Art & design school trips to Rome

Commissioned in 1480, the Sistine Chapel is the site of the papal conclave and is home to Michelangelo’s elaborate ceiling and Last Judgment fresco. This powerful building offers an excellent location to discuss the role and selection of the Pope with your students, as they absorb the building’s significance in Rome and explore its wide selection of religious art.

Explore the role and importance of religion in the 2,000-year-old Colosseum, where gladiators and beasts once battled. A legendary site immortalised in film, the Colosseum is always popular among our student groups. Nearby, you can also tour the adjacent Forum and see the ruins of ancient Rome’s most exclusive neighbourhood, where emperors lived in luxury.

Embark on a journey through time at the Mausoleum of Hadrian, which holds many ancient tales within its walls. Initially erected for the Roman Emperor Hadrian more than 1,800 years ago, the building was later used by the popes as a fortress and castle, and is now a museum which walks visitors through its vast, storied history.

One of the world’s holiest Catholic sites and largest churches, this cavernous building features a breathtaking dome with masterpieces by Michelangelo and Bernini. It won’t take much encouragement for your students to study the power of Catholicism and the importance of pilgrimage as they experience this Vatican City highlight – one of our favourite excursions in Rome.

The widest stairway in Europe, Rome’s Spanish Steps are famous worldwide for their unique design, having been immortalised in several films and television shows. The steps were built in the 17th century to link the Spanish square with the Trinità dei Monti church, and today make up one of Rome’s most-visited attractions. Located at the foot of the steps, the 17th-century Baroque Barcaccia Fountain adds to the site’s grandeur.

No trip to Rome is complete without a visit to the Trevi Fountain – a firm favourite among Equity staff. One of the most famous and photographed fountains in the world, the fountain dates back to the 17th century and features incredible Baroque details which will amaze your students. We recommend visiting in the evening to enjoy the view of the fountain lit up. Don’t forget to throw a penny in! Who knows, you may return to Rome…

As the seat of the Catholic religion and home of the Pope, there’s nowhere better for your students to explore the history and development of Catholicism than in Vatican City. In the Apostolic Palace, your group can experience the wonder of the remarkable Sistine Chapel, and explore the world’s largest museum complex while appreciating the power of this independent state.

Containing works from some of the best artists across Europe, Rome’s Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna is one of the best art museums in Italy. The museum’s collection includes over 5,000 paintings and sculptures across a variety of styles, with plenty of inspiration available to your students. Works of particular note including those by Paul Cezanne, Antonio Canova, Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh.

Said to be the very same staircase that Jesus walked up at the residence of Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem, the Scala Sancta are a set of 28 marble steps brought to Rome by St Helena in the 4th century. Since the 1500s, the staircase has become a site for pilgrims across the world who climb the stairs on their knees on their way to the Sancta Sanctorum – an ancient private chapel of Popes.

The Pope’s main place of worship for more than 1,000 years, this monumental cathedral is an essential stop on school trips to Rome, offering your students the perfect setting to contemplate the significance of religion in the city’s history. Built in the early 4th century, the archbasilica is dedicated to Jesus Christ and Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist, ranking superior to all other churches of the Roman Catholic Church since its consecration.

A mandatory stop for school groups on an art trip to Rome, the Borghese Gallery and Museum housed what’s often referred to as the ‘queen of all private art collections’, with paintings by Caravaggio and Raphael displayed alongside exquisite sculptures by Bernini. Don’t miss a quick stop in the gallery’s surrounding English-style gardens, which were once part of the estate but are now a separate attraction.

A prerequisite for any history or classics visit to Rome, the National Roman Museum comprises exhibits from the pre- and early history of the city, spread across several sites. At the Palazzo Altemps, students can see a great collection of classical sculpture from the celebrated Ludovisi collection, while the Crypta Balbi contains fascinating archeological remains from the period.