Italy From Augustus to Mussolini | PD study tour
11 Days | JANUARY 9 - 19, 2028 | 29+ Professional Development Hours for Teachers
Rome┃ Naples┃ Pompeii┃ Paestum ┃ Salerno ┃ Anzio┃ Latina
Embark on an unforgettable journey through the world’s most compelling historical landscapes on this immersive Italy study tour, where ancient Rome and modern dictatorship collide.
Designed for history educators, the tour brings teachers face-to-face with the ways Mussolini reshaped Italy—physically, culturally, and ideologically—by harnessing the grandeur of the ancient world to legitimise his fascist regime. Participants will explore imperial monuments, modernist architecture, archaeological excavations, and WWII sites connected to occupation, resistance, and the Italian Campaign.
Going beyond typical tourist routes with visits to some of the most fascinating ancient and contemporary sites in the country, this is not just professional learning—it’s an inspiring, on‑the‑ground adventure through the layers of Italian history and culture.
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Dr Flavia Marcello – introductory lecture on fascist architecture
Josh Levy – introductory lecture on syllabus links
Natalie Levy – introductory lecture on Italian history from the Risorgimento to Constitution
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Absolutely!
We are glad to welcome anyone with an interest in the subject matter to join the tour. Non-teachers may choose to opt out of lectures or debrief sessions that relate directly to the teaching profession.
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A moderate level of physical fitness is required in order to participate fully in the tour. Specifically you should be able to walk for 3-4 hours with only short breaks, walk up and down stairs, move on and off coaches unassisted, negotiate stairs and slopes, and manage your own luggage.
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This will depend on your state and school. NSW teachers should add the PD hours to eTAMS or their personal log.
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Inclusions:
–3-4 star hotel accommodation
–Daily breakfast + 8 group meals
–Entrances to sites & museums3 x introductory lectures
–Land transportation by private coach
–Expert local guides
LOCAL EXPERTISE
Trained Archaeologists ┃ Expert Local Guides┃ Real Classroom Impact
We work with a team of expert local guides in each site. These guides are handpicked for their in depth knowledge of the subject area. In the Bay of Naples, our guides are trained archaeologists and able to provide an insight into the sites visited. In Rome, we work with guides who have a background in ancient history and archaeology who can take us to sites off the well beaten tourist track.
Libertas Travel has an office in Rome providing us with up to date local knowledge and 24/7 on the ground support for our groups travelling in Italy.
DON’T MISS OUT!
To Receive Notification of Upcoming Tour Dates
Itinerary
Empowering Teachers ┃ Transforming Learning
Every session delivers fresh research, practical strategies, and global perspectives—equipping teachers to modernise lessons, boost student outcomes, and lead innovation in Australian schools.
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Day 1
Meet in Rome
The tour program commences at 6pm in Rome. Meet your tour leaders and the group in the hotel lobby, followed by a welcome dinner.
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Day 2
To Naples
Travel by high speed train to the bustling city of Naples. See key highlights of the National Archaeological Museum of Naples.
Embark on a guided city centre walking tour viewing the historical centre, remnants of fascist buildings and learning about the events and aftermath of WWII.
Arrive at our hotel overlooking the beautiful Bay of Naples.
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Day 3
Pompeii | Boscoreale
Enjoy an archaeologist-guided exploration of the vast site of Pompeii. Step inside private homes, public squares, theatres, bathhouses, and newly excavated areas that reveal fresh insights into daily life in the ancient city, whilst also considering the role of 20th‑century politics in Pompeii’s excavation history, Mussolini’s influence on the work directed by superintendent Amedeo Maiuri.
After lunch, we continue to Boscoreale to view the farming villa and the small yet important collection in the museum.
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Day 4
Salerno | Paestum
Travel south to the famous Amalfi Coast and take in the breathtaking cliff town of Vietri sul Mare. From here we will view the WWII landing beaches of Salerno.
Continuing to Salerno, we will learn about the Italian Campaign and visit the Commonwealth War Cemetery.
Enjoy locally sourced produce with a multi-course lunch before visiting the site of Paestum.
Wander amongst the ruins of this former Greek colony, part of the Magna Grecia trading route, and marvel at the well preserved temples.
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Day 5
To Latina
Visit one of Europe’s largest and grandest castles, the 18th Century Royal Palace of Caserta. On a guided tour, we will learn about its history including as the Allied headquarters during WWII and where German forces formally surrendered in 1945.
Continuing north, we ascend Monte Cassino to explore the history of the monastery’s wartime destruction and pay our respects at the nearby cemetery.
Then travel through the former area of the Pontine Marshes to our hotel in Latina.
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Day 6
To Rome
A highlight of this tour is the Piana delle Orme Museum in Latina—an expansive, off‑the‑beaten‑track complex featuring immersive pavilions that explore pivotal chapters of Italian history, from the reclamation of the Pontine Marshes under Mussolini to major WWII battles, complete with full‑scale military vehicles.
En route to Rome, we will make a visit to Anzio to see the ruins of Emperor Nero’s villa and to see firsthand the WWII landing beaches.
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Day 7
Forums | Domus Aurea
Our expert local guide will lead the group through the Imperial and Roman Forums, up onto the Palatine Hill, and through the heart of ancient Rome, highlighting architectural features within the monuments that reappear in the fascist‑era structures we will encounter later in the tour.
We will also examine Mussolini’s extensive excavation campaigns and how they influence the way these ancient sites are presented today.
Onto the Domus Aurea to explore the excavations of Emperor Nero’s Golden House with its recently recovered frescoes and vaulted halls.
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Day 8
Ostia Antica | Ara Pacis
Tour the former port city of Rome, Ostia Antica; another of Mussolini’s major excavation projects aimed at linking his regime to the grandeur of ancient Rome. Today it is known as “Rome’s Pompeii” for its scale and remarkably preserved streets, houses, and public buildings. Returning to the city centre, we will visit the Piazza of Emperor Augustus to view the mausoleum, the newly opened public space and an overlooked but extraordinary fascist façade.
We will then visit the Ara Pacis Museum to see the Altar of Peace—an iconic monument of the Pax Romana.
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Day 9
Fascist Architecture
Our local guide will lead a full day exploration across Rome to reveal the fascist iconography that remains in plain sight.
Visits will include Citta Universitaria, EUR district, Janiculum Hill and Foro Italico, complete with its Mussolini Dux obelisk. Visit the poignant Fosse Ardeatine Mausoleum to reflect on one of the most sombre chapters of Rome’s wartime history.
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Day 10
WWII Rome
Visit Piazza Venezia with views of Mussolini’s balcony, continue into the Jewish Quarter and pay our respects to the victims of the mass deportation of 1943.
Enjoy lunch, then visit the Museum of Liberation, the headquarters for the SS and a prison during the occupation of Rome, now a memorial to those partisans who fought for the liberation of the city.
Enjoy some final sightseeing, then we come together for a tour reflection over a farewell dinner.
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Day 11
Departure
The tour concludes after breakfast at the hotel in Rome.
