SCUBA, MARINE SERVICE, AND CULTURAL IMMERSION PROGRAM
JULY 3 - JULY 16, 2025
LENGTH 14 Days
COMPLETING GRADES 9-12
SERVICE HOURS 15-20
ARRIVE/DEPART Rome Fiumicino Airport, Italy (FCO)
TUITION $7,350
Scuba dive as we explore the Italian island of Sardinia, the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Clear warm waters with an abundance of marine life make Sardinia one of Europe’s best dive locations. On top of that, we have partnered with a marine conservation organization to help with important service work monitoring dolphins and other marine wildlife. When not in the water, we explore the highlights of Rome through to the quaint Italian villages dotted along the coast. This trip is for young travelers wanting to explore a picturesque part of Europe while learning and helping with marine service projects.
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
CHECK OUT IMAGES FROM THE TRIP BELOW!
TRIP OVERVIEW
ACTIVITIES
SCUBA Dive: Get PADI Open Water Dive certification, or earn advanced PADI certifications
Visit: The highlights of Rome including the Colosseum, Roman ruins, the Pantheon, and Trevi Fountain
Hike: The Arzachena coastal trails
Italian Food: Gather fresh local ingredients and try your hand at an Italian cooking
Explore: The medieval town of Alghero
SWIMMING ABILITY
Due to the nature of this program, it is required that participants are comfortable being in the water and swimming in various depths.
SERVICE
A Certificate of Community Service indicating the total number of hours worked, and a group Presidential Volunteer Service Award will be issued upon successful completion of the program. Service work could include some of the following:
Marine service projects
Beach clean-ups
Planting and research on Posidonia conservation
WHAT IS INCLUDED AND EXCLUDED IN TRIP TUITION
The trip tuition listed above includes accommodations, activities, meals, and group gear. The tuition does not include personal gear and clothing, travel insurance, spending money, E-Learning for scuba diving, and travel expenses such as airfare to and from the start and end of the program, additional in-country flights, unaccompanied minor fees, and baggage fees.
SCUBA COURSES AND E-LEARNING REQUIREMENTS
All RLT participants signed up for a scuba diving program are required to complete the classroom portion of the course prior to the start date of their program. This is a separate fee not included in your RLT tuition. Upon enrolling in a program, you will receive additional information regarding E-Learning. It is important that you do not begin E-Learning before receiving these details from our Admissions Team and/or your course instructors. For more details, please visit our scuba diving information page. If you are unsure which course would be best for you, please call us in the office at 773-342-5200.
PADI Open Water Certification
PADI Advanced Open Water Certification
PADI Specialty Courses: (for those already Open Water Certified)
Peak Performance Buoyancy
Fish Identification
Underwater Navigation
Emergency First Response (a 2 lesson on-land course; a requirement for completing a Rescue Diver Certification)
ACCOMMODATIONS AND SHOWERING
Accommodations are tent camping for the majority of the trip. Tents are provided and we aim for it to be 2 participants in a 3-person tent or 3 participants in a 4-person tent with luggage. There will be a couple of nights at an Airbnb private home or hotel when in Rome. Bedrooms in the private home will be divided by gender and participants will sleep slumber party-style – in sleeping bags, rotating available beds nightly, and sharing beds as needed.
Bathrooms and showers can be rustic, so please be prepared. In an effort to save time and conserve water resources in the areas we are traveling, participants will have access to showers every 1-2 days even when showers are readily available. Bathrooms are a mix between flush toilets and latrines.
FOOD
Participants on this trip will plan, prepare, and eat meals as a group. Split up into smaller cook crews, each crew will have the chance to prepare a meal approximately once per day. This process is supervised by staff who offer advice on nutrition, and menu planning, and ensure safe food storage, preparation, and handling.
Meals are prepared on camp stoves. Meals are nutritious and filling, but the camping component of the program often necessitates a simpler menu than a restaurant or home cook might allow. While students and staff plan and prepare some meals, an effort is made to incorporate local ingredients and cuisine from the local culture.
We are able to accommodate all dietary requirements and preferences.
TRAVEL
Families are individually responsible for booking their own airfare or making their own travel arrangements to get their student from home to Rome's Fiumicino Airport (FCO), on the first day of the trip, and from Rome (FCO) to home on the last day of the trip. RLT will provide exact windows of time that we require all students to arrive and depart within. It is imperative that no one make any travel arrangements until RLT directs them to do so.
A leader-escorted round-trip flight will be available from the New York area (but is not required) for those travelers who wish to fly with a leader. Please contact our office for details. There is also a round-trip internal flight from Rome to Sardinia, which will be an additional cost for families apart from tuition. For more details, please contact the office.
ADDITIONAL IN-COUNTRY FLIGHT
For this program there is also a round-trip internal group flight that will be booked by RLT that is additional to the trip tuition. This flight will be a round-trip flight from Rome and Sardinia. These flights are purchased by RLT and invoiced to families; you do not need to take any action to book this portion of the travel.
PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS
For all international travel, we require participants to have a passport that is valid for a minimum of 6 MONTHS past the end date of your participant's RLT trip. If your participant's passport is due to expire within those 6 months, please work on updating your participant's passport as soon as possible upon enrollment. According to the State Department, routine passport renewal will take 10-13 weeks and expedited processing, which costs an additional $60, will take 7-9 weeks. It is your responsibility to ensure your participant's passport is up to date and meets these requirements. We encourage families to familiarize themselves with the U.S. Department of State website for all up-to-date and accurate passport recommendations.
TRAVEL INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS
The Road Less Traveled does not provide its own insurance. However, we require participants to purchase travel insurance through a third party for all international programs. For additional details, please visit our FAQ page or you may contact a member of our team at info@theroadlesstraveled.com or 773-342-5200.
VACCINE & MEDICATION INFORMATION
We always encourage families to review the CDC website regarding recommended vaccinations and medications for international travel. More information will be provided to enrolled families from our Admissions Team in the Spring.
TECHNOLOGY
As part of the RLT experience, our trips are electronic-free. While it is encouraged to travel with cell phones, leaders will collect phones and any other personal devices after all participants arrive on the first day. It can feel tough initially to not have access to your phone, but it really helps everyone in the group to connect and have a really great trip experience. This includes phones, iPods, tablets, gaming devices, music devices, smartwatches, etc. All electronics will be held by RLT leaders, kept safe and dry for the duration of the trip, and returned at the end of the program. All cameras, go pros, etc. are acceptable and can be kept with you! If you do not have a camera, please note that leaders will also be taking photos throughout the program, and these photos will be shared through an online gallery.
“The diving WAS incredible and I loveD meeting the people in Italy. We have talked to so many locals and observed a lot of the culturE. it has been an amazing experience.”
- SUMMER 2024 ITALY ALUM TRAVELER -
SAMPLE ITINERARY
*Please note the itinerary listed below is the intended itinerary for this trip. No two trips are exactly the same. All itineraries are subject to change to ensure the best possible program experience. Weather, group dynamics, new opportunities, and the unpredictability of travel all shape the final trip itinerary - and it's all part of the adventure!
Depart the US and arrive in Sardinia (Days 1-2)
We leave the United States on Day 1 and arrive in Rome on Day 2. Once we have arrived in Rome, we will take a connecting in-country flight to Sardinia. We set up camp and get to know each other.
Snorkeling and dive prep (Day 3)
On day 3, we get prepped for our scuba courses and explore the town that will be home for the next week. We’ll start off with some incredible snorkeling at one of the best snorkeling beaches on the island. The underwater landscape is a haven for snorkelers with shallow reefs and the incredible biodiversity that they support.
Explore Palau and PADI courses (Days 4-7)
On days 4-7, we jump straight into our diving courses where students will work with top PADI instructors. Those new to diving will learn the fundamentals and receive their open water certification. Experienced divers will jump straight into the ocean to continue building on existing skills and earn advanced certifications. When we’re not in the water, we’ll explore Palau with a coastal hike overlooking the Mediterranean and exploring the local Sardinian markets.
Day trip to Maddalena Island (Day 8)
On Day 8 we take a rest day from diving and explore more of the area. We’ll take a ferry to Maddalena Island, which is renowned for its beautiful beaches and its national park. We’ll explore the island in town, at the beach, and while hiking. Before leaving the island, we will enjoy a classic Sardinian meal, experiencing the incredible fresh, local cuisine.
Dive Against Debris Specialty and fun dives (Days 9 and 10)
We continue to put our new scuba skills to use and work as a group to complete the Dive Against Debris Specialty course through PADI. In this course, you'll discover how cleaning up ocean plastics and trash not only improves the health of your local dive sites but also helps contribute to a global database tracking marine debris issues. We’ll wrap up our diving days with a fun dive and a final celebration with the dive shop.
Day trip to Alghero (Day 11)
Today we take a break from the water and head west on Sardinia to explore the town of Alghero. Alghero, nestled along the sun-kissed shores of Sardinia, is a picturesque town that exudes a captivating blend of Mediterranean charm and historical intrigue. Its cobblestone streets wind through a labyrinth of medieval architecture, adorned with pastel-hued facades and intricately designed cathedrals. Overlooking the sparkling turquoise waters of the Mediterranean, Alghero's blend of cultural richness and coastal beauty makes it a captivating destination to get an authentic taste of Sardinia. Enjoy the day exploring the city before returning back to camp in the evening.
Travel back to Rome and explore iconic sites (Days 12 and 13)
On day 12, we fly back to our Rome to spend our last days exploring the best the city has to offer! We will tour the Colosseum, explore Roman ruins, see the Pantheon, and toss some coins in the Trevi Fountain. We finish our evening with our famous last night RLT Banquet and enjoy some final tastes of Italian gelato.
Homeward bound (Day 14)
We'll depart Rome and say our final goodbyes before boarding our flights home.