Italy Tour 2024

In the wee hours of March the 26th, 26 students and 5 staff departed from Melbourne bound for Rome. The combined flight time of 14 hours (with a 3 hour stopover in Dubai) saw travelling party arrive safely in Rome on the evening of the 26th of March where we met by our Worldstrides tour guide Federica. She would lead us to the best parts of the cities visited for the next 17 days, providing valuable insights and helping us work through and around language barriers. 

The following day the group hit the cobblestoned pavements of Rome as we completed a walking tour of some the sites of the city. The skies of Rome were not kind on day one with rain falling for much of the morning. It did however give the group a chance to develop skills and approaches to brushing off the advances of street peddlers (selling umbrellas and ponchos).

Rome turned on its charm for the remaining days the students soaked up the amazing sights, tried Rome’s finest tiramisu, and grasped every opportunity to consume gelato. Across our time in Rome ANDIAMO become the catch phrase as teachers and students alike were herded along, to keep the tour on track, and avoid losing any wandering members in search of that perfect photo.  

Next town on the itinerary was Sulmona, Cinzia’s hometown.  Cinzia taking on the role of group leader for the next 6 days was relentless in her pursuit of providing students with unique expereicnes. In Sulmona the students had experiences not available to the average tourist, including; meeting the Mayor, spending time in two local schools (sitting in on lessons, and doing some art), experiencing a cooking lesson with a Michelin listed restauranter, and witnessing the Running of the Madonna. The group also visited surrounding towns wandering through the historic town centres of Pacentro and Castel Di Sangro, visiting Castles (in various states of ruin and keep). The intimacy of these small towns providing the students with rich experiences further developing their language skills and an appreciation for the rich history of Italy.

Following our time in Sulmona the party made its way south towards Napoli to visit the archeologically magnificent site of Pompeii, which sits the shadows of Mount Vesuvius the active Volcano responsible for Pompeii’s fame. At the conclusion of this visit boarded the coach for two hour bus ride along the scenic coast surrounding Napoli arriving at the visually stunning Sorrento. Here the students spent the afternoon and evening shopping, walking, and again eating gelato. 

After an early morning, the team made their way via bus to Florence with the trip cutting through the Italian countryside, which provided a spectacular back drop for the journey as we heading into the Tuscany region.  It would be fair to say some of the students, and staff, used the 5 hour journey as chance to catch up on sleep. 

Florence provided the students with the opportunity to gain a deeper appreciation for the Arts with visits which took in some of famous pieces from Michelangelo and  Caravaggio in the L’Accademica and Uffi Galleries respectively. Students also learnt about the history of leather making attending a leather workshop. The travel party also completed a walking tour of Florence with a local guide, which was punctuated by a half marathon being inconveniently conducted on the same day. Florence was also the launch pad for a trip to visit to its the rival town of Pisa. 

The trip from Florence to Venice was completed on a fast train providing the students with a combination of tunnels and stunning views, or another opportunity to catch up on sleep. Upon our arrival in Venice we were immediately immersed in its canals with a water taxi trip towards it iconic St Marks Square.  The group were further immersed in Venice’s rich history across the next two days with visits to its famous islands of Burano and Murano, a glass blowing exhibition, a ride in a gondola and the chance to walk over the Bridge of Sighs, learning the origin of this name. 

Overall the trip was a tremendous experience for all of the students, staff, and our guide Federica. Many of the students experienced significant personal growth during the trip, facing and overcoming challenges in a supportive environment. All of us on the trip will come away with memories for a lifetime.