Art History & Italian Culture
A Summer for Fun, Friends, and Your Future
Explore
Have fun discovering Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance, through the lens of art.
Network
Meet new friends and art history experts. Build your own community.
Get Inspired
Launch your future today! Create a diverse array of visual art, gain skills in ancient and modern techniques, and craft a portfolio.
The Destination
Welcome to Florence, home to Michelangelo’s David, soaring cathedrals, and some of the best gelato in Italy.
Florence grew wealthy through trade and banking, especially through the Medici family, which funded artists, churches, scientists, and public spaces across the city. It’s where artists like Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, and Donatello worked and studied, and where you can see masterpieces like The Birth of Venus and the more than 17-foot-tall David, carved from a single block of marble. The small city feels intimate and walkable, and by the end of the summer, it may start to feel like yours—from your favorite gelato shop and café to the route you take across the Arno River each day.
Narrow cobblestone streets open into sunny squares filled with cafés, gelato shops, leather markets, and little stores selling handmade notebooks, jewelry, and art supplies. Florence is also known for its craftsmanship, from leather goods and paper marbling to sculpture studios and painting restoration. The city’s food scene is just as famous, with fresh pasta, rich Tuscan soups, giant bistecca alla fiorentina steaks, famous sandwiches like schiacciata and lampredotto, and, according to local legend, even the invention of gelato itself!
Cultural Awareness
CIEE wants all our students to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to succeed while studying abroad. No matter where you choose to study abroad with CIEE, our staff will be on hand throughout your program to provide advice, resources, and support.
Sample Itinerary
Top Rated Activities
A Visit to “The Garden of Wonders”
Visit historic Pratolino Medici Park, a huge Renaissance estate just outside Florence. The “Garden of Wonders” was created in the late 1500s by architect Bernardo Buontalenti. The park originally included fountains, grottoes, hidden pathways, labyrinths, and even secret water tricks designed to surprise guests. Water-powered machines made statues move, and birds seem to sing. Pratolino became so famous that gardens across Europe later copied its ideas.
Today, tree-lined paths, quiet ponds, fountains, and stone grottoes still make the park feel magical. You’ll come face-to-face with the famous Colossus of the Apennines, an enormous 11-meter-tall sculpture by Giambologna with hidden rooms built inside it. Even though the original villa is gone, Pratolino still feels like stepping into a strange and beautiful Renaissance fantasy.
Daytrip to the Medieval Town of Siena
What did Italy look like before the Renaissance? Step back in time in Siena, Florence’s centuries-old rival city. This renowned medieval town offers a glimpse into the art of the Middle Ages, which was more religious, symbolic, and filled with gold backgrounds, saints, and scenes from the Bible. Today, with a population of only about 53,000 people, Siena is filled with well-preserved Gothic architecture, red-brick streets, and stone towers hung with colorful contrade (neighborhood) flags.
Head to the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo, one of Europe’s most famous public squares and home to the city’s Palio horse race. Twice each summer, 10 of Siena’s 17 contrade compete in a fast and chaotic bareback horse race through the center of the city after days of parades and celebrations. Step inside the dramatic Siena Cathedral, known for its black-and-white striped marble, colorful mosaics, detailed carvings, and religious artwork. Seeing both Siena and Florence gives you a rare chance to trace the shift from medieval Europe to the Renaissance.
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Eligibility
Participants must be 14 years old and above.
Program open to all current high school students: Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors.
For Scholarship Eligibility Requirements, Please check our scholarship page.
Please note: Due to the local cuisine and available food options, this program cannot accommodate a fully Kosher or Halal diet.
For more information, refer to the detailed Program Essential Eligibility Criteria.
Dates & Fees
Application Fee
$25
Program scholarships and tuition include iNext Travel Insurance, but do not cover the cost of flights. Find additional details about what’s included with your tuition.
More Questions? Find answers, get application support, sign up for virtual presentations, or contact us!
Program |
Application Due |
Start Date |
End Date |
Costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program Summer Session I 2027 3 weeks | Start Date | End Date | Costs $7,500 | |
| Program Summer Session II 2027 3 weeks | Start Date | End Date | Costs $7,500 |
Ready to change your life?
What's Included
Interactive Classes
Housing
3 Meals/Day
(Dietary Needs Accommodated)
All Ground Transportation
(Once In-country)
Optional Flight Chaperone
(Flight Cost Not Included)
Pre-departure Advice and Orientation
Access to WIFI
(No international data plan or SIM card included)
All Cultural Activities and Excursions
Comprehensive Medical and Travel Protection
24/7 Emergency On-site Support
Our Staff
Tina Marisa Rocchio
Center Director
Program Leaders guide and support our High School Summer Abroad participants through every step of their program.
Get Started
1
2
Connect with your Teachers or Parents
Share your plans and confirm you're on track to meet all required steps to go abroad.
3
Contact Us
Send us an email if you still have questions or need information about enrolling.
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