Roma - So Beautiful but so HOT!

We have traveled through many countries and cities on our Grand Tour of Europe with stays in 8 cities that spanned the countries of Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy. After an amazing 3 days in Florence we have settled into our home in Rome at the Cardinal Hotel. Such a beautiful hotel with a POOL! When we first arrived students were able to ‘chill’ and get to relax in their rooms, spacious lobby or the beautiful pool. After some much needed rest students got ready to go to Rome to see the sites for the first time.

We went on a tour of how to use the metro and bus system while visiting sites like The Spanish Steps, The Colosseum and the Piazza Venezia. Students had time to take pictures and refill their water bottles before heading out to dinner at a local restaurant near the Pantheon. We had a wonderful 3 course dinner before students were able to get out there to see the sites of Rome.

On Saturday students did some school in the morning before having free time for lunch. In the early afternoon we met to travel to the Vatican Museum and St. Peter’s Square for a guided tour. Students were battling the heat today but once we got inside the museum with some air conditioning they were content to hear about the 1000’s years of history from our guides.  After our amazing tour, students had some time to shop before dinner. As a challenge on Saturday night we did a Scavenger Hunt with first prize being ‘Gelato on Jason!’ It was fun to get the pictures from the students as they were excited to find the tasks throughout the city while at the same time seeing some amazing sites!

On Sunday, 22 students traveled as an optional excursion to Maccarese Beach. Students traveled to the beach in a coach bus to the fantastic beach club to enjoy the beautiful (but hot) sun while lounging on their comfy accommodations under umbrellas. Students came home smiling and bronzed before heading to dinner at our hotel. Many students chose to stay in on Sunday night to finish their culminating assignments and prepare for their exams. It is amazing to see students make some great choices and finding balance between ‘fun’ and being academic. Well done!

We are home on Wednesday. I am sure everyone is excited to see their loved ones and hear all the amazing stories from our adventure.  I will have more about the airport in my last blog post that will be posted tomorrow.

Have a great day back home.

Ciao,

Jason Smith – Program Manager