Italy · Summer 2027
Teen travel programs to Italy
On Rustic Pathways teen travel programs to Italy, students choose between two 12-day programs. On Mediterranean Marine Biology, they photo-identify bottlenose dolphins with Delfini del Ponente marine biologists in Imperia and spend a day at sea in the Pelagos Sanctuary.1 On Italy & Greece, a culture and food program, they explore Venice, Lake Garda and Verona, then fly to Athens and visit Delphi.
- 2 programs
- 12 days
- Ages 14–18
- From $3,395 Program Tuition
From $3,395 Program Tuition2 programs · Ages 14–18 · 8 departures
See the programs- Operating in Italy
- Since 2023
- Local language
- Italian, plus Greek on Italy & Greece
- Travel time from New York
- 7 hr 55 min nonstop
- Getting there
- Optional chaperoned group flight from Newark
Two Italy programs for summer 2027
Rustic Pathways runs two Italy teen travel programs for summer 2027, both 12 days long: Mediterranean Marine Biology, marine research with Delfini del Ponente biologists from one base in Imperia on the Ligurian coast, and Italy & Greece, a culture and food program that starts in northern Italy and finishes in Athens and the Peloponnese. They differ in focus and places: one stays in Imperia for all 10 nights, the other spends five days in northern Italy, then six in Greece.
Compare the Italy programs
The two Italy programs vary by length, Program Tuition, where students stay and what they do.
Show program
| Mediterranean Marine Biology$3,395 | Italy & Greece: Culture, Food & Exploration$5,395 | |
|---|---|---|
| Choose this if… | Your teen wants marine biology fieldwork with dolphins and sea turtles. | Your teen wants food, culture and ancient sites in Italy and Greece. |
| Length | 12 days | 12 days |
| Program Tuition | $3,395 | $5,395 |
| Where students stay | Imperia, on the Ligurian coast, for all 10 nights | A base property in the Venice and Lake Garda region, then a central hotel in Athens |
| Service or learning | Dolphin photo-identification, seagrass snorkel surveys and sea turtle track monitoring with Delfini del Ponente | No service hours: a Venetian mask-making workshop, Italian and Greek cooking classes and a Greek dance class |
| Adventure | A dusk dolphin and seabird watch, a coastal biowalk, a full day at sea in the Pelagos Sanctuary | Venice canals, the Acropolis and Parthenon, Mycenae and the Lion Gate, Delphi |
| See dates→ | See dates→ |
Prices are in U.S. dollars. Program Tuition is not the total cost. Flights to and from the program, the enrollment fee, medical insurance (required), travel insurance (optional) and personal expenses are separate.
Which Italy program fits your teen?
Italy has two separate programs in different places: marine biology fieldwork from one base in Imperia, and a culture and food program that starts in northern Italy and ends in Athens.
Choose in Italy…
- For marine biology fieldwork with dolphins, seagrass and sea turtles: Mediterranean Marine Biology.
- For food, culture and ancient sites in Italy and Greece: Italy & Greece: Culture, Food & Exploration.
Look beyond Italy if…
- Your teen wants sea turtle fieldwork in a shorter program: Greece, 9 days on Kefalonia.
- Your teen wants adrenaline adventure in Europe: Germany & Austria.
- You want lower tuition, a shorter program or Spanish practice: Costa Rica, from $2,495 for 8 days.
What Italy Program Tuition includes
Italy Program Tuition ranges from $3,395 to $5,395 for 12 days, including accommodations, scheduled meals, ground transportation, airport transfers within designated windows, and planned activities. On Italy & Greece, the flight from Italy to Athens is also included.
Included
- Accommodation for every program night
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, from the first meal after airport pickup through the last meal before airport drop-off
- Airport transfers within the published arrival and departure windows
- Ground transportation during the program
- The flight from Italy to Athens on Italy & Greece
- All scheduled activities, excursions and entrance fees listed in the program itinerary
- Gratuities and donations, so students never need to bring money to give away
- Program Leaders housed on site and available overnight
- 24/7 emergency support line for families
Not included
- Flights to and from the program, including the optional chaperoned group flight
- A one-time enrollment fee, starting at $100 when you enroll early and rising closer to departure
- Medical insurance with coverage in Italy, plus Greece on Italy & Greece (required)
- Travel insurance (optional, and strongly recommended)
- Personal expenses, such as spending money, laundry and phone data
Summer 2027 teen travel departure dates by program
Rustic Pathways’ Mediterranean Marine Biology and Italy & Greece programs depart between June 17 and July 22, 2027 (8 departures). Compare these dates program by program in the timeline below.
Calendar tip: Each bar runs from the day a program starts to the day it ends. Select one to view that departure.
Italy vs. Greece, Portugal and Costa Rica
Italy differs from Greece, Portugal & Spain and Costa Rica by offering two 12-day programs: marine biology fieldwork based in Imperia or food, culture and historic sites from northern Italy to Athens. Greece offers sea turtle fieldwork on Kefalonia; Portugal & Spain focuses on surf, cities and culture from Lisbon to Barcelona; and Costa Rica offers shorter turtle, surf or service programs.
Italy vs.
| This pageItaly$3,395–$5,395 | Greece$3,495 | Portugal & Spain$5,395 | Costa Rica$2,495–$3,495 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Choose this if… | Your teen wants marine biology, or Italian and Greek food and history. | Your teen wants sea turtle fieldwork on a Greek island.2 | Your teen wants surf, cities and culture across two countries in 12 days.3 | Your teen has a specific interest: turtles, surf or service.4 |
| Length | 12 days | 9 days, 7 nights | 12 days, 10 nights | 8 days, 7 nights |
| Program Tuition | $3,395–$5,395 | $3,495 | $5,395 | $2,495–$3,495 |
| Local language | Italian, plus Greek on Italy & Greece | Greek | Portuguese and Spanish | Spanish |
| Time difference in July5 | 6 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern | 7 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern | 5 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern | 2 hours behind U.S. Eastern |
| Travel time from New York6 | 7 hr 55 min nonstop | 9 hr 10 min nonstop | 6 hr 55 min nonstop | 5 hr 17 min nonstop |
| Travel time from Los Angeles | 13 hr 50 min, 1 stop | 14 hr 20 min, 1 stop | 13 hr 20 min, 1 stop | 6 hr 7 min nonstop |
| Travel time from Miami | 9 hr 40 min nonstop | 13 hr, 1 stop | 8 hr 25 min nonstop | 2 hr 50 min nonstop |
| Travel time from London | 1 hr 55 min nonstop | 3 hr 35 min nonstop | 2 hr 45 min nonstop | 14 hr 5 min, 1 stop |
| Travel time from Hong Kong | 18 hr 40 min, 1 stop | 15 hr 5 min, 1 stop | 17 hr 40 min, 1 stop | 22 hr 45 min, 1 stop |
| Getting there | Passport. Optional chaperoned group flight from Newark on both programs. | Passport. Optional chaperoned group flight from Newark to Athens. | Passport. Starts in Lisbon, ends in Barcelona. | Passport. Optional chaperoned group flights from Los Angeles, plus Newark or Miami by date. |
| Land vs. water | Marine biology on the Ligurian coast at Imperia, or Venice to the Peloponnese, by program. | Kefalonia turtle beaches, seagrass snorkeling and a boat day. | Surf and a boat day in Portugal, Costa Brava in Spain. | Volcano, turtle beach or surf coast, by program. |
| Service | Marine biology study, or cultural classes on Italy & Greece | Turtle fieldwork, 20 hours | 12 service hours, including farm work in Spain | Schools, trails, turtles or beaches, 12 to 26 hours |
| 2027 departures | 8 across two programs | 5: Jun 16, Jun 23, Jul 7, Jul 21, Jul 28 | 6: Jun 24, Jul 1, Jul 8, Jul 15, Jul 22, Jul 29 | 18 across four programs |
| See the Italy programs↑ | View Greece programs→ | View Portugal & Spain programs→ | View Costa Rica programs→ |
Prices are in U.S. dollars. Program Tuition is not the total cost. Flights to and from the program, the enrollment fee, medical insurance (required), travel insurance (optional) and personal expenses are separate.
Is teen travel to Italy safe?
Yes, teen travel to Italy is safe on a supervised Rustic Pathways program. The U.S. State Department rates Italy Level 2,7 and Mediterranean Marine Biology runs in July, well before Liguria’s wet autumn, when September to December now brings more rain than the rest of the year.8
Rustic Pathways has run programs in Italy since 2023, with Program Leaders housed on site and available overnight and a 24/7 emergency support line.
Why book Italy with Rustic Pathways
Booking with Rustic Pathways brings a team that has run programs in Italy since 2023, marine biologists who teach the marine course, the MyRustic portal and an advisor you can call.
In Italy since 2023
Rustic Pathways has run programs in Italy since 2023. Mediterranean Marine Biology is based in Imperia, on the Ligurian coast, and works with Delfini del Ponente, a research association in western Liguria that monitors dolphins, whales, sea turtles and seabirds. Italy & Greece starts from a base in the Venice and Lake Garda region before moving to Athens. Rustic Pathways has operated student travel since 1983.
Taught by marine biologists
On Mediterranean Marine Biology, Delfini del Ponente marine biologists teach the course days in Imperia and supervise the fieldwork, from bottlenose dolphin photo-identification to sunrise beach monitoring for sea turtle tracks. Program Leaders travel with the group throughout, and the group is capped at 16 students, with a median student-to-staff ratio of 4.37:1 (maximum 7:1).
MyRustic portal
MyRustic (myrustictrip.com) is Rustic Pathways’ free, web-based parent and student portal. It holds enrollment forms, billing, the full itinerary, travel logistics and a moderated daily photo feed.
A travel advisor to call
Scott Ingram, Director of Admissions, and Emily Green, Admissions Counselor, answer Italy questions before you enroll. Call +1 440-975-9691 or schedule a call.
Italy teen travel FAQ
How is Italy different from other countries for teen travel?
Italy differs from other countries for teen travel through its Mediterranean marine ecosystems, historic cities, and regional food traditions. Students can explore coastal wildlife in Imperia or experience Italian cooking and culture in cities such as Venice and Verona.
Which Italy program is right for my teen?
Mediterranean Marine Biology is right for teens interested in dolphin research and marine science, while Italy & Greece suits teens interested in food, culture and historic sites. Both last 12 days: Mediterranean Marine Biology costs $3,395 in Imperia; Italy & Greece costs $5,395 and travels from northern Italy to Greece.
Does my teen need to speak Italian?
No, your teen does not need to speak Italian on either Italy program. Program Leaders accompany students, Delfini del Ponente biologists lead marine fieldwork, and cooking classes are hands-on.
What do students do on the Italy programs?
Mediterranean Marine Biology centers on marine science with Delfini del Ponente biologists, and Italy & Greece focuses on cooking and cultural experiences. Mediterranean Marine Biology includes five course days covering dolphin photo-identification, seagrass snorkel surveys and sea turtle track monitoring.
How do flights to Italy work?
Both Italy programs offer an optional chaperoned group flight from Newark (EWR): into Milan Malpensa (MXP) for Mediterranean Marine Biology, and into Venice (VCE) for Italy & Greece, which flies home from Athens.
Students not on the group flight meet Program Leaders at the arrival airport within the published arrival window. On Italy & Greece, Program Tuition includes the staff-accompanied Italy to Athens flight. International airfare, including the group flight, is not included.
What do students need to travel to Italy?
Students need a passport and medical insurance valid in Italy (and Greece for Italy & Greece). U.S. citizens do not need visas for these short stays; other nationalities may.
Visa-exempt Schengen stays are limited to 90 days in any 180-day period. Check current ETIAS requirements and the CDC’s Italy travel health guidance on routine vaccines, including MMR, and hepatitis A vaccination.
Footnotes
- The Pelagos Agreement for a cross-border marine mammal sanctuary was signed in Rome in November 1999 by Italy, France and the Principality of Monaco, per the Pelagos Sanctuary. Eight species of whales and dolphins live in the sanctuary on a regular basis, including bottlenose dolphins, fin whales and sperm whales. ↩
- The Greece column covers Island Turtle Conservation. Italy & Greece: Culture, Food & Exploration, which also visits Greece, is listed with the Italy programs on this page. ↩
- The Portugal column covers Portugal & Spain: Culture & Coast. ↩
- The Costa Rica column covers its four 8-day programs. ↩
- Time differences are for July, from the IANA time zone database. Times include daylight saving time where it applies. ↩
- Fastest one-way flight, including layovers, on the days students fly in 2027 (Google Flights, October 2026). Not the chaperoned group flight. ↩
- Advisory level as of October 2026. Check travel.state.gov for the current level before travel. ↩
- Liguria rainfall: the regional environment agency ARPAL. ↩
Italy has 8 summer 2027 departures across two programs.
Compare the two programs