Study Abroad

The Best of Italy May 14-24, 2024 !

In May of 2024, 19 students from Daytona State College, accompanied by two instructors, Prof. Vince Piazza and Prof. Mike McKewon, visited Italy. The tour was centered on major Italian cities as well as renowned museums and archeological sites. We used Explorica as an organizing company, and we were delighted to experience, practically, a private tour, with our own bus and tour director, not paired with one or more colleges, since our numbers permitted us such “luxury.”

Our group visited Florence, which included guided visits, as well as museum visits such as the Museum Nazionale del Bargello. Pisa was our second stop spending time at the “Campo dei Miracoli,” led by a knowledgeable guide. Certainly, the leaning tower was a must, however, students visited also the Cathedral Duomo of Pisa, dedicated to St. Ranieri, with the wonderful sculpted Pergamo, masterpiece of Giovanni Pisano, and the “Battistero” (Baptistry) of Nicola Pisano.

Next, off to Verona, admiring the Arena – possibly, the best standing Roman “Colosseum” in Europe, and an incursion with students to one of my favorite basilicas, St. Anastasia, one of the rare Gothic style churches in Italy built in the 1290s by the Dominicans.

Venice was our next stop, our hotel was about b10 miles from the “lagoon” city, Lido di Jesolo, right in front of the sea. We took a private offshore to get to Murano first, to admire the glass works, and then to the main city on the island of rialto. Venice was “invaded” by mass tourism, it requires 5 euros to get in, covered by Explorica. Regardless of the number of visitors, it’s always an amazing city. We visited Piazza San Marco with its byzantine styles Basilica di San Marco and ventures into the meanders of its canals. We enjoyed a guided tour of the Palazzo Ducale, Venice’s political and legal building, with a very cultivated guide, admiring the masterpieces of Tintoretto and Tiziano. Finally, we spent much time in the Correr Museum which has an array of neoclassic pieces as well as historical objects pertaining to Venice’s empire.

Our trip now continued south to Assisi, where the Cathedrals of San Francesco and that of Santa Clarissa can be admired. The former patron Saint of Italy and founder of the Franciscan mendicant movement, the latter a follower of Francis founder of the Order of Poor Ladies modelled after that of Francis. The spotlight here were the cycles of frescoes in the Cathedral of St. Francis of the great Giotto di Bondone and his master Cimabue.

Down South more, we reach Rome, Pompeii and Capri. The capital is exhausting in offerings of arts and sites. We viewed some of the icons, from Vatican, Sistine chapel, Palatine Hill with the majestic Colosseum, and experienced a guided tour of the forum which gave students a view of the social, economic, and political life of Rome. A special session was also dedicated to some of Rome’s best Baroque churches, admiring the flamboyant Catholic Reformation art of Bernini, Caravaggio, Guido Reni, Gentileschi, Borromomini and many more. Shopping on Via del Corso and Piazza di Spagna, a must.

Our last visits regarded the archeological site of Pompeii and the island of Capri.
We visited the new museum of Pompeii which holds some brilliant, perfectly standing and preserved roman artifacts before delving into the city, moving from the public baths to the main arena in the northwest. Its frescoes revealing perfect perspectives, to the Villa of the Silver Wedding, Pompeii is a main tourist target…and exploding with visitors, be ready to assist and resist long lines…but worth it.

We completed our tour in comfort and splendid weather on the island of Capri. We began with a guided boat tour around the entire island, admiring the various grottos, the Faralioni, including some of the ancient ruins of emperor Tiberius’s villa to the more modern Casa Malaparte, a modern Villa of peculiar shapes built in 1937. The visit to Capri included free time in the lower city exploring the winding avenues and colorful seascapes offered by the island. Nothing renders the colors of this island and its surrounding other than a direct visit!

*More tours are being organized and as soon as they are approved, will be added to the webpages for enrollment. 

For information and details, contact Prof. Vincent Piazza. Vincent.Piazza@DaytonaState.edu
386-785-2079