Program Overview
Organized by Travel For Teens and Plymouth Whitemarsh, this Italian cultural immersion will have you discovering the best of Italy’s mouthwatering cuisine, awe-inspiring art, charming villas and vineyards, fascinating history and ruins, and renowned shopping.
Our first stop is Venice – a dreamlike city of bridges and canals unlike any other in the world. You’ll be amazed at the splendor of the Grand Canal lined with crumbling, decadent palaces. We will wander the city’s tangled streets, marveling at the colors and reflections that only Venice can offer.
Next, we’ll explore Florence – a Renaissance city home to Michelangelo’s David, the famous leather markets, and the world-famous Uffizi art gallery. Climb to the top of the Duomo for a breathtaking view of the whole city, and of course, no trip to Italy would be complete without undertaking TFT’s famous gelato challenge! Then it’s off to discover Venice, the city of bridges and canals unlike any other in the world.
Our final stop will have us stepping back in time to Ancient Rome, where we will discover the Colosseum and Roman Forum, and wander through medieval Italy in Trastevere after spending our morning in the Vatican City.
We’ll take a day trip to Pompeii, where history will come alive at this perfectly preserved archaeological site. Step back in time while exploring these towns and learn about the daily life there before the volcanic devastation.
This program is open to Plymouth Whitemarsh students. There are a limited number spaces for the trip which are available on a first come first serve basis.
During this trip, you will…
- Discover the real Venice at a local glass-blowing workshop in Murano
- Guarantee your return to Rome with a coin tossed into the Trevi Fountain
- Step back in time in Pompeii and explore the towns and learn about the daily life there before the volcanic devastation
- Stroll across the famous Ponte Vecchio and experience the Renaissance city of Florence
- Wander through the vast interior of St. Peter’s Basilica and stare in awe at Michelangelo’s masterpiece in the Sistine Chapel
- Discover the ancient ruins and marvel at the Colosseum in Rome
- Climb the Duomo for incredible views of Florence
- Explore local neighborhoods of Rome in search of the best artisan pizza
Trip Itinerary
DAY 1: DEPART FROM THE USA
Group flight departs for Venice!
DAY 2: VENICE
- Flight arrives in Venice
- Meet your TFT Counselors at the airport and take a Vaporetto to the hotel
- Lunch and TFT First Day Meeting Get your introduction to Venice during our walking tour
- First night’s dinner – try some authentic Italian cuisine.
DAY 3: VENICE
- Vaporetto ride out to Murano Island & Glassblowing workshop
- Lunch in St. Mark Square
- Afternoon options: Visit the world-famous Peggy Guggenheim Collection or the Ducal Palace Gondola ride along the canals
- Dinner in Venice
DAY 4: FLORENCE
- Catch our train, and then coach, towards Florence!
- Stop in Parma and see how traditional balsamic vinegar is made
- Lunch at our Balsamic Vinegar tasting
- Arrive in Florence and check into our hotel
- Climb the Duomo and take our walking tour of Florence
- First Florentine dinner
- TFT’s famous gelato tour!
DAY 5: FLORENCE
- Morning tour of the Uffizi, one of the world’s most important museums
- Lunch in the Mercado Centrale
- Free time to shop in the famous Mercato di San Lorenzo leather market
- Visit l’Accademia to see Michelangelo’s David
- Afternoon options: more shopping time, or relax at the hotel
- Hike up to Piazzale Michelangelo for a sunset photo shoot and pizza dinner
DAY 6: ROME
- Take a train to Rome
- Lunch
- Visit the Colosseum: See where the gladiators fought!
- The Roman Forum: Learn about the rise and fall of one of the world’s greatest civilizations
- Dinner and evening photo session in Piazza Navona
DAY 7: ROME
- Walk to the Campo di Fiori
- Visit the morning market at the Campo di Fiori and grab lunch
- Shopping on the Via del Corso
- Catch views of Rome from the Victor Emmanuel II Monument
- Head to the medieval Roman neighborhood of Trastevere
- Visit the Basilica di Santa Maria
- Dinner in Trastevere
DAY 8: ROME -> POMPEII
- Day trip to Pompeii: the city covered in ash and perfectly preserved for over 2000 years Lunch
- Visit the Pantheon: The resting place of some of Italy’s most important figures, and the oldest, best-preserved monument in all of Rome
- Dinner in Rome
DAY 9: ROME
- The Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel
- St. Peter’s Basilica – Explore the inside of this opulent and amazing church.
- Lunch of pizza al taglio – pizza by the slice!
- Last-minute souvenir shopping on Via del Corso
- Stop at the Trevi Fountain-throw your coin to ensure your return to the Eternal City
- Fancy final dinner in Rome – wrap up this trip of a lifetime in one of our favorite restaurants in Italy
DAY 10: RETURN HOME
We’ll have one last breakfast at the hotel before boarding our private coach to the Rome airport for our flight back to the USA, marking the end of our adventure in Italy. Welcome home!
Informational Meeting Details
Travel with us and discover why we are consistently winning awards for Top Youth Travel Organization.
Photo Gallery
Frequently Asked Question
Who is Travel For Teens?
We are in our 21st year in the teen travel business and have emerged as the industry leader for teen travel in the United States, Canada, Europe, Latin America, Asia, Oceania, and Africa. We operate over 100 programs in 47 countries on 6 continents.
Our philosophy: We offer genuine and authentic trips for travelers, not tourists.
Our goal is to engender a passion for learning about other cultures and places through living like a local in that place.
How much is tuition & what does tuition include?
Tuition for the trip is $3,295 which INCLUDES all breakfasts and dinners, accommodations, transportation, entrance to museums/events, taxes, and tips.
Tuition does NOT INCLUDE lunches and meals not listed in the itinerary, COVID-related expenses (PPE equipment, testing), beverages other than filtered water at meals, laundry, souvenirs, shopping, visas and visa application fees, personal and medical expenses, activities and admissions that are not program-related or referenced in the itinerary, excess baggage fees, damage to hotels, expenses related to unforeseen circumstances (e.g. transportation delays or natural disasters).
Tuition for the trip is $3,295 which INCLUDES all breakfasts and dinners, accommodations, transportation, entrance to museums/events, taxes, and tips.
Tuition does NOT INCLUDE lunches and meals not listed in the itinerary, COVID-related expenses (PPE equipment, testing), beverages other than filtered water at meals, laundry, souvenirs, shopping, visas and visa application fees, personal and medical expenses, activities and admissions that are not program-related or referenced in the itinerary, excess baggage fees, damage to hotels, expenses related to unforeseen circumstances (e.g. transportation delays or natural disasters).
If I cannot afford the payment schedule listed above, does Travel For Teens provide flexible payment plans?
Yes, Travel For Teens is willing to customize a payment plan for any participant who needs a little flexibility in the payment schedule. Please email help@travelforteens.com for details on payment plans.
How much is trip cancellation insurance?
Trip cancellation insurance will be mandatory for all participants and is not included in your deposit payment. We feel that this gives everyone more peace of mind in case of unforeseen events. The trip cancellation insurance, if purchased directly from Travel For Teens, is $244 for the standard plan. You may also choose to purchase a more comprehensive cancel-for-any-reason insurance. The cost of the premium insurance for your trip is $361.
All paying participants (i.e. students/parents) will need to provide proof of an independently-purchased policy if not purchasing the plan offered by Travel For Teens.
For more information on insurance, please see this page.
Trip cancellation insurance will be mandatory for all participants and is not included in your deposit payment. We feel that this gives everyone more peace of mind in case of unforeseen events. The trip cancellation insurance, if purchased directly from Travel For Teens, is $244 for the standard plan. You may also choose to purchase a more comprehensive cancel-for-any-reason insurance. The cost of the premium insurance for your trip is $361.
All paying participants (i.e. students/parents) will need to provide proof of an independently-purchased policy if not purchasing the plan offered by Travel For Teens.
For more information on insurance, please see this page.
Who can go on this trip?
The trip is open to students at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School. Space is limited and is awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The trip is open to students at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School. Space is limited and is awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis.
After I register, what happens next?
Once you have completed your registration and paid your deposit, you will receive an email that contains your USERNAME and PASSWORD to MyTFT. All forms to be completed by parents and physician as well as packing lists, travel tips, travel insurance information, and other important information can be found on the MyTFT portal (hard copies of the essential legal/medical forms can be mailed to participants upon request). Our contract and release must be signed by all custodial parents (or guardians) and the participant.
Where do we stay?
We will be staying in three-star hotels throughout the program. The names of the accommodations are available to all families once they have signed up.
Single rooms can be requested and will cost $650 additional per person per single.
Note: singles must be requested at the time of registration to be guaranteed.
We will be staying in three-star hotels throughout the program. The names of the accommodations are available to all families once they have signed up.
Single rooms can be requested and will cost $650 additional per person per single.
Note: singles must be requested at the time of registration to be guaranteed.
Trip Emails & Photographs
PHOTOGRAPHS
We will take dozens, if not hundreds, of photos each day. The best photos will be posted as regularly as possible (ideally every day) to a private photo-sharing platform (Waldo Photos) where you can follow along with the trip. We will send you an email to alert you when we post new photos. Low-resolution photos can be viewed for free during and after the trip. All of your High-Resolution matched photos can be purchased and downloaded in real-time during the trip or after the trip for $50.
EMAILS
The Trip Director will be in regular email contact every 24-48 hours, internet willing, with our families. Emails will include fun detailed updates about the day’s activities and are a great way for families to follow along with the journey. Email will be the best way to communicate messages to the Trip Director.
Safety, Sickness & Communication
SAFETY AND SICKNESS
The safety of our participants is our #1 concern, which is why we have only experienced trip leaders running the show. We offer 24/7 communication throughout our programs and have detailed risk management and safety policies in place. Please review our policies here.
For information regarding our specific policies with Covid-19 please review our Covid-19 protocols page here.
What are the safety qualifications for our staff?
Our staff members undergo a rigorous hiring process. They receive the same background check as school educators, an extensive training process to go over all safety precautions and protocols, and are required to be certified in CPR and First Aid. We exclusively hire responsible, multi-talented individuals who are safety-minded and are as passionate about teen travel as we are.
What is the food like on a TFT program? Can you accommodate dietary restrictions?
In a word – delicious! At TFT, we believe food should be an integral part of the travel experience and always make an effort to eat at authentic establishments when we can. What better way to immerse yourself in the culture of a place than by sampling the local delicacies, and we encourage students to do so whenever possible! Just as we stay away from Americanized hotel chains, we try to avoid restaurants with menus that cater only to tourists because every good traveler knows the best food is found wherever the locals are eating!
We also love to have picnics al fresco and do this whenever possible, which is a great way to taste some local food while sitting out in the fresh air taking in the sights and sounds of our surroundings.
As always, we are willing and able to accommodate vegetarians, vegans, gluten allergies, and other dietary restrictions.
Do I need to speak the language?
No, our skilled staff members will help you get around and even teach you a few fun phrases!
Are participants allowed to have their cell phones on the program?
We do allow participants to bring their phones, but we ask that they use it solely as a camera when we are out and about during the day. We want everyone to focus on living in the moment and fully experience each new destination we are visiting without being absorbed in their phones. We ask that participants look at their journey with us as a way to disconnect. When we have downtime at our hotels in the evenings it is okay for participants to use their devices to connect with friends and family back home.

