Enrichment school trips to Florence

Home to the original statue of David, Michelangelo’s most famous and widely recognised sculpture, the Accademia Gallery makes for an excellent excursion for art and design school groups. The gallery also houses a large collection of paintings by Florentine artists, spanning from the Trecento to the Late Renaissance (1300–1600) – offering students a thorough understanding of Florentine art during this era.

Gaze in wonder at the Duomo di Firenze, a UNESCO World Heritage complex in the city’s historic centre, where school groups can contemplate the importance of religion (namely Roman Catholicism) in Italy. As well as the site’s magnificent cathedral, students will also be able to visit the Baptistery and Giotto’s Campanile.

The political focus of Florence, the Piazza della Signoria is the main point of the origin and history of the Florentine Republic, offering an excellent opportunity to discuss the city’s medieval history. Today, the square is also the meeting place of Florentines and tourists owing to its location; the Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza del Duomo and Uffizi Gallery are all nearby.

Situated around 90 kilometres west of Florence, the Tuscan city of Pisa has plenty to offer your school group, from the 11th-century Piazza dei Miracoli to the city’s modern cafe scene. Inside the piazza, students will love the opportunity to get close to the city’s famous Leaning Tower. Elsewhere, well-maintained Romanesque buildings, Gothic churches and Renaissance piazzas reside.

A site of national artistic heritage, the Ponte Vecchio is an arch bridge dating back to the medieval period, which can be noted for the shops built along it. Originally the site of butchers, tanners and farmers, the present shop tenants offer a variety of jewellery, art and souvenirs for your students to peruse.

Boasting a wonderful collection that’ll inspire your students, the Uffizi Gallery has been arranged to illustrate the evolving story of Florentine art, from original Tuscan painting of the 12th century to modern works as recent as the 19th century. Don’t miss the gallery’s most famous pieces in Rooms 7-18; they include Botticelli's Birth of Venus, Titian's Venus of Urbino, Michelangelo's Holy Family and Piero della Francesca's Duke & Duchess of Urbino.

Visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of San Gimignano to take a trip back in time to medieval Italy, owing to the hill town’s impressively preserved secular and religious buildings. Encircled by 13th-century walls, the old town features a remarkable skyline of medieval towers, which is best viewed at sunset for a vista your students are unlikely to ever forget.

Learn the intricacies of a Florentine pizza in this pizza-making class, where you’ll head to an authentic Tuscan pizzeria and see first-hand how the locals make it. Students will learn everything from making the perfect pizza base to topping it with their own favourite ingredients, before finally getting to taste the products of their imaginations.

Once a set of royal apartments, the Pitti Palace is now home to a grand art gallery and museum, its 30 rooms containing a variety of works from neo-classical to early 20th century. We’ve seen students enjoy exploring this varied and exclusive collection, which comprises works donated by private collectors, grand dukes and those previously owned by the state.

Students can uncover Italy’s excellent Renaissance period and an excellent example of 13th-century architecture within this former barracks and prison, which has since been transformed into an art museum. The Bargello houses masterpieces from iconic artists Michelangelo and Donatello, as well as a fine selection of ceramics, tapestries and silverwares by other famous Italian artists.

Students can learn all about the astronomer and scientist Galileo Galilei at this fascinating museum, which is housed in the 11th-century Palazzo Castellani. At the museum, your group will be able to examine one of the world’s best collections of scientific instruments – including those used by Galileo to discover Jupiter’s moons – as well as develop their understanding of Tuscany's contribution to the progress of electricity, chemistry and more.

A perfect destination for a day trip from Florence, Lucca is a picturesque and traditional Italian city where you’ll find broad, tree-lined cobblestone streets encased in fantastic Renaissance-era city walls. Here, students can discover traces of Lucca’s importance during the Roman era in Piazza dell'Anfiteatro, and learn about the city’s role in the allegiance of Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus.

Explore the history of Italian high fashion at the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum, which is dedicated to the life and work of the Italian shoe designer. Within the museum, students can browse 10,000 models of shoes both created and owned by Ferragamo from the 1920s to the 1950s, as well as films, clothes and accessories inspired by the designer from his death in 1960 to today.

Known for its incredible stoneware and detailed frescoes, the Palazzo Medici (also called the Palazzo Medici Riccardi after the family that expanded it) is an excellent example of Renaissance architecture, serving as the blueprint that influenced several other palaces in the city. Once your students have finished exploring the house’s stunning interiors, take them outside to the peaceful courtyard garden – a green sanctuary where a replica of Donatello’s bronze Judith and Holofernes statue resides.

A beautiful Tuscan city distinguished by its medieval brick buildings and boasting a wealth of heritage, Siena is an excellent excursion for history students. Siena has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, owing to its Gothic town hall and 14th century tower, the Torre del Mangia, where your group can take in spectacular views of the city from its white ‘crown’.

The town hall of Florence, the Palazzo Vecchio was built in the late 13th century as a stronghold in times of turbulence and a symbol of the city’s importance. Students can get a grasp on the breadth of Florence’s history here, while observing the palace’s 311ft-high bell tower, fortress-like castellations, and its replica of Michelangelo’s David statue.

A museum dedicated to the universal genius of Leonardo da Vinci, this incredible museum features five sections depicting the polymath’s dedication to mechanics, and inspirations from the elements of earth, air, water and fire. We’ve seen school groups dazzled by the museum’s incredible interactive machine models, which include a helicopter, theatrical machine and military tank – all accompanied by da Vinci’s original machine codes.

One of our favourite Florence excursions here at Equity, the Piazzale Michelangelo is a stunning square which has offered breathtaking panoramic views of the city since the lookout was built in 1869. From here, students can admire Florence landmarks such as the Cathedral and Palazzo Vecchio Tower, set against the city’s hilly backdrop.