2027 Study Abroad

Art, Belief and the Made World: Italy

Rome

Orvieto

17–28 May 2027

Assisi

Program Itinerary

Days 0| Travel to Italy

Days 1–4 | Rome

Day 1: The Caravaggio Pilgrimage & Historic Center

Spend your first day exploring Rome's historic core, where Caravaggio's dramatic chiaroscuro paintings remain in their original religious settings.

Day 2: Dynamic Form at Galleria Borghese & Villa Gardens

Immerse yourself in marble tension and expressive movement at Rome’s premier villa museum. [1]

Day 3: Antiquity, Classical Ruin & Architectural Sketching

Shift the focus from the Baroque era to the classical forms that inspired Italian design and drapery.

Day 4: Rione Monti Artisans & Avant-Garde Rome

Conclude with Rome's creative fashion hub, contrasting ancient brick alleys with modern design.

Days 4-9 | Orvieto

Day 5: Subterranean Tunnels & Ceramics Workshop (Day 1)

Begin your hands-on artisan experience paired with an exploration of what lies directly beneath the streets.

Day 6: Medieval Kilns & Ceramics Workshop (Day 2)

Deepen your understanding of Orvieto's ceramic heritage by visiting a subterranean kiln before throwing your own work.

Day 7: Engineering Marvels & Ceramics Workshop (Day 3)

Complete your artisan project and explore one of the most unique architectural engineering feats in Italy.

Day 8: Etruscan Roots & Local Artisan Trails

Spend your final full day tracing Orvieto's ancient origins and supporting the wider craft community.

Days 9-12 | Assisi

Day 9: Travel to Assisi

  • Anchor your journey in the spiritual and visual epicenter of Assisi, focusing on fresco composition, medieval pigment, and Francis’s resting place.

Day 10: Giotto Floor to Ceiling & The Lower Plains

  • Follow in the footsteps of the medieval friars by ascending Mount Subasio to find solitude in the dense holm-oak forests. [1, 2]

Day 11: The Hermitage Trek & Landscape Fieldwork

  • Step inside an authentic bottega to transform your scattered drawings and notes into a permanent, tactile keepsake. [1, 2]

Day 12: Traditional Bookbinding & Compiling the Fieldbook

  • Farewell Dinner: Enjoy a slow evening celebrating local Umbrian ingredients, reflecting on your sketches and creations from the week.