Italy – Art, Culture, History in the Eternal City

The classroom, in this hands-on experience, will be Rome, the Eternal City, and nearby archaeological and historical sites where we will study art, culture, and the Roman institutions that have shaped European culture and the world. We will explore landmarks like the Colosseum, the Vatican, the Pantheon, and Roman catacombs. We will also travel to the tombs of the ancient Etruscans in the picturesque medieval town of Tarquinia; the old Roman port of Ostia Antica; the ancient Monastery of Montecassino; and the famous ruins of Pompeii. Our program will spend two nights in Sorrento on the majestic Amalfi coast and conclude at the enchanting Renaissance Villa d’Este with its incredible fountains and gardens. Taught in English. No prerequisites.

Spain – Three Cultures of Medieval Spain

The blending of Christian, Jewish and Muslim peoples in Medieval Spain offers a prime example of multiculturalism, mostly absent in the rest of Europe of the day. This cultural synergism was fueled by the Arabs’ superior material lifestyle, starting from their arrival in Spain in 711 and continuing until their expulsion by the Catholic rulers Isabel and Ferdinand in 1492. The all-pervasive cultural exchanges among these three societies over eight centuries profoundly shaped Spain's identity, language, urban geography, architecture, aesthetics, literature and daily habits. This program will introduce you to the legacy of this period through guided visits to Salamanca, Toledo, Córdoba, Sevilla and Granada. We will draw parallels with today's world as informed by our study of the Iberian experience.