By Tara Feeney
For students interested in traveling the world and expanding their automotive knowledge while they do it, there is an exciting opportunity next spring! In May of 2025, McPherson College will bring back their annual Cars and Castles trip, with this year’s destination being Italy.
The 11-day trip will give participating students the chance to tour several places throughout Italy and visit exclusive automotive museums and heritage sights. The trip will begin on May 17 when the group will depart from the Wichita airport and head towards Milan, Italy. From there, the group will go on to Torino and tour the Italian National Heritage Museum as well as the FIAT History Museum.
On day four of the trip, the group will move on to Milan and get the chance to visit the Alfa Romeo Museum. On day five, students will travel to Bologna where they’ll be able to see the Leonardo Da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology. The following day will include a tour of the Maserati Collection in Modena and a visit to the Enzo Ferrari Museum with the potential inclusion of a tour of the Ferrari factory in Maranello.
Day eight will be a tour of the Lamborghini factory museum in Modena. Then, in the afternoon, students will move on to Florence for several days where they will get the chance to independently explore the city as well as partake in a professional tour of the city.
The trip ends in Rome with a visit to the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, and the Forum with free time included so students can explore independently. On day 12 of the trip, the group will depart from Rome early in the morning and return to McPherson later on the same day.
There are three expenses that students must pay to go on the trip. The first is a $250 fee to the college, the second a $5,789 charge paid to EF Tours who will guide the tour from start to finish, and the last is the cost of the meals (9 lunches and 3 dinners), which is not included in trip payment, as well as discretionary money for things like souvenirs.
To register for the trip students must reach out to Professor Ken Yohn who will be the group leader for this trip. He can be reached at [email protected]. For students interested in taking the trip for college credits, that is an option. Students should speak to their advisor about enrolling in G-HI210 International Travel Study in History for Spring 2025. Taking this class does fulfill the degree requirement for Global/Intercultural Experience.
This is a fantastic opportunity for students to experience and explore new places and cultures, and expand their automotive knowledge in the process. This trip is open to all McPherson College students. Those interested should contact Professor Yohn as soon as possible as spots are filling up fast.
