Geography, Environment, and Sustainability

Grand Tour

The “Grand Tour” is a self-reflective, historically informed, and musically illustrated learning and travel experience that engages with aesthetics and ethics:

• What? A unique class & travel experience combining music & sustainability.
• Who? ~8 UNCG students + 2 UNCG faculty.
• When? On-campus spring-term (or other pre-requisite) + 6 weeks travel in summer 2025.
  
• How (much)? Estimated $8000+airfare+extras (includes tuition for 6 credits).*
• Where? Italy (Venice, Bologna, Naples, Rome, etc.).

The most recent Grand Tour trip took place summer 2023; the next Grand Tour trip is planned for summer 2025 (second summer session). To find out more, see below and check out this brief video about the experience!  

Highlights include:

• Experiencing world-class operas in historical theaters (La Scala, La Fenice, San Carlo).
• Using various types of public transportation (high speed and regional trains, local buses, subways, boats).
• Walking tours in major tourist cities (Venice, Rome) in interesting areas that are “off the beaten path.”
• Visiting cities rich in history that have a lively student culture due to great universities (Padova, Bologna)
• Eating in restaurants that serve healthy, local, seasonal, typical, organic, affordable, sustainable, real food (pasta, pizza, coffee and wine of course, but also prosciutto, mozzarella di bufala, piadine, fiori di zucca, polenta, stinco, and lots of other wonderful things).
• Seeing historical monuments (Colosseum! Pantheon!) and beautiful natural areas (parks, rivers, mountains, beaches).
• Learning about Italian history and culture (music, food, travel, nature, sustainability) while relating it to contemporary issues and experiences.
• Engaging with Italians working in food, sustainability, music, art, and culture.
• Developing your skills of group and independent travel.

The class and trip are relevant for and open to any UNCG students (graduate and undergraduate) for elective credit. Degree (major or minor) credit is also available for all majors and minors in music, geography, environment and sustainability, and tourism and hospitality.

The Grand Tour 2025 is tentatively scheduled for June 19-July 26:

• If you are interested in the 2025 Grand Tour, please fill out this brief survey (no commitment necessary).
• Apply here by December 1, 2024, via UNCG’s Global Engagement Office.
• Consider your financial aid options, and check out the Gilman Scholarship for financial support (Pell grant recipients).
• Here is a printable 2025 brochure, and here is the 2025 poster.
• See pictures and itineraries of our past trips from 2023, from 2019, and from 2016.
• Learn more about Study Abroad at UNCG via news articles, here and here.

For more information, contact: Dr. Rubinoff or Dr. Allen.

* The price may decrease or increase pending exchange rate changes, fundraising, and/or itinerary changes.

UNCG reserves the right to cancel or alter the program format, or to change costs in case of conditions beyond its control.