Destinations · Europe
Italy
Italy compresses Roman, medieval, Renaissance and modern history into cities students can cross on foot or by a short train ride. It is also where the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education was born, which makes it useful for education faculty as well as art historians.
Overview
Italy as a classroom
Italy is a classroom for the long history of Europe: the Roman Forum and Colosseum, the Vatican, Florentine Renaissance workshops and the canals of Venice all remain in daily use. Students see how a country protects centuries of art while running modern cities and regional economies. North and south differ in industry, dialect and food, which makes Italy a strong case for comparative study. Its public piazzas, markets and museums also teach how daily life and heritage share the same streets.
ARAMFO has run faculty development programs in Italy on the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education, paired with Florence, and seminars on the cultural and historical aspects of Italy and Greece from an architecture, art and history perspective. Every faculty-led course is customized to the professor's syllabus and travel dates.
Good to know
- Language
- Italian; English is common in tourism and at universities.
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Best season
- April to June and September to October
- Typical length
- 10-14 days (customizable)
Highlights
What students will see and do
- Colosseum and Roman ForumThe first-century amphitheater and the Forum show how Roman public life, law and engineering were organized in the heart of the city.
- Vatican Museums and Sistine ChapelThe museums hold one of the world's great art collections, including Michelangelo's ceiling frescoes in the Sistine Chapel.
- FlorenceThe Duomo, the Uffizi Gallery and the city's workshops tell the story of the Renaissance and its patrons.
- VeniceBuilt on a lagoon of islands linked by canals and bridges, the city illustrates centuries of maritime trade and adaptation to water.
- PompeiiThe ash-buried Roman town near Naples preserves streets, homes and public buildings from 79 CE.
- Reggio EmiliaThis northern city is the birthplace of the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education, which treats the environment as a teacher.
Faculty-led travel courses
Courses that fit Italy
Professors build their own syllabus; ARAMFO arranges the visits that bring it to life.
Art, Architecture & HistoryStudents could study Roman engineering, Renaissance painting and sculpture, and the conservation of monuments in Rome, Florence and Venice.
Early Childhood & Special EducationA course could observe the Reggio Emilia approach, including atelier workshops, documentation and the role of the pedagogista.
Education & Teacher PreparationStudents could compare Italian public and municipal school systems and examine how museums and heritage sites serve as learning spaces.
Geography & Environmental StudiesA course could study Venice's lagoon, volcanic hazards near Naples and Sicily, and how tourism affects historic city centers.
Programs
ARAMFO programs in Italy
Programs ARAMFO has run or published here. Each can be adapted into a faculty-led travel course for your own students, on your dates.
On the ground
Academic and professional visits
Visits are chosen with the professor to match the course. ARAMFO also arranges flights, housing, meals, local transport, guides and entrance fees.
- Early childhood centers and atelier workshops
- University lectures with Italian faculty in art history and architecture
- Museum and conservation laboratory briefings
- Archaeological site tours with licensed guides
Get started
Plan a course in Italy
Tell us about your course and we will reply with a draft itinerary and cost.
More destinations
Other destinations
Countries where ARAMFO has run or published faculty-led courses and faculty development programs.
