Educational Travel Programs

Calder Classics has been running successful educational programs in France, Greece, and Italy since 2012. Our trips for high school students combine high-level instruction with a guided exploration of local art and ancient history to create an indelible educational experience.

Calder Classics has been running highly engaging academic and interdisciplinary educational programs in France, Greece, and Italy since 2012. Our trips for high school and Gap Year students combine high-level instruction with a guided exploration of local art and ancient history to create an indelible educational and fun experience. 

Planning for our 2025 travel programs is underway!  As new course offerings are confirmed, we will list them here in the “Current Travel Programs” section. In the meantime, feel free to browse some of our “Past Travel Programs” below and Contact Us if you would like to discuss them!

Current Travel Programs

Available Sessions may be subject to a minimum number of students enrolled per session. The fee is for tuition only and does not include travel expenses to arrive at the program destination. If you would like to discuss any of our Educational Travel Programs, please email calderclassics@gmail.com or Contact Us.

Past Travel Programs

We have taken students on immersive interdisciplinary educational journeys to various locations in Europe since 2012. Below is a selection of past programs; this list is not exhaustive but will give you a sense of trips we have organized in the past. 

Creative Writing Workshop, Florence, Italy

This ten-day workshop based in Florence explored the classical foundation stories and their influence on our modern culture in our Creative Writing Workshop. Through daily writing workshops, readings of ancient and modern literature, and exploration of local sites, our students heard the local muses and returned home with manuscripts of their own modern myths.

Reading Latin & Art History, Florence, Italy

Our students spent ten days in Florence reading and discussing Latin literature in an interactive “salon” style environment. To complement these readings, our resident art historian guided us on a daily exploration of art throughout the city that was thematically related to our Latin texts, including Botticelli’s Primavera and Birth of Venus and Michelangelo’s David.

Reading Latin & Imperial History, Rome, Italy

During a week in Rome we investigated how the Roman Empire asserted itself physically in the city of Rome in antiquity, and how the ghosts of the ancient empire reappeared in modern history during the 19th and 20th centuries. In particular, we focused on the Emperor Augustus’ massive building program in Rome. We considered how Mussolini and the Fascist regime used Augustus as a model, and in doing so, also asserted their power in the city via a widespread building program. In this session, our discussions focused on the historical context and broader themes of the sites we visited.

Learning to Read Latin & Discovering Ancient History, Rome and Sorrento, Italy

Over the course of a two-week program in Rome and in the Bay of Naples, we studied Latin, explored archaeological and modern sites, and immersed ourselves in daily Italian life. We spent the first week within walking distance of the Circus Maximus, the Forum, the Palatine, and the Colosseum. During the second week, we traveled to Sorrento where we stayed in a location perfectly suited to visit the many ancient sites in the Bay of Naples. Throughout the program, language, art, and scholarship merged fluently in an atmosphere of intellectual freedom and interdisciplinary exchange.

Journeys to the Underworld, Tuscany, Italy

Surrounded by Etruscan ruins and plenty of Greek and Roman remnants, we read ancient texts that explored underworld narratives and prophecies. This course was designed for dedicated intermediate to advanced students in either Greek or Latin to explore the Tuscany countryside. 

Ancient Greek & Philosophy, Thessaloniki, Greece

Over the course of a 2-week program in Thessaloniki, we brought the Classics alive through the study of the ancient Greek language and philosophy, the exploration of ancient sites, and immersion in daily Greek life. Students on this course have resided on a beautiful college campus in Thessaloniki, in a classic mountain village high on the slopes of Mount Olympus, and on the island of Samothraki.

Homeric Storytelling & Creative Writing, Essex, MA

This unique summer writing program was designed for students of mythology and the Classics who were interested in honing and developing their creative writing and storytelling skills. At the Calder Classics Institute, a bucolic seacoast location north of Boston, we reviewed the ancient story of Homer’s Iliad along with modern Homeric adaptations for students seeking an interdisciplinary experience with a diverse group of peers.

The Role of Classics in US History, Essex, MA

We offered this residential summer program at the Calder Classics Institute for enthusiastic high school students of US History to heighten their familiarity with the influences of Greco-Roman writings and ideas on education, government, and society in the US from the foundation of the nation to modern times. In a seacoast setting north of Boston, accomplished students earned an interdisciplinary education experience with a diverse group of peers.

CONTACT US if you would like to discuss any of these programs!

Travel Program Testimonials