Rome Excursions

One of the benefits of studying abroad is the ability to venture outside your host city and explore the surrounding area. Excursions are offered for all semester, year, and summer programs. Semester students are typically offered two to three excursions and summer students are typically offered one to two excursions. You will receive a calendar of the specific CEA excursions offered for your program during orientation. To give you an idea of the possibilities, we have collected typical experiences from some of the day trips and weekend tours offered to our students in the past.

Capri

Capri has many nicknames-- the Enchanted Island, the Blue Island, the Sleeping Beauty, and the Island of Love. Students will spend the day exploring the island’ many beautiful sites; they may even end up discovering hidden ones of their own. The Isle of Capri is famous for being a popular holiday destination of the rich and famous; however, it caters to visitors of all types with its combination of simplicity, natural beauty and busy glitz. Students will enjoy taking in the beauty of the island itself, its views, its rocky seashores and its scenic charm. The visit begins with a trip on a small motor boat to “The Blue Grotto”, an almost magical place with crystal blue water. The rest of the day will be spent walking around the island’s two towns, Capri and Anacapri, featuring designer boutiques, small shops and hidden wonders.

Florence

Blue skies, red tiled roofs, soaring cathedrals, ornate palaces, amazing art collections, and fabulous shopping await students in the thriving city of Florence. Visits to world famous sites such as the Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence's Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio, and one of the city's many bountiful markets will introduce students to a taste of what this romantic city has to offer.

Ostia Antica

Ostia Antica was founded by the Romans at the mouth of the River Tiber in the 4th century BC and functioned as Rome’s main port for over 600 years. Ostia Antica was populated not only by Romans, but also by many foreigners, sailors and slaves, making this town an important focal point of defense and trade. This mélange of cultures created an interesting contrast with Pompeii which was populated by the rich upper class. During CEA’s visit to Ostia Antica students will not only visit the inhabitant’s homes, shops, restaurants and bakery, but will also witness the genial method with which they created their Spas. Shrines, temples and sanctuaries also demonstrate just how diverse this population was.

Pompeii

Preserved by the ash and lava spewed by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D., Pompeii is truly a snapshot of ancient Italy. The famous frescoes of the House of Vetti will show students what the homes of the wealthiest of merchants looked like. The Forum Baths and the Sacraruim of the Lares are impressive examples of the glamour of this former city, now merely dust.

Siena

Siena is one of Tuscany’s most beautiful cities, providing one with an almost accurate idea of what Italian life was like many years ago. Students will feel transported through time while meandering through this medieval town and visiting the main square, “Piazza del Campo”, which hosts a world famous horserace twice a year. This horse race is a symbolic feud between the town’s seventeen neighborhoods or “contrade”. The people of Siena take great pride in their native neighborhoods. Students will also visit the town’s breathtaking gothic cathedral where one can easily spend hours just gazing at the beautiful floor of this amazing monument. Lunch is served in a Tuscan restaurant where the owners will dress in traditional clothing while serving a medieval Tuscan meal and entertaining with song and dance.

Tivoli

Tivoli is best known by the ancient Romans as TIBUR. It lies east of Rome and although it only takes 30 minutes to arrive there by bus, it feels miles away from the everyday rush of the city. It was once a holiday resort for Roman aristocrats who were attracted by the town’s clean air and beautiful countryside. Students will visit two of the towns most famous Villas. Villa D’Este was once a Benedictine convent until it was transformed by Ippolito D’Este into a luxurious villa with over forty different elaborate fountains. Visitors are often surprised by the sudden fanfare of trumpets and horns from the singing fountains. Villa Adriana was constructed between 118 an 134 AD and was one of the largest and most extravagant villas in the Roman Empire. It was the country villa of the Emperor Hadrian who spent his entire life building it to perfection only to have it plundered by barbarians and Romans during the fall of the Roman Empire.