The Dickinson-in-Italy program is Dickinson's oldest education-abroad program, first offered in 1965. That year, eight seniors and eight juniors sailed to Italy on the S.S. Castel Felice. The program now has more than 1,300 alumni.
This fall marks the 60th anniversary of the Dickinson-in-Italy program! Join fellow alumni, former directors and friends for a week of celebration in Bologna. Highlights include pasta making workshops, wine tasting, art and language classes, and a celebratory event to mark 60 years of Dickinson’s oldest study abroad program.
Many of our programs may be located in venues that require guests to navigate stairs and uneven paths, or that will require periods of walking. Accessible entryways or restroom facilities and elevators are not guaranteed. Please contact the Office of Alumni Engagement at 717-245-1373 or alumni@dickinson.edu if you have questions about accessing a specific program. The full schedule is available below.
Registration Center
Registration is available Monday–Thursday at select times in the Conference Room at the Hotel Cavour. Be sure to check in with us to receive your schedule, nametag and special Dickinson-in-Italy swag!
Via Marsala 5, diagonally across from the Center. (Note: this is not the main hotel entrance, but it’s easier to find the conference room from their rear entrance.)
Registration Hours
Monday: 9:30–11 a.m. and 2–3 p.m.
Tuesday: 9:30–11 a.m. and 2–3 p.m.
Wednesday: 9:30–11 a.m.
Thursday: 9:30–11 a.m.
The K. Robert Nilsson Center will be operating with its full schedule of classes that week. We ask that alumni and guests be respectful of the space to allow minimal disruption to the academic program and the current students. The center will be open for all alumni to tour on Thursday, Oct. 9, 5–6:30 p.m.
MONDAY, OCT. 6
Registration
9:30–11 a.m.
Hotel Cavour, Conference Room. Via Marsala 5, 40126 Bologna
Italian to Go
10:30 a.m.–noon
In this course, participants with no prior knowledge of Italian will learn the basics of the language in a collaborative and fun manner. Topics will include ordering at restaurants and bars, daily life, shopping, buying train or theater tickets, asking for information, etc. The approach of the Dickinson-in-Bologna language instructors is communicative and is based in real-life experiences. These two lessons are ideal for participants looking to acquire sufficient knowledge of the Italian language so as to become independent during a stay in Bologna and Italy. Please note: Registrants may sign up for the Monday or Wednesday class or both. Content will vary, day to day.
$30 per person
Hotel Cavour, Conference Room. Via Marsala 5, 40126 Bologna
Registration
2–3 p.m.
Hotel Cavour, Conference Room. Via Marsala 5, 40126 Bologna
Walking Tour of Bologna
3–5 p.m.
Explore (or re-explore) the city with our expert guide! This tour will include highlights of the city as well as tours of the Anatomical Theatre of the Archiginnasio.
$25 per person
Tours will depart from the Fontana del Nettuno, Piazza Maggiore
Wine Tasting at Signorvino in Piazza Maggiore
5:30–7 p.m.
Via Marsala, 2/b
Enjoy a guided wine tasting at this central wine shop in Bologna. Four selected Italian wines and charcuteries will be provided.
$35 per person
Signorvino, Piazza Maggiore, 1/C, 40124 Bologna BO, Italy
Dinner in the Hills
7:30 p.m.
Dickinsonians will enjoy a private dinner with beautiful views of Bologna. Dinner, wine and transportation to and from the restaurant are included.
$90 per person
Meet at 7:15 p.m. at Via Farini 22 (near Piazza Minghetti). Il Boccone del Prete. Via Siepelunga 56/4 - 40141 Bologna
Dinner in the Historic City Center
8:00–10:30 p.m.
Dickinsonians will enjoy a traditional dinner in a restaurant located in Piazza Santo Stefano, in the historic city center. Dinner with wine is included.
$75 per person
Ristorante Cesarina. Via Santo Stefano, 19/b, 40125 Bologna
TUESDAY, OCT. 7
Excursion to Ravenna and Visit to the Byzantine Mosaics
8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
This guided tour will offer participants an opportunity to explore the enduring allure of Ravenna's mosaics. Participants will be treated to a close-up view of the remarkable intricacy and aesthetic appeal of these Byzantine mosaic masterpieces, which have earned Ravenna international recognition and a UNESCO heritage site listing. The tour will be conducted on foot; it is recommended for participants who enjoy visiting and learning in a dynamic way, moving from one site to another.
$105 per person
Meet at 8:15 a.m. at Via Farini 22 (near Piazza Minghetti). Bus will depart promptly at 8:30 a.m.
Registration
9:30–11 a.m.
Hotel Cavour, Conference Room. Via Marsala 5, 40126 Bologna
Voice and Emotions: Italian Language Through Theater
10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Professor Elena Galeotti, a trained actress, theater manager and language instructor, will lead a workshop on experiencing Italian language through theater techniques. When speaking a global language, we build and communicate a personal view of the world and our connection to it. Such connection is, in many ways, emotional and affective, as we express ourselves through the language we speak. Language is a medium through which we communicate and represent our experiences, our perspectives on reality and our identities. In this workshop, participants will experience speaking Italian in a deeply personal, cooperative and unique way. Prerequisite: knowledge of Italian, post beginner’s level.
$30 per person
Hotel Cavour, Conference Room. Via Marsala 5, 40126 Bologna
Pasta Workshop by the Two Towers
1–3 p.m.
This workshop will last 2 hours and will be held in English by a professional sfoglina, the artisan of fresh, homemade pasta. Starting from the classic well of flour and eggs, the participants will learn the techniques and secrets and will make two of the most traditional shapes. The experience ends with a small tasting of one of the pasta shapes made during the lesson.
$75 per person
Via Zamboni 2, right under the two towers. Ring the bell "Portici Academy," third floor.
Registration
2–3 p.m.
Hotel Cavour, Conference Room. Via Marsala 5, 40126 Bologna
Informal Gelato Tour and Tasting
3–5 p.m.
Bologna is home to some of Italy’s best gelaterias. Which will be your favorite? Join the group for a casual walking tour of some of Bologna’s gelaterie. Due to the number of registrants, we will devide into several groups. Maps will be provided.
Free
Groups will depart from the Fontana del Nettuno, Piazza Maggiore
Centuries of Sounds of Bologna Walking Tour
4–6 p.m.
For over 1,000 years, Bologna has been an active, innovative and influential center of music, both sacred and secular. The city continues to support a thriving musical culture, from choral masses to opera to chamber music to jazz, pop and rock. During this walking tour, you will learn about many of the musicians associated with Bologna; see the locations where they lived, studied and made music; and hear selections of numerous major works. No previous musical experience or knowledge is required. For the fullest experience, bring a phone receptive to mirroring and a Bluetooth headset or earbuds that connect to your phone. This tour will be led by Professor of Music Robert Pound. Dress must be appropiate for entering churches (shoulders and legs must be covered), and large bags are best left in the hotel room.
$30 per person
The tour will depart from the Piazza Santo Stefano
Mix and Mingle Aperitivo
6–7:30 p.m.
Join fellow Dickinsonians for a casual aperitivo (happy hour) and conversation, in the historic city center. Light appetizers and wine are included.
$35 per person
Caffe della Corte Bistrot. Corte Isolani 5b, 40125 Bologna
Evening
Classes are encouraged to have dinner on their own.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 8
Registration
9:30–11 a.m.
Hotel Cavour, Conference Room. Via Marsala 5, 40126 Bologna
The Painted Gardens of Bologna
10 a.m.–1 p.m.
Elisabetta Cunsolo, adjunct professor of art history at the Dickinson Center for European Studies in Bologna, will discuss the discovery of a pictorial genre that proliferated between the 18th and 19th centuries, transforming some of the rooms of the Bolognese noble palaces into natural settings. After a talk in the classroom about the history of those deceptively painted walls, which have roots in ancient Rome, we will visit some of these rooms where domestic environments dressed up like beautiful gardens.
$30 per person
K. Robert Nilsson Center, Via Marsala 2, 40126 Bologna
Hike in the Hills
10 a.m.–1 p.m.
Join Tony Bonanno ’68 for a 3-hour hike in the hills. This moderate difficult hike will begin at Via Saragozza/Meloncello, at the foot of the San Luca steps, We will wind our way up the hills around to San Luca in a circular walk ending on a descent on the San Luca steps at Via Saragozza/Meloncello.Guests should wear suitable hiking footwear and bring water.
Free
Via Saragozza. Meet outside of Meloncello, Via Saragozza, 240, 40121, Bologna, located at the foot of the San Luca steps.
Renaissance Sculptures of Bologna Walking Tour
10 a.m.–12 p.m.
Join Eric Denker ’75, retired senior lecturer and head of tours and lectures at the National Gallery of Art, on a walking tour of Bologna. The group will view some of the great sculptures in the city, including works by Michelangelo, Niccolò dell’Arca and Giambologna.
$15 per person
Groups will depart from the Fontana del Nettuno, Piazza Maggiore
Pasta Workshop by the Two Towers
1–3 p.m.
This workshop will last 2 hours and will be held in English by a professional sfoglina, the artisan of fresh, homemade pasta. Starting from the classic well of flour and eggs, the participants will learn the techniques and secrets and will make two of the most traditional shapes. The experience ends with a small tasting of one of the pasta shapes made during the lesson.
$75 per person
Via Zamboni 2, right under the two towers. Ring the bell "Portici Academy," third floor.
Balsamic Vinegar Tour and Tasting
2–5:30 p.m.
Travel to Modena for an afternoon tour and tasting at Acetaia Villa San Donnino, where production of traditional balsamic vinegar dates back to the early 1900's. Transportation is included.
$40 per person
Meet at 1:45 at Via Farini 22 (near Piazza Minghetti). Bus will depart promptly at 2 p.m.
Evening
Classes are encouraged to have dinner on their own.
THURSDAY, OCT. 9
Excursion to Ravenna and Visit to the Byzantine Mosaics
8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
This guided tour will offer participants an opportunity to explore the enduring allure of Ravenna's mosaics. Participants will be treated to a close-up view of the remarkable intricacy and aesthetic appeal of these Byzantine mosaic masterpieces, which have earned Ravenna international recognition and a UNESCO heritage site listing. The tour will be conducted on foot; it is recommended for participants who enjoy visiting and learning in a dynamic way, moving from one site to another.
$105 per person
Meet at 8:15 a.m. at Via Farini 22 (near Piazza Minghetti). Bus will depart promptly at 8:30 a.m.
Registration
9:30–11 a.m.
Hotel Cavour, Conference Room. Via Marsala 5, 40126 Bologna
Renaissance Sculptures of Bologna Walking Tour
10 a.m.–12 p.m.
Join Eric Denker ’75, retired senior lecturer and head of tours and lectures at the National Gallery of Art, on a walking tour of Bologna. The group will view some of the great sculptures in the city, including works by Michelangelo, Niccolò dell’Arca and Giambologna.
$15 per person
Group will depart from the Fontana del Nettuno, Piazza Maggiore
K. Robert Nilsson Center Open House
5–6:30 p.m.
Stop by the K. Robert Nilsson Center to experience the center as is it today! See photos of students from throughout our 60-year history, learn about current programs and reminisce with fellow alumni. Please note that, due to the number of registrants, guests are asked to depart the building following their tours.
Free
Via Marsala 2, 40126 Bologna
Wine Tasting at Signorvino in Piazza Maggiore
6:30–8 p.m.
Via Marsala, 2/b
Enjoy a guided wine tasting at this central wine shop in Bologna. Four selected Italian wines and charcuteries will be provided.
$35 per person
Signorvino, Piazza Maggiore, 1/C, 40124 Bologa BO, Italy
Evening
Classes are encouraged to have dinner on their own.
FRIDAY, OCT. 10
Walk the Portico di San Luca
10:30 a.m.
Gather to walk to the Basilica di San Luca through stunning covered walkways. This 3.8-kilometer (1.98-mile) walk is a quintessential Bologna experience. The group will depart from Porta Saragozza promptly at 10:30 a.m. Guests should wear comfortable shoes and may want to bring water.
Free
Piazza di Porta Saragozza, 6, 40123 Bologna
Walking Tour of Bologna
10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Explore (or re-explore) the city with our expert guide! The tour will include highlights of the city as well as tours of the Anatomical Theatre of the Archiginnasio.
$25 per person
Groups will depart from the Fontana del Nettuno, Piazza Maggiore
Marco Biagi Annual Memorial Lecture
2:30–4:00 p.m.
The 2025 Marco Biagi Annual Memorial Lecture will be delivered by Dr Ilaria Capua, professor at the Institute of Food and Agricultural Science at the Univ. of Florida until 2023 and now Senior Fellow of Global Health at Johns Hopkins University SAIS in Bologna. Capua, who is a well-known scholar and figure in Italy as she often appeared on TV and in media during the pandemic, will deliver a lecture on Circular Health, “a systemic approach to health that identifies health as a fundamental value and human right, which should become the focus of sustainability."
The Biagi Scholarship is awarded annually to two Bologna students, one each semester, in honor of Marco Biagi, a university professor and consultant to the Italian Ministry of Labour, who taught at the Dickinson Center in Bologna for over twenty years and was a member of the Academic Council at Johns Hopkins University of Bologna Center. The scholarship, established in 2003 a year after Biagi’s tragic passing, is awarded to a student who best represents the spirit and goals of the Bologna Program. This considers their performance, commitment to global engagement, and contributions to the program.
Free
The Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced Inernational Studies, Via Andreatta 3, 40126 Bologna
60th Anniversary Celebration
6–8:30 p.m.
Cap off a week of activities with this celebration of the 60th anniversary of Dickinson in Italy! Join fellow alumni, students, current and former faculty members and distinguished friends as we toast the storied history and bright future of Dickinson’s oldest study-abroad program. Drinks and light hors d’oeuvres will be provided.
$25 per person
Palazzo Re Enzo (Salone del Podestà) Piazza del Nettuno, 1/C, 40125 Bologna