February in Florence

by Benjamin Klemes

February 29, 2012

Hey everyone! My name is Ben and I’m currently studying at NYU’s site in Florence. I’ve been living here for a little over a month and have already had so many wonderful opportunities to explore Italy and immerse myself in Florentine culture. Everyday, I make the trek up to NYU’s stunning campus at Villa La Pietra to learn about Italian language, culture and history. Set in the hills right outside the city center of Florence, the campus houses five villas and acres of gardens and olive trees. Now that the weather is getting warmer (we’ve just survived the coldest winter Europe has experienced in decades), I’m taking the opportunity to explore my surroundings and to try to see as much of Italy that I can in my short semester here. My teachers are taking the same approach and have planned a seemingly neverending number of field trips around Florence and Italy to help us experience the friendly Italian culture and the country’s fascinating history. By the end of this week, I’ll have gone with my classes to the Ufizzi Gallery, to a gelateria to practice Italian by ordering a cup of the delicious Italian ice cream, and to Venice on a class trip to see the Renaissance art we’ve been learning about in class in person.

NYU has also taken us on several day-trips to cities close to Florence. These have included a day in Siena, another Tuscan town, and Viareggio, where an annual Carnevale parade with massive floats takes place.

In addition to class excursions, I’ve been planning my own trips around Italy. I just returned from an exciting weekend in Milan and plan on extending my stay in Venice this upcoming weekend after my day-trip with my Renaissance Art class has ended.

Here are some pictures of Florence and of towns I’ve traveled to so far!