Program Reviews

This trip still feels like a hazy dream. I am still trying to comprehend everything that happened. This trip was truly amazing. Our schedule was always jam packed with unique things to do. They took us to places I would never find by myself like Fiesole and the Brion Tomb, which quickly became my two favorite spots on the trip.

Fiesole is now one of my favorite memories. The crowded and long bus ride made it difficult to get up there, but once we were there it was all worth it. The view overlooked Florence, a sunset, and a rainbow. I brought my guitar, so I got to play a few songs for the group while looking at that view.

I feel like a new person after this trip. I'd say my confidence and inspiration have increased. I've made some incredible friends and memories on this trip.

I went on the Northern Italy course that AHA offers, travelling around Venice, Florence, and Rome!! I was lucky enough to have been to each of these places before, but going with the focused purpose of looking at art with a new group of people and some very knowledgable tutors was an entirely different (and amazing) experience. I have never studied History of Art formally but am really interested in it - for me this course was to help decide whether I should study it at university. I was worried about not knowing enough, and despite the fact that most other people on my course were studying History of Art at school, everyone was very welcoming and open. The course had also sent an extensive starter pack of notes beforehand which taught me all of the basics and gave me the confidence that I needed.
Apart from the academic side, I loved the amount of free time - we were given just enough to go shopping, nap, or go to more exhibitions, but not too much to get bored! The majority of my free time was spent seeking out more art to analyse with the other students - it was fun to have other people to share my passion with.
I'd really recommend this course to anyone interested in exploring Italy and learning about the history of it's beautiful art! :)

It was a really amazing experience. Every day we were looking at different pieces of art in their locations. The tutors were so knowledgable and obviously had passion for the subject. They were also loads of fun to be around and didn't take anything too seriously. In Italy, the food was so good and we had great weather. One of the best experiences! Made some best friends. Would definitely recommend to anyone who even has a vague interest in Art History.

I was lucky enough to be awarded the Sir Trenchard Cox Scholarship after submitting two short essays arguing my stance on one piece of art/architecture/sculpture which I love (David’s ‘The Death of Marat’), and one which I loathe (The Shard). The generous prize of a place on the Northern Italy course ended up being two of the most exciting weeks of not just learning, but fun, imaginable.
As someone who would never have been able to attend the course without the generous prize, I cannot recommend entering two essays discussing art you feel passionately about enough, nor applying for any of the courses offered, regardless of whether you are successful or not.
Although our group began the trip as an incoherent group of individuals, we all left as friends bonded by the truly unforgettable experience we shared in Italy while learning from the brilliant, engaging and knowledgeable tutors in an intellectually and socially stimulating environment. Each day flew by with a schedule packed full of visits to galleries filled with influential art and buildings characterised by their incredible architecture, most of which I had only ever read about. The opportunity to engage with art work discussing contemporary society on a global scale, such as at the Venice Biennale and Damien Hirst’s ‘Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable’, was second only to being immersed in the deeply-woven sense of history ubiquitous in the cities we visited. For me, a memorable moment was feeling as though we were literally stepping back in time as we explored the various levels and former functions of the Basilica of San Clemente in Rome.
Altogether the trip was the perfect introduction to the culture, art and even language of Italy; although it has definitely set the bar high for the rest of my gap year, I am now more excited than ever to begin studying History of Art and Italian at university next year. My only regret is that the course was not longer!

I went on the Northern Italy summer trip with AHA this past summer, and it was without a doubt one of the best experiences I have had. I have always been interested in art, but was never able to take an Art History course at my school, but that did not at all limit my ability to participate in the program. The tutors are wonderful teachers and bring excitement to every piece of art, as well as each new city you explore. After going on this trip, I have a whole new view on art and the time periods we studied. Would absolutely go on this trip again!

Our excellent and friendly tour guides impressed on us that we were seeing unique works. Nowhere else could we see a Caravaggio alone. They took us to the best places explained just how interesting everything was. At the same time those who wanted to could go further with an emphasis on thinking for ourselves, while others sat back and enjoyed the ride.

The atmosphere of the cities was fatanstic. It was very relaxed but never boringly touristy. Naples is an acquired taste but we quickly found our confidence within the group. It was hugely fun to be there.

To top it all off the tour included great non art history activities. We went snorkelling on top of submerged roman ruins; went on a boat trip to beautiful islands; and had a fantastic meal every night. It was very well rounded and never boring experience that I would definitely recommend.

My daughter went on the Northern Italy trip this summer. She had the best time of her life. She was so excited to be able to see in person the monuments and arts pieces she had studied during her Art History class in high school. In her own words, Tom, Fania and Frankie made "Art History come to life". As a mom and a teacher, I was very impressed by the entire program: the Info session in Dallas, the registration process, the flexibility of the program, the knowledge of the tutors. My daughter has made friends and memories for life. I highly recommend this program.

I heard about AHA completely by chance after striking up conversation on a train with a college student who was going home for winter break. At that point, I had decided I wanted to take a gap year before college and she recommended some programs to look into. She said that one of her friends had spent a semester in Italy studying art history with AHA and described it as one of the best experiences she ever had. After that glowing report and some superficial online research, I decided to take the 4 week summer course.

I was a four sport varsity letter winner in high school, so from the age of twelve onwards, I spent the entirety of my summers training, practicing, and competing on playing fields. I had always wanted to take summer courses or go abroad during the summer but knew it wouldn’t be logistically possible. After spending four weeks studying art history with AHA, I am so happy that I decided to try something different (and can’t believe I spent all those years sweating on a field in New Jersey when I could have been studying Michelangelo and Caravaggio!)

The course was the perfect way to cap off my senior year of high school due to the passionate tutors, the sights we saw, and the people I met. I hadn’t taken an art history course before the trip but quickly learned that it wasn’t necessary as the tutors used concise yet evocative and thought-provoking language to describe not only individual paintings but entire time periods. The art and architecture we saw gave a whole new dimension to the European history I learned in school; it is undoubtedly worth seeing in person. To top it off, I was traveling with an intelligent, diverse and fun group of peers. The first two weeks I was with a majority of girls and the second two weeks there were six boys and two girls including myself. I had a fantastic time with both groups and made friends that I still keep in contact with and hope to keep in contact with longterm. Overall, my experience with AHA was intellectually and socially enervating and fantastic.

I cannot recommend AHA more highly and wish I had discovered it earlier! I know that what I learned about the canon of western thought as well as how to be a responsible and curious traveler will serve me well in college and beyond.

I had planned to do something like this for over two years and can safely say that my expectations were exceeded. I found that an unexpectedly large part of this was due to the tutors: what I found most admirable (aside from their extensive knowledge and engaging teaching methods) was their flexibility in giving students freedom to spend more time on pieces they particularly loved, while still maintaining a sense of structure and organisation. Their patience and encouragement of going outside the schedule was commendable, especially given that in comparison to other courses, AHA packs the most into the six week period. We covered a huge range of artists and topics, while also going into a considerable amount of depth.
Thank you all!!! :*****

The six weeks I spent in Italy with AHA were definitely some of the best of my gap year!

The tutors were all exceptional, so knowledgeable and enthousiastic making the course accessible but also fun when you got to relax with them in the evenings over a spritz.

It was amazing how much more you got to see by travelling Italy with aha, a personal highlight was the private tour of San Marco in Venice, a once in a lifetime opportunity which I never would have been able to do without the course.

If you're looking for a trip which is the perfect introduction to an incredibly rich and interesting subject but at the same time offers a fun and relaxed approach to exploring all aspects of Italian culture (food included of course) then I would really recommend AHA. The people I met on my course were some of the most lovely people and we will definitely be staying in touch.

All in all the perfect combination of learning and fun