Italy Summer Program Overview
Fall in love with one of the world’s top destinations on our classic adventure through Italy this summer! Discover the best of Italy’s mouthwatering cuisine, awe-inspiring art, charming villas and vineyards, fascinating history, incredible coastline, and renowned shopping.
With vibrant cities, the Tuscan countryside, and picture-perfect coastlines, you’ll experience everything that makes Italy so incredible and diverse. On this student trip to Italy, we will fully immerse ourselves in the Italian culture with cooking classes, gelato tours, boat cruises, coastal hikes, and more! Enjoy breathtaking views, delicious food, rich culture, and Italian hospitality every step of the way this summer on our Italy Adventure program!
During this program, you will…
- Explore some of Italy’s best museums and see world-famous artwork such as Michelangelo’s David
- Hike along the idyllic Italian coast while marveling at the pastel-painted fishing towns nestled along the cliffs in the Cinque Terre
- Explore the classic Tuscan medieval hill town of Montalcino
- Visit a private winery and prepare Italian specialties for a fresh homemade meal with a family at their Tuscan estate*
- Stroll across the famous Ponte Vecchio and experience the Renaissance city of Florence
- Relax on a pristine beach in the Italian Riviera and swim in the Mediterranean
- Enjoy a private invitation to a famous local leather shop for an introduction to the Italian leather market
*This is an optional add-on
Trip Itinerary
DAY 1: DEPART FROM NEW YORK (JFK)
DAYS 2-4: FLORENCE > MONTALCINO
Welcome to Florence, the city most often referred to as an outdoor museum! Every turn in this beautiful city reveals a new statue, fountain or fresco. In the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, we’ll see Michelangelo’s famous “David,” climb to the top of the Duomo, and visit the Uffizi Museum, which houses the best collection of Italian Renaissance art in the world. Art and culture are not all that are in store for us in Florence, however. We’ll shop in the city’s famous markets and go to an exclusive event at one of the best leather shops in the city. We’ll enjoy the best pizzeria in the city and challenge ourselves to go all the way on TFT’s famous gelato tour!
Take a day trip to Montalcino, one of Italy’s loveliest cities. We’ll stroll the quaint cobblestoned streets of the hill town of Montalcino. Visit its beautiful medieval church and cathedral and check out the grand fortress.
For those who choose, there will be an optional excursion to a private vineyard just outside the town of Montalcino to experience the stunning Tuscan countryside in real Italian fashion. This day is a TFT favorite! We have an exclusive invitation to a family’s private Tuscan estate. We will receive a hands-on tasty Italian cooking lesson using freshly harvested vegetables straight from their garden! Enjoy a special tour of the winery where they produce award-winning wine and receive an introduction to this important part of Italian culture.
DAYS 5-6: CINQUE TERRE
Welcome to the Cinque Terre, which is one of Italy’s hidden gems! Often referred to as the Italian Riviera, this region is home to five idyllic fishing villages with pastel colored houses perched on dramatic cliffs that plunge into the crystal-blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. We stay right in the center of one of the villages (Monterosso) just steps from the beach! We do not stay outside the towns in La Spezia (technically not part of the Cinque Terre). Instead, we are right in the middle of everything and able to walk just a few steps to the beach or charming shops. In Monterosso we have established strong relationships with the locals from some of the service projects we have done there in the past, and you will see you are treated like family during your stay here!
The Cinque Terre is known for its spectacular hiking trails that connect the towns and we will have the opportunity to hike them for ourselves! On the hike we will enjoy spectacular views of the sea and the vineyards that line the cliffs and be inspired by the natural beauty in this region. During our time here we will also sample local specialties like pesto and focaccia. We’ll dine on fresh seafood and relax on the beach in our seaside paradise.
DAY 7: FLORENCE
We’ll head back to Florence for our last night of the trip and hit up anything we missed, grab all those last-minute souvenirs, and soak up the Italian summer vibes. We will celebrate the last night of an incredible trip with a fancy dinner at one of the best restaurants in the city, and of course, stop for our last taste of gelato!
DAY 8: RETURN FLIGHT TO THE USA
FAQs
Where do we stay on this program?
Our hotels are chosen specifically in safe areas and are well suited to facilitating group supervision. We stay in centrally located accommodations, usually within walking distance of the main attractions. We do not use large, impersonal chain hotels on the outskirts of cities; we prefer to select smaller, family-run hotels where we establish personal relationships with the owners.
In Florence we stay in a beautiful hotel a short distance from the Duomo. In the Cinque Terre we will be staying in a lovely family-run hotel located only steps from the best beach in town. In Florence we stay in a beautiful hotel a short distance from the Duomo.
For safety reasons, we do not publish the names of the accommodations we use. We do not feel it is safe to publish the name of a hotel where a group of teenagers is staying abroad. After registering, participants and parents are given access to our secure parent website where you will be able to see the names of all of the accommodations for the program.
Our hotels are chosen specifically in safe areas and are well suited to facilitating group supervision. We stay in centrally located accommodations, usually within walking distance of the main attractions. We do not use large, impersonal chain hotels on the outskirts of cities; we prefer to select smaller, family-run hotels where we establish personal relationships with the owners.
In Florence we stay in a beautiful hotel a short distance from the Duomo. In the Cinque Terre we will be staying in a lovely family-run hotel located only steps from the best beach in town. In Florence we stay in a beautiful hotel a short distance from the Duomo.
For safety reasons, we do not publish the names of the accommodations we use. We do not feel it is safe to publish the name of a hotel where a group of teenagers is staying abroad. After registering, participants and parents are given access to our secure parent website where you will be able to see the names of all of the accommodations for the program.
What is unique about the Italy Explorer program?
Travel For Teens’ expertise in leading programs through Italy for over a decade, the Italy Explorer program provides unparalleled insider access to this beautiful country.
Travel For Teens’ expertise in leading programs through Italy for over a decade, the Italy Explorer program provides unparalleled insider access to this beautiful country.
What is included on the Italy Explorer program?
Tuition cost includes ground transportation; accommodation; chaperones and guides; program-related activities and admissions; taxes and tips; all breakfasts and dinners.
Not included in cost (this is not intended to be an exhaustive list): airfare; lunches; visas and visa application fees; personal and medical expenses; activities and admissions that are not program-related or referenced in the itinerary; beverages other than filtered water at meals; participant expenses that are outside of the program description, such as excess baggage fees and damage to hotels; expenses related to unforeseen circumstances, such as transportation strikes and natural disasters.
Tuition cost includes ground transportation; accommodation; chaperones and guides; program-related activities and admissions; taxes and tips; all breakfasts and dinners.
Not included in cost (this is not intended to be an exhaustive list): airfare; lunches; visas and visa application fees; personal and medical expenses; activities and admissions that are not program-related or referenced in the itinerary; beverages other than filtered water at meals; participant expenses that are outside of the program description, such as excess baggage fees and damage to hotels; expenses related to unforeseen circumstances, such as transportation strikes and natural disasters.
What is the food like?
In a word – delicious! At Travel For Teens, 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!
Italian food is all about fresh, simple ingredients. We’ll sample the best of the “three Ps”- pizza, pasta, and panini! Indulging in these Italian specialties for the first time is a life-changing experience, and we will be there to document every minute of it as you fall in love with the fresh mozzarella, warm Italian bread, mouth-watering prosciutto, and homemade pasta. Don’t forget about gelato! After your trip to Italy, no dessert will ever be the same.
Of course, we are always willing and able to accommodate vegetarians, vegans, gluten allergies, and other dietary restrictions.
In a word – delicious! At Travel For Teens, 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!
Italian food is all about fresh, simple ingredients. We’ll sample the best of the “three Ps”- pizza, pasta, and panini! Indulging in these Italian specialties for the first time is a life-changing experience, and we will be there to document every minute of it as you fall in love with the fresh mozzarella, warm Italian bread, mouth-watering prosciutto, and homemade pasta. Don’t forget about gelato! After your trip to Italy, no dessert will ever be the same.
Of course, we are always willing and able to accommodate vegetarians, vegans, gluten allergies, and other dietary restrictions.
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