Program Overview
For those middle school students looking for their first trip abroad without their parents, check out this taste of Italian culture on Ciao Italy! Our trip begins in the Renaissance capital of the world, Florence. While tasting some of the best gelato and pizza, seeing the amazing Duomo, and catch a postcard-perfect sunset over the city. For those who choose, they can spend a day wandering the charming canals of Venice.
Then it’s off to discover the picturesque seaside that Italy has kept hidden in the Cinque Terre. Marvel at the picture-perfect coast of the Italian Riviera, with its five pastel-painted fishing towns nestled into the cliffside. We’ll hike the trails, swim in the Mediterranean, and enjoy a quintessential Italian summer dream!
To cap off your Italian adventure, we’ll visit the Eternal City and step back in time to the days of ancient Rome while marveling at the Colosseum and exploring the Vatican City. After ten days you will have truly experienced living la bella vita!
This program is perfectly paced for a younger age group – we have slowed down the itinerary to allow for a more relaxed experience to help younger teens adjust to the culture shock of being abroad. We only stay overnight in three cities (Florence, Cinque Terre, and Rome) to minimize the amount of time we pack up and go. This allows the teens to experience everything Italy has to offer without the stress!
During this program, you will…
- Capture the picture perfect sunset over Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo
- Wind through the canals of Venice
- Hike along the Cinque Terre coast and discover some of the world’s most beautiful villages
- Explore the classic Tuscan medieval hill town of Montalcino
- Enjoy an authentic Italian cooking class in a privately owned Tuscan winery
- Explore local neighborhoods of Rome in search of the best artisan pizza
- Wander the golden halls of the Vatican and stare in awe at Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling
- Walk in the steps of the ancients and learn how the gladiators fought at the Colosseum
- Guarantee your return to Rome with a coin tossed into the Trevi Fountain
Trip Itinerary
DAY 1: DEPART FROM NEW YORK (JFK)
DAYS 2-4: FLORENCE > VENICE
Our program begins in stunning 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,” explore the Duomo, and visit the Uffizi Museum, which houses the best collection of Italian Renaissance art in the world. However, art and culture are not all that are in store for us in Florence.
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 challenging ourselves to go all the way on TFT’s famous Gelato Tour! We’ll take a day trip from our base in Florence to the floating city of Venice! Wander the canals and enjoy the overall relaxed atmosphere of this quaint city.
DAYS 5-7: CINQUE TERRE
Then it’s off to discover one of Italy’s hidden gems! Often referred to as the Italian Riviera, the Cinque Terre 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! 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 stunning 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.
DAYS 8-10: MONTALCINO > ROME
Then it’s time to say “arrivederci Monterosso” and head towards Rome. On the way we will stop in the town of Montalcino, where we’ll stroll the quaint cobblestoned streets of the quaint Tuscan hill town.
We will visit 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.
Then it’s time to visit our final Italian destination: the Eternal City, where we will explore some of the most famous sites in Italy. Go inside the mighty Colosseum and get a vivid picture of what it was like when the gladiators were battling. Check out the Vatican Museums and stare in awe at the Sistine Chapel, and go inside St. Peter’s Basilica. In true Roman fashion, we will hang out at the Spanish steps and see the Trevi Fountain lit up at night — make sure you toss a coin in for good luck to insure your quick return to this gorgeous city!
DAY 11: RETURN TO USA
Photo Gallery
Check out other TFT programs similar to this one!
Authenticity is engrained in everything we do. Eat, stay, and travel like a local.
Check out what past travelers have to say about TFT and discover why we are consistently awarded “Top Youth Travel Organization” year after year.
Travel with us and discover why we are consistently winning awards for Top Youth Travel Organization.
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 Rome we stay at an elegant two star hotel near the central Piazza Santa Maria Maggiore, close to both the Colosseum and the main train station. In Florence we stay in a three star hotel only minutes away 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 Rome we stay at an elegant two star hotel near the central Piazza Santa Maria Maggiore, close to both the Colosseum and the main train station. In Florence we stay in a three star hotel only minutes away 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 Europe for Middle School: Ciao Italy trip?
An exclusive invitation to a Tuscan villa and winery tour, a private party at a famous leather shop at the San Lorenzo markets in Florence and an insider’s guide to the best little-known neighborhoods of Rome are all yours on the Europe for Middle School: Ciao Italy program to immerse yourself in the best parts of Italy.
An exclusive invitation to a Tuscan villa and winery tour, a private party at a famous leather shop at the San Lorenzo markets in Florence and an insider’s guide to the best little-known neighborhoods of Rome are all yours on the Europe for Middle School: Ciao Italy program to immerse yourself in the best parts of Italy.
What is included?
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 on the Ciao Italy program?
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!
In Italy we will enjoy fresh, simple ingredients, homemade pasta, a wide variety of fruits and vegetables and of course, pizza! We always eat at authentic and local restaurants. Food is an important part of the culture so we prefer to allow our students to order off the menu so every meal is exactly what you want!
Of course, we are always willing and able to accommodate vegetarians, vegans, gluten allergies, and other 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!
In Italy we will enjoy fresh, simple ingredients, homemade pasta, a wide variety of fruits and vegetables and of course, pizza! We always eat at authentic and local restaurants. Food is an important part of the culture so we prefer to allow our students to order off the menu so every meal is exactly what you want!
Of course, we are always willing and able to accommodate vegetarians, vegans, gluten allergies, and other dietary restrictions.