Grinnellian Adventures: Italy
May 2–13, 2027
We invite you to join a stunningly rare journey taking place May 2–13, 2027, pairing rarely seen Italian villages with iconic cultural sites like Orvieto, Assisi, and wine country.
Inspired by the urban exploring movement—but reimagined through ethical, legal, and deeply immersive travel—this program offers rare access to Italy’s most compelling hidden places. Led by professor Andreas Jozwiak, this adventure explores how communities across Tuscia, including Umbria and Tuscany, endure, adapt, or fade as economic, environmental, and social forces reshape everyday life. Participants will step inside spectacular abandoned villages, fragile hill towns perched on the edge of survival, and revitalized communities where restoration has breathed new life into historic spaces. Through close, on the ground engagement with villages, landscapes, architecture, and local traditions, this journey emphasizes cultural immersion and privileged access to places few travelers ever see—inviting reflection on how past and present coexist in Italy’s lived landscapes.
Highlights
- Rare access to stunning, little visited sites
Explore haunting and beautiful places such as Antica Monterano, Civita di Bagnoregio, and Isola Maggiore, where abandoned buildings, dramatic landscapes, and near silent streets reveal Italy’s lesser known stories
- Urban exploring—redefined
Draw on the spirit of urbex to enter overlooked, fragile, and often inaccessible spaces through legal, guided, and respectful access, allowing for meaningful engagement rather than surface level observation
- Deep cultural immersion
Spend extended time in villages and small towns—walking their streets, entering churches and underground spaces, visiting wineries and workshops, and experiencing daily rhythms that bring local culture to life
- Abandonment and revival, side by side
Contrast near empty settlements with powerful examples of renewal, including Scheggino’s albergo diffuso and the transformed Castello di Postignano, where preservation has sustained community identity
- Faculty led exploration of place and endurance
Travel with professor Andreas Jozwiak as you examine how history, geography, and human decision making shape the survival of both rural villages and urban centers
- Layered landscapes across regions
Encounter Etruscan necropolises, medieval hill towns, Renaissance cities, volcanic terrain, rural churches, and underground worlds—each revealing a different chapter in Italy’s long story of settlement and change
I’m particularly excited for this trip because we all share a collective experience of having lived in a rural community in Iowa. I think this trip presents an excellent opportunity to think critically about how rurality shapes life experiences in another context, and to better understand how politics gives shape to these experiences. Someone should join this trip if they are curious about gaining comparative insight into urban/rural divides in Italy…and, of course, it wouldn’t be Italy without regional food culture!
–Andreas Jozwiak
Faculty Leader
Andreas Jozwiak
Associate Professor of Political Science, Department chair of Policy Studies
Andreas Jozwiak is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Grinnell College. His research in comparative politics focuses on questions of inequality related to gender, race, and class in advanced democracies. At Grinnell, Professor Jozwiak teaches courses on public policy, housing policy, and comparative politics. Before joining Grinnell, he held the Max Weber Postdoctoral Fellowship at the European Union Institute in Fiesole, Italy.
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Itinerary — May 2–13, 2027
Included meals: B= Breakfast • L= Lunch • D= Dinner
Sunday, May 2, 2027
Fly to Rome, Italy
Monday, May 3
Arrive in Rome | Transfer to hotel | Sutri: Welcome dinner
Upon arrival at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport (FCO), you are met and transferred as a group to our hotel in the ancient village of Sutri, in the central Italy region of Tuscia. The balance of the day is free to relax and perhaps stroll around the village. This evening we gather for a welcome aperitivo at the hotel, followed by dinner. Three nights at the 4-star Antico Borgo di Sutri hotel. (D)
Tuesday, May 4
Calcata Vecchia | Lake Bracciano | Sutri
This morning we drive to Calcata Vecchia, a “ghost village” perched on a volcanic cliff overlooking the Treja Valley. This once-abandoned village with narrow and irregular alleys, which give the feeling of being in a labyrinth, was revived by artists and artisans in the 1960s. After an independent lunch, we continue to Lake Bracciano, a pristine, volcanic lake surrounded by medieval villages. After independent time exploring Bracciano, and perhaps seeing the perfectly preserved Orsini-Odescalchi Castle, one of the finest examples of Renaissance military architecture in Italy, we return to our hotel, where we gather for dinner. (B,D)
Wednesday, May 5
Cerveteri Archaeological Park | Antica Monterano | Sutri
Today we explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Cerveteri Archaeological Park, an ancient Etruscan “city of the dead” and one of the most significant necropolises of the ancient Mediterranean world. Organized like a city, the necropolis has streets, neighborhoods, and tombs designed to resemble houses. After lunch, we visit Antica Monterano, one of Italy’s most stunning abandoned villages, located in the Monterano Regional Nature Reserve. Discover the ruins of a fountain and a Roman aqueduct, which welcome us to the village. Take the time to investigate the ruins of Etruscan tombs, a medieval castle, and the Cloister of San Bonaventura, a Renaissance-style convent. We return to our hotel and gather for dinner. (B,L,D)
Thursday, May 6
Bomarzo: Sacro Bosco | Civita di Bagnoregio | Orvieto
After breakfast we check out of our hotel and drive towards Umbria, with a stop at the Sacro Bosco in Bomarzo, colloquially referred to as the Park of Monsters because of the grotesque sculptures scattered throughout the landscape. It is a Renaissance garden filled with stone sculptures and mythological figures, and steeped in mystery. We continue to Italy’s most iconic “dying town,” Civita diBagnoregio. Located on a hilltop and only accessible via a pedestrian bridge, this near-abandoned medieval village is an escape from the modern age. Explore the town, and enjoy stunning panoramic views of the Lazio region. Next, we check-in to our hotel in Orvieto and gather for dinner. Two nights at the 4-star Altarocca Wine Resort. (B,L,D)
Friday, May 7
Orvieto: Orvieto Underground, Duomo
We spend today in the hilltop town of Orvieto, whose origins date back to the 9th century B.C., with early settlements carved into the tuff caves beneath the high plateau. We begin with a guided visit of Orvieto Underground, a hidden world of tunnels, caves, cisterns, wells, quarries, cellars, and oil mills that ensured the city’s survival for millennia. After an independent lunch, we visit the 14th-century Duomo, a masterpiece of Italian Gothic architecture with an imposing façade decorated with mosaics and bas-reliefs. Time permitting, discover St. Patrick’s Well, a 16th-century engineering marvel by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, 203 feet deep and designed with two separate spiral staircases to allow for a continuous flow of water carriers. This evening we gather for dinner at our hotel. (B,D)
Saturday, May 8
Orvieto: Culinary experience | Todi | Spoleto
This morning we get our hands “dirty” with a hands-on pasta-making experience. Guided by an expert chef, we learn how to make two traditional shapes, tagliatelle and umbrichelli, in a fun and engaging atmosphere. After lunch, we drive to the thriving town of Todi, a perfectly preserved medieval hilltop town overlooking the Tiber Valley. Spend time exploring this hidden gem, take in the views dotted with hamlets, olive groves, sunflower fields, and rolling farmland, and relax in the Piazza del Popolo, one of the most beautiful squares in Italy. This evening, dinner is at leisure in Spoleto, where our hotel is located. Two nights at the 4-star Hotel Dei Duchi. (B,L)
Sunday, May 9
Valnerina Valley: Scheggino, Vallo di Nera, Sant’Anatolia di Narco, Castello di Postignano | Spoleto
Today we explore one of Umbria’s most authentic and least-altered regions, the Valnerina Valley. Our first stop is Scheggino, a restored, triangular-shaped, stone village where traditional architecture was carefully revived by reconnecting heritage buildings with local life. Next, we continue to Vallo di Nera and Sant’Anatolia di Narco: ancient, fortified medieval hill towns located on the Nera River that are both famous for their highly prized black truffles, pecorino cheese, honey, and cured meats. After lunch, we make our way to our last stop and explore the exterior of Castello di Postignano, once an abandoned medieval village, and today expertly restored into a refined cultural and hospitality destination. We return to Spoleto, where the balance of the day and dinner are on your own. (B,L)
Monday, May 10
Assisi | Lake Trasimeno: Isola Maggiore | Cortona
After breakfast, we leave Umbria and head toward Tuscany. We stop along the way in Assisi, the UNESCO-listed hill town associated with St. Francis. Its stone streets, Roman remains, and sacred basilicas reflect centuries of pilgrimage and spiritual history. After an independent lunch, we drive to Lake Trasimeno and take a ferry to visit Isola Maggiore, a nearly uninhabited medieval island first settled by Franciscan friars. Explore the main cobbled street lined with ancient houses, a 12th-century church, and a treasure trove of artistic and religious works. We continue to Cortona, where we check-in to our hotel in the heart of the historic center. This evening we gather for dinner. Two nights at the 4-star Hotel San Michele. (B,D)
Tuesday, May 11
Cortona: Walking tour, Convent de Le Celle
Today we spend the day in Cortona, an ancient Etruscan hill town that offers sweeping views over the Tuscan landscape. After a guided tour of the historic center and time at leisure for an independent lunch, we visit Convent de Le Celle, one of the first Franciscan settlements. In 1211, Francis requested a place he could retreat in prayer, and a young nobleman from the town offered him what became known as “Le Celle.” Nestled among the natural caves of Mount Sant’Eglio and in an isolated spot in the woods, Francis accepted it for its solitude and tranquility. The balance of the day and dinner are on your own. (B)
Wednesday, May 12
Pieve di San Pietro a Romena | Florence: Farewell dinner
On our last day together, we depart Cortona for Florence. Along the way, we stop at the Pieve di San Pietro a Romena, a stunning 12th-century Romanesque church set in the Casentino countryside, surrounded by a quiet rural landscape that preserves the spiritual essence of medieval Tuscany. It is an architectural gem with beautifully crafted capitals, intricate religious symbols, and the remains of an 8th-century church. After lunch en route, we arrive in Florence, check-in to our hotel, and enjoy time at leisure before gathering for our farewell.
Thursday, May 13: Fly home
Transfer this morning to Aeroporto di Firenze-Peretola (FLR) for flights homeward. (B)
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Pricing
- $8,495 per person - double occupancy (17-18 participants)
- $8,995 per person - double occupancy (13-16 participants)
- $1,595 single supplement
Single room supplement will be charged when requested or required (limited availability). With fewer than 13 participants, a small group surcharge may be applied.
Price Includes
- Grinnell College faculty leader Andreas Jozwiak, an expert tour manager, and local guides.
- Group arrival and departure airport transfers on program dates
- Ten nights in well-located, 4-star hotels
- Delicious meals: Breakfast daily; 5 lunches; 7 dinners which include welcome and farewell dinners, with bottled water or soft drinks, plus coffee/tea and wine/beer; and a welcome reception with aperitivo
- Ground transportation via private, air-conditioned vehicle with water provided
- Tickets and entrance fees for excursions as listed in the itinerary
- Personal listening audio tour guides during excursions
- Group airport transfers on your arrival at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport (FCO) and for your departure from Florence Airport (FLR)
- Baggage handling at hotels (two pieces per person)
- VAT, local taxes, and service charges
- Gratuities to local guides, drivers, waitstaff at included meals, and porters
- Comprehensive pre-departure information, including a suggested reading/media guide, travel guide, and packing list
Price does not include
- Airfare from/to home
- Individual airport arrival or departure transfers
- All airport fees and departure taxes
- Cost of personal, trip cancellation, and baggage insurance
- Transportation of excess baggage
- Baggage handling
- Meals and alcoholic or other beverages other than those listed
- All items of a personal nature such as medical expenses, laundry, taxi, room service, telephone/fax/Wi-Fi charges
- Optional excursions or deviations from scheduled tour
- ...and other items not listed as included
Additional Notes
Prices are based on tariffs and exchange rates in effect at the time of publication and are subject to change prior to departure. Substantial changes in tariffs, exchange rates, and the price of fuel, services, and labor may increase the cost of arrangements significantly, and we reserve the right to alter our prices.
Prices, itinerary, accommodations, and leader are subject to change. Prices quoted are based on group participation and no refunds will be made for any part of the program in which you choose not to participate. It is understood that refunds cannot be made to participants who do not complete the tour for whatever reason. Complete terms and conditions are available upon confirmation or upon request.
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FAQ
Who is invited to join this trip?
All Grinnellians are warmly invited! A Grinnellian can be an alum, a family member of an alum, and/or anyone who supports the College. We also welcome your guests - they do not need to be alums.
What can I expect on the trip?
This journey will be an immersive, thought provoking exploration of Italy beyond the familiar—designed to spark curiosity, conversation, and deep reflection on how places persist, change, or disappear. Traveling with fellow Grinnellians, Professor Andreas Jozwiak, and local experts, you’ll engage closely with rural villages, fragile hill towns, and revitalized communities across Tuscia, Umbria, and Tuscany.
What are the physical requirements?
Please ensure that your are physically and mentally fit to travel unassisted. This includes being able to:
- Walk two or more miles per day, including on uneven services
- Go up and down steps and inclines
- Stand for periods of time
- Carry personal bags and luggage independently
What weather should I expect during this trip?
May is one of the best times to visit Italy, offering pleasant, mild-to-warm weather. Daytime temperatures generally range from 68 to 80 F, though nights can still be cool. There is always a small chance of pop-up showers, so participants should be prepared.
Who is organizing and supporting this trip?
Grinnell College has contracted Eos Study Tours to provide expert organization and support for this adventure. A staff member from the Office of Development and Alumni Relations will also travel with the group to assist guests and the faculty leader throughout the journey.
Is travel insurance required?
Travel insurance is optional but recommended as with any travel adventure. You may purchase coverage through the provider of your choice.
May I bring a guest?
Yes! Grinnellians are welcome to bring guests. Your guest does not need to be an alum.
What if I need assistance during the trip?
A Grinnell College staff member will be on the trip to provide support to guests and our faculty leaders. You will always have someone to turn to if you need assistance at any point.
Questions?
Contact Guinevere Natarelli, associate director of alumni and donor relations, at wallacegu@grinnell.edu or call 641-269-4633.
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