Lost in Florence: Finding Art in Every Corner

When Sam writes an article, you know the students are waking up early! Let's set aside thoughts of the Colosseum and the ancient Romans for a moment because we’re about to embark on a journey to one of Italy’s most beautiful cities: Florence, or Firenze in Italian.

This time, we hopped on a super comfortable high-speed train and, in less than two hours, arrived in Florence. The CIEE gladiators transformed into dukes and duchesses for a day, ready to explore the city's historic center. Florence represents the finest example of the Renaissance, one of the most iconic and recognizable historic movements, of which this city is the birthplace. It is home to some of the greatest artists and poets, such as Dante, Petrarch, Leonardo da Vinci, and Botticelli, to name a few.Let's return to our dukes and duchesses. We arrived in the morning, which allowed us to do what? You guessed it: enjoy a delightful Italian breakfast! After some free time, it was time for lunch. That’s when we started immersing ourselves in Florentine culture by trying schiacciata, a typical thin focaccia filled with ham, veggies, chicken, or whatever the students desired.The real adventure began after lunch as the group had the opportunity to admire the Chapel of Santa Maria del Fiore, also known as the Florence Cathedral. Its magnificent dome, designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, is an architectural marvel of the Renaissance. We also visited Giotto's Campanile, a stunning bell tower adorned with beautiful marble sculptures.

Our visit continued to the Uffizi Gallery, home to an unparalleled collection of masterpieces by artists such as Michelangelo, Raphael, and Botticelli. Wandering through its halls, we were captivated by the breathtaking art that defines Florence as the cradle of the Renaissance.After the visit and a nice dinner, it was time to go to sleep, ready for the next day. The second and last day in Florence started with free time, during which the students went thrifting and explored other iconic monuments like Piazza della Signoria and Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge), Florence’s oldest bridge. Ponte Vecchio was the only bridge to escape destruction during the Nazi retreat from Florence in 1944. Legend has it that the Führer himself ordered the bridge’s preservation, considering it too beautiful to destroy.

Our last stop in Florence was the Galileo Galilei Museum. Galilei was an Italian astronomer, physicist, and engineer who pioneered modern scientific methods and made significant discoveries in astronomy, including the phases of Venus and the moons of Jupiter. In the museum, thanks to our passionate tour guide, the students had the opportunity to see more than 1,000 ancient instruments and learn how they functioned.

It was now time to take the train back to Rome and say goodbye to Florence. Until next time, Florence! We'll be back, armed with more curiosity, bigger appetites, and maybe even a dictionary to finally master those tricky Italian pronunciations. Ciao for now!