Early & Elementary Education in Italy

10 days

Venice region, Padua, Bologna, Florence

Program designed to: Facilitate a journey to Italy’s breathtaking Reggio Emilia region for a deeper understanding of how its school system’s innovative approach to education has inspired countless teachers around the world. Immerse yourself in local culture as you visit two of the world’s oldest universities, engage with Italian educators and students, and gain insight to Reggio Emilio’s evolving and influential educational methodology.

Highlight: Aperitivo raises the after-work drink with friends to an artform. Though what you sip and snack on varies by region, the tradition is quintessentially Italian—a taste of la dolce vita.

🔹 Curated experiences: Every program is intentionally designed to feature guided learning, cultural engagement, and independent exploration experiences to drive global competency development, denoted on each itinerary with a blue diamond. Learn more about these experiences.

Image displaying map describing the itinerary of the Early & Elementary Education in Italy tour

Day 1: Fly overnight to Italy

Day 2: Venice region • Padua

Meet your Field Director at the airport

Enjoy dinner in Padua

Day 3: Padua • Venice

Take a tour of Padua, a college town

With your expert local guide you will see:

Basilica di San Antonio, one of the eight international shrines
Prato della Valle, the biggest square in Italy and one of the largest in Europe

Visit the University of Padua, whose notable alumni and faculty include Nicolaus Copernicus and Galileo Galilei

Take a train to Venice

Take a walking tour of Venice with your Field Director

🔹 Independent exploration: Spend time exploring Venice on your own

Day 4: Padua • Bologna

Travel to Bologna, well-known for its famous dish, spaghetti Bolognese

Take a tour of Bologna

With an expert local guide you will see:

Piazza del Nettuno, which features a once-controversial statue of Neptune and the seductive sirens
Basilica di San Petronio, Bologna's beloved church which was the site of Charles V coronation
Palazzo Comunale, Bologna’s 14th-century town hall

Visit the University of Bologna, the oldest existing university in Europe founded in 1088

Enjoy dinner in Bologna

Day 5: Bologna

Industry Engagement: Attend a lecture to learn how the Italian educational system has changed over the years, and see how it has influenced our own

Visit a local school in Bologna to learn how the city’s culture impacts its educational practices—and vice versa

Day 6: Bologna

🔹 Guided learning: Visit the Loris Malaguzzi International Centre, a famous meeting place known for its dedication to improving education through creativity, innovation, and experimentation

Day 7: Bologna • Florence

Enjoy a cultural food activity to learn Bologna’s culinary practices first-hand

Travel to Florence, the birthplace of the Italian language, opera, and the Renaissance

Day 8: Florence

🔹 Guided learning: Take a guided tour of Florence

With your expert local guide you will see:

Piazza della Signoria, which is lined with classic statues
Ponte Vecchio, a medieval bridge where many of Florence’s famed leather and gold artisans still keep shop
Basilica of Santa Croce, where Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Galileo and others are buried
Gates of Paradise, bronzed doors that depict scenes from the Old Testament and are considered an icon of the Renaissance

Add this in-depth excursion:

🔹 Cultural engagement: Tuscan cooking class & dinner

Try your hand at local cooking practices in a Tuscan cooking class, followed by dinner.

Day 9: Florence

Industry Engagement: Learn more about classroom lesson plans and activities as you meet with a local teacher and discuss what a career in education looks like in Italy

🔹 Cultural engagement: Visit a local school in Florence and learn how its culture and history impacts its educational practices

🔹 Independent exploration: Spend a half day exploring Florence on your own

Enjoy dinner in Florence

Day 10: Depart for home