Description

Join Travel for Teens on a service trip to the Cinque Terre (Italian for Five Lands), Rome, Sorrento, Capri and the Amalfi Coast. Over the course of our travels, youll enjoy having a flexible itinerary where you can make choices with the help of our expert guides. Their knowledge  the result of years spent living and studying in the country  allows you to enjoy a safe trip filled with abundant options.

DAY 1: NEWARK (FOR THOSE WHO OPT TO TAKE THE GROUP FLIGHT)
As the group flight takes off, the trip officially begins!

DAYS 2  7: CINQUE TERRE
Well immediately feel like family as we are welcomed into the lives of the owners of our small, family-run hotel. After settling into our home for the week, well tour this charming fishing village, admiring its colorful shops and rich, authentic feel. Youll be amazed at the rush of the waves breaking across the beautiful beaches, and will be hardly prepared for the delicious meals consisting of fresh pasta with pesto (a local specialty) and delicacies from the sea. Despite the beauty and the relative success of this region, the Cinque Terre are also faced with a series of daunting environmental and economic challenges. Generations of hard-working inhabitants have braved the harsh conditions of this rugged landscape, living, as is often said, with their backs to the sea and tending the grapevines and orchards that grow on the series of stone terraces that centuries of unimaginable labor have built up along the dizzying heights of the cliffs.

These vineyards are and always have been the regions lifeblood, and great efforts are being made by local authorities to allow tourism and agriculture to coexist, as they attempt to attract visitors with the promise of spectacular hiking and beachside living as well as to assist local farmers by repairing and even improving the terraces that support the vineyards. Our efforts will be concentrated toward these same ends, as we work to beautify and maintain the network of hiking trails that traverse the Park. Well be working with the office of the National Park of the Cinque Terre, performing safe and supervised work that is nonetheless involved and valuable to the inhabitants of this region as well as the larger global community.

Well spend an entire day trekking along the beautiful but arduous trail that connects these five villages, where youll experience views and vistas the likes of which youve never encountered! Over the course of this day, well get to know the distinct layout and character of each of the towns, sampling local pizza, foccaccia, and other amazing treats as we go. End the day with a dip in the clear blue waters of the Mediterranean  a wonderful reward for a day of effort!

Then our service work will begin. We meet with local caretakers and environmental experts employed by the National Park to learn about the troubles facing the region and to find out what we can do to help. In the past, activities have involved daylong efforts to beautify the trails by clearing brush and picking up trash, replacing the stones that compose the footpaths, and helping to rebuild walls to provide support to the all-important terraces. Each night, well return to Monterosso to enjoy games on the beach, a quick swim before sunset, and some of the most amazing food in Italy.

DAYS 7  9: ROME
Rome, the Eternal City, capital of the most expansive empire in the history of Western civilization. Walking through the ancient ruins that line the Roman Forum, you can still feel the shadows cast by figures like Julius Caesar, Emperor Augustus, Marc Antony, and Cicero. From the Forum we head across the Tiber River to the Vatican, seat of the Roman Catholic Church and home to one of the most spectacular collections of art in the world. Touring its endless hallways and galleries, you can see marvels from ancient and modern times, and as well stand in awe of masterpieces from the Renaissance like Michelangelos gorgeous frescoes in the Sistine Chapel and Raphaels School of Athens. You will also have the chance to climb the dome of St. Peters for an incredible birds eye view of the city.

But Rome isnt just ancient art and culture. Its also a city of glamorous shopping, amazing cuisine, and all the energy and buzz of a modern cosmopolitan city. By night we will be taking nighttime photography lessons, interacting with street performers in Piazza Navona, and tossing coins into the Trevi Fountain to ensure a speedy return. Arrivederci, Roma  its on to the Amalfi Coast.

DAYS 9  13: SORRENTO, CAPRI AND THE AMALFI COAST
The last part of our journey takes us to sunny Sorrento, a dreamy seaside town on the Bay of Naples. Sorrento is a relaxing resort town that will be our base as we explore this rich region. Capri is just off the coast, and well spend a day there wandering its charming lanes. The choices on Capri abound  you can go shopping in the ultra-chic boutiques, go inside the amazing Blue Grotto, walk up to Emperor Tiberius cliff-top villa (where he threw his enemies off the cliff), or take a hike around the craggy coast of the island.

Well visit Pompeii, a thriving ancient Roman port town that was frozen in time when it was buried under a deep layer of ash and pumice during the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD. Nearby in Naples is the National Archeological Museum, the richest collection of archeological artifacts in Italy, including the best mosaics and artifacts from the ruins at Pompeii. This area also happens to be home to the best pizza in the world (it was invented here), served steaming hot straight out of a wood-fired oven.

The Amalfi Coast itself extends down the coastline to the south of Sorrento and is widely considered to be the most beautiful coastline in all of Europe. It is dotted with towns like Amalfi, Ravello and Positano, each full of pastel colored houses built from the sea all the way up steep mountainsides. Well take a private cruise from Sorrento down the coast to Positano, nestled in a dramatic ravine right on the water and overflowing with flowers.

Highlights

- Work on a UNESCO World Heritage site while soaking up the sun and gentle breezes of the Mediterranean (20 hours of community service credit).
- Hike a trail that connects five tiny Mediterranean fishing villages amidst spectacular scenery.
- Swim in the azure waters of the Mediterranean.
- Wander the ancient streets of Rome and marvel at the Coliseum.
- Soak in the sun and laid-back ambience of Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast.
- Take a private boat trip down the Amalfi Coast and spend the day on chic Capri.

Type of Programs

• Community Service / Volunteerism
• Adventure Travel
• Cultural Exploration

Languages

• English

Cost in US$:

3,885 USD plus airfare

This Program is open to

American, Asian, Australian, Canadian, European, Kiwi, South African and Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel

in Groups

Typically Participants Work

in Groups

Application Process Involves

• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Physical Exam/Health Records

Typically The Application Process Time is

1 week

Travel For Teens's Mission Statement

Travel for Teens believes that teen travel should be both fun and enriching. Our programs feature choice in what you do, see, and experience, a dynamic that sets us apart from superficial tours that herd large groups from one site to another. We visit the best of the mainstream attractions while offering the opportunity to explore the culture from a less touristy perspective. We interact with our host cultures, taking cooking and dance lessons, performing valuable service work to help local communities, and conversing with the people who have spent their lives living in the places we journey to. We have crafted our unique programs to engender love for travel, hunger for learning, curiosity about differences, appreciation of similarities across cultures, and an understanding of what it means to be a global citizen.

Year Founded

2003