Wouldn't it be nice to spend a week in Italy?  Here is your chance! We are going to Italy April 19 to 26, 2025!  Below is a quick summary of what we will be doing.  We will be hosting an informational meeting soon but if you want to know more click on the link at the bottom and check out this amazing adventure!

Day 1 Start tour

Day 2 Ciao Milan

Meet your tour director, travel to Bologna & check into hotel

Bologna city walk, Piazza Maggiore, Le due Torri, Basilica di San Petronio

Day 3  Bologna

Parmigiano & Prosciutto di Parma factory guided visit - Discover the long history and unique production process of Parmigiano-Reggiano, one of the most famous cheeses in the world. See first-hand how wheels are made and stored, and sample the delicious cheese in a unique tasting. Following your Parmigiano tour head to a Prosciutto factory and learn the secrets to producing the cured meat.

Modena balsamic vinegar tasting

Day 4 Bologna--Florence

Travel to Florence

Florence guided walking sightseeing tour with Whisper headsets -Immerse yourself in the charms of old-world Firenze. The birthplace and focal point of the Italian Renaissance, Florence still has the masterpieces to prove it. Brunelleschi’s monumental cuploa (dome) atop the city's renowned Duomo dominates the skyline. Your local licensed guide will take you to Giotto's Bell Tower and the aptly named Gates of Paradise, the bronze east doors of the Baptistery that spurred the burgeoning Renaissance. Don’t overlook the tombs of Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli at the Chiesa di Santa Croce, or Florence’s amazing leather goods. You can check them out when you visit one of the area’s famed workshops!

Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria, Chiesa di Santa Croce, Ponte Vecchio, Duomo visit, Leather Workshop, Gates of Paradise, Giotto’s Bell Tower, Dante's House

Traditional Florentine dinner

Day 5 Florence

Truffle & olive oil grove visit

Local market guided visit

Chianti winery visit and tasting

Dinner on your own

Day 6 Florence--Rome

Travel to Rome

Ancient Rome guided walking sightseeing tour with Whisper headsets - The ultimate symbol of Ancient Rome, the Colosseum still dominates the modern city. Tour the amphitheater with your local licensed guide. Built by the emperor Vespasian in A.D. 72, the structure held almost 50,000 spectators but was so well organized that the entire place could be emptied within 15 minutes. Inside, the spectacles varied from gladiator battles to immense naval contests to wild beast shows, in which thousands of exotic animals like giraffes and ostriches were popped into the stadium through trap doors and left to fight Roman hunters. See the system beneath the floor that operated the trap doors and housed the animals, then continue on to the relative calm of the Forum. Ancient Rome’s commercial, religious and political center, the Forum held markets, temples and the Senate House. Near the Rostra, or speaker’s platform, you can still see game boards scratched into the marble by bored politicians--anyone up for a game of tic tac toe?

Colosseum visit, Forum Romanum visit, Piazza Venezia

Dinner on your own

Day 7 RomeVatican City guided walking sightseeing tour with Whisper headsets

Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel visit, St. Peter’s Basilica visitRome city walk

Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona

Pizza-making class & dinner

Day 8 Flight home from Rome

Total Fee: $4,461.00*OR 12 monthly payments of $367.58, after initial payment of $50.00

To register for this amazing trip and to find out the specifics of what is included go to:  http://www.explorica.com/Hallett-1785

Tour Includes:

Round-trip airfare

6 overnight stays (8 with extension) in hotels with private bathrooms

Full European breakfast dailyDinner daily

Full-time services of a professional tour director

Guided sightseeing tours and city walks as per itinerary

Visits to select attractions as per itinerary

Guided sightseeing tours with high-tech headset as per itinerary

Tour Diary™Local Guide and Local Bus Driver tips; see note regarding other important tips

Note: On arrival day only dinner is provided; on departure day, only breakfast is provided

Note: Tour cost does not include airline-imposed baggage fees, or fees for any required passport or visa. Optional excursions, optional pre-paid Tour Director and multi-day bus driver tipping, among other individual and group customizations will be listed as separate line items in the total trip cost, if included.

Rates are pending!

Welcome spring on this escorted luxury motor-coach tour from Portland to Cape Cod. Experience the 49th annual Daffodil Festival on the quaint island of Nantucket. Wear your daffy hats and cheer during the Antique Car Parade, which features over 100 daffodil-bedecked vintage cars. Enjoy free time to explore Hyannis & Nantucket and tour local museums in Sandwich and Cambridge, MA. Registration opens in early 2025. Registration opening early 2025.

For more details on inclusions and rates please visit https://adventure-marketplace.com/adventures

UPGRADE YOUR SEA KAYAK SKILLS.

(NEW COURSE- part of the Registered Maine Guide Course but open to anyone)

This one day on-water workshop will teach you proper transport of a sea kayak, strokes for most efficient paddling in different conditions, proper boat launch etiquette, safety on the water, where you should and shouldn’t paddle, using a chart while paddling, common rescues and tows. There will be capsizing involved so you are required to wear a wetsuit or drysuit to participate. Limited rentals are available with advance notice. You will bring your own lunch, sea kayak at least 14’ long with two bulkheads, paddle, life jacket, bilge pump, paddle float, and enthusiasm.

Brunswick, ME

Saturday, April 26, 2025 8:15 am- 5:15 pm

$75

This is a live, online class via Zoom.

Reaching balanced wellness by working on strengthening and stretching the muscles, preventing falls, and improving cardiovascular and bone density health. 

NEW!  Standing and Floor Work! This dynamic, full-bodied exercise program supports muscle growth and increases stamina! Prepare to be getting on and off the floor during the mat portion.  If you have been working on your fitness and want to challenge yourself, "Senior Fitness" will guide you  safely and effectively. 

This class is progressive and increases your overall well-being throughout the 6 week session.  April 28, May 5, 12, 19, June 2, 9

This is a live, online class via Zoom.

This class is progressive and increases your overall well-being throughout the 6 week session.  April 28, May 5, 12, 19, June 2, 9

There's no better way to draw a landscape than to experience and observe it in person. Learn about the tools, materials, and techniques plein air artists use to capture their natural surroundings using pencil and wash on paper. The initial class will take place inside where observational drawing, composition, approach, and supplies will be discussed. The following three classes will take place at selected locations within five miles of the WRAE classroom. A suggested supply list will be provided.

Join this class with Kelly Monroe, the owner of In The Magic Travel, and gain valuable insights into planning your next magical vacation. With over a decade of experience specializing in all Disney destinations, Kelly will provide comprehensive information on resorts, park tickets, theme parks, dining plans, and more. Whether you're a first-time visitor or a seasoned Disney enthusiast, Kelly's expertise will equip you with everything you need to know to create an unforgettable Disney experience!

PLEASE NOTE THE DATE IS 4/28 IT IS DIFFERENT THEN THE DATE IN THE PRINT AND ONLINE CATALOG. 

Are you frustrated by our confusing and complex world of news and information? Are you concerned about “bias” in the news media as well as online misinformation/disinformation and the effects on our society? Explore these critical topics in a nonpartisan manner from a “news literacy” perspective and discover some useful skills from the world of news and information literacy. This five part course follows the optional “overview” session that was offered in the fall and includes five “deeper-dive” topics exploring the “ABC’s” of news literacy. A “field trip” (date to be determined) to meet with the executive editor of the Portland Press Herald, Steve Greenlee, to discuss all things news and journalism is offered as well! Instructor: George Whitbread