“Ciao” we would say to the locals as walked through the streets of Rome, admiring the buildings and sites we saw. Hello, my name is Gionni Gutierrez, and I went on the 2025 History of Rome Trip in June. Today I will be telling you about the greatest experience I have ever had.

The Colosseum

The Colosseum was very remarkable to see. We learned a little bit of where people sat based on social status. For example, the vestal virgins, who kept the flame of the goddess Vesta alive, sat towards the arena floor, while the women sat at the top, to keep away from men for adultery. Coins actually showed that the Colosseum was filled with statues. 156 statues were under the outer arches on the second and third level. They depicted gods, heroes, and demigods.

The Vatican

The Vatican was very special, as we saw St. Peters Basilica, had the opportunity to see St. Peter’s bones, and saw the Sistine Chapel. Some of us had the chance to do confession inside the Basilica, and I was one of them. It was memorable since not everyone gets to do it, plus you take a second to think “I’m doing confession in the Basilica”. When we went to see St. Peter’s bones at the Savi, we were all very excited since this is a very sacred thing to see. We actually walked on the same road underground that Romans originally did. When we got to St. Peter’s bones, we prayed in a little chapel by his bones, where Pope Leo XIV had his first Mass. Finally, the Sistine Chapel is one of the most breathtaking things you will ever see in your life. Not only do you get to see Creation of Adam, but also other amazing works of art before you even get to the Chapel.

Pentecost Sunday Mass

This day was the day we were looking forward to the most, since we were going to see Pope Leo XIV. We ended up having to get up especially early so we could get seats, as we had to get on the subway and then walk to the Vatican itself. When the Pope came out, we quickly got up on our seats to take videos of the Pope. We all felt a sense of shock because this was his fourth mass, and it was extraordinary getting to see him, especially on Pentecost Sunday.

The Food

The food was very delicious. We had fresh pasta, pizza, gelato, and we even got to make our own gnocchi! We made our gnocchi by first putting our potato in the potato strainer, then we mix it with flour until it is completely smooth, and our hands have no flour. After, we roll them into thin strips and then we cut them to and shape them into little balls and put flour, so they don’t stick together. Our gnocchi were really tasty, and it was a fun experience. We had to provide for our own lunch, and we found really appetizing food. However, our dinner was provided by our travel company, World Strides. We picked from a set menu, and our dinners were very great with some days being more delectable than others.

Gladiator School

Gladiator school was the coolest thing we did. We learned how to wield swords and shoot bows! We went through intense training, and even an obstacle course before, but after our training, we played sharks and minnows, but instead of having five attackers, we only had one, and that one lucky person wielded a net and he had to capture us by throwing the net. However, that one lucky person caught none of us, but he almost got a few of us. The Romans wielded swords and bow and arrows in battles, and used a defense formation called the phalanx. The phalanx was composed of five columns and was used as a barrier to disallow their opponents to advance, and to increase their offense.

Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps

The Trevi Fountain was a very cool thing since we all got to throw coins into it, and luckily nobody missed. The Spanish Steps were a very good experience, as we all took pictures, and we took great photos. Then we got the best gelato ever in Rome, at a family-owned business. The Spanish Steps connect the Piazza di Spagna to the Trinita dei Monti church, and it symbolizes the history of the architecture in the city.

Hadrian’s Villa

Next, we went to Hadrian’s Villa, a very lush garden area, and here is some information I learned: Pichelia was a covered area that the emperor wanted to recreate so he could walk through it himself. The emperor was Greek and admired Greek architecture. The villa was built in 120 AD and had both private and public sections. It included exedras which are semicircular spaces used for seating or gatherings. The emperor used the design to show that the East was superior. He emphasized Greek culture as something exotic and prestigious. We saw many different buildings and learned about the history of the Villa which was very intriguing to all of us.

Other awesome events from the trip

We took breathtaking photos on the coast of Sorrento when were driving up to our hotel.

We went to the beach, and we had a picnic, and we met some teens who were in Rome on a trip, and we all became friends since we had a great time talking.

Student Reviews

Wade Bryan ’26 said

“I found this trip to Rome to be one of the best trips that I could have ever wished for. From seeing the colosseum to shopping for clothes, it was an all around great experience. I loved the trip, and I loved making friends along the way too.”

Parker Sherman ’26 said

“Some of my highlights were things like seeing the pope, walking through the Vatican, the Sistine chapel, and the colosseum. I really liked the pizza and the pasta even the ones that were considered like gas station food there was better than a lot of the pizza and pasta here. Overall, the trip was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity that I am so glad I went on.”

Thank you for reading about the 2025 History of Rome Trip! Stay tuned to the Roundup for more coverage about academic summer trips!