While participating on a CIS Abroad program, you'll be able to take part in built-in day trips at no additional cost. These trips are subject to change from term-to-term; listed below are excursions that have run in the past.

Check dates in the student calendar to learn exactly what your session offers.  Your Site Director will give you instructions on how you can RSVP for all of the events on site. 

Day/Weekend Trips

A ferry trip along the Amalfi Coast with a stop at Positano! 

This is a one-of-a-kind experience hosted by the program that’s hard to come by on your own! Not only will you be able to escape the hustle and bustle of locals and tourists alike trying to drive in during peak tourist season, but you’ll be able to get a panoramic perspective of the coast that most people won’t! Just sit on the upper deck and close your eyes! Unlike Natasha Bedingfield, you might not feel the rain on your skin (withstanding good weather) BUT you can totally feel the breeze on your skin! 

Napoli Food Tour

A 2-hour walking tour that involves different points of interest in the historical center of Napoli. A local expert will navigate us through the chaotic streets of Napoli, explaining the history of the city and stopping at some of the most famous local eateries to sample the flavors of Napoli. On the food tour, we usually try a Caprese salad with a glass of wine or water, a cuoppo (a mix of different fried appetizers), A pizza al portafolgio (a folded up pizza in the shape of a wallet meant to eat on the street), and finally a baba or a sfogliatella 2 of the most famous pastries from Naples!

Matera

Students will visit the ancient city of Matera that dates back to the Stone Ages in an overnight trip that will be a highlight of their semester in Italy with CIS Abroad. Once we arrive and check-in to our wonderful hotels, we will have a local tour guide lead us through the streets and caves of this magical city. We will learn thousands of centuries of history and be taken to the best outlook points the city has to offer. Afterward, we will have a group dinner where we will enjoy traditional food in a farm-to-table dinner experience in an old courtyard where the local elites used to dine. During the dinner, a local theatre group will perform a skit based on real events that happened in Matera in 1300AD. In this medieval drama, students will have to guess who the assassin is, why they did it and how the crime was committed. The following day we will head back to Sorrento, but have a few hours to stop for lunch in an iconic village along the Amalfi Coast, Vietri sul Mare, famous for its glasswork and colorful houses.

Local Life Activities

An olive oil tasting at a farm in Sant’agnello, a town near Sorrento! 

From the sweet vanilla-flavored olive oil which you can drizzle on top of your “fior di latte” gelato or the savory truffle balsamic glaze you can squeeze a heapful of in your prosciutto, mozzarella, tomato, and basil “panino”, this farm has just about every variation of olive oil and balsamic you can imagine! Right before the tasting, the owner gives a tour of the farm and provides historical context almost as rich as the oils themselves! 

Pizza Making

Students enjoy a pizza making course at a beautiful outdoor terrace in the hills above Sorrento that is located on the grounds of an olive oil farm. During the course, the students start by learning how to prepare their own pizza crust from scratch and the traditional method for maximizing the quality of the pizza. Afterward, we knead the dough and form our pizza crusts! Finally, each student personalizes their pizzas. We enjoy other typical appetizers during the pizza making class and finish off with a local dessert as well.

Sunset Sorrento Kayak Tour

We embarked on a kayak tour from Marina Grande, the old fisherman village that is located directly below Sant'Anna Institute. On the tour, we learned about the history of the coastline and were able to see ruins from ancient Roman times. We also visited the ruins of the summer residence of Queen Giovanna of Naples and got to see how the old Roman villa was built around a natural bathing pool that the royals used to enjoy centuries ago. We also toured another part of the Bay of Naples called Marina Puolo, which is another small port town that is difficult to reach by land.  We were able to enjoy stunning views of the coastline and take a swim in the clear blue waters while learning important history of the Sorrento area.