Panama City post-trip extensions are available.
Immerse yourself in the landscapes of Tanzania. Search for wildlife - lion, elephant, cheetah, giraffe and rhino in the Serengeti. Discover Ngorongoro Crater, home to rhinoceros, hippo, flamingo, ostrich and the black-maned lion. Retreat to your tented camps offering superior comfort. Finish with a 2-night stay at the award-winning Gibbs Farm.