Top 5 Study Abroad Excursions in Italy

While participating in a CIS Abroad program, students have the unique opportunity to engage in a variety of built-in day trips that are included at no additional cost. These excursions are thoughtfully designed to immerse students in the local culture, history, and natural beauty of their host country.

We asked some of our alumni who studied abroad with us in Italy to share their most memorable excursions and why these experiences stood out to them. Here are their favorites!

#5: Food Tour in Naples

One of my favorite excursions with CIS Abroad was the food tour in Naples during our first week on site. Not only was it an incredible introduction to authentic Italian cuisine, but it was also a fascinating history tour through the city's historic district. As we wandered through the winding streets, our guide shared stories about Naples’ rich past, from its Greek and Roman roots to its significance in modern Italian culture. It was amazing to see centuries-old architecture, hidden alleyways, and bustling piazzas while indulging in some of the best pizza, pastries, and street food I’ve ever had.

What made this experience even better was that it was included in the program cost, so I could fully enjoy it without worrying about extra expenses. Our on-site director, Frankie, made the experience even more memorable with his enthusiasm and deep knowledge of the city. Naples wasn’t necessarily on my personal travel radar before, but after this tour, I gained a deep appreciation for its culture, history, and, of course, its incredible food. It was the perfect way to start my time abroad!

-Kathryn, Semester on the Italian Coast

#4: Gucci Garden & Chocolate Tasting, Florence

My favorite CIS Abroad excursion was our visit to the Gucci Garden and having some hot chocolate at Slitti Chocolate. When we arrived at Gucci Garden, we were able to go right in and explore the museum. It was incredible inside. There were so many different rooms with different displays and interactive exhibits all about Gucci and the products they have created. It was about four floors, there was a theater room showing videos about the history of Gucci, there was a room with several mannequins all wearing different iconic Gucci looks. There was a "purse room", which was my personal favorite, that had 25+ feet tall cases of all the Gucci purses ever created.

Overall, I think it was an amazing experience and I still talk about it to others. The Slitti Chocolate Experience was a very fun way to try a more traditional Italian chocolate. They brought us samples of chocolate, ranging from white chocolate to 99% dark chocolate. We were able to sit around with a coffee or hot chocolate and talk to our friends, as well as our on-site staff Romina and Martina. my group easily spent an hour there. It was a very fun experience and made me feel more like a "local".

- Ainsley, Semester in Florence

#3: Orvieto

My favorite excursion while I was in Rome was the trip to Orvieto. We got to participate in a food and wine pairing, tour some caves beneath the city, and explore the city itself. This was all included, which was super nice but the coolest part was how it was a place none of us had much prior knowledge about. It was a great experience to grow our bond as a group, and the city was unknown so we all got to explore it together.

This wouldn’t have been the same if it was in a well-known place like Florence or Napoli because everyone would have things they wanted to do and probably would have led to some of us splitting off. It helps that the city was very pretty and located on top of a mountain with some excellent views. This trip felt not just like another excursion, but an adventure. Everything from the train ride there, to trying to find a place for dinner later in the evening, it was simultaneously planned, yet free flowing where it needed to be.

-Bobby, Semester in Rome

#2: Taormina

My ultimate favorite excursion was going to Taormina during our longer trip to Sicily. We had a tour built-in of the beautiful amphitheater that was originally Greek, turned Roman, and now has become an Italian concert hall. Italy’s history was astounding, but there was something so special about seeing the layers of different civilizations coexisting with each other.

The food was also absolutely scrumptious, and all the lemon-themed soaps, scents, bags, and magnets were impossible to stop buying. Even almost a year later, this was the excursion that impacted me the most. I got to truly enjoy my site directors while also getting to know others studying abroad with me on a deeper level. Those friendships are the ones that I miss the most. I also felt like I got to understand my study abroad country in greater depth. 

-Maria-Andrea, Semester in Florence

#1: Matera

One of the coolest excursions that I went on was included with my CIS Abroad program, when we went to Matera, Italy, the second oldest city in the world. This city is composed of limestone rock, and we got to stay in caves that were left behind from the old civilization. We also did a sunrise hike and explored old cave dwellings and saw the beautiful city from the tallest point on a mountain.

After visiting Matera, we stopped in a beautiful ceramic town, Vietri Sul Mare. This was my favorite Italian town on the Amalfi coast that I have visited, and I got to see so many beautiful pottery pieces that locals made. I have never seen anything like these two cities before and am still awestruck from my experience. I would not have been able to have this experience without CIS Abroad because the transportation to access these cities is normally extremely expensive and limited.

Traveling as a group and with a tour guide made the experience so much more enjoyable and I learned so much about the city of Matera and its historical significance than I would have without CIS Abroad. I am so glad several experiences were included in the program costs because even the little excursions, such as a kayak tour to Bagni Regina Giovana, were a highlight of my study abroad experience.

- Katie, Semester on the Italian Coast

Check out all of our study abroad and intern abroad programs in Italy here!