Art History Abroad

Art History Abroad was an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience I’m so grateful to have had. In just six jam-packed weeks I traveled to Rome, Siena, Florence, Bologna, Castelfranco, and Venice with a group of like-minded gappers and tutors. Cultural activities included painting Venetian masks, witnessing glass-blowing on Murano island, cooking traditional Italian cuisine, and marbling paper. We explored the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Uffizi, Pompeii, Ravenna Mosaics, and Guggenheim. We studied the magnum opuses of Michelangelo, da Vinci, Raphael, Donatello, Bernini, and Botticelli, among countless others, in situ. We learned to recognize the tell-tale signs of Gothic art—gold leaf, pointed arches—as opposed to that of the High Renaissance—realist muscled figures in complicated compositions—which we in turn could differentiate from the chiaroscuro and dramatic motion of the Baroque. Perhaps most special was when we, still rubbing sleep dust from our eyes in the wee hours of morning before opening time, watched the sunrise over St. Peter’s basilica and took a guided tour of the expansive Vatican museums and fresco-filled Sistine Chapel.

India is a country like no other. The vibrancy in culture, food and landscapes cannot be ignored. AHA offered me the unique opportunity to experience some of this. The itinerary took me from the wild, tranquil settings of Munnar tea plantations in Kerela, to the hustle and bustle of Mumbai, up to the state of Rajasthan and then beyond to Varanasi. The trip gives you enough of a flavour to feel like you have a greater understanding of India at the end of it. Visiting religiously, historically and contemporarily significant architecture artwork across all of India. With India being a fairly different country to the UK, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. However, under the expertise and vast experience of the tutors, they enable you to experience India and her true beauty. I never felt unsafe or out of my depth. The tutors are brilliant.

Engaging tutors, delicious and authentic local food, diverse array of landscapes, incredible and utterly beautiful sights. It's honestly a no-brainer!

I have never visited India before and I am so pleased that I chose a course like AHA to help me explore and learn whilst having so much fun! The staff are friendly and knowledgeable. I felt really immersed into the culture of each place we visited. I especially enjoyed the boat rides we took in Varanasi, which I have included a photo of, we took an early morning ride to a fire ceremony celebrating and thanking the river Ganges. We took another boat in the evening to see the ghats. I found learning about the attitude towards life and death in Hinduism very moving. Such a unique experience.

On the India tour with AHA, I was able to see so many amazing things. The staff were nothing but brilliant, always helpful and making sure we all felt safe and comfortable. The trip was the perfect balance of freedom and teaching, with lots of time to learn and experience in a guided but not pushed environment. Accommodation was clean and comfortable. I came home from this trip with fresh eyes and a new respect for a culture that I previously hadn’t been able to experience.

For anyone thinking about attending this course, you won’t regret it. Would recommend highly.

Where to start with how much I came to adore Art History Abroad during the 12 week course? To begin, I would say that you don’t have to be an art historian or planning on majoring in art history to have a fantastic time in the program. As long as you love learning and are excited by museums and historical sites, you are perfect for this trip! However, as amazing as the tutors were, with their incredibly curated lesson plans and museum tours, I would say that the learning isn’t what makes this experience the best- it was the people I met. I made some of the greatest memories of my life during this program, and met friends I know I will never lose. The experiences you get to be apart of during this trip are life-changing, I don’t think I will ever get over visiting the Vatican on a private tour or being in St. Mark’s Basilica completely alone, and those are just two of the wonderful opportunities AHA offers! The tutors become your best friends, and the fellow students become family. I can’t recommend this program highly enough- it’s a fantastic gap year opportunity I would do a thousand more times if I could.