What I Learned from Study Abroad Excursions in Italy
Studying abroad in Rome gave me the rare opportunity to learn through movement, where every excursion provided a unique classroom. From the cities of Florence and Pompeii, to Vatican City at our doorstep, CEA CAPA used excursions to help immerse us in the culture in which we chose to live during the summer. These excursions were more than just weekend trips, but rather extensions of the learning experience.
Florence
The trip to Florence felt like stepping into a living Renaissance museum. From the suspended marketplace at Ponte Vecchio to the towering Duomo standing prominently in the city center, the city was alive with magnificent architecture.
Right off the train and straight into the heart of Florence, where the Duomo rises above the city.
Traversing the big city can be overwhelming, so I slowed down and admired the natural beauty of the Arno riverfront.
It’s a city where, around every corner, a Michelangelo masterpiece waited to be seen. Experiencing each monument and masterpiece in person brought the history of the Renaissance period alive in a way that no slideshow ever could.
Our Florence tour ended at the centuries-old marketplace suspended above the Arno, the Ponte Vecchio.
I had to stop at the Accademia Gallery to say hello to an old friend from back home.
With some free time in Florence, I entered the Hzero Museum where the city was revealed in miniature, its life and architecture compressed into a single square meter.
Vatican City
Back in Rome, traveling a mere two blocks to Saint Peter’s Basilica revealed an entirely new world. Climbing up 551 steps to the top of the dome revealed Rome in its entirety.
231 steps is all that separates you from the world below. The walkway inside St. Peter’s Basilica's dome makes everyone below look like little figurines.
Famous landmarks like the Castel Sant’Angelo, the Pantheon, the Colosseum, and the Wedding Cake building (Altare della Patria), all speckled the horizon within a singular camera lens. The tedious climb showed me that a little discomfort can lead to a world of discoveries.
A single vantage point where Rome reveals itself in full: Castel Sant’Angelo, the Pantheon, Altare della Patria, and the Colosseum, all visible from the top of St. Peter’s Basilica's dome.
A photo of me, capturing the Vatican City landscape from the top of St. Peter’s Basilica's dome. Climbing 551 steps to the highest point in the smallest country was a moment I’ll never forget.
Pompeii
Finally, our excursion to Pompeii helped me to understand the importance of preservation and perspective. Walking through the streets, villas, and monuments felt like entering a city where time stood still.
Walking through Pompeii, we entered a villa frozen in time, its architecture and history preserved perfectly by ash.
The ash that once buried Pompeii helped preserve it completely, so I could walk the streets and see how people lived, worked, and traveled nearly 2,000 years ago. Seeing the city paused in time taught me that history isn’t just something from textbooks, but rather can show us places where people thrived.
A beautiful coastline view of the Mediterranean sea, captured on our road trip from Naples to Pompeii.
History often feels distant, restricted to textbooks and lecture slides. But through these excursions, I was able to step into Italian culture and walk through the world of ancient Rome. This program allowed me to learn not just by observing, but also by exploring, and I will carry that with me after returning home. These excursions helped shape my study abroad experience, teaching me to be curious and open-minded as I continue to grow and learn.
