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Stanford Alumni AssociationTravel/Study
Travel/Study
A month-long sabbatical in the cradle of the Renaissance

Florence

Live like a local and learn (or refine!) your Italian with language classes and on excursions in Florence and to Tuscany’s famous hill towns.

Overview

A totally immersive experience

Many of us dream of living abroad, but few of us ever get the chance. After the enthusiastic response to our first Travel/Study Sabbatical to Aix-en-Provence, we’re pleased to offer another golden opportunity to realize that dream! This program provides a richly enhanced way to spend an entire month living like a local in Florence while learning a new language and digging into a different culture.

Here, amid rolling countryside, cobblestone streets and marble church facades, you’ll experience authentic Italian living at its best, delighting in handmade pasta, engaging in informative lectures and savoring encounters with the local residenti. Join us for this deep dive into la bella vita.

Dates

April 3–May 1, 2024

Duration

29 days

Price

From $12,595 per person

Trip size

27 participants

Minimum age

18 years
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Faculty leader

A different kind of classroom

With renowned Stanford faculty and scholars leading the way, every Travel/Study trip is a one-of-a-kind educational experience.

David Kennedy

History

Learn about Italian history and international relations from historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Kennedy.

Learn more about David Kennedy

Itinerary

A month-long sabbatical in the cradle of the Renaissance

Attend Italian language classes on weekday mornings, then practice using those new skills while exploring Florence and Tuscany on group excursions and during ample free time.

A typical day

Begin the day enjoying breakfast in your apartment, or perhaps have an espresso and cornetto (Italian pastry) at a nearby café. Depart your apartment a little before 9:00 a.m. for the short tram ride and walk to your Italian language class. After a morning learning (or relearning!) vocabulary and practicing conversations, meet up with classmates for a leisurely pranzo (lunch). Depending on the day, enjoy an afternoon at leisure for independent exploration, or attend a group excursion or one that’s included in one of the tracks you’ve signed up for. Later in the afternoon, join your fellow Stanford sabbatical participants for a lecture by faculty leader David Kennedy, then keep the discussion going over aperitivi at a nearby café.

Making tracks...

Included for all travelers is the Language Track, offering a full immersion in la lingua bella. A second or third track (Art and Architecture or Cooking) may be added for an additional fee. Note that none of the classes or excursions from the various tracks overlap, so it is possible to participate in all three tracks.

...and more!

In addition to classes and excursions, enjoy lectures (approximately eight in total, or about two a week) by our faculty leader, as well as talks by local experts. Occasional group excursions and meals are planned, offering many opportunities to socialize and get to know fellow travelers over a meal or a trip to a nearby town. These group classes and outings are balanced with plenty of time at leisure to relax, explore independently, learn and simply enjoy the ambience of Florence and Tuscany.

Language Track

Learn to communicate in Italian! Whatever your level of proficiency, you can focus on acquiring or improving both written and oral communication skills and learn to understand and speak on various topics. Classes are three hours a day, four mornings a week, and are offered at multiple levels, from beginner to advanced. Classes are taught at Accademia Europea di Firenze, located a brief tram ride and a short walk from our hotel. Molto bene!

Included in program price for all participants

Art and Architecture Track

View firsthand Florence’s Renaissance through the art and architecture of this cultural hub. Enjoy three half-day excursions, two in the Florence city center and one at the nearby site of Fiesole, which dates back to the 9th century. In Florence, view the striking Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and Brunelleschi’s famous dome that tops it. Visit several other historically significant churches in the city center, including the Franciscan Basilica of Santa Croce, which holds the remains of Michelangelo, Galileo, Alberti and many other luminaries.

Optional addition available to participants: $550 per person

Cooking Track

Try your hand at the fundamentals of Italian cuisine. On a guided shopping excursion to a local market, discover the region’s bounty of artisanal cheeses, handmade pasta, locally produced olive oil, and just-picked fruits and vegetables. Then head to our cooking school with fresh ingredients in hand to learn about Tuscan wines, breads and cheeses while preparing typical Italian appetizers. As in the traditional Italian kitchen, each participant will take part in preparing the dishes and then enjoy them together with the others.

Optional addition available to participants: $660 per person

Trip details

Start preparing for the trip of a lifetime

From top to bottom, we’ve taken care of all the details, so you can enjoy a no-stress, worry-free travel experience.

“The Florence Sabbatical was an incredible experience both in terms of travel and study. It has enriched my life, rekindled my attitude for learning, and renewed my ties with Stanford.”

— Link Jaw

About Our Sabbatical

Italian lessons are three hours each and are held four days a week at a location a short tram ride and walk (about 15-20 minutes in total) from our accommodations, and the twice-weekly lectures by our faculty leader are held at the PopArtment. The classes and activities included in each of the three tracks and the various planned group excursions will be balanced by free time for travelers to explore, shop, relax and otherwise enjoy being temporary residents of Florence. Although tour staff will be available throughout the program, the program is intentionally not fully scheduled, and travelers should feel comfortable with a certain level of independence and be eager to explore on their own. Limited meals are included; as part of the experience, we expect travelers will enjoy shopping for and cooking their own meals in their apartment’s kitchenette as well as dining out independently at local restaurants and cafés.

Getting Around

The tram is an easy and safe way to get around Florence, and complimentary tram passes will be provided so participants can quickly and easily travel to the historic center and elsewhere within Florence. For group excursions outside Florence, motorcoaches will be used.

Activity Level

We consider this to be a mildly active program. Group excursions may involve up to two miles of walking during city tours and may require extended periods of standing in museums and churches and at other sites. Participants will encounter uneven terrain at times, including some dirt paths and cobblestone streets and sidewalks. Participants must be physically fit, active and in good health and comfortable moving around a new city independently.

About the PopArtment

This apartment-hotel offers modern, comfortable and spacious accommodations, located just outside the city’s historic center within a 25-minute walk (or short tram ride and brief walk) of the Piazza del Duomo and the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Grocery stores, bakeries, a pizzeria and wine bar, a pharmacy and other conveniences are within easy walking distance.

Apartments are bright and have modern furnishings, and all come with high ceilings, large windows and individual air-conditioning and heating. Each apartment’s kitchenette features basic utensils, mini-fridge, coffeemaker, electric kettle, microwave, dishwasher and small cooktop. Bathrooms are stocked with a hair dryer and basic toiletries and feature a walk-in shower.

Studio, deluxe studio and one-bedroom apartments have been reserved for our group; studio apartments are approximately 333 square feet, deluxe studio apartments are approximately 484 square feet and one-bedroom apartments are approximately 527 square feet. There is one two-bedroom apartment available, at approximately 665 square feet.

Satellite TV and broadband internet access are provided in each apartment to help you stay connected. The hotel features an outdoor courtyard, TV lounge and self-service laundry facilities. Housekeeping service, including changing towels and bedding, is included every three days. Dry cleaning services are available for a fee. There is also a 24-hour reception desk for questions big and small.

Pricing

Secure your spot today

The price of your trip covers a comprehensive educational program in addition to meals, accommodations, tours and excursions. Continue reading for a full list of what’s included.

Price

Studio Apartment (approx. 333 sq. ft.)
Double: $12,595 per person
Single: $14,995 per person

Deluxe Studio Apartment (approx. 484 sq. ft.)
Double: $12,995 per person
Single: $15,695 per person

One-bedroom Apartment (approx. 527 sq. ft.)
Double: $13,495 per person
Single: $15,995 per person

Two-bedroom Apartment (approx. 665 sq. ft.)
Double: $15,495 per person

Stanford Alumni Association non-members add $300 per person.

What’s included?

  • Educational program with lecture series and pre-departure materials, including an education resource list and travel information

  • Services of our professional tour manager to assist you throughout the program

  • All meals, tours and excursions as described in the itinerary

  • Gratuities to guides and drivers for all group activities

  • All tours and excursions as described in the itinerary, including a private after-hours visit to the Uffizi Gallery

  • Classes in the Language Track

  • 28-night stay at the PopArtment in Florence

  • Transfers and baggage handling on program arrival and departure days

  • Minimal medical, accident and evacuation insurance (for U.S. residents only)

You are responsible for your personal travel expenses, including flights to and from the program.

Deposits, payments and cancellations

A $1,000-per-person deposit is required to reserve space on this program. Final payment is due 120 days prior to program start. Deposits and any payments are refundable, less a $500-per-person cancellation fee, until 120 days prior to program start. After that date, refunds can be made only if the program is sold out and we resell your place(s), in which case a $1,000-per-person cancellation fee will apply.

Join us in Florence

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