Alumni
The SIUE Alumni Association has partnered with Collette Vacations to offer discounted trips to registered Alumni Association members. We are currently offering exciting trips to the Italy, Canadian Rockies, California, Switzerland, and South Pacific. Read below for complete information on each adventure. To book one of the trips, please contact the SIUE Alumni Association office at 618-650-2760.
Canadian Rockies By RailDay 1: Vancouver, British Columbia - Tour Begins
Day 2: Vancouver
Enjoy breakfast at Capilano Suspension Bridge. Experience the splendor of Vancouver with a sightseeing tour that includes Stanley Park, Chinatown and Gastown.
Day 3: Victoria
Take a scenic ferry to Vancouver Island to visit Butchart Gardens. Take a sightseeing tour of Victoria.
Day 4: Rocky Mountaineer® Train - Kamloops
The Rocky Mountaineer® Train will take you on a spectacular voyage from Vancouver to Jasper. Spend two days viewing coastal forests, roaring river canyons and lofty mountain peaks.
Day 5: Kamloops - Jasper, Alberta
Continue east aboard your train and arrive in Jasper, the northern gateway to the Icefields Parkway.
Day 6: Jasper
Begin your day with a trip to the extraordinary Maligne Canyon and travel to Maligne Lake.
Day 7: Icefields Parkway - Lake Louise
Visit Icefields Parkway, the Columbia Icefields, Peyto Lake and Lake Louise.
Day 8: Banff
En route to Banff, view the Moraine Lake and Valley of the Ten Peaks. In Banff, visit a local ammonite specialist and stay in the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel.
Day 9: Calgary
Day 10: Tour Ends
Reflections of ItalyDay 1: Overnight Flight
Day 2: Rome, Italy - Tour Begins
Join your fellow travelers for a special welcome dinner at a popular local restaurant featuring regional delicacies and fine Italian wines. Today dinner will be included.
Day 3: Rome
Enjoy a locally guided panoramic tour of Rome featuring the impressive Piazza Venezia, the Circus Maximus, the Colosseum, the Arch of Constantine and the famous Trevi Fountain.
Day 4: Assisi - Perugia - Umbria
Travel to Assisi, birthplace of St. Francis. Take a guided walking tour of the old city, including the Basilica of St. Francis. Then you are off to medieval Perugia, the historic capital of Umbria. Here you will behold one of the grandest squares in Italy, the Piazza IV Novembre, and delight in the medieval palaces and ornate cathedrals.
Day 5: Siena - Florence
A scenic journey through Tuscany’s graceful low-lying hills brings you to the mystical city of Siena. En route to Florence, visit a family-owned leather shop and learn the traditional Italian techniques of leather making.
Day 6: Florence
Visit the world-famous Academy Gallery to see Michelangelo’s incredible Statue of David. You'll also view the Cathedral of Santa Maria Del Fiore, the Palazzo Vecchio, and the Church of Santa Croce, burial place of Michelangelo, Galileo and Machiavelli.
Day 7: Venice
Start your day with a trip to a historic winery in the heart of the Chianti region with its very own 12th century castle. Learn about Tuscany’s famous wines and enjoy a lunch filled with local specialties. This afternoon, journey through central Italy, crossing over the wooded Apennine Mountains toward the Valley of the Po.
Day 8: Murano Island - Venice
Take boat trip to Murano Island for an up-close glass making demonstration. Return to Venice and visit charming St. Mark’s Square, the lively hub of the city's activity and events. A local expert will guide you on a walking tour of the area featuring St. Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace, the Bridge of Sighs, and the Clock Tower with its famous Moors.
Day 9: Lugano, Switzerland - Como, Italy - Milan Malpensa
Travel to the picturesque Italian Lake district. Cross into Switzerland and the lakeside resort of Lugano where you will enjoy beautiful views of Lake Lugano and excellent shopping opportunities. Returning to Italy, enjoy some time in the elegant town of Como. Lake Como’s charm is tied to its beautiful villas, lush gardens and spectacular views. Continue to Milan Malpensa for a farewell dinner celebrating the end of an unforgettable trip.
Day 10: Tour Ends
Historic Trains of CaliforniaDay 1: Tour Begins
Day 2: San Francisco
Board your coach and join a local expert for a guided tour of the city. Highlights include Fisherman’s Wharf, the famous cable cars, the Golden Gate Bridge and a panoramic view of the city from the imposing Twin Peaks.
Day 3: Columbia - Sonora
Travel west through California’s central valley aboard the Sierra Railroad to Sonora.
Day 4: Yosemite National Park
Day 5: Jamestown - Sacramento
Travel to Jamestown to visit Railtown. Arrive in Sacramento for a guided tour of the city including the Governor's Mansion, State Capitol building and Old Sacramento.
Day 6: Lake Tahoe
Travel east over the Sierra Nevada Mountains to Lake Tahoe. Enjoy a narrated cruise of Lake Tahoe aboard the M. S. Dixie II paddlewheeler.
Day 7: Woodland
Travel to Woodland and board the Sacramento River Train to experience a “Great Train Robbery” complete with a Cowboy BBQ.
Day 8: Napa Valley - Ft. Bragg
Board the Napa Valley Wine Train and travel through Napa Valley. Later, arrive in Ft. Bragg.
Day 9: Sausalito - San Francisco Airport Area
Enjoy a ride aboard the Skunk Train to Sausalito.
Day 10: Tour Ends
South Pacific WondersDay 1: Tour Begins
Day 2: Traveling (Lose a Day Crossing International Date Line)
Day 3: Cairns, Australia
Cairns, the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef.
Day 4: Great Barrier Reef
Board a high speed catamaran for an exciting excursion to the Great Barrier Reef.
Day 5: Cairns
Visit the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Center and Hartley's Croc Farm.
Day 6: Sydney
Fly to the bustling city of Sydney and dine atop the city at Sydney's Revolving Restaurant enjoying the spectacular views of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House at night.
Day 7: Sydney
Enjoy a city tour of Sydney including Kings Cross, the Harbour Bridge, Chinatown, the Rocks, Circular Quay, the Botanic Gardens and the fashionable Paddington suburb.
Day 8: Sydney
Dinner cruise of Sydney Harbor.
Day 9: Christchurch, NZ - Queenstown
Fly to New Zealand en route to Queenstown. Enjoy a gondola ride to dinner at the Skyline Restaurant which overlooks Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu and the mountains.
Day 10: Milford Sound
Enjoy a cruise of Milford Sound.
Day 11: Queenstown
Day 12: Mt. Cook - Christchurch
Visit New Zealand’s most famous national park, Mt. Cook before arriving in Christchurch.
Day 13: Christchurch
Enjoy a sightseeing tour Christchurch including the Neo-Gothic Cathedral and the downtown park district. Later, visit a Canterbury farmyard where you’ll enjoy a sheep shearing demonstration and see the herding of the farm’s animals.
Day 14: Christchurch
Dine inside the restored Riccarton House mansion and learn the history of the first family of Christchurch.
Day 15: Tour Ends
Discover Switzerland, Austria and Bavaria with Oberammergau's Passion PlayDay 1: Overnight Flight
Day 2: Engelberg, Switzerland - Tour Begins
Day 3: Bern
Travel to the capital of Switzerland, Bern and enjoy a sightseeing tour including the Bundeshaus (the Swiss Parliament), the famous Bear Pit, the Rose Gardens, and the gothic cathedral.
Day 4: Lucerne
Travel to Lucerne, the “Swiss Paradise on the Lake.” Enjoy a leisurely-paced Alstadt (Old Town) walking tour exploring the hidden treasures of the city.
Day 5: Innsbruck, Austria
Travel to the Austrian border and city of Innsbruck, the “Capital of the Tyrol.” A local guide leads a panoramic Innsbruck city tour highlighting Maria Theresienstrasse, the Hofburg, and the “Golden Roof.”
Day 6: Salzburg
Travel to Salzburg and enjoy a leisurely-paced walking tour featuring Mirabell Gardens and the Getreidegasse.
Day 7: Innsbruck
Day 8: Bavaria, Germany - Oberammergau
Visit Wies Church, proclaimed a World Heritage site, before proceeding to Oberammergau. Upon arrival, enjoy a brief orientation tour of this quaint, picturesque village.
Day 9: Oberammergau - Passion Play
Witness the performance of the Passion Play.
Day 10: Tour Ends
