Amsterdam
Shelly Warren – Discover The World Program
We stayed at Via Amsterdam, a hostel which I highly recommend. We did a lot in the day we were there. I highly recommend the Van Gogh Museum and the Moroco Museum (which has a Banksy exhibit), be sure to buy your Van Gogh tickets online and bring your student ID for a discount at the Moco. If you’re looking for cheap and delicious food for breakfast, hit up Bagels and Beans on your way to the museums and the I Amsterdam sign! For transportation, Amsterdam is very pedestrian and public transit friendly, so I recommend a 24 hour transit pass which is €7.50! Overall, Amsterdam was amazing and extremely affordable, and I can’t wait to go back.
Bari
Spencer Clinton – Discover The World Program
My friends and I wanted to visit somewhere in Italy that was less touristy, so we ventured down to Bari in southeast Italy. It took us one hour by plane, or alternatively seven hours by train. When we were here, we found that the seafood, albeit quite expensive, was incredible. Bari is also very small, so it was easy to travel around. The main excursion we did was to Polignano a Mare, a coastal town about twenty minutes from the city center. This was a perfect trip, as we stayed for just two days, which was an ideal amount of time to see the town and make the trip to Polignano. I would highly recommend this trip to other students studying in Italy.
Interlaken
Michelle Birman – Rome Semester Program
Since I started studying abroad this past semester, I had the opportunity to travel to so many wonderful countries. My favorite place so far has been Switzerland because of the beautiful 360-degree view of the Swiss Alps and lakes, the kind locals and the great array of activities to choose from. There, I had the opportunity to paraglide and sled down the Swiss Alps! I would definitely recommend visiting the amazing city if you are into nature and love to try new things. The only downside is you have to prepare yourself to spend a good amount of money because food,gifts and activities in general are expensive!
Florence
Rachel Johnson – Global Passport Program
I did the Global Passport Program Rome in January of last year. It was incredible! My favorite excursion outside of what we did for class was spending the day in Florence. The city is absolutely gorgeous and the view from up on the hill is breathtaking. As an artist I especially loved seeing the David by Michelangelo. It was definitely a ‘pinch me’ moment. I literally just stared at it in awe for 20 minutes.
Budapest
Jordan Fierek – Rome Semester Program
Deciding to study in Rome for the Spring semester of my sophomore year was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I’ve seen so many places and have experienced more of the world in the last few months than I have in my entire life. One of my favorite places that I’ve traveled to was Budapest, Hungary. Besides exploring this historical city. I had the thrilling opportunity to go on a 3-mile underground cave climb with my friends and the luxury to relax in one of Budapest’s famous thermal baths all within the same weekend! If you are on the fence about studying abroad, definitely take the leap of faith and go. It is an experience you will never forget.
Venice
Dawson Bielecki – Discover The World Program
During our 5 weeks in Rome, we took a weekend trip north to Venice, or the “City on the Water.” This was a very affordable trip, especially split between 4 people. We took a scenic train ride that allowed us to stay Friday morning until Sunday morning. During this time, we experienced the grand opening of “Carnivale,” the historic and unique city itself along with much more. Specifically, I would say to step outside your comfort zone and try the dish they are known for: squid ink with cuttlefish. I would recommend this as a trip to future students going abroad or anyone taking a trip to Italy.
