Living in Italy: A Stay in Florence

Depart the U.S. on an overnight flight to Florence and transfer to your home in the city, an apartment-hotel close to the city center. Upon arrival, you'll receive a customized welcome package with information about the area and a map of Florence. Your Smithsonian Journeys resident director will be available throughout the program to help with sightseeing arrangements, restaurant reservations, shopping suggestions, and tips about local life. This evening, gather with fellow travelers for a welcome reception followed by dinner at the hotel. (R,D)

After breakfast at the hotel, gather for a welcome briefing. Then set out with a local guide on a tram and walking tour that takes you through the neighborhood around the hotel to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, known as Il Duomo. Admire the cathedral’s enormous cupola and the spectacular bronze doors of the adjacent Baptistry of San Giovanni, and learn about the churches, palazzi and libraries commissioned by Cosimo il Vecchio, the founder of the Medici dynasty. Then stroll between gold and jewelry shops along the fabled Ponte Vecchio, a bridge over the Arno River built as a secret passage for the Medici family. In the Piazza della Signoria, the political and historic heart of the city, find a precise copy of Michelangelo’s David and stop for an espresso at a café.

In the early afternoon, gather at a local trattoria for lunch. Later this afternoon, get together in the Smithsonian Journeys Travelers Corner and get to know your resident director and fellow travelers. (B,L)

After breakfast, those who chose the Arts and Architecture track will begin the day with a more in-depth look at Florence’s legendary Duomo. With its massive, terracotta-tiled cupola designed by Filippo Brunelleschi and its intricate pink, white, and green marble facade, the cathedral is a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture. Just steps from its entrance, the Baptistery of St. John is renowned for its biblical stories depicted in mosaics on the ceiling and its gilded bronze doors. Continue to the Bargello Museum, home to a remarkable collection that includes works by Michelangelo and Donatello. This afternoon, those enrolled in the Italian Language track take the tram to the Italian school for an orientation tour, a placement test, and your first Italian class.

In the early evening, join a local expert for a presentation on Tuscany and Renaissance art. Dinner will be served at a local ristorante. (B,D)

• Optional Art and Architecture Track 3.1: Guided tour of the Duomo and the Baptistery of St. John
• Optional Language Track 1.1: Placement test and Italian class

The day is free of planned activities. Let your interests be your guide and explore Florence on your own. Your Smithsonian Journeys resident director will be on hand to help with personal sightseeing arrangements, restaurant reservations, shopping suggestions, and any other assistance you may need.

Enjoy another day to pursue your own interests. You might want to visit the excellent San Marco Museum, a treasure trove of works by Fra Angelico housed in a monastery the artist-monk once called home. Or immerse yourself in a very different kind of art at the Museo Salvatore Ferragamo, located within an exquisite 13th-century palace that has been the home of the Ferragamo fashion empire since 1938. This evening, gather with fellow travelers for dinner at a local restaurant. (D)

A scenic morning drive brings you to the Tuscan hill town of San Gimignano, a World Heritage site. Meander through a warren of narrow, cobblestoned lanes and see its 14 medieval towers—all that remain of more than 70 built by the town's wealthy families centuries ago.

Venture into the undulating landscapes of Chianti, a famous wine region of quiet country lanes, lovely hill towns, woodlands, and vineyards. In the picturesque village of Castellina, take a short walk and take part in a cooking demonstration offered by a local chef, followed by lunch. Then, at the 18th-century Castello di Monsanto, enjoy a wine tasting of local vintages made from handpicked Sangiovese and Canaiolograpes and learn about the traditions and lore of Chianti. Return to Florence for a leisurely evening. (L)

Those taking language lessons will attend a morning Italian class. After lunch together at a local restaurant, tour the world-renowned Accademia with a private guide. Admire Michelangelo’s legendary David as well as works of other Italian greats such as Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Pontormo, Andrea del Sarto, Alessando Allori, and Orcagna. In the early evening, gather in the Smithsonian Journeys Travelers Corner for a lively discussion with your fellow travelers. (L)

• Optional Language Track 1.2: Italian language class

If you opted for the Culinary track, set out this morning for San Lorenzo market, a 19th-century iron-and-glass pavilion that is home to a lively food market. Browse stalls where cheese mongers sell wheels of pecorino and bakers turn out freshly made pastries. Select fresh produce and ingredients with a local chef, then learn how to prepare typical Italian dishes during a cooking class. Savor the dishes you have made for lunch. Language students will attend an afternoon Italian class.

• Optional Culinary Track 2.1: Market visit and cooking class including lunch
• Optional Language Track 1.3: Afternoon Italian language class

After a morning language class, half the group will pay a visit to the elegant Caffe Gilli, a gathering place for intellectuals since 1733. Hear about the caffe's distinguished history and meet with one of the directors to learn the art of preparing Italian coffee. Enjoy an espresso, cappuccino, or caffe latte with a pastry.

In early evening attend a talk about contemporary Italy and life in Florence.

• Optional Language Track 1.4: Morning Italian language class

Those who enrolled in the Arts and Architecture program will spend the morning on a guided tour of the Basilica of Santa Croce, an architectural masterpiece that harbors a treasure trove of 14th-century frescoes. This is also the burial site for several famous Italians, including Michelangelo and Galileo. Continue to Casa Buonarotti, one of Michelangelo’s homes, and view two of the artist’s earliest sculptures, along with a collection of the artist’s letters and drawings from the family’s archive.

Following the visit, the other half of the group will head to the Caffe Gilli to meet a director for a lesson in making Italian coffee, and enjoy a coffee and a pastry.

Gather with fellow travelers this evening for dinner featuring Tuscan specialties and regional wine at a local restaurant. (D)

• Optional Art and Architecture Track 3.2: Tour of Basilic of Santa Croce and Casa Buonarotti

Drive through cypress-lined hills and picturesque agricultural fields to historic Cortona, a quintessentially Tuscan town that gained fame as the setting for the film Under the Tuscan Sun, based on a book by Frances Mayes. Poised on a hilltop with stellar views, Cortona began as an Etruscan city, flourishing as early as the fourth century BC. During your full-day excursion, gain insight into the town's artistic and architectural highlights and its interesting history—which is still being pieced together by archaeologists. Visit the Romanesque cathedral and browse a fascinating collection of pre-Roman artifacts at the Etruscan Museum. Sit down to lunch at a local restaurant, then take advantage of free time this afternoon to explore Cortona on your own before returning to Florence. (L)

Spend another day living like a local in Florence. If you have opted for the Arts and Architecture track, cross the Arno River and ascend the hillside to Piazzale Michelangelo for a panoramic view of Florence. Continue to the Etruscan town of Fiesole, located on the outskirts of the city. On a tour of its Archeological Museum, discover a trove of ancient ruins, including an Etruscan temple and tombs as well as Roman baths and a well-preserved Roman theater. Enjoy lunch at a restaurant in Fiesole. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

• Optional Art and Architecture Track 3.3: Visit to Piazzale Michelangelo and excursion to Fiesole including lunch

Italian language class is scheduled for this morning. In the afternoon, travelers on the Culinary track will delve into one of Italy's most beloved food traditions: making pasta. With a local culinary expert, learn about Italy's many different types of pasta. Then roll up your sleeves to make some yourself, along with several traditional sauces.

• Optional Language Track 1.5: Italian class
• Optional Culinary Track 2.2: Pasta-making class

Those taking Italian lessons will attend a morning language class. In the afternoon, immerse yourself in the magnificent art of the Uffizi Gallery, home to one of the most remarkable collections in the world. Among the many highlights are Giotto's Madonna di Ognissanti, Battle of San Romano by Paolo Uccello, and the iconic Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli. This evening, get together with fellow travelers for dinner at a popular trattoria. (D)

• Optional Language Track 1.6: Italian class

Set out on full-day excursion to the Tuscan province of Siena, stopping first in Colle di Val d’Elsa for a guided walking tour in the quaint Old Town. After lunch at a local restaurant, continue to the World Heritage site of Siena. Perched like a crown atop three hills, the stunning city of Siena has remained remarkably unchanged through the centuries, its timeless, winding streets linking majestic cathedrals, museums, and wonderfully preserved Gothic buildings. Witness the renowned Piazza del Campo, the enormous, shell-shaped piazza where the Palio bareback horse race has been held annually since medieval times. Admire the 14th-century Torre del Mangia and the stunning bas-reliefs on the Gaia Fountain, and the step into the striking, black-and-gold-striped Duomo. You'll have free time in Siena to explore on your own before returning to Florence. (L)

Language students begin the day with Italian lessons before the group gathers for lunch at a trattoria. Those enrolled in the Arts & Architecture track visit the Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens this afternoon. Inside the palace, once the residence of the Medici family, view a collection of Renaissance and baroque paintings at the Palatine Gallery and enter the newly restored Royal Apartments, only recently reopened to the public. Then stroll through the Boboli Gardens, a prototype of the Italian formal gardens and a World Heritage site. In the early evening, join your fellow travelers in the Smithsonian Journeys Travelers Corner for lively discussion and camaraderie. (L)

• Optional Language Track 1.7: Italian class
• Optional Art and Architecture Track 3.4: Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens tour

For those who selected language lessons, there’s a morning Italian class. For all others, the balance of the day is at leisure. If you’ve enrolled in the Culinary track, gather in the late afternoon to learn how to prepare a traditional Italian four-course dinner, known as a cena, from antipasto to& dolce (dessert). When preparations are complete, feast on your creations over dinner in the school’s wine cellar. The remainder of the evening is at leisure.

• Optional Language Track 1.8: Italian class
• Optional Culinary Track 2.3: Antipasto to dolce four-course cooking class including dinner

After a free morning, gather in the mid-afternoon for an excursion to the medieval city of Lucca. Circled by massive fortifications including walls that are 59 feet thick in some places, Lucca harbors a wealth of architectural treasures, including an 11th-century Romanesque cathedral that contains one of the most famous relics of medieval Europe: a carving said to be a true portrait of Christ. Enjoy dinner at a popular restaurant in Lucca before returning to Florence. (D)

Today, you’re free to follow your own path. Your Smithsonian Journeys resident director will be on hand to help with personal sightseeing arrangements, restaurant reservations, shopping suggestions, and any other assistance you may need.

The day is free for independent activities. For those who selected the Language track, there’s a morning Italian class and a graduation ceremony at the school. This evening, gather in the Smithsonian Journeys Travelers Corner for a drink and conversation. Then celebrate your Italian adventure with a farewell dinner at the splendid Grand Hotel Baglioni, offering unforgettable food, wine, and stunning views of Florence. (D)

• Optional Language Track 1.9: Italian class and graduation ceremony

Enjoy your final day in Florence, revisiting favorite haunts and lingering in its lovely piazzas and historic lanes. Toast new friends and all you have experienced and accomplished at tonight's farewell reception at the hotel. (R)

Transfer to Florence Peretola Airport for your return flights to the U.S.

Please note: Itinerary sequence and/or scheduled events may change due to operational considerations. All excursions involve an element of walking, standing and climbing steps.