«Travel»

World Affairs Council Travel 2011 and 2012»

In partnership with the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, members have extensive opportunities for travel across the globe. What’s so special about traveling with the World Affairs Council? The Council has been offering tours to its members and to Cooperating Councils for more than thirty years. These trips offer all the highlights of touring plus access to political leaders and other local experts for behind the scenes views and briefings that make our trips special and unique. Many trips include lecturers drawn from the fields of diplomacy, journalism, or academia. Others offer “meet the people” opportunities for our citizen diplomats. “Inside” trips are resource rich featuring private briefings, behind-the-scenes visits or expert lecturers.

Please note the trip to Iran led by Montana Council’s founder, Amb. Mark Johnson (ret.).

For more details and the most current list of travel opportunities, please visit the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia website by clicking here.

2012 Trips
February 18–27, 2012
Israel with post-trip to Petra, Jordan
“We had heard about the special care given to World Affairs travelers and it is exactly as said.” - Byron Stoloff and Shirley Farmer, Blue Bell, PA	Back by popular demand! Explore Israel in an exclusive educational and travel experience. Along with numerous opportunities to converse and interact with local residents, Linda Gradstein, an expert on the region and correspondent for National Public Radio, will give an illuminating lecture on politics and daily life in the Holy Land. An optional post-program trip to Amman and Petra, Jordan is also available.  Click here to request more detailed information about this travel program.

February 20–March 6, 2012
Sri Lanka with post tour to Southern India
	For decades “serendipity” has served as the perfect epithet for this Indian Ocean paradise of jungled highlands and ancient ruined cities. Accompanied by Dr. Don Stadtner, begin in the capital of Colombo. Be in Kandy for the annual Perehara festival. Travel by train through a spectacular landscape of mist-covered mountains. At Yala National Park, enjoy an afternoon of game viewing before stopping in Galle. Click here to request more detailed information about this travel program.

March 10–March 25, 2012
India
	In Mumbai, meet with a leading financial representative as well as the Dabba Wallahs who deliver thousands of lunches traveling by trains, bicycles or cart. Meet with a journalist and stop at Dharavi, where as many as 18,000 people crowd into a single acre. In Agra admire the Taj Mahal. In Varanasi sail on the Ganges at dawn. End in Delhi to take a rickshaw ride and to meet an Indian social activist. Click here to request more detailed information about this travel program.

March 15–April 5
Inside Brazil
	Brazil’s rich cultural heritage and stunning beauty are yours to discover on the World Affairs Council’s March tour to the country’s three most spectacular cities: Salvador da Bahia, Ouro Preto, and Rio de Janeiro. Study Brazil’s unique African-colonial anthropology, its flamboyant music and art, and its fascinating rise to global power in the 21st century. Highlights include great food, unique visits to hidden monuments, splendid beaches, and opportunities to meet with high-ranking diplomatic and government figures to talk about energy, the environment, and economic development. Click here to request more detailed information about this travel program.

April 2012
Inside Washington
“This was our second time attending the tour and we loved it just as much as the first.” - Bev Winter, Towson, MD	Go behind-the-scenes on our annual 5-night small-group program of briefings and special events to hear from, and question, our nation’s foreign policy makers. We also visit embassies to gain a global perspective on the issues of the day. Speakers last year included General Michael Hayden, former director of the CIA; Ian Bremmer, Eurasia Group; Tom Gjelten, National Public Radio; and Bruce Reidel, author of Deadly Embrace: Pakistan, America and the Future of Global Jihad. Click here to request more detailed information about this travel program.

April 21–29, 2012
Holland Floriade Cruise
	Discover picturesque Holland and Belgium in the spring and visit the Floriade Horticultural Expo. See the sights in Arnhem, Middelburg, and Rotterdam, as well as Antwerp and Ghent in Belgium. Travel to fascinating Bruges. Return to Amsterdam to enjoy a canal cruise and a final night on your ship. Click here to request more detailed information about this travel program.

April 22–May 1, 2012
Celtic Cruise with David Eisenhower
	Back by popular demand! Cruise for eight nights aboard the deluxe M.S. Le Boreálfrom France, to Ireland, Wales and Scotland, with specially arranged lectures by President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s grandson and Sir Winston Churchill’s granddaughter. Paris Pre-Cruise and Edinburgh Post-Cruise Options are offered. Last year this tour sold out fast — pre-registration encouraged! Click here to request more detailed information about this travel program.

May 16–22, 2012
London Insider’s Tour
	Discover behind-the-scenes London. Learn about life with the Royal Family from someone who worked closely with them for years. Visit the BBC Studios for an in-depth look at one of the world’s largest news organizations. Visit Blenheim Palace where the estate archivist shares insight into the family’s history. Learn how actors study their craft at the renowned Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and National Theatre. Click here to request more detailed information about this travel program.

June 5–17, 2012
Croatia Cruise with General Wesley Clark
	Explore the Adriatic Sea’s Dalmatian Coast aboard the exclusively chartered, deluxe M.S. L’Austral on this seven-night cruise featuring General Wesley Clark, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe (1997-2000). Visit Šibenik, Split, Kor?cula, Kotor, Dubrovnik, Mostar or Medjugorje, Pula and Rovinj. Enjoy specially arranged lectures and an exclusive VILLAGE FORUMTMwith local residents. Two-night Venice Pre- and Post-Cruise options offered. Limited availability. Book today! Click here to request more detailed information about this travel program.

May 25th – June 9th
Jewels of Antiquity: Cannes to Venice Cruise
	From Cannes, set sail aboard the MV Aegean Odyssey. Visit Avignon and Arles. Journey to Florence, Rome and Sicily. Explore Butrint. Continue up the Adriatic Coast to Dubrovnik and Zadar before arriving in Venice, La Serenissima. Includes free air travel from select gateway cities, shore excursions, lectures by world-class scholars and gratuities. Click here to request more detailed information about this travel program.

June 26–July 4, 2012
Italian Lakes
	Discover the beauty and magic of Italy’s Lake District. A region where Italy meets Switzerland, each turquoise lake has its own unique character, reflected in the charming towns, majestic Renaissance villas and lush gardens that adorn their shores. Your base from which to discover Italy’s celebrated Lake District is Stresa, a lovely town nestled on the shores of Lake Maggiore. Click here to request more detailed information about this travel program.

September 1–13, 2012
Venice Balkans Cruise with former CIA director John McLaughlin
	This autumn you can explore the layers of civilization that make the Balkans one of the most fascinating corners of the world. In Sardis you’ll wander through the remains of an ancient Greek temple and a 4th-century synagogue. At Mostar you’ll stroll across the Stari Most bridge. In Dubrovnik you’ll see glorious examples of Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture, and in Split you’ll visit the palace of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. This itinerary is enhanced with lectures by former CIA director John McLaughlin. Click here to request more detailed information about this travel program.

September 22-30, 2012
Rhine Cruise including Strasbourg
	Join us as we explore colorful Amsterdam and Holland’s windmill-dotted fields. Cruise through the spectacular Rhine Gorge and the hillside vineyards and castles of Germany. Taste the harvest time product of the local wineries. Walk through Heidelberg, then travel on to the home of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France and the lush mountain scenery of Switzerland. Click here to request more detailed information about this travel program.

October 4–15, 2012
Sketches of Spain
	This special program begins in cosmopolitan Madrid. Immerse yourself in the artistic and architectural masterpieces in Toledo, delight in charming Burgos and tour the Old Quarter in San Sebastián. Continue to Pamplona, long associated with the running of the bulls and the setting for Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises. Visit Bilbao and the famous Guggenheim Museum, before concluding in the vibrant city of Barcelona. Click here to request more detailed information about this travel program.

October 23–31, 2012
Rome and Bologna
	Spend three nights in Bologna, featuring a specially arranged briefing at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies campus, a private visit and demonstration with a renowned local violin maker, and an inspiring day trip to nearby Parma. Visit a lovely Tuscan family. Spend four nights in Rome. Attend both a special briefing at the American Academy and a private reception at the home of the American Ambassador! Click here to request more detailed information about this travel program.

November 24–December 9, 2012
Vietnam
	Discover Vietnam’s captivating beauty, enduring traditions, and profound hospitality as the country races to modernity. Highlights include Hanoi and an excursion to Ha Long Bay. In southern Vietnam explore the tributaries and floating markets of the Mekong River Delta. Conclude in Saigon. A 4-day/3-night post-tour extension to Angkor Wat and Phnom Penh, Cambodia is available. Click here to request more detailed information about this travel program.

2011-2012 Private Jet Trips
November 1–22, 2011 or March 15-April 5, 2012
Around the World by Private Jet: An Exploration of the World’s Greatest Treasures and Legendary Places in Peru, Easter Island, Samoa, Australia, Cambodia, India, Tanzania, Egypt and Morocco
	It’s a small world in the World Affairs Council’s premier trip around our globe. Explore the World’s greatest treasures and legendary places in Peru, Easter Island, Samoa, Australia, Cambodia, India, Tanzania, Egypt, and Morocco. This trip will take you to the most astonishing, fantastic, and culturally rich destinations in the world. From the mysterious moai statues in the remote Easter Island to the splendor of the Taj Mahal and the rugged beauty of Tanzania’s wilderness, our private jet tour is simply the best way to explore our planet. In the air and on the ground, our experts will enhance your knowledge of every destination. Some of the most notable include Ambassador James D. Rosenthal (ret.), Professor David Keeling head of Western Kentucky University’s geography and geology department, world renowned professor of art history Larry Goedde, famed architectural historian Gail Cornell, and professor of ecology and environmental policy James r. Karr.$62,950 including airfare. Departs from Orlando, Florida. Note: different experts will be available at different times, please call our travel department for more details.  Click here to request more detailed information about this travel program.
To learn more about any trip listed above please visit the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia’s Upcoming Trips page by clicking here.