Cinque Terre & Lucca

The Cinque Terre, five villages hidden in little coastal inlets and clinging to the rocks overhanging the sea, are located near the Ligure Riviera. Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore form the heart of the National Park, proclaimed a monument to the heritage of mankind by UNESCO.

Lucca is a provincial town rich in history, tradition, and culture, but it is also a premium tourist attraction. The town is unique for its intact 16th-century walls that surround the historical center, isolating it from the modern suburbs so that walking along its narrow streets (now a pedestrian area), one forgets about time, enjoying a much slower pace. There are numerous monuments, elegant palaces, churches and squares that make this town so beautiful. Examples include the Guinigi tower, the Amphitheater, the Holy Cross in the cathedral of San Martino and the National Museum of Palazzo Mansi.

Rome

With an almost uninterrupted history as an important center of power for more than two millennia, Rome is as close to eternal as it gets. Located on the River Tiber, between the Apennine Mountains and the Tyrrhenian Sea, the “Eternal City” was once the administrative center of the mighty Roman Empire, governing a vast region that stretched all the way from Britain to Mesopotamia. Today it remains the seat of the Italian government. One must be prepared to step into the world’s biggest open air museum – the Vatican, the Coliseum, the neighborhoods – and be enraptured.

Rome

With an almost uninterrupted history as an important center of power for more than two millennia, Rome is as close to eternal as it gets. The “Eternal City” was once the administrative center of the mighty Roman Empire, governing a vast region that stretched all the way from Britain to Mesopotamia. Today, it remains the seat of the Italian government and the world’s biggest open air museum.

Tuscany

To explore the wonders the Tuscany region has to offer is a relaxing and incomparable experience. The area features many hilltop towns, famous for the production of wine and olive oil. Thanks to ancient volcanic activity, natural hot springs are plentiful in the region. Of course, no visit to this region would be complete without a stop in one of these towns: Siena, San Gimignano, Pienza, Cortona, Arezzo, or Montepulciano.

Amalfi Coast: Pompeii, Sorrento, Capri

Pompeii is one of the most significant proofs of Roman civilization and provides outstanding information on the art, customs, trades and everyday life of the past. The city was badly damaged by an earthquake in 63 AD and was completely demolished in 79 AD by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Life came to a permanent standstill in what had been one of the most active and splendid Roman centers. Although this tragic event ended the lives of 20,000 Pompeian residents, the ash that buried the town served as a sort of mummification for the entire city. The eruption thus captured a moment in time.

Sorrento is a resort town set atop rocky, picturesque cliffs along the Amalfi Coast. South of Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast is dotted with numerous beach towns that offer great shopping and dining, as well as breathtaking views of the sea.

One of the beautiful islands off the coast of Sorrento in the Gulf of Naples, Capri is a top tourist destination. Famous for its limestone crags and the Blue Grotto, students will enjoy the laid-back, serene nature of this exotic retreat.