UC Davis Summer Abroad, Summer Abroad Europe, The Grand Tour Program, Header Image, Overview Page

Summer Abroad Europe

This program is not currently offered. The portfolio of programs is updated every year before Fall Quarter begins. Visit our list of currently planned Summer Abroad programs.

The Grand Tour

United Kingdom, France, Italy

  • Dates – TBD
  • Max Enrollment – 32
  • Taught In – English
  • Prerequisites – No
  • Academic Area – Humanities

Program Overview

This program introduces students to the Grand Tour—a voyage through France and Italy undertaken by young Englishmen, and eventually women, of the 17th and 18th centuries. The Grand Tour was designed to broaden the horizons of elite British youth by introducing them to continental languages and diplomacy, art and architecture, nature, culture, and geography—it was, in short, the culmination of an aristocratic education. We start in London and, following in the footsteps of the young men and women of a bygone era, we make stops in Paris, Chamonix-Mont Blanc, and Rome. At each stage of our journey, we will retrace the literary, cultural, and artistic itinerary of the young people who took the Grand Tour centuries ago to learn more about the wide, wild world and their own privileged place within it.

Program Contacts

Program Highlights

  • Visit London, Paris, the Alps, Rome, Naples, and Pompeii all in one Summer Abroad class.
  • Learn about the history of European travel in the 16th through the 19th centuries.
  • Explore the history, art, architecture, cuisine, and culture of three great cities.
  • Visit the tallest mountain in Western Europe and an ice cave in a glacier.
  • Share your journey with a close-knit community of fellow students.

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