Twenty-five JA students, alums, and parents embarked on a tour of Italy during Spring Break. At Venice, the group quickly became acquainted with the Travel for Teens guides Leo and Max, who led the group on a 10-day exploration of Italy’s landscape, sites, people, and culture. A water taxi from the airport allowed for a quick introduction to the “city of canals.”
Once settled into a boutique hotel–a restored monastery–a local resident led a walking tour among the picturesque canals, exploring the city hospital and several churches and ending in St. Mark’s Square. St. Mark’s is one of the most beautiful squares in the world (Venetians will say it’s the most beautiful!) It gave participants an idea of the power of Venice during its trading times with the East. Dinner occurred at a typical trattoria, where the group enjoyed its first taste of local pasta and fresh seafood. For dessert, who couldn’t resist gelato?
The following day, the group loaded on the vaporetto and headed to the enchanting island of Murano, renowned for its exquisite glass craftsmanship. Participants saw how the masters of glass blowing do their art and how virtually anything can be shaped out of glass. Once back from the Murano, participants chose from two exciting adventures. One group explored the renowned Peggy Guggenheim Museum, immersing themselves in contemporary art. The other group ventured into the historic Doge’s Palace, getting an idea of what the Venetian republic was like in its day. The evening afforded gorgeous sunset views from gondola rides along the canals and a meal of authentic pizza.
The fast train to Florence took participants along the Italian countryside on day four. After arrival, the group went to the Mercato Centrale, a beautiful food market in the center of Florence, to get lunch with Bruschetta, pasta, and paninis options. Afterward, participants explored the local leather markets. They headed to the Duomo, walking up to the top to get the most fantastic view over the city. Florence is the birthplace of the Renaissance period with all its famous sculptors, poets, painters, and architects – Leonardo da Vinci, Dante Alighieri, and Galileo Galilei, to name a few. Some spent the rest of the afternoon shopping in the streets of Florence. Others explored the Piazza del Duomo containing Saint John’s Baptistery, Giotto’s bell tower, and the Museum of the Opera. The day ended with steak Florentine, pasta carbonara, bolognese with boar, and more gelato!
The following day, participants discovered some of the most famous museums in Italy while strolling around the city. Among these were the Uffizi galleries that hold Renaissance works of Da Vinci, Raphael, Caravaggio, and Botticelli. The group had a tasty panini lunch at the famous All’ Antico Vinaio. The group crossed the Ponte Vecchio with all its jewelry shops. Then, it went to the Accademia Museum to face Michelangelo’s David. The day ended at a local Pizzeria on the other side of the Arno River, where some even said it was the best pizza they had ever experienced. And for dessert? A tasting tour of the four best gelato shops in Florence!
On the sixth day, the JA group boarded a private coach for Montalcino in the Tuscan hills to explore a private Italian estate and learn how to cook Italian food. The hostess, Athena, welcomed participants with freshly baked focaccia, and the group learned to cook different typical Italian dishes. The menu included lasagna, Farro salad, and Fagioli with Salsiccia,
all made from scratch. It was great seeing the group work as a team, some grating parmigiano, others cutting up the veggies and others making the longest and finest pasta for the lasagna. Emmanuel treated us to a walking tour of the vineyards and the family winery underneath the estate. After finishing the visit with tiramisu, the group was off to Rome.
On day seven, participants walked along the Tiber River, saw Castel Sant’Angelo, and arrived in the smallest country on Earth—Vatican City — located inside Rome. They visited the Vatican Museums and Michelangelo’s most important work, the Sistine Chapel. They then explored Saint Peter’s Basilica, the largest church of Christianity, before strolling down to the Trastevere neighborhood, an artsy, bohemian, and local area with many small cafes and restaurants.
The following day, the JA group boarded a private coach and headed to the region of Campania on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The coach drove south from there, along the Vesuvius volcano, to discover Pompei, the best-preserved Roman city in the world. This ancient town was covered in ashes in 79 AD during a volcanic eruption. Only in the 18th century was the covered civilization discovered lying underneath. Archaeologists are still working today on excavating new areas of the city. The JA group saw the amphitheater, the Forum, bath houses, eateries, and temples while viewing incredibly restored frescoes and mosaics. Once back in Rome, the group enjoyed an excellent dinner at a local Trattoria near Piazza Navona and finished the day with gelato!
On the final day, the group visited the Roman Forum and trekked up Palatine Hill for an amazing view of the ancient city of Rome. The group then made its way to the Colosseum, jumping back 2,000 years in time to try to imagine how gladiators fought one another in this gigantic arena!
The group had lunch at Campo de Fiori before visiting the Pantheon, where Raphael and Vittorio Emmanuelle II are buried. The architecture of this building is astounding with its massive dome and oculus – the largest unsupported dome in the world. The final dinner was a multi-course celebration of Italian cuisine, wrapping up an incredible trip led by our esteemed hosts, guides, and cultural gurus Max and Leo.
Ci vediamo pronto, Ciao!
JA Italy 2024 was arranged by Jackson Academy as a part of our international studies and exploration program through Travel for Teens. Led by Jim Wilkirson with Angie Antici and Josh Hinkle ’15, trip participants included Bennett Allen, Catherine and Peter Arnold, Drew ’21 and Brad Antici, Sarah Lambert Hinkle, Natalie Turner ’22, Jamie and Bryant Himes, Anna Margaret and Kimberly Hooker, Landry and Lauren Lester, Anna Kate and Ben Lucas, Mae and Jennifer Mathison, Emma and Craig Ray, Olivia and Mechelle Smith, and Clarke Wilkirson ’16.
Interested in a JA overseas adventure? Contact Jim Wilkirson for more information. JA’s next stop – France, May 2024 with French teacher Zoubir Tabout.
