Overview
Experience Bell'Italia with your students. Fall in love with Italy's incomparable cultural flavors—its passion for the arts, its early Christian and Byzantine past, and its celebration of music, food, and wine. This Bell'Italia experience exposes you to the best of its greatest cities and towns—Venice, Ravenna, Florence, Tuscany, and Rome.
Itinerary
Day 1
Start tour
Day 2
Arrive in Venice
Meet your Tour Director
Your 24-hour Tour Director will meet you at the airport and remain with your group until your final airport departure.
Day 3
Venice guided sightseeing tour
Discover Venice, a city built on more than 100 islands in a lagoon off the Adriatic. Begin in St. Mark’s Square and tour St. Mark’s Basilica, completed in 1094 and home to the relics of Venice’s patron saint. Continue with a guided visit of the Gothic Doge’s Palace with its ornate arches before continuing to a glass-blowing demonstration, showcasing the centuries-old tradition of Venice’s most famous craft.
LEAP Behind the Carnival Mask (optional)
Create a Venetian mask inspired by the Italian Carnival, the Commedia dell'Arte - or by your imagination! Learn the meaning of the mask and its historical significance, then decorate yours using professional techniques.
Day 4
Travel to Florence via Ravenna
Mosaic Sites
Marvel at the early Christian and Byzantine mosaics of Ravenna.
LEAP Patron of the Renaissance
Imagine you’re a Medici. Suppose you’re a Sforza. Use this innovative activity to explore the motives of the patrons of the Renaissance.
Day 5
Florence guided walking sightseeing tour with Whisper headsets
Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria, Chiesa di Santa Croce, Ponte Vecchio, Duomo, Leather Workshop, Gates of Paradise, Giotto’s Bell Tower, Dante's House
Uffizi Gallery (optional)
Opt to spend the afternoon exploring the famous Uffizi Gallery, one of the most popular attractions in Florence. With works dating back to the 16th century from artists including da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Botticelli, there are plenty of beautiful artworks to observe and discover.
LEAP Cucina Fiorentina!
Cooking class with dinner
Day 6
LEAP Great Renaissance Debate
Greet six renaissance giants including Giotto, Galileo, and Isabella d’Este, and debate who made the greatest impact on civilization.
Travel to Rome
Rome guided sightseeing tour
Colosseum visit with Whisper headset, Arch of Constantine, Forum Romanum visit
Day 7
Vatican City guided walking sightseeing tour with Whisper headsets
Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel visit, St. Peter’s Basilica visit
Rome city walk
Discover Rome’s iconic landmarks on a guided walk. At the Spanish Steps, see the “sinking ship” fountain, designed that way because of low water pressure that forced the artist to sink it below street level. Marvel at the Trevi Fountain’s Baroque grandeur, the Pantheon’s soaring dome, and Piazza Navona, where Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers anchors the bustling square.
Day 8
Pompeii full-day excursion (optional)
Stop to see the city where time stood still, literally. Once an important Roman city with 20,000 residents, Pompeii was frozen in time nearly 2000 years ago, when Mount Vesuvius erupted and buried the city under 30 feet of mud and volcanic ash. Forgotten for centuries after the eruption, Pompeii was rediscovered in the 1600s and is now completely excavated. On your tour you will learn how Romans of all classes lived their lives--not only from large public structures, but from details like political graffiti, bars and street signs.
Day 9
Return home OR Extend your stay
Board your flight home or choose to extend your trip with additional days in Rome. Immerse yourself in the Eternal City, exploring its rich history, iconic landmarks, and vibrant culture at your own pace.
Already Included
Transportation to & from your destination
Hotel accommodations
Meals (unless otherwise noted on your itinerary)
Admissions to top attractions (details in itinerary)
Guided sightseeing tours & city walks (details in itinerary)
Tips for local guides and drivers
WorldAssist staff members available 24/7/365 should your group need extra help
Free high school credit for students who choose to complete WorldStrides free online coursework post-program
Professional development credits (CEUs) for educators
Scenes from Italy
Health & Safety
Additional health and safety measures may be available within your respective destination. Refer to your program-specific materials for complete details.
Financial Assistance
Financial Assistance
WorldStrides provides over $2.5 million in financial assistance each year to thousands of families. Families with annual adjusted gross incomes of less than $85,000 may qualify. One simple call to Customer Service and you’ll know how much may be available for your trip even before signing up. Please note: financial assistance is given on a first-come, first-served basis.
Payment Plans
Advantage Payment Plan
At program sign-up you can opt to pay in full, or break up the cost of your trip with the Advantage Payment Plan. This plan allows you to pay a small initial deposit, then have your remaining payments spread out into affordable monthly amounts.
EZPay
We offer an EZPay option, which is a simple way to pay for your WorldStrides program by scheduling hassle-free, automatic drafts from your checking account. With EZPay, you'll never be late or miss an installment.
Fundraising Tools
Our easy-to-use tools put students in the driver's seat of their own fundraising efforts. Students can send e-cards, share links on social media, and even send out printed letters through WorldStrides' Gift of Education program. In one click friends and family members can make a direct donation to the trip - with 100% of the money raised going to offset their trip price. Thousands of students pay for their entire trip each year through the Gift of Education.
Also, WorldStrides makes program-specific scholarships available as well as other scholarship resources. Ask your Account Manager for more information about scholarships and fundraising tools.