Florence Orientation
A week-long orientation precedes each semester. Through meetings, lectures on different aspects of Italian culture, art walks, guided tours and excursions, students gain a better understanding and appreciation of the rich cultural heritage of Italy.
A week long orientation program introduces you to Italian language and culture as well as giving you an opportunity to meet fellow program participants. Wells College staff from the US and Florence will be with you throughout orientation to provide an overview of what it is like to live in Italy on a daily basis. In addition to receiving information about health and safety in Florence, our experienced Florence-based staff will show you around Florence. A particular highlight is visiting the food market and buying the ingredients for a traditional Tuscan meal which you will learn how to cook with our staff. What better way to introduce you to Tuscany and its history then through food? You will also spend two days touring Tuscany, visiting small towns where movies like Under the Tuscan Sun and Beautiful Life were filmed. This will introduce you to the region and help put Florence into the context of Tuscany.
In addition to orientation in Florence and Tuscany, there will be a weekend cultural excursion to Venice. As an important city-state and a cultural treasure, guided tours of Venice will provide program participants with an important perspective on a different region of Italy. In addition to the weekend excursions, day-trips and activities to festivals, soccer matches, and important historical sites are part of each semester's program.
“I could not have been more satisfied. I observed several other programs at Lorenzo de' Medici and the Wells College Florence Program was by far the best.” —E.N., Davidson College