Itineraries

UVA Wise Costa Rica Winter Break, Dec. 13 - 22, 2025

Volcanoes, Vines, and Ziplines: Ecotourism in Costa Rica

• December 13 – Depart UVA Wise and Arrive in San Jose, Costa Rica
• December 14 – Explore San Jose
• December 15 – Depart San Jose for La Fortuna. Explore a volcano, hike, and enjoy hot springs.
• December 16 – La Fortuna
• December 17 – Depart La Fortuna for Monteverde.
• December 18 – Monteverde. Wildlife viewing, hiking, ziplining, and exploring a coffee plantation.
• December 19 – Explore Manuel National Park
• December 20 – Explore Manuel National Park
• December 21 – Return to San Jose. Free day in the city.
• December 22 – Depart San Jose for UVA Wise

Schedule is subject to change.

Course: Choice of CRJ 3950 or BUS 3950 Volcanoes, Vines, and Ziplines: Ecotourism in Costa Rica. Excursions include active onsite learning. Debriefing and discussions usually occur in the afternoon or before dinner. Students have most evenings free. The syllabus will have additional details. 

Trip Directors:
Ron Floridia, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and Department of Social Sciences Chair
Zafar Khan, Professor of Economics

Cost: $3400 (includes airfare, lodging, transportation, entrance to required excursions, breakfast, welcome dinner, and tuition for study abroad course)

UVA Wise Ireland Spring Break, March 4 - 15, 2026

Ireland 1916 Easter Rising, Literature, and Music

• March 4 – Depart UVA Wise for Ireland
• March 5 – Arrive in Dublin City, Ireland. City Tour.
• March 6 – In Dublin City. Irish Heritage sites, including Glasnevin Cemetery, Arbour Hill, and Dublin Castle
• March 7 – Day trip to Belfast City to explore the capital city of Northern Ireland
• March 8 – Clare and Doolin. Irish Midlands to West Country
• March 9 – Clare and The Burren. Bridges of Ross, Caherconnell Stone Fort, and Sheepdog Demonstration
• March 10 – Dingle and Killarney. Dingle Peninsula and Dingle town; Slea Head Drive and visit Irish speaking villages
• March 11 – Killarney and Ring of Kerry. Ring of Kerry
• March 12 – Blarney Castle and Rock of Cashel
• March 13 – Malahide and Dublin City
• March 14 – Depart Dublin City. Arrive at UVA Wise.

Schedule is subject to change.

Course: ENG 3149 Ireland 1916 Easter Rising, Literature, and Music. Excursions include active onsite learning. Debriefing and discussions usually occur in the afternoon or before dinner. Students have most evenings free.  The syllabus will have additional details. 

Trip Directors:
Cynthia Newlon, Instructor of English and Writing Center Director
Rachel Tighe, Associate Professor of Communication Studies and Department Chair

Cost: $3400 (includes airfare, lodging, transportation, entrance to required monuments and museums, breakfast, welcome dinner, and tuition for study abroad course)

UVA Wise Portugal Spring Break, March 4 - 15, 2026

An Exploration of the Age of Discovery in Portugal, Portuguese Architecture, and Culture

• March 4 – Depart UVA Wise for Lisbon, Portugal
• March 5 – Arrive in Lisbon. Bus tour and group dinner.
• March 6 – Walking tour of São Gorge Castle and Castle Town
• March 7 – Day trip to Tomar to visit the Castle of the Knights Templar and the Convent of Christ
• March 8 – Free Day (options: day trip to Porto, Nazare, Obidos, or relax in Lisbon)
• March 9 – In Lisbon. Visits to the Torre de Belem, the Monument of the Discoveries, and the Jeronimos Monastery. Enjoy a group Fado performance in the evening.
• March 10 – Day trip to Evora to explore Roman ruins, buildings with Moorish architectural style.
• March 11 – Day trip to Sintra to visit the Pena Palace and Castelo dos Mouros.
• March 12 – In Lisbon. Visits to the National Museum and the Praca do Comércio
• March 13 – Free Day (options: National Tile Museum, Alfama neighborhood, or Santa Justa Lift)
• March 14 – Depart Lisbon, Portugal. Arrive in the United States and stay overnight in Charlotte, NC
• March 15 – Arrive at UVA Wise

Schedule is subject to change.

Course: HUM 1950 An Exploration of the Age of Discovery in Portugal, Portuguese Architecture, and Culture. Excursions include active onsite learning. Debriefing and discussions usually occur in the afternoon or before dinner. Students have most evenings free.  The syllabus will have additional details. 

Trip Directors:
Amelia Harris, Professor Emerita
Candice Stadler, Director of International Programs and Services

Cost: $3400 (includes airfare, lodging, transportation, entrance to required monuments and museums, breakfast, welcome dinner, and tuition for study abroad course)

UVA Wise Japan Summer 2026 – May 10 – 24, 2026

Japanese Cuisines & Culture

• May 10 – Depart UVA Wise for Tokyo, Japan
• May 11 – Travel
• May 12 – Arrive in Tokyo. Shinjuku City Sightseeing.
• May 13 – Tokyo. Explore local lifestyles – visit a Shinto shrine, explore street food, restaurants and shops in the districts of Harajuku, Shibuya, and Asakusa.
• May 14 – Visit TeamLab Planets Tokyo, the world’s famous digital art museum, follow by lunch at Tsukiji Outer Market, a gathering place for food professionals. After lunch, the group will depart for Diver City Tokyo Plaza, a huge shopping mall on the Odaiba artificial island. This is the all-in-one stop for Japanese anime lovers, fashions, souvenirs, and a quick bit to eat.
• May 15 – Take the Glico confectionary factory tour outside of Tokyo or/and experience Japanese sweet or sushi makings.
• May 16 – Free day in Tokyo.
• May 17 – Depart from Tokyo and travel to Lake Kawaguchiko. There, they will stay at a ryokan—a traditional Japanese inn—and explore the stunning sights around Mount Fuji. At the ryokan, students will have the chance to enjoy a traditional Japanese dinner and experience a relaxing soak in an onsen (hot spring bath).
• May 18 – The group with independently explore attractions nearby Mount Fuji. Suggestions - Taking a boat or bicycle ride around the lake or visit Music Forest Museum or Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine.
• May 19 – Take a bullet train to Osaka. They are expected to arrive in the afternoon, around hotel check-in time. As the hotel will be located right in Dotonoburi (famous for its vibrant street food scence), the rest of the day will be free for students to relax or explore the area at their own pace.
• May 20 – The group is expected to take a full-day tour of Kyoto’s top attractions. Kyoto is also a hub for traditional arts, crafts, and cuisine, and is considered Japan's cultural capital. Planned stops include: Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine, Sannenzaka Slope, Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Gion (the Geisha District), Nijo Castle, Nishiki Market, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and Monkey Park, and Katsuo-Ji Temple.
• May 21 – The group will visit the Cup Noodles Museum, located in northern Osaka. Following the museum visit, they will travel to Kobe, a major port city known for its vibrant waterfront and culinary scene. There, the group will enjoy a lunch featuring Kobe’s world-renowned wagyu beef, then spend the afternoon exploring Kobe Harborland.
• May 22 - Students are free to explore Osaka and nearby areas at their own pace. Recommended activities include sightseeing in the lively Dotonbori District and exploring Den-Den Town, known for electronics and anime culture. For those interested in day trips, nearby cities such as Nara, Kyoto, Otsu, Wakayama, and Hiroshima offer rich cultural experiences and are easily accessible by train. Alternatively, students can visit popular attractions located less than an hour from Osaka, such as Universal Studios Japan, Super Nintendo World, Legoland, or Studio Ghibli Park (~2 hrs)—all of which typically offer more affordable ticket prices compared to similar theme parks in the U.S.
• May 23 - The group will visit Nara, Japan’s former capital. There, they will explore the famous Nara Deer Park, home to hundreds of friendly, free-roaming deer, and visit iconic sites such as Todai-ji Temple. Afterward, we’ll stop by the Nakatanidou Shop to experience its renowned highspeed mochi pounding demonstration, followed by free time for shopping along the lively Higashimuki Shopping Street.
• May 24 - Depart from Osaka and return to the United States. 

Schedule is subject to change.

Course: HTM 4951 Japanese Cuisines & Culture

Excursions include active onsite learning. Debriefing and discussions usually occur in the afternoon or before dinner. Students have most evenings free.  The syllabus will have additional details. 

Trip Directors:
Cherry Brewer, Assistant Professor of Hospitality and Tourism Management
Angie West, Research & Instruction Librarian 

Cost: $4200 (includes airfare, lodging, transportation, entrance to required monuments and museums, breakfast, welcome dinner, and tuition for study abroad course)

UVA Wise Spain Summer 2026 – May 11 – 22, 2026

Spain: Mosaic of Footprints of the Past 

• May 11 – Depart for Madrid, Spain
• May 12 – Arrive in Madrid. There will be free time to relax and have lunch on your own. In the late afternoon, we will walk to the Puerta del Sol, the Plaza Mayor, and the Palacio Real. We will then enjoy tapas at a nearby restaurant and churros at the Chocolatería San Gines.
• May 13 –  Visit the Museo del Prado where we will complete a scavenger hunt of paintings. Lunch will be on your own. After lunch, we will visit the Museo Reina Sofia to see Picasso’s Guernica. Dinner will be on your own.
• May 14 – Day trip to Toledo. We will take the train from Madrid to Toledo where we will see the Cathedral and complete a photo seek-and-find activity in the historic quarter. We will then have free time for sword shopping and lunch on your own before returning to Madrid. After returning to Madrid, dinner will be on your own.  
• May 15 – Day trip to Segovia. We will take the train from Madrid to Segovia where we will see the Aqueduct and the Alcázar. We will then have free time for shopping and lunch on your own before returning to Madrid. After returning to Madrid, dinner will be on your own.  
• May 16 – Sevilla. In the morning, we will take a train from Madrid to Sevilla where we will complete a walking tour. Lunch will be on your own. In the evening, we will have a group dinner and see a flamenco show.
• May 17 – Sevilla. We will visit the Real Alcázar and the Cathedral/Giralda. Lunch and dinner will be on your own. We will work our schedule around the Real Madrid / FC Sevilla match so that we can watch it at its scheduled time.
• May 18 – Free day. Options include staying and relaxing in Sevilla, taking a cooking class, or going horseback riding. Day trips from Sevilla include Córdoba to see the Mezquita or the beaches in Huelva or Cádiz. 
• May 19 – In the morning, we will take a train from Sevilla to Granada where we will complete a walking tour in the evening. Lunch and dinner will be on your own.
• May 20 – Granada. In the morning and early afternoon, we will visit the Alhambra. Lunch will be on your own. We will close the trip with a group dinner.
• May 21 – Granada, Return to Madrid. We will return to Madrid to stay at an airport hotel with a Metro connection to the city center.
• May 22 – Depart Madrid, Spain to return to U.S. 

Schedule is subject to change.

Course: HUM 1950 / SPA 3950 Spain: Mosaic of Footprints of the Past 

Excursions include active onsite learning. Debriefing and discussions usually occur in the afternoon or before dinner. Students have most evenings free.  The syllabus will have additional details. 

Trip Directors:
Joseph Kern, Associate Professor of Spanish/Department Chair of Language & Literature 
Janet Smith, Instructor of Spainsh

Cost: $2999 (includes airfare, lodging, transportation, entrance to required monuments and museums, breakfast, welcome dinner, and tuition for study abroad course)

UVA Wise Italy Summer 2026 – May 11 – 23, 2026

The History and Politics of Italy

• May 11 – Depart from Washington D.C. to Rome, Italy
• May 12 – Arrive in Rome. 
• May 13 –  Visit the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain and explore Rome.
• May 14 – Visit the Colosseum and Forum.  
• May 15 – Travel to Sorrento via train.  
• May 16 – Visit Pompeii.
• May 17 – Travel to Rome via train.
• May 18 – Visit Vatican City – the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Cathedral, and Piazza San Pietro.  
• May 19 – Take train to Florence.
• May 20 – Florence: Church of Santa Maria Novella, Basilica of San Lorenzo, the Duomo, Science Museum, Santa Croce (Dante’s tomb, Galileo’s tomb, Machiavelli’s tomb, Plazzo Vecchio (See David!) – and go to the Florence Museum, Pitti Palace, Gardens.
• May 21 – Take train to Rome.
• May 22 – Free day in Rome.
• May 23 – Flight back to U.S. 

Schedule is subject to change.

Course: The History and Politics of Italy 

Excursions include active onsite learning. Debriefing and discussions usually occur in the afternoon or before dinner. Students have most evenings free.  The syllabus will have additional details. 

Trip Directors:

Heather Evans, John Morton Beaty Endowed Chair in Political Science
Mark Clark, Kenneth Asbury Professor of History

Cost: $3600 (includes airfare, lodging, transportation while in Italy, entrance to required monuments and museums, breakfast, welcome dinner, and tuition for study abroad course)