Florence Pre-College: Transformative Teen Adventure

Course Description: Florence Pre-College: Transformative Teen Adventure

Italy Pre-College Program for Teens – Florence, Venice, Amalfi Coast & Rome (28 Days) 🇮🇹🎓

Program Overview 🌟

Study abroad in Florence, one of Europe’s most beautiful and historically rich cities. Filled with Renaissance masterpieces, world-class restaurants and breathtaking scenery, it’s no surprise that Florence is a favorite destination for students from around the world.

This Italy Pre-College Program is designed to help high school students prepare for the academic and personal transition to college while enjoying an unforgettable summer discovering Italy. Students join a tight-knit community, make lasting friendships and experience a true taste of college life, with a balance of independence and structure and learning that happens both in the classroom and out in the city.

This 28-day version of the program includes:

• A weekend excursion to Venice, and

• A grand finale week touring the Amalfi Coast and Rome.

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Program Highlights ✨

• Choose from a variety of engaging pre-college courses

• Enjoy exciting day trips to Cinque Terre, Pisa, Viareggio, Fiesole and more

• Cool off in the outdoor rooftop pool or work out in the on-site gym 💪🏊‍♂️

• Weekend getaway to Venice, including classic sights and experiences

• Explore Florence highlights during Student’s Choice time

• Live in the modern, chic Social Hub Florence Belfiore Residence

• Climb to the top of the Duomo for incredible city views

• Zipline across breathtaking canyons in Tuscany

• Swim by the grottos of Capri and relax on Positano’s beaches

• Discover the ancient ruins of Pompeii

• Explore the Vatican, Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps and more in Rome

• Dance the night away at a European club

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Typical Weekday Schedule (Florence) 📅

Students choose one morning course and enjoy afternoon highlights and activities.

8:30 AM – Wake Up

9:00 AM – Breakfast

10:30 AM – Morning Course

1:00 PM – Lunch

3:00 PM – Afternoon Highlights

5:30 PM – Student’s Choice

(Sports, Gym, Staff-Planned Activity, City Exploration)

8:30 PM – Dinner

10:15 PM – Evening Activities

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Morning Courses 📘

History of Art 🖼️

Students develop an understanding of the Renaissance as a cultural revolution. Through on-site visits, they become familiar with Romanesque and Gothic styles that shaped early artists, and see how Renaissance painters, sculptors and architects diverged from these roots. The focus is on Florentine masters including Donatello, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.

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Cooking: The Food and Culture of Italy 👩‍🍳

For students interested in Italian cuisine, this interactive, hands-on cooking course focuses on:

• Regional food traditions across Italy

• Signature dishes that define Italian cuisine

• Methods, techniques and preparations used in Italian cooking

Students learn to use different ingredients to prepare classic Italian dishes.

Supplementary fee: $220

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Florence Studio Arts: Drawing and Painting 🎨

Students explore their artistic process under instructor mentorship, with topics including:

• Drawing and sketching

• Color theory

• Painting techniques

They draw inspiration from the city around them and from artists who helped make Florence an artistic capital.

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International Business & Leadership 🌍

Future business leaders learn in an interactive, collaborative environment, covering:

• Budgeting and finance

• Sustainability

• Public speaking

• Personal growth

Students analyze successful business models and develop practical business understanding through:

• Group projects

• Local company visits

• Guest lectures from leading businesses

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Digital Marketing 📱

This course combines:

• Lessons and group work

• Guest speaker presentations from companies on digital advertising and influencer marketing

Students are introduced to the digital tools needed to develop effective marketing strategies and explore:

• Current trends in digital marketing

• Real-life case studies

• Diverse media including videos, apps and online tools

By the end, students are guided to write a digital marketing plan for a company or brand of their choice.

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Architectural Design of Florence 🏛️

Students are introduced to:

• Analysis and interpretation of architecture and urban design

• Technical sketching methods

• Architectural observational drawing

They also deepen their understanding of the architectural history of Florence and the visionaries who shaped its skyline.

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Digital Photography: Florence 📷

Using a smartphone or traditional digital camera, students learn digital photography techniques such as:

• Imaging scanning and color digital printing

• Printing digital negatives

• Basic darkroom techniques

• Adobe Photoshop basics

The course blends creativity with practical skill and culminates in an individual final photography project.

A smartphone or a traditional digital camera can be used for this course.

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Fashion: Florence Retail Management 👗

Students discover what it takes to manage a fashion retail enterprise, whether a boutique or a larger store. The course includes:

• Hands-on experiences with industry professionals

• Drafting sketches and designs

• Developing creative fashion solutions and merchandising ideas

Students brainstorm with experienced professionals and visit well-known Italian luxury brands in Florence such as Ferragamo, Gucci and Cavalli (brands may vary), plus enjoy special guest lectures from local emerging designers.

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AI & Film: A Creative Project Workshop 🎬🤖

This course explores how Artificial Intelligence (AI) shapes and influences society, viewed through cinema. Each session combines:

• Study of AI topics and their real-world implications

• Film scenes highlighting ethical and social questions

• Discussions, creative activities and project work

Throughout the course, students progressively develop a short film project, examining AI’s role in creativity, communication, social media, urban design, healthcare, cybersecurity and ethical governance.

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Italian Language 🇮🇹

Students develop:

• Conversational skills

• Reading and writing skills

• Grammar and vocabulary

The focus is on useful everyday language, helping students communicate more confidently during their Italian experience.

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Travel Writing & Journalism ✍️

Students develop their creative writing skills through the lens of travel writing in Florence. The course includes:

• Reading and discussing classic travel writing and contemporary travel journalism

• Developing an individual writing voice

• Drafting and revising work for different audiences and formats

Students also have an opportunity to interact with the journalism activities of Blending, the magazine and newsletter of Florence University of the Arts’ campus press, Ingorda.

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College Life in Florence 🏙️

The Social Hub Belfiore, Florence 🏨

Students stay at The Social Hub Belfiore Florence, located near the city centre and surrounded by cafés, boutiques and parks.

Rooms are single occupancy and include:

• Air conditioning

• Flat-screen TV

• Wi-Fi

• Private bathroom

• Personal work station

The residence also offers:

• Laundry facilities

• Game room

• 24/7 security

• Coffee shop, restaurant and rotating “pop-up” food booths

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Stay Active: Gym & Rooftop Pool 💪🏊‍♀️

Students receive complimentary access to:

• A state-of-the-art gym at The Social Hub Florence

• An outdoor rooftop pool with expansive views over Florence

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Prestigious Academic Partners 🎓

University-level courses are taught at:

• Leonardo da Vinci School of Art and Culture

• Florence University of The Arts (FUA)

• The European School of Economics

Cooking is taught at In Tavola Cooking School, a cutting-edge culinary school just steps from the Ponte Vecchio.

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Social Experience & Academic Recognition 📄

This program is designed to mirror aspects of college life:

• Students are part of a larger group, living together in a residence

• They choose from a range of classes

• They enjoy a balance of structured activities and free time

Students also:

• Receive a certificate of completion for their courses

• May request letters of recommendation

• Attend classes that are private to program participants

• Learn from experienced university-level faculty, instructors and local professionals

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Meals 🍽️

• Breakfast: Eaten in the residence and at hotels

• Dinner:

• Some evenings as a full group at the same restaurant

• Other evenings in smaller groups at authentic local restaurants offering a variety of cuisines

• Lunch:

• Taken in smaller groups at local cafés and restaurants

Food is varied and plentiful, with opportunities to enjoy:

• Fresh pasta

• Pizza

• Gelato

• Fresh fruits and vegetables

• Other Italian specialties

North American–style options are also available.

Most dietary needs can be accommodated:

• Vegetarian

• Food allergies

• Lactose intolerance

• Celiac disease

• Kosher-style diets

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Transportation & Program Specifics ✈️

Flight to Florence, Italy

Participants may:

• Join a chaperoned evening group flight from the New York area to Florence (staff present from check-in onward), or

• Connect from other cities into New York to join the group flight, or

• Meet the group directly in Florence, with support for flight timing and airport greeting after immigration and customs

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Return Flight from Rome, Italy

At the end of the program:

• A chaperoned flight to New York is offered from Rome

• Travelers from other areas may join this flight and arrange transfers from New York after the group has cleared customs and immigration, or

• Fly from Rome to their home city, with leaders assisting with check-in and remaining at the airport until flights within designated times have departed

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Local Transportation

• Private motor coach

• Public transportation in and around Florence and for excursions

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Laundry 🧺

Students generally need about one week’s worth of clothing. Laundry can be done by:

• Dropping laundry at a local wash-and-fold service and picking it up cleaned and folded, or

• Using laundry facilities in the residence

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What’s Included ✅

• All lodging (The Social Hub Florence Belfiore Residence and modern comfortable hotels)

• Breakfast and dinner daily

• Listed recreation and entertainment

• Day and weekend excursions

• Hotel gym and rooftop pool access

• Wi-Fi in residence

• Campus identification fee

• Classes (supplementary fees apply for some courses, such as Cooking)

• Airport transfers at designated times

• Bus transfers and public transportation costs

• Gratuities and taxes

Not Included ❌

• Transportation to and from the program (international flights)

• Lunches

• Snacks

• Personal spending money and souvenirs

• Laundry costs

• Application fee

• Optional travel insurance

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Florence Afternoon Highlights 🎭

Students enjoy a variety of curated cultural and academic experiences, such as:

• Workshop: Basic Italian Phrases – Learn everyday phrases to support interactions with locals

• The Italian Gastronomy Experience – Visit historic cafés and food vendors, with tastings of local products such as extra virgin olive oil and prosciutto

• Climb the Duomo Tower – Climb 463 steps to Brunelleschi’s dome for sweeping views of Florence and close-up views of Vasari’s The Last Judgment fresco

• Boat Ride on the Arno River – See Florence from a new perspective aboard a traditional barchetto boat

• Make Your Own Pasta Italian Dinner – Hands-on pasta-making workshop followed by a meal of the dishes prepared

• Uffizi Museum Visit – Explore masterpieces arranged chronologically in one of the world’s most important Renaissance galleries, featuring artists such as Botticelli, Giotto, Michelangelo, Raphael and Leonardo da Vinci

• Florence Leather Demonstration and Market Visit – Watch leather goods being made, learn about quality and explore the leather market

• Explore the Boboli Gardens – Wander through Florence’s “open-air museum” of gardens, sculptures and fountains beside the Pitti Palace

• Galleria dell’Accademia Guided Tour – See the original David by Michelangelo and other works from the 13th–16th centuries

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Guided City Tour Highlights 🚶‍♀️

• Piazza della Repubblica – A lively square filled with street artists and historic cafés

• Piazza della Signoria – Historic political center, home to sculptures and a replica of Michelangelo’s David

• Ponte Vecchio – Iconic medieval stone bridge over the Arno with shops built along it

• Medici Riccardi Palace – First Renaissance palace in Florence and early home of the Medici family, where a young Michelangelo once lived under Lorenzo de Medici’s mentorship

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Day Trips 🚆🌊

Cinque Terre

Marvel at coastal views of unmatched beauty. Explore the “five lands” of colorful fishing villages built into the cliffs, soak up the sun, taste local pesto, or hike the UNESCO National Park that links the villages.

Pisa

Visit the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa and surrounding monuments, with time for sightseeing and photos.

Viareggio

Spend an afternoon at the beach in this beautiful seaside city. Enjoy dinner at an outdoor local café with a traditional Tuscan meal and sea views.

Fiesole

Travel just outside Florence to the Tuscan village of Fiesole, offering some of the most breathtaking views over Florence from the surrounding hills. Try to spot the Duomo from above.

Canyon Park

Experience the thrill of Canyon Park with:

• An exciting ropes course

• Ziplining through the Tuscan landscape

Then unwind with paddleboarding on the park’s crystal-clear waters, taking in the natural beauty of one of Italy’s standout outdoor parks.

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Venice Weekend Getaway 🚤🏰

During the program, students enjoy a weekend in Venice, including:

• Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square) – The principal public square of Venice, long known as “the drawing room of Europe,” framed by Basilica San Marco and the Doges’ Palace

• Doges’ Palace – Former seat of the Venetian Republic, housing the largest oil painting in the world, historic government halls and Gothic architecture

• Rialto Bridge – The most famous bridge over the Grand Canal, lined with shops selling jewelry, linens, Murano glass and souvenirs

• Murano Glass Blowing – Witness traditional glass-blowing on Murano, passed down through families for centuries

• Gondola Ride – Experience Venice’s canals by gondola, one of the city’s most iconic and historic modes of transport

Accommodation in Venice:

Students stay at Staycity Mestre.

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Grand Finale Week – Amalfi Coast & Rome 🌊🏛️

The Amalfi Coast: Sorrento, Capri & Positano

• Swim near the grottos of Capri

• Relax and tan on Positano’s Marina Grande beach

• Enjoy cafés and restaurants, terracotta roofs and classic Amalfi Coast views

Accommodation: Grand Hotel Flora (Sorrento).

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Pompeii

Visit the “Forgotten City” and explore the ancient ruins of Pompeii, buried in volcanic ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted about 1,900 years ago. The excavated streets and buildings offer a vivid and unforgettable window into ancient Roman life.

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Rome

End the program in Italy’s capital, enjoying a grand finale in the Eternal City. Highlights include:

• The Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica

• The Colosseum

• Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps

• Piazza Navona and other iconic squares

Whether discovering Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling or enjoying pasta in a Roman piazza, students visit many of the must-see sites that define Rome.

Accommodation: Hotel Genova (Rome).