About the City

Located in the rolling hills of Tuscany, Florence’s vast collections of art and architecture have earned it the reputation of the art capital of Italy. Florence was originally established by Julius Caesar in 59 BC, and has been home to such important developments as the first unified Italian language, the Medici family and the Italian Renaissance. For all of its academic and artistic achievements, Florence retains the charm of a small medieval city. Students will find that they are able to walk to any major area in roughly twenty minutes. From the Ponte Vecchio to the Uffizi museum, each terracotta rooftop and cobblestone street tells a story by blending the old city's traditional structures with modern boutiques, sidewalk cafes and art galleries.