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’s many beautiful sites, and may even end up discovering hidden ones of their own. Known as a popular holiday destination of the rich and famous, the Isle of Capri also caters to many different visitors with its combination of simplicity, natural beauty and busy glitz. The allure of the island views, rocky seashores and scenic charm will enliven students as they investigate their surroundings. This excursion begins with a motorboat trip to “The Blue Grotto”, a magical place that flaunts crystal blue water. The rest of the day students will walk around the island’s two towns, Capri and Anacapri, each speckled with designer boutiques, small shops and hidden wonders.

Florence

Red-tiled roofs, soaring cathedrals, ornate palaces and more await students in the thriving city of Florence. Visits to world famous sites such as the Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence's Duomo and Palazzo Vecchio will introduce students to a taste of this romantic city.

Ostia Antica

Ostia Antica, founded by the Romans in the 4th century BC, functioned as Rome’s main port for over 600 years. Romans, foreigners, sailors and slaves alike populated the port, making this town an important focal point of defense and trade. This mélange of cultures created an interesting contrast to the rich and upper class residents of Pompeii. During CEA’s visit to Ostia Antica students will not only visit the historical inhabitants’ homes, shops, restaurants and bakery, but they’ll also witness the diversity present amongst the shrines, temples and sanctuaries scattered throughout the area.

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

The Tuscan beauty of Siena provides visitors with an elaborate  snapshot of what Italian life was like many years ago. Students venture back in time while meandering through this medieval town, visiting places like Piazza del Campo, the main square and host of a biannual, world famous horserace. The symbolic feud amongst the town’s 17 neighborhoods comes to life in this horserace exposing the great pride Siena’s inhabitants take in their regions. Students also will afford the opportunity to marvel at the town’s illustrious cathedral whose mosaic floor captivates most of its visitors' attention for hours.  The history of Siena morphs from cathedrals to cuisine on this excursion when students enjoy a medieval Tuscan meal and a traditional song and dance performance for lunch.

Tivoli

Known by the ancient Romans as Tibur, the city of Tivoli lies 30 minutes outside of Rome boasting clean, crisp air and refreshing countryside. Roman aristocrats once frolicked to Tivoli due to its magnetism as a holiday resort. While visiting this city, students will find the opportunity to visit two of the town’s most famous Villas – Villa D’Este and Villa Adriana. Villa D’Este, once a Benedictine convent, now stands as a luxurious villa with over 40 different elaborate fountains. Thanks to Ippolito D’Este who transformed this prior convent, guests experience unique amenities such as fountains singing with trumpets and horns.  Villa Adriana was constructed between 118 an 134 AD and stood as one of the largest and most extravagant villas in the Roman Empire. Emperor Hadrian owned the structure as his country villa and spent his entire life building it to perfection. Unfortunately, various Romans and barbarians plundered Villa Adriana during the fall of the Roman Empire.