On Jan. 14 and 15 at 12:15 p.m., an informational meeting was held in Bixler Room 104 for a Study Abroad Trip to Naples and Rome, Italy next winter. The trip will occur Dec. 12-21, with two days for travel and eight days for visiting the several sites to be seen while on the trip.  

The presentation was given by Dr. Katherine Brown, dean of Arts & Sciences and faculty advisor of the program. She said,“[The trip] brings a textbook to life…When you see something in person, when you walk down the streets of Pompeii, you’re transported in your mind to feeling, ‘What would this be like to a Roman person?’…It’s a completely different kind of environment that you can really only fully understand if you’re there.” 

The Study Abroad Trip is officially known as Art & Architecture: Naples and Rome and counts as an Aesthetics Core. Each student will give a presentation during the trip and write a paper about their experience while in Italy due next January.  

In addition to Rome and Naples, the group will also visit places around the area such as Sorrento, Paestum, Amalfi, Pompeii and Caserta. The itinerary of the trip will include visiting several historically and culturally significant sites in the areas in and around Naples and Rome. 

Following a travel day from the United States to Naples, Italy on Dec. 12, the group will arrive by bus at the coastal Sant’Anna Institute in Sorrento on Dec. 13, where a welcome meal will be provided. This is where the group will stay for four nights from Dec. 13-16. 

The next day, Dec. 14, the group will travel to Paestum, an ancient Greek city known for containing some of the best preserved ancient Greek temples worldwide. On the trip back to Sorrento, the group will also stop for views from the Amalfi Coast. 

On the morning of Dec. 15, the group will travel to Pompeii, the remains of an ancient Greek city famous for being destroyed by a volcanic eruption from the nearby Mount Vesuvius. In the afternoon, they will take a food tour of Sorrento and be able to see mozzarella cheese being made in the same area it originated from, as well as lemons and olive oil, some of the biggest food exports from Italy.   

The next day, Dec. 16, the group will travel into downtown Naples, visiting the Archaeology Musuem and the San Gregorio Armeno district, which is also known as the Christmas market, and known among other things for large, often life-size nativity scenes.  

The group will travel from the Naples area to Rome by bus on Dec. 17, stopping at the Caserta Gardens, comprised of sprawling baroque and English gardens. After checking into the hotel in Rome, the group will also take an evening walk to the Piazza Navona and Trevi Fountain.  

The following day, Dec. 18, the group will visit several historical sites in the city of Rome, including Ara Pacis, the Pantheon, and the Villa Borghese Gardens. The next day, they will visit the Capitoline Hill, the Roman Forum and the Colosseum, giving them insight into the history of the city.  

On Dec. 20, the last site-seeing day of the trip to Italy, the group will visit the Capuchin Monastery and will also be given an opportunity to visit Vatican City, seeing St. Peter’s Basilica. They will leave Italy on Dec. 21. 

For more information on the trip, contact the Study Abroad Office by email. [email protected] or Dr. Katherine Brown by email [email protected].