Take advantage of the unique flavor Rome has to offer. CEA offers a variety of
local immersion activities to match your interests. Whether you enjoy music
concerts, clubs, sports, cooking classes, language exchanges or something
entirely different, our resident staff can help you get involved in the local
culture.
Opera Night
In Italy a night at the opera is an unforgettable experience. In the winter students will attend Rome’s 19th century Opera house with its luxurious red velvet seats and beautiful gold painted balconies. In the summer students will instead watch the opera at the “Terme di Caracalla”, the ancient baths of Caracalla, where the amazing setting makes for a breathtaking evening. Some of the spectacles students will be lucky to see are Puccini’s Tosca, Mascagnai’s Cavalleria Rusticana and Rossini’s Barber of Seville, together with ballets like the ‘Sleeping Beauty’ and ‘Swan Lake’.
Italian Cooking Lesson
At the start of the semester students can participate in an Italian Cooking Course. This course will be six hours long over a three day period and will cover how to shop and choose fresh produce in the Roman open air markets, clean and cut vegetables, and create different Italian dishes such as Bruschetta with tomatoes and rocket salad, Pasta with zucchini and ricotta cheese, Lasagna, Italian meatballs with tomato sauce and the world famous Italian dessert Tiramisu. During these lessons students will also learn how Italians use only fruit and vegetables that are in season to create their amazing dishes, how they serve each dish and how to mix and match each recipe.
Wine Tasting Evening
There is nothing more famous than Italian wine, but how to choose, drink and savor it is an art. This evening will be dedicated to four different Italian wines, each one from a different region. Students will learn about the grapes used to create each wine, the temperature at which each wine should be served, what glass to use, and what food to eat with each wine. Students will use not only their taste buds, but also their sense of smell, to be able to catch the lavender or raspberry that mix together to create the amazing taste of a typical Italian wine.
Rome Walking Experience
This practical walking tour is created to help students experience and fall in love with Rome in just four hours. The tour begins by taking students to one of Trastevere’s local bars with a cappuccino and cornetto as all Romans do before starting their day. A walk across the river to Piazza Farnese presents students with the beautiful sight of the gold painted frescoed ceiling of the French Embassy. The tour will also take students to Rome’s most famous open air market, Campo dè Fiori, where they can buy a slice of pizza at Rome’s most famous and delicious bakery. The tour continues to Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, Piazza Venezia, and the Trevi Fountain where students will pause a moment to throw in a coin to ensure that they return to this amazing city.
Crepe Alla Nutella and Gelato
Students will meet in front of JCU and walk over to Campo de Fiori to sit down at one of the local cafè's for the sinful pleasure of a crepe with hot nutella or gelato.
Tour of Villa Farnesina
A guided tour introduces students to Villa Farnesina, a hidden treasure of Rome with two famous rooms painted by Raphael, Giulio Romano and their assistants. This small two-story palace on the banks of the Tiber was built for the Sienese papal banker Agostino Chigi as a residence for his mistress.
Tour of the Orto Botanico
Once a part of the famous gardens of Villa Farnesina, this is an amazing garden that holds many secret gardens within.
English Movie Night
Students will enjoy an evening together at one of the local cinemas for an original English language movie and fresh popcorn.
Soccer Game
This is an opportunity to see one of Rome's two major soccer teams, Lazio or Roma, play at the new Stadio Olimpico.
