6-week Gap Year Course in Italy | Art History Abroad

Thank you AHA, for giving me the absolute time of my life. It’s been 2 months and I'm still obsessed with how amazing this trip was. I probably will be for the rest of my life. I would say to all those going on this trip that you can come and not know ANYTHING about Italy/history of art and still have the most incredible and truly inspiring time.
The tutors were fantastic. Not one of them disappointed on Italian knowledge and just general loveliness. As well as showing you the most beautiful art and architecture you will ever see, they succeed in giving you an all-round Italian education. I learnt not only about art but history, religion, poetry, politics, myths, food, language, film ...... i could go on forever. They instil in you a deep and endless love of Italy.
The hotels were lovely and perfectly located within each city and the FOOD… you will dream about it upon your return. Nothing can beat the beautiful little restaurants and coffee shops filled with delicious aromas and chattering locals.
But most of all… the people. I cannot find the words to express my happiness ENOUGH at having had the chance to meet such wonderful people on this course. I never imagined I could create such special friendships in just 6 weeks.
I am so grateful to AHA - I feel like a new person. I will never, ever forget those few idyllic weeks spent with such wonderful people and in such a beautiful setting. Thank you.

AHA's short course, whatever they call it, the one where it's six weeks long and it's in Italy, is that one which I did, and let me tell you, dear reader, it's just lovely. The course travels around Italy for six weeks visiting, more or less in order, Rome, Naples, Titignano, Sienna, Florence, Verona, Castelfranco, and last but more than least, la bella Venezia. As you may have gathered from the name of the program, it deals with art history, in quite the best place possible, i.e. right up close and very personal with the art. Drawing from the greats of the three canonical extra-double-important Renaissance art, those being painting, sculpture, and architecture, AHA really shows you round the block. You see the big names (did you know they just leave the Colosseum lying out in the open? They don't throw a tarp over it or nothing) like Michelangelo, and Caravaggio, and Giotto, and Titian, all them fancy-ass folks. More importantly, you'll be in the company of the AHA tutors, which are a group of people that are as friendly as they are bonkers intelligent, which is quite a bit. Seriously speaking, the tutors know a staggering amount about the art you're looking at, and they will share it with you. They also have usually done the trips several times before, and will know useful little tidbits like when you need to book two slots for looking at a Giotto chapel. Just perk-type things. On a day to day basis, you'll start somewhere between 9:00 and 10:00, following (or not, you can probably do without it) what is admittedly a usually meager hotel breakfast. Fear not, however, because after a morning of art and adventure you will get to sample of the great Italian traditions, i.e. lunch. Also dinner, but more on that later. Meals will be exclusively at restaurants, and there are some good ones. Apologize to your local pizza place in advance, because upon your return they will seem lackluster in the face of the world-class Neapolitan stuff. After lunch, you will continue on till five-ish or so looking at, learning about, and marveling over the choicest bits of artistic fare available. Bear in mind for you Americans, anywhere from all to half of the people you'll be with will be British, which is just looooooovely. Dinner will be with a whole group of you, and following that the tutors will likely take all those disposed to a local drinkery for some drinking. Incidentally, the drinking age in Italy is 18, now isn't that wonderful. Highlights will include nights to remember (or forget), as well as such things as Michelangelo's Pieta and David, Caravaggio's Amore Dormiente and Calling of Saint Mathew, Bernini's Pluto and Proserpine, Titian's Venus of something or other, all close enough to spit (please don't), as well as some of the best food you'll have ever had.

It has been 2 weeks since the trip and not a day goes by where I don't look through photos and try to recount every single moment that happened during the most amazing 6 weeks I have ever had. I entered the course with a vague knowledge of Art History, politics, architecture, religion, mythology, etc., and now being back home I can say that joining AHA changed my life completely. The people I got to spend 6 weeks with were some of the most incredible people I have ever met, and the tutors didn't even feel like conventional teachers to us. Most lectures just felt like listening to a friend telling amazing stories about the culture of Italy. Every single tutor was brilliant and engaging and they really took the time to go out, have fun, and get to know each and everyone of us.

I highly recommend joining this program, and you don't even need to have any knowledge whatsoever of Art History. If I could relive something in my life, it definitely would be reliving my experience with AHA.

About two weeks have now passed since the course I was on ended. Only now do I realise how special it was, and how much it sucks now not being out there.

AHA exceeded my expectations enormously. I was wrong even to doubt about going on it in the first place, and even having studied art history at school and having been to a couple of the places we went to, I learnt so much.

I cannot fault the 6 weeks I had with AHA. It would be impossible for me to tell you whether it was more informative or more fun because they were just as strong as the other. The tutors are not only informative, but they are young-hearted people too and more than up for a laugh. There is never a sense of being treated like a schoolkid. Help was also at hand, whenever you needed it.

A friend on the trip made this video of our trip, and it is impossible for me to spot the tutors because the tutors were more friends than tutors.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnNCvGJ7THo

The video shows what an amazing setting it is to be in for 6 weeks where you are able to forget everything and just enjoy yourself. The food, also can't be forgotten!

However, if there was one highlight for the trip for me, it was the people. Spending 6 weeks with the same people, in that situation, creates some unforgettable moments and amazing friendships.

If you really do ever have any concerns about going on AHA, I'd really reccommend you to contact AHA or anyone who has been on it. Or even, forget that, just go!

AHA was absolutely amazing and was definitely the highlight of my gap year. Its three years later and I still talk about it all the time because it was so amazing. It was incredible to see so many works of art and architecture and learn about them from really knowledgeable tutors. It also really felt like we got to know the cities we were in like locals because the tutors knew them so well and took us to places off the beaten track. They knew all the best restaurants and the Italian food was definitely a highlight! The tutors were such a great part of the experience as they were all so much fun, enthusiastic and so good at teaching and making us love the works of art they were telling us about. The course was really well organised and the accommodation was all really central. AHA was such a perfect mix of art, incredible food, wine and people. Going on AHA was definitely one of the best decisions I've made and I would highly recommend it.

If you are reading this and not taking a Gap Year, either beg your university for a deferred place and get yourself on this course or join the summer program.

The AHA tutors brought the art and architecture of Italy to life and there is nothing better than learning about the wonders of the Classical and Renaissance world in situ. I came back more knowledgeable than ever. The days were perfectly planned out and relaxing, shared with people who I hope to keep in contact with for many years to come. I can't thank the tutors and the people enough for giving me the best six weeks.

Please do not think you have to study or be interested in Art History to partake in this course. Yes, some people on the autumn program were going to study the subject at university; however, others were studying psychology, geography, graphic design and biology. This just underlines the interdisciplinary nature of Art History- it encompasses everything. Make sure you bring a notebook and pen as you will want to remember everything you learnt. People in my group that didn't hugely regretted that.

All the other reviews below have taken the words out of my mouth for how i want to describe the course, so instead of just repeating myself, anyone is more than welcome to ask me specific questions it.

Whether you are studying history of art at university or just have a passion for the subject, AHA caters for everyone providing a comprehensive education on the arts whilst immersing yourself in the culture of the country that you are in. In your free time one can find themselves wandering through the streets of Florence or Venice and enriching themselves in the Italian lifestyle and culture, in this sense AHA provides a balance between teaching and allowing the students to discover for themselves. In total I had a great experience and would recommend this course to anyone with a passion for the arts or a desire to broaden their horizons.

I could not recommend AHA more. The six week course is perfect for a gap year, and I found it hugely useful when I went on to study History of Art at university.

This is not just any old History of Art course, it is unbelievably special because you get to see every work of art you are learning about at first hand. No lecture theatres, or slides, but the real deal. I was fascinated and inspired to be learning about paintings in situ, it really helped me understand the context in which the paintings were created. One real highlight was when we were given a tour of Saint Mark's in Venice after public hours, we were the only people in there which was such a luxury, and I think we all lay on the floor to look at the glittering mosaics!

The tutors were brilliant- this is one of the key factors of the course. They are so intelligent, enthusiastic, young and fun. They know all the cities like the back of their hand- from hidden away churches, the best-aperitvo-bars, to the most delicious restaurants. There was a lovely mix of people my age on the course, who I am still in touch with.

I never ate more / better gelati, pasta, or papperdelle. The food was a real highlight!

Such a fantastic combination of history of art, fantastic tutors and teaching, wonderful food, and great fun!