Program Overview
Use trip code HMSI26 to register
Join us for an unforgettable nine-day adventure through the heart of Italy, organized by Hardy Middle School and Travel for Teens! This trip offers a unique blend of immersive Italian language instruction, captivating cultural experiences, and explorations of ancient wonders.
Your adventure begins in Salerno, your charming base for the majority of the trip. Here, you’ll dive into daily Italian language classes, providing a fantastic opportunity to enhance your linguistic skills in an authentic environment. Beyond the classroom, explore the stunning Amalfi Coast, take a Salerno city tour, and even master the art of pizza-making with a local chef. You’ll also venture to vibrant Naples for a dose of history and bustling city life, and step back in time at the remarkably preserved archaeological sites of Pompeii or Herculaneum.
The trip culminates in magnificent Rome, where you’ll explore iconic landmarks like the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and the Colosseum. Immerse yourself in the grandeur of the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica, before enjoying a celebratory final dinner.
This trip is an enriching educational and cultural immersion adventure designed to broaden horizons, foster language skills, and create lifelong memories. Get ready to say “Ciao!” to an incredible Italian experience!
During this trip, you will…
- Enhance your Italian language skills with daily immersive lessons
- Explore the breathtaking Amalfi Coast and wander through the historic streets of Naples and delve into its rich past
- Toss a coin into the Trevi Fountain and explore iconic Roman landmarks like the Pantheon and Piazza Navona
- Step back in time at the perfectly preserved ancient cities of Pompeii or Herculaneum
- Master the art of authentic Italian pizza-making with a local chef
- Discover the artistic masterpieces within the Vatican Museums and marvel at the Sistine Chapel
Trip Itinerary
DAY 1: Departure time
Flight departs for Rome, Italy
DAY 2: Benvenuti in Italia!
- Flight arrives in Rome
- Meet your TFT Counselors at the airport
- Depart for Salerno
- Check into our homestay and refresh
- TFT First Day Meeting
- First night dinner – authentic Italian cuisine.
DAYS 3: Amalfi
- Breakfast
- Depart for our full-day excursion to Amalfi with a local guide! We’ll visit the Amalfi Cathedral, the paper museum, and explore this seaside gem! Be sure to sample some fresh seafood and lemon sorbet that this town is famous for.
- Return to Salerno
- Dinner
DAY 4: Italian Lessons
- Breakfast
- Welcome and orientation meeting – Italian class begins today
- Italian class
- Lunch
- Italian class
- Salerno City Tour – Get to know the city that will be our home for the week.
- Dinner
DAY 5: Italian Lessons
- Breakfast
- Italian class
- Lunch
- Italian class
- Cooking class! We’ll learn how to make authentic Italian pizza with a local chef for dinner.
- Free time to explore Salerno
DAY 5: Naples
- Breakfast
- Italian class
- Lunch
- Italian class
- Depart for Naples
- Afternoon/evening in Naples! We’ll explore this city that is rich in history with a local guide. We will also have a chance to hit some of the shops and wander around the fascinating streets of Naples!
- Dinner
- Return to Salerno
DAY 6: Pompeii/Herculaneum
- Breakfast
- Italian class
- Lunch
- Italian class
- Depart for Pompeii or Hercolaneum
- We’ll spend the afternoon at this perfectly preserved archaeological site, where history comes alive. Pompeii and Herculaneum were thriving ancient towns that were frozen in time when they were buried under a deep layer of ash and pumice during the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD.
- Return to Salerno
- Dinner
DAY 7: Salerno → Rome
- Breakfast
- Italian class
- Lunch
- Italian class
- Grab our bags and depart for Rome
- Arrive in Rome and check into our hotel to freshen up
- Evening walking tour of Rome. See the Pantheon, Piazza Novona, and throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain
- Dinner at our favorite local trattoria in Piazza Novona
DAY 8: Rome
- Breakfast at the hotel
- Visit the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel
St. Peter’s Basilica – Explore the inside of this opulent and amazing church. - Lunch in the Vatican area
- 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 - Head back to the hotel to freshen up and pack before dinner
- Fancy final dinner in Trastevere. We’ll close out our trip with a celebration!
DAY 9: Arrivederci Italia!
- Flight back to the USA
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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 $4,195, which INCLUDES round-trip airfare to Italy, 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, trip insurance, 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 $4,195, which INCLUDES round-trip airfare to Italy, 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, trip insurance, 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).
What is the payment timeline?
Deadline to register: July 31, 2025
$750 trip deposit due within three business days of registration
The balance will be due in four installments.
Deadline to register: July 31, 2025
$750 trip deposit due within three business days of registration
The balance will be due in four installments.
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?
A standard trip protection plan is $305, and a standard plan with cancel for any reason and interrupt for any reason coverage is $488.
For more information on insurance, please see this page.
A standard trip protection plan is $305, and a standard plan with cancel for any reason and interrupt for any reason coverage is $488.
For more information on insurance, please see this page.
Who can go on this trip?
The trip is open to students at Hardy Middle School. Space is limited and is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
The trip is open to students at Hardy Middle School. Space is limited and is awarded on a first-come, first-served 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.
How much is airfare? How do the flights work?
Travel For Teens will reserve a group contract for all participants. The exact flight path will be determined closer to the trip departure. TFT reserves the right to adjust the trip cost difference with a tuition supplement.
Participants will not be permitted to deviate from the group flights i.e. all participants must take the chaperoned group flight to and from the trip.
Travel For Teens will reserve a group contract for all participants. The exact flight path will be determined closer to the trip departure. TFT reserves the right to adjust the trip cost difference with a tuition supplement.
Participants will not be permitted to deviate from the group flights i.e. all participants must take the chaperoned group flight to and from the trip.
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 an additional fee 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 an additional fee 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.

