OPTIONAL EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES INCLUDED IN THE COURSE FEES
One of the Institute's goals is to create a serene and friendly atmosphere so that students immediately feel at home and at ease. For this reason different optional cultural and recreational activities (included in the course fees) are scheduled every day. Students only have to pay for museum and theater tickets, the chartered buses for outings and for dinners and lunches with other students and teachers if they want to participate. On the first day of school the secretary gives each student a brochure describing the Institute's activities.
EXCURSIONS
On Sundays the Institute organizes excursions, by private bus, and guided by the art history teacher to places of great artistic interest such as Venice, Rome, Ravenna, Siena, San Gimignano, Lucca, Pisa, Arezzo, Urbino, Perugia and Assisi. In the summer the destinations include delightful seaside resorts like Cinque Terre, Portovenere, and Torre del Lago.
DINNERS WITH TEACHERS, STUDENTS AND ITALIAN FRIENDS
On the first day of school, and then once a week, dinners are organized in different Florentine restaurants where, at special prices you can enjoy Tuscan specialties in the company of teachers, other students and Italian friends. These dinners are a wonderful opportunity to make friends and practice Italian.
VISITS TO THE CHIANTI VINEYARDS
The Institute also organizes trips to famous wine-producing estates in the Chianti country where you can taste famous Chianti Classico wines, learn about winemaking and see the cellars where fine vintages are stored.
VISITS TO THE MUSEUMS AND CHURCHES OF FLORENCE
Every Saturday morning the art history teacher accompanies students to the most important museums and churches in Florence. The explanations are given in clear, simple Italian so that even beginners can understand them without any difficulty.
THE HISTORY OF THE STREETS OF FLORENCE
Walk around the city with the expert in Florentine history who will make the streets come alive by recounting curiosities, anecdotes and stories that tourists usually never hear.
BICYCLE RIDES
A bicycle ride is one of the best ways to discover the city and its surroundings.
FILMS
Every week films by great directors such as De Sica, Fellini, Visconti, Tornatore and Salvatores are shown; each film is preceded by an introduction by the history of cinema expert.
LECTURES
These lectures, by important celebrities in the Florentine cultural world deal with subjects of great current interest.
MEETINGS WITH ITALIAN MUSIC
These are meetings for listening to music by Italy's best known contemporary songwriters such as Lucio Dalla, Claudio Baglioni, Eros Ramazzotti, Jovannotti, Zucchero, etc., as well as pieces from great operas (Il Trovatore, Rigoletto, L'Elisir D'Amore, La Traviata, and others). The Institute gives the students the lyrics of each selection.
EVENINGS AT THE OPERA
During the opera season the Institute organizes special trips to see performances at the Puccini Festival at Torre del Lago, at the Arena in Verona and at La Scala in Milan.
CONCERTS
Chamber music concerts by known Florentine artists are held in the Institute's music room.
VISITS TO FLORENTINE ARTISAN AND GOLDSMITH WORKSHOPS
Accompanied by a teacher from the Institute, students will be able to discover the secrets of Florentine artisans and goldsmiths who will welcome them to their workshops, so typical of Florence, and explain the methods they use in making their precious wares.
SPORTS
Not only does the Institute organize sports competitions, but it also helps students get in touch with various sports and athletic organizations to enable them to continue with their favorite activities during their stay in Florence.