May 4, 2012

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue men's basketball team will visit Rome, Florence, Venice and Lake Como in August as part of a 10-day Italian tour that will also see the Boilermakers play four games.

The travel party will depart on Aug. 7 and return on Aug. 17. Pursuant to NCAA regulations, the team will have 10 practice days before departing on their second international tour under head coach Matt Painter.

The Boilermakers will play two games in Rome and one each in Venice and Lake Como. The sightseeing itinerary for the trip currently includes the Vatican and the Coliseum in Rome, as well as Academia, Florence, Pisa, Venice and Lake Como.

Per NCAA regulations, Purdue's last foreign tour came in the summer of 2008, when the Boilers toured Australia. Later that season, the Boilermakers captured the program's first-ever Big Ten Tournament championship and advanced to the team's first NCAA Sweet 16 in nearly a decade.

The John Purdue Club is inviting supporters of the Purdue men's basketball program to accompany the team on its Italian tour. The price breakdown is as follows*:

Including round-trip airfare from Chicago O'Hare
Double: $6,000 per person for JPC members, $6,200 per person for non-JPC members
Single: $7,500 for JPC members, $7,700 for non-JPC members

Ground only
Double: $4,500 per person for JPC members, $4,700 per person for non-JPC members
Single: $6,000 for JPC members, $6,200 for non-JPC members

*Tour price based on 20 travelers.

The price of the trip includes nine nights in first-class hotels around Italy, charter bus for all ground transportation, daily breakfast at the hotel, game tickets to all games, sightseeing tours as listed on the itinerary, a welcome reception, special John Purdue Club dinner nights, a tour gift and a John Purdue Club tour host.

Reservations for the trip need to be made by June 1 by contacting Darling Travel at (800) 225-2834, (765) 743-2116 or Claudia@darlingtravel.com.