Adventure!
During your summer in Rome & Barcelona, there will be lots of cultural activities planned that we encourage you to participate in. You will attend these trips with other students on the program; there are lots of opportunities to make friends!
Your Site Directors will be in touch with you about optional excursions offered while you are abroad. Please make sure to check your email regularly so that you don’t miss any sign up or payment deadlines for these amazing trips!
These excursions are organized by your onsite staff and will vary depending on the time of the year, but here are some examples of past excursions (included and optional):
Roma
We are excited to fill you in on the upcoming culture rich excursions you will participate in the near future! You will all be meeting the CISabroad Rome Site Director, Romina Marchionne when you arrive on site. During your first few days on site, you will be taken out for a delicious welcome dinner with all other students in the program to kick off your time in Italy!
Romina, born and raised in Rome, will make sure you get to know Rome more intimately by visiting places where Romans go!
Previous “La Vida Local” activities have included a tour of the Testaccio Market, a trip for the “Best Gelato Experience” in Rome, and day trip to Castel Gandolfo, among others. You’ll receive a calendar of CISabroad activities during your onsite orientation.
Castel Gandolfo
Castel Gandolfo, considered on of Italy’s most scenic towns, is a small city overlooking Lake Albano. The city is home to the Summer Palace of the Pope and beautiful views. On this day trip to Castel Gandolfo you will enjoy activities by the lake, touring the city, and a traditional Italian lunch! (Past students said it was the best lunch they had eaten in Italy!)
All local CISabroad excursions and La Vida Local activities are included in your program fees.
Optional trips are also available to CISabroad students and are organized by our partner school in Rome for an additional fee payable on-site. Find more information about these trips here.
Tuscan Weekend
This Student Life weekend trip will take you to the fabled towns of Tuscany: Siena, Florence, Trequanda and Montecatini. From the beautiful town of Siena, to the highly sophisticated medieval city of Florence, to the beautiful landscapes of Trequanda (our wine tasting destination). There are cathedrals, city palaces, intimate town squares and breathtaking landscape views. This is the best way for you to become the most “cultivated” traveler and lover of the best of Italy. The Student Life department provides you a chance to visit some of the historical and artistic treasures of these selected cities of Tuscany. There will also be leisure time for wandering, shopping, individual discovery and relaxation.
Pompeii Weekend
Pompeii, the ancient Roman town buried by a volcanic eruption, is our destination with first, a visit to the much more ancient city of Paestum and three of its most well-preserved Greek temples anywhere. We follow the development of ancient societies of the southern peninsula, looking into their houses and ancient bathing complexes, their forums and temples, theaters and shops, even their brothels. We will also climb a gravel path to the summit of the volcano Vesuvius (whether permitting). AUR provides the expert guidance. The tours are crafted to give both general overviews and more specific studies of fascinating details of ancient society. There is a lot more to explore and there will be free time for shopping, individual discovery and relaxation by the beach.
Barcelona 
In addition to the amazing excursions, the onsite staff will plan some wonderful activities to help you get to know your host country’s culture! Your Program Coordinator will send you your program calendar. Possible activities include:
- Orientation including hike and calçotada
- Barrio tours (neighborhoods in Barcelona)
- Day trip; possible cities include Tarragona, Besalú and the Dalí museum, Sitges or Cordoniu
- Walking tour
- Chocolate con churros
- Castells workshop (human towers!)
- Language exchange (intercambio)
- Magic fountain of Montjuic
- Spanish and Catalan cooking class
- Flamenco show
- Salsa class
- Volunteer Day
- Catalan Language Lesson
- Re-entry workshop
Weekly Cultural Agenda: Give me more!
We love MORE! In addition to all of the above mentioned activities, are onsite staff is dedicated to making sure you get the most out of your experience and really immerse yourself into Catalan culture!
Here are some examples of the agendas you can look forward to during your semester!
