See the sites of Rome

June 18, 2007

Fancy a trip to Rome? Want to dig a little deeper into Roman history than what you find in the guide books? The answer may be to enrol in the University of New England's Classical Rome Summer School, a two-week study tour of the "Eternal City" that leaves in January next year.

The tour, run in conjuction with the University of Sydney and Academy Travel, will take participants on a series of guided walking tours of Rome's ancient sites, taking in famous landmarks such as the Colloseum, the Appian Way and the mausoleums of Augustus and Hadrian.

Many of the sites included on the tour cannot be accessed without academic credentials.

Tour leader Bronwyn Hopwood, a lecturer in the School of Classics, History and Religion at the University of New England, said the tour was likely to appeal to a wide range of people and not just those studying ancient history.

"When we ran the tour for the first time two years ago, we had a diverse bunch of people: students, school teachers, and people generally interested in ancient Rome," Dr Hopwood said. "The youngest person on the tour was 18, the oldest 79. It's a great tour for people who say, 'I want to visit Rome, and I want to see the sights, but I also want to know what I'm looking at'."

A series of lectures prior to the tour's departure will provide participants with the historical background necessary to make the most of their visit, and further lectures throughout the tour will supplement this knowledge.

Participants in the summer school can choose to receive credit towards a degree, or enrol as an "auditing participant" who does not have to complete any assignments as part of the tour.

"Whether you're an undergraduate, postgraduate, or just someone with a strong interest in Rome, you can get something out of this tour," Dr Hopwood said.

Dr Hopwood said January was an ideal time to go, falling in the middle of the European winter.

"The weather is mild, and it's their shopping and opera season. Once the day is over, the participants are free to go out and indulge in shopping, opera and gelato.

"We've designed the tour to give the group a couple of 'free' days, where they can just do their own thing. The whole thing is done in a way that gives them maximum opportunity to see everything, while still having the flexibility to zone out and have a cappucino if they feel like it."

Dr Hopwood said the best thing about the tour was the opportunity to explore a shared interest with a group of like-minded people.

"People read all this stuff about Rome and where these historic events took place, but to actually be there and see that come to life for them is just fantastic.

Anyone interested in joining the tour should contact Academy Travel on (02) 9235 0023 or Bronwyn Hopwood at bhopwood@une.edu.au.

Click here to view an online brochure for the tour (Adobe PDF format)

Posted by Leon Braun at June 18, 2007 10:18 AM