Northern Italy Adventure

Arrive at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) where you’ll meet your Rustic Pathways Flight Leader, who will help get you checked in and through security before traveling with your group to Italy. Get acquainted with fellow Rustic travelers before boarding your flight. Get some rest on the flight because this is going to be a great week!

Arrive into Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) and meet your Program Leaders who will be with you for the duration of the program. This global capital of fashion and design is our gateway to Italy. Upon arrival, we’ll get right into the city and explore some of the ateliers and fashion stores and learn how artisans handcraft some of these one of a kind products.
Then we take off to the beautiful city of Mantua near where we’ll be based for our program.
We’ll be staying in a converted farm. We’ll share room with 3-5 students, separated by gender, with private bathrooms. Our spacious and comfortable accommodations will be where we can recharge and connect during our exciting adventure.

In the morning, we’re off to Mantua. The historic city center is crowded with beautiful piazzas, cathedrals, and parks. We’ll explore together to learn more about it’s history and to get to know city life. We’ll find delicious food, friendly faces, and enchanting views everywhere we turn.
In the afternoon, we’re off to a local animal rescue to learn about what causes farm animals to need rescue and get hands-on with caring for the horses, donkeys, goats and more on the farm.

We’ll spend the day exploring one of the world’s most unique and architecturally stunning cities. Built upon over 100 small islands separated by a series of waterways and canals and linked by over 400 bridges, “The Floating City” will not disappoint. Take a walking tour of Venices’ historic streets, viewing sights such as Saint Mark’s Basilica, the Rialto Bridge, and Doge’s Palace. Take a trip to the morning market to see where Venetians have shopped for their food for centuries. Complete the day with a once-in-a-lifetime gondola ride along the Grand Canal.

Today we’ll start the day by building up an appetite. We’ll step into the Po Valley as it was thousands of years ago when we enter the Bosco Fontana Nature Reserve. Walking the paths built here we’ll be enveloped by the thick forest and catch glimpses of buildings built by the powerful Gonzaga family in the 17th century. Today it’s one of the last pieces of of natural forest remaining in this industrial and agricultural center of Italy.
Next, it’s time to learn the art of pasta! We’ll learn how to make dough just like nonna, and how to cut over a dozen different shapes. After all that hands-on work, we get to eat our handiwork. Che buona!

More than just Romeo & Juliet, Verona is a sparkling Renaissance city. We’ll spend the day exploring famous sights, eating delicious food, and soaking up the unmatched ambience of an Italian city in the summer.
In the evening, prepare to be blown away when we settle down in the 2,000 year old Roman amphitheater, the Arena di Verona, for an evening opera performance. With the night sky overhead, enjoy a classical Italian opera in this majestic open-air setting.

Our local community service partner have a hands-on project planned for us to help with beautifying their neighborhood. We’ll help with clean up in the park and then plan and paint a small mural to commemorate our time.
Later, we’re joining some locals to connect. You’ll get to share a bit of what your home is like and to learn about your partner’s life, too. You’ll definitely learn some great slang to bring home with you, and learn what life is like as an Italian teen.

Today we’ll explore Lake Garda, famous for its breathtaking views and crystal clear water. Before hitting the beaches, we’ll travel back in time and visit a medieval fortress on the shore of Lake Garda. After appreciating how people have gathered here for centuries, we’ll enjoy the cool water that will be a welcome break from the warm sunny weather of the week so far.

Tonight, we’ll relax at the base house with an evening bonfire where we’ll roast marshmallows and reminisce on our highlights so far. We’ll participate in Rustic Ties, a unique and powerful activity that allows students to capture the memories and learning moments of their program to process and share back home.

Your Program Leaders will take you to the airport in Milan for your departure and say goodbyes and reflect on your adventure.