Module 'CLAH263 The Roman Experience: History, Archaeology and Heritage' is a second-year module that provides undergraduate students with first-hand knowledge of key sites and monuments in and around Rome. This year, 48 students went to Rome from 24 February to 1 March 2025. This is the third and final student blog in a series of three. Valeska writes about their experience in Rome below.
My name is Valeska and I’m a Canadian student spending a semester abroad at the University of Liverpool. My program is in Classic History, so I took class CLAH263—The Roman Experience—which included a one-week-long study trip in Rome! So far, my exchange has been full of unforgettable experiences.
The trip contained four days of structured learning and one free day. Every morning, our group set out from the hotel, ready for adventure! We visited countless museums, archaeological sites, indulged in delicious food in between activities and consumed a lot of knowledge.
Palazzo Altemps:
My favourite museum we visited was Palazzo Altemps for its incredible statues like the Ludovisi Gaul, its everyday life objects like ancient toys, and the overall stunning architecture of the museum. After full days of exploration, evenings were spent sightseeing with friends and enjoying more tasty food.
Ludovisi Gaul:
Roman toys:
For my free day, I decided to spend it outside of Rome and visit Ostia archaeological park— including a Lecturer, eager to continue learning. This park is one of the highlights of my Rome trip. I was blown away by the sheer size of the park and the preservation of its ruins. Walking through the Baths and the Thermopolium (Merchant’s booth) were my favourite moments spent in the archaeological park. After exploring the site, I took a solo trip to the coast. I spent my evening walking along the beach and watching the sunset disappear beyond the horizon.
Ostia park:
The Rome trip gave me a deeper understanding of Roman life in a way that reading or viewing images could never. Exploring artefacts in numerous museums, walking through the Ostia archaeological park—stepping inside the Baths and the Thermopolium just like the Romans did—and listening to on-site lectures helped me gain a new perspective on their everyday life I wouldn’t have had otherwise.
Ostia sunset:
As an exchange student from far away, I took this trip as an opportunity to travel and broaden my horizons within my field of study. This trip was extremely valuable, learning on-site and getting to walk where history happened made me see history in a new perspective. It was a genuinely eye-opening experience. Beyond academics, I made friends I wouldn’t have otherwise, and now back in Liverpool, those connections help me discover new things and experience the city to the fullest.
Read the first Roman Experience blog