Explore the cuisine and culture of three regions of Italy over nine days while earning course credit for CUL-287: Cultural Experience.

• Lazio, which surrounds Rome
• Emilia-Romagna in north-central Italy, which includes the cities of Bologna and Parma
• Piedmont, which borders France and Switzerland in northwest Italy and includes the city of Turin

Students will tour a winery, see how balsamic vinegar is aged, watch firsthand as prosciutto and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese are made and even hunt for truffles as they study and work with many key ingredients that make Italian cuisine known worldwide. Local chefs lead cooking classes.

Cultural tours include visits to Rome, Turin and the seaside villages that comprise Cinque Terre.

Dates: May 20-30, 2026

Faculty: The course will be led and taught by Wake Tech faculty member Chef Aaron Stumb.

Accommodations: Students will stay at a hotel in each region (two per room).

Meals: All meals, except while in Rome, are included in the cost of the trip.

Cost: $4,700

The cost includes the following:

• Round-trip flights between Raleigh-Durham International Airport, New York and Rome. Travel is booked through Wake Tech's travel agency liaison and arrangements made by Marco Polo Institute.
• An eight-night stay at comfortable hotels in each region
• Ground transportation between regions and for cultural tours, field trips and other activities
• Program activities pre-arranged by Marco Polo Institute
• On-site representative available 24/7 for emergencies

The following items are not included in the cost:

• Wake Tech course fees and tuition
• Any airline baggage fees
• Cost of a passport
• International health insurance
• Some lunches and/or dinners
• Incidental expenses

For more information, email Aaron Stumb at [email protected].

Daily itinerary

• May 20 – Depart RDU to New York for an overnight flight to Rome
   
• May 21 (Day 1) – Arrive in Rome
  Upon arrival, students transfer to a private bus for the trip to Nettuno, a seaside town about 40 miles southwest of Rome.
   
• May 22 (Day 2) – Lazio
  Students visit an olive oil producer and participate in a cooking class that includes the cuisine of Lazio.
   
• May 23 (Day 3) – Rome
  Students see the sights of Rome and listen to a presentation on olive oil production during the Roman Empire.
   
• May 24 (Day 4) – Bus ride to Pama
   
• May 25 (Day 5) – Cinque Terre
  Students tour a string of centuries-old seaside villages on the northern Italian coast. Colorful houses and vineyards cling to steep terraces in each of the five towns, and harbors are filled with fishing boats.
   
• May 26 (Day 6) – Cheese, meat and vinegar
  Students visit Parmigiano Reggiano, Prosciutto de Parma and balsamic vinegar production facilities.
   
• May 27 (Day 7) – Truffles
  Students participate in hunting for truffles in the Italian countryside.
   
• May 28 (Day 8) – Coffee
  Staff at Lavazza's headquarters show how their coffee goes from bean to cup.
   
• May 29 (Day 9) – Piedmont cuisine
  Students participate in a cooking class on Piedmont cuisine and visit the Bersano Winery and San Desiderio, an agritourism site near Genoa.
   
• May 30 – Return to Rome for flights to New York and RDU