2024 AISJ Italy Cultural Journey
| Travel Dates: | January 13, 2024 - January 21, 2024 |
| Group Organizer(s): |
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| WTT Contact: |
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| Program Tuition: |
$2,990 USD
Airfare not included in program tuition
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| Estimated Airfare: | $700 |
Tuition Calculator
There are two options for payment, including an interest-free installment plan. Follow whichever works best for your family. If we are within 90 days of travel, only the pay in full option is possible.
Program Tuition: $2,990
Pay in Full
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All prices in United States Dollars.
Italy Cultural Journey
Italy is a traveler’s dream and an item on everyone’s bucket list. No other country in the world contains as many historical sites and artifacts that provide a glimpse at the very root of western civilization. Where else can you stand and see the place where the basis for modern government was forged? Where else can you see so many timeless and priceless pieces of ancient art and architecture in just a few days?
Natural history, as well as human history, is on full display in the massive peninsular nation with stunning views of the Dolomites and Alps in the north, idyllic Mediterranean countryside along the coast, and broad pastoral landscapes of rolling hills in between. Italians are an incredibly varied and diverse people, but the one constant is their openness and sense of hospitality towards travelers. And, of course, once you have tried true Italian food, there’s no going back to anything else!
Cultural Journeys
Cultural Journeys allow travelers to gain insights into the heritage, history and modern realities of their destination by offering a broad diversity of experience. We rely on the expertise of our local staff to plan itineraries which not only explore the prominent sites but also make time for the lesser-known local gems and are intentional about regular interaction with local people.
Program Highlights
Check out some of the featured experiences of your program!
Wander the streets of Florence, one of the most charming cities in the world!
Explore the world's smallest country, Vatican City!
Have the adventure of a lifetime with your friends
Spend a night on a farm in the Tuscan hills
Tour a local olive farm
Learn to make true Italian food in a private cooking class
Wander through the Roman Colosseum
Explore La Basilica di Santa Croce, where greats like Niccola Machiavelli, Galileo Galilei, and Michelangelo are buried
The Itinerary
We do everything possible to run safe, engaging, and immersive programs for our travelers, but given the unpredictable nature of international travel we must remain flexible in our planning. Changes to a schedule are uncommon but if inclement weather pushes us off course or an unexpected opportunity arises which travelers are excited about, we reserve the right to adjust programming in the best interest of the group.
| Day | Location | Description | Lodging |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeddah - Florence | Fly from the Jeddah to Italy. | Airplane |
| 2 | Florence | Upon arrival to Florence we'll meet our program leaders at the airport. We will check into our accommodations, and go have lunch at the cental market in Florence, where there will be many different food choices from all around italy. After lunch, we will then stop in a park to have our orientation meeting and set our expectations for our trip.We will then have a walking guided tour of Florence. We will then have a traditional florentine dinner with a dessert of icecream and head to bed early and be ready for an exciting week ahead touring central italy! | Hotel in Florence |
| 3 | Florence | Today we head to the Uffizi, one of the world biggest museums and oldest museums in Italy. We will admire art from Botticelli, Micheangelo, Caravaggio and many more! We will have some street-food lunch and visit Piazza Duomo and then climb up the tower of giotto and see florence from a different prospective! We will then trek up to piazza micheangelo and see the sunset from the best place in town! | Hotel in Florence |
| 4 | Florence - Siena | We will start off our day walking around and visiting the rest of the must see places in Florence like Ponte Vecchio, have a walk inside of the duomo and of course have some free time to do some shopping! We will then hop on our bus which will bring us to Siena where we will have a walking tour of the small but once very powerful city. We will then head to our farm stay for a relaxing home cooked dinner | Farm in Siena |
| 5 | Siena | We will wake up at an organic farm which produces organic olive oil and wine. We will have a walking tour of the farm and the natrual sourunding. In the afternoon, we will make our own pizza dough bake it and eat it! | Farm in Siena |
| 6 | Siena - Rome | Today we will take our bus to the eternal city of Rome. We will head straight to the Colosseum and Forum, and have a guided tour of this historic wonder of the world. We will then go up a glass elevator in the Vittoriano, and view the Forum and the Colosseum from one of the most unique positions of Rome! We will then have a Roman pasta dinner and of course a Gelato for desert. On our way back to the hotel we will stop by the Trevi fountain and throw our penny into it. | Hotel in Rome |
| 7 | Rome | Today we will have a day to wonder around Rome and visit its highlights. We will visit pizza Navona, piazza di Spagna and its famous steps. We will admire the beaufiful park of villa Borghes. We will enter the Pantheon and see its increadible architechture. We will have some time to go shoping and of course to have some gelato! We will then finish the day off with a wonderful pasta dinner. If we have time we will head to the vatican and see St Peters light up at night. | Hotel in Rome |
| 8 | Rome | We will be heading to another country! The Vatican, we will be visiting its museum with its incredibly vast art collection which it accumulated thoughout the centuries. We will of course visit the Sistine Chapel and Saint Pauls Cathedral. We will then have a free afternoon for visiting the remaining attractions and some shopping. | Hotel in Rome |
| 8 | Rome - Jeddah | Bus transfer to Fiumicino Airport, then say arrivederci to Italy as we board our flight home to Jeddah! | Your own bed! |
Accommodations
In order to provide a safe and memorable experience, we follow strict guidelines when choosing program accommodations. Walking Tree partners with locally-operated, three-star equivalent hotels and guest houses which are centrally located, clean and safe.
Rome Garden Hotel
The Rome Garden Hotel is the perfect accommodation that marries peace and relaxation, characteristic of a reserved and suggestive location, with the commodity of a central position, in the heart of the bustling metropolis of Rome. The hotel is located in the vicinity of Porta Pia on Via Nomentana, in the elegant area of the consular and diplomatic premises. It’s a Patrician villa of the XIX century, entirely modernized and surrounded by a private garden and only a few steps from the splendid frame of Villa Torlonia. It is also the perfect location for art lovers, with the nearby park of Villa Borghese and its prestigious gallery, which houses the famous sculptures of Bernini, being easily reachable on foot from the hotel.
Hotel Alinari
Located just across the square from Florence train station, this hotel offers easy access to the airports and other places in Italy. The sights of the historic center, such as the Accademia Gallery, Uffizi Galleries and the Ponte Vecchio, are all easily reached by foot in less than 15 minutes. All the rooms have private bathroom, air-conditioning, colour tv. Free Wi-Fi keeps guests feeling connected at all times. Students will be grouped in their rooms according to gender.
Le Verzure Azienda Biologica
This farm is flanked by olive groves and vineyards, with a wonderful view of Montalcino and the Merse Valley. Located near the Etruscan ruins of Murlo, in the small village of La Befa and surrounded by Mediterranean bush. This farm offers walks in their vineyards, a stop in our small artisanal cellar and the tour of their wine and olive oil production. The farmhouse has two independent apartments furnished in a traditional Tuscan style, as well as the main house, recently renovated paying respect to the original structure, that can accommodate up to nine people. The property also counts with a swimming pool for guests.
Safety and Support
EASY FUNDRAISING & PAYMENT
24/7 GLOBAL EMERGENCY LINE
HIGHLY VETTED PARTNERS
EXPERT LEADERSHIP
PRIVATE GROUP GUARANTEE
COMPREHENSIVE CURRICULUM SUPPORT
DEDICATION TO CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT
ALL-INCLUSIVE PRICING
I have been on two trips with Walking Tree and both trips have been two of the most amazing experiences of my life.
Cameron
Alumni traveler to Belize and Thailand
Your Adventure Includes
Estimated Airfare
In order to give our travelers the best possible price, we break out airfare from the Program Tuition. We will still handle all booking and ticketing via our flight partner who has access to special fares not available to the general public. Once confirmed, you will be invoiced for the flight roughly 75 days prior to travel.
Program Tuition Excludes: Travel insurance, baggage fees, passport/visa fees, laundry, souvenirs, and activities not listed on itinerary.
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Resource Center
Why should high school students travel abroad? What happens if a participant gets sick? How quickly do we need to enroll? We’re sure you have plenty of questions and we’ve got you covered! Visit our Resource Center to discover the answers to your most pressing questions and contact us anytime with additional questions.