Cultural Activities
& Excursions
Most ACCENT programs include cultural activities within Rome and excursions outside of the city. Excursions include guided visits of important museums and monuments in the context of the program. Excursion destinations and monuments vary by program.
Cultural and Evening Activities
Cultural learning is a vital part of a successful study abroad program. Semester-long ACCENT programs include a series of evening and weekend activities that help students discover Italian lifestyles, both traditional and contemporary.
A wide range of events are planned to give students a broad understanding of Italian culture, art, music and cuisine. Students will visit major museums, churches and historical sites, as well as lesser-known sites.
The ACCENT cultural activity series offers each participant the opportunity to experience various events, from an evening of opera or ballet to a classical music concert. In addition to the performing arts, the ACCENT staff arranges guest lectures on a variety of topics not covered in the regular course work. A few examples of these include: culture shock and adjustment, political discussions, the Italian wine industry, and Italian cultural traditions.
To round out the study abroad experience, optional social events are open to all ACCENT participants, such as social mixers, film evenings, and guided walking tours.
Tivoli
Tivoli is an Italian hill town situated next to the Aniene river, and was once a resort for the ancient Romans. Tivoli is known for the terraced gardens and fountains of the Villa d'Este and the ruins of the Roman-built Villa Adriana.
Ostia Antica
A magnificent port city at the mouth of the Tiber river, Ostia Antica offers spectacular ancient Roman ruins and beaches just a half-hour from Rome. The ruins of various businesses and shops are easily identified and give a vivid impression of what daily life was like for ancient Romans.
Orvieto
Orvieto is a picturesque town perched on top of a cliff in Umbria, the 'green heart' of Italy. Visitors can view one of the most memorable buildings in Italy: the Orvieto duomo, famous for its lustrous colors and Gothic architecture.
Pompeii Weekend
Pompeii is the unforgettable buried city of the ancient Romans. Nowhere else is there such insight into the daily life of ancient Romans frozen in time by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79AD. Pompeii is a city of legends and provides hours of striking historical revelations.
Venice Weekend
Students have time to explore this remarkable city both on their own and as part of group activities during the weekend excursion. Visits focus on Venetian painting from the 14th to 16th century, which includes the masterpieces of Titian, Giovanni Bellini and Tintoretto. Students visit the Basilica of San Marco, the Ducal Palace and the Gothic church of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari and the School of San Rocco. Free time leaves students able to experience a gondola ride or visit the islands of Murano, Burano, Torcello, or the Lido.
Sorrento/Capri/Pompeii Weekend
Students will spend a weekend exploring the island of Capri, Sorrento and the historical city of Pompeii. With one of the most breathtaking views in Italy, Sorrento is located above steep cliffs that overlook the Bay of Naples and is known for its great food, boisterous, fun-loving people, fresh air, and some of the most beautiful sunsets in the Amalfi Coast. A short boat trip away is the island of Capri, where students can enjoy a day in its waterside village, and see its numerous creeks, tiny bays and magical caves. Students will also experience the buried city of the ancient Romans in Pompeii.
Caprarola and Bomarzo (The Monster Park)
An enchanting visit to the beautiful Palazzo Farnese in Caprarola, a small town rich in works of art, just a few kilometers from Viterbo and 40 minutes from Rome. Caprarola rises between the beautiful Cimini Mountains and is part of the Lake Vico Nature Reserve. The visit continues to 'Il Parco dei Mostri,' one of the most important gardens of the 16th century, devised by the architect Pirro Ligorio, who completed St. Peter's in Rome after the death of Michelangelo and built Villa d'Este in Tivoli. The Monster Park gets its name from the fascinating and imposing sculptures throughout the garden of mythical creatures such as nymphs, turtles, monsters and giants.