Earlier this month, a group of Monmouth College art and classics students were limited geographically to England on a one-week trip, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t get a little taste of Italy, too.

Specifically, the 14 students were exposed to many Roman sites in England, including an archaeological site at Sillchester, near Reading, and the Roman ruins in Bath.

Led by faculty members Nick Dobson and Brian and Stephanie Baugh, the students went even further back in time, visiting Stonehenge, the famous prehistoric monument that is believed to date back to 2200 B.C.E.

"That was incredible," said Dobson. "Everybody enjoyed Stonehenge. We were able to get very close to it. I had heard stories that security had really been tightened there because people were chipping off parts of it for souvenirs. I was worried it was going to be like the Stonehenge scene from the movie ‘Spinal Tap,’ when the life-sized replica that the band wants for its concert is mistakenly shrunken way down. I thought we’d be a mile away, but in some places we were able to get as close as 10 feet."

While the group enjoyed going back in time, Dobson reported they also enjoyed living in the now, as several students attended the London premiere of "Sweeney Todd" and reported up close and personal sightings of its star, Johnny Depp, who has been nominated for an Academy Award for his role.

In fact, said Dobson, London proved to be an "eye-opening" city in general, proving to the Monmouth contingent why it ranks as one of the world’s great cities along with New York and Paris.

"Just to be in London itself was fascinating," he said. "There’s just so much to do."

Reading, which is 40 miles west of London, was the base for all of the adventures on the Jan. 7-14 trip, with the students breaking up each night individually or in groups of two to return to the home of a host family. Although each family was only required to provide dinner on the first night of the trip, Dobson said his host "loved to cook" and wound up serving him three dinners and a breakfast.

"From Buckingham Palace to Tower Bridge, we explored all of London, learning along the way," said Rachel Mitchell, a senior from Chicago. "Between our host families, the museums, and ‘Spamalot,’ we not only got a dose of history, but also culture."

"You’re on an archaeological site, but you can’t tell," he said. "It was a very interesting site, though, and we were fortunate to be led around by the professor who is leading the excavation."

He added, "The Roman baths were also very impressive. A lot of people would recognize the Pump Room there, since it shows up in the Jane Austen movies."

"Not only is it rare to find a trip abroad that is reasonably priced, pre-planned and intellectually stimulating, the opportunity to stay with English host families provided all of us with a unique experience of everyday life in a foreign country," said Kate Fitzsimmons, a senior from Galesburg. "The Roman Britain emphasis of our trip also brought an interesting dimension to the landmarks and museums on our itinerary. We spent time looking below the surface and discovering a history that purely tourist vacations would most likely overlook."