Y7 & 8 Italy Field Trip

The cold and damp of the early hours of a winter February morning in the Dolphin School carpark were soon swapped for the warmth and sunshine of Ostia Antica, the port of ancient Rome. The children sketched mosaics and architectural features and learnt about the importance of this area in Roman times. After lunch in the sunshine we then travelled to Florence for the Renaissance element of the trip.  On a clear bright morning the learning began around the Baptistry and the Museo del’Opera before the ascent of the Duomo which allowed close-up views of Brunelleschi’s construction techniques. The following few days saw lots of sketching of statues of David in the Accademia and Bargello museums and much marvelling at the architecture and paintings of the Renaissance, particularly in the Uffizi and San Marco. Then it was back to Rome for a return to the classical era. Sketching of the theatre of Marcellus, the Flavian amphitheatre in the sunshine was much enjoyed by all and we even managed an ice-cream at the Spanish Steps before throwing our coins into the Trevi Fountain. After sketching inside the Palazzo Altemps the afternoon was spent outside in the vast area of the Villa Adriana just outside Rome. No visit to Rome would be complete without a trip to St Peter’s and this was squeezed in on our last morning before lunch and return to England.  We managed to fit so much into eight days due to the excellent behaviour of the students and the interest and enthusiasm that they showed for everything to which they were introduced. Many thanks too to the staff team that made the trip possible.