Ciao a tutti,

We are excited to fill you in on the upcoming culturally rich excursions you will have the opportunity to participate in! You will all be meeting Florence Site Director Alessandro Bruno & Assistant Florence Site Director Chiara Salvi when you arrive on site in Florence. During your first few days on site, you will be taken out for a delicious welcome dinner with all other students in the program to kick off your time in Italy!

Alessandro & Chiara have spent a lot of time in Florence and know the best of the best! While you are there, they will be guiding you through a true Florentine experience.

Every couple of weeks,  Alessandro or Chiara will host a La Vida Local activity.  Past activities have included market visits around Florence, a visit to the mountain town of Fieosle to see where medieval royalty went on vacation, San Miniato hike, a visit to Maiano Farm for an oil tasting, cooking classes, and a “Best Gelato Experience” in Florence.

Being in Florence alone is a piacere mondiale, but we think it’s important for you to stretch your wings out and enjoy the other gems Italy has to offer.

All ISI sponsored trips will be included at no additional cost, as well as CISabroad sponsored events. During the semester, you will have the opportunity to travel to Panzano in the Chianti region to experience Dario Cecchini and his macelleria. We believe this man to be the best butcher on Earth. The meals served there leaves his clients stuffed both in the stomach and the soul so make sure to have a big appetite.

Florence is filled with many local markets and we urge you to shop at those destinations for the best food available (at an affordable price). We will take you to see the Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio which is walking distance from Santa Croce on one of the Wednesdays to come.

More details about excursions will be provided once you are on site!