Erasmus Courses for Teachers in Florence, Italy
Where Renaissance art, architecture, and history collide to create a timeless city of beauty and romance.
Confirmed Sessions in Florence
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Student-Centered Classroom: Teachers as Promoters of Active Learning
Flipped Classroom
Conflict Management, Emotional Intelligence and Bullying Prevention
Reviews
- The course was useful and interesting. We enjoyed!
As result of the mobility activity, I become more aware of my strengths as leader, and more confident in working on my weaknesses to improve my capacity as school vice principal. It helped to identify my leadership … More style and practice a variety of leadership core skills such as planning, communication, problem solving, and conflict management. The activities were organized in an interactive form, using new platforms and interesting dialogs.
Being part of a multinational group, we changed information about countries educational system and schools.
One other interesting part of our mobility period was visiting the beautiful city of Florence, including guided tour, museums, cathedrals, climbing stairs, long walks and tasting the local foods and drinks.
- The course was really fun and useful. I leaned usefull icebreakers which I hopefully will use in Hungary, for my classes. Creating our own Dublin postcard, while focusing on the questions (Did you reach your goals, what did you learn, best memories, what will I take … More with me) was a fantastic experience! Thank you Miriam!
The walking tour was great and useful also.
We went to the EPIC musium that was a fantastic experience on Irish history. I had goose bumps many times!
The trip to the Cliffs of Mohar was a nice one, but unfortunately we had foggy weather so we could see nothing from the cliffs. But further on our way we stopped and had the possibility to wonder around on other cliffs.
I did a lot of sightseeing in the town myself, my landlady landed me a bicicle so I could enjoy the town with it.
- It was a fantastic course with a wonderful and lively teacher in a breathtaking city full of art. The group grew together so quickly and we experienced a fabulous week in Florence!
- Wonderful teacher trainers, very dedicated and friendly. Located in the heart of the old city, charming and beautiful surroundings will make you feel fantastic. I would totally recommend it to all the other teachers around Europe!
About the Training Centre in Florence
The Training Centers in Florence don’t represent only the most chosen location for our courses, but also our headquarters.
We started our journey here as a high-quality Italian language school in 1992.
The school is in two historical buildings, a few steps away from many bars and restaurants, and within easy walking distance of all the city’s main attractions.
- Palazzo Galletti (Via Sant’Egidio 12) was built between 1831 and 1833 in neoclassical style and designed by the architect Vittorio Bellini for Vincenzo Batelli, a typographer.
See on Google Maps> - Palazzo Venerosi Pesciolini (Via dei Rustici 7), was originally built by one of the richest and most powerful families in Europe between the 13th and 14th centuries.
See on Google Maps>
Please note: our training centers in Florence are on the second floor of historic buildings that don’t have an elevator.
Palazzo Galletti – Virtual tour (Via Sant’Egidio 12)
Palazzo Venerosi Pesciolini – Virtual Tour (Via dei Rustici 7)
How to Reach Us
By plane:
If you are flying to Florence, please, bear in mind that you could either fly to:
- Florence airport – from which you can reach the city center via tramway. Please, note this airport is very small, and there are few available connections.
- Pisa Airport – Pisa Central railway station is only one hour away from Florence Santa Maria Novella train station – a train ticket is around € 8,00 – and provides more flight connections than Florence.
- Bologna airport – Florence central station is only half an hour away from the Bologna Centrale station, and the price of the high-speed train ticket is approximate €25,00. Otherwise, the fastest connection with the Bologna Airport is the Appennino Shuttle. The bus leads directly to Florence, and the journey takes more or less an hour.
By train:
Florence is located at the center of the Italian national railway network. Florence’s main station (Santa Maria Novella) is 20 minutes’ walking distance from our academy.
By car:
Florence is also well connected to the other major Italian cities by two highways: the Milano-Napoli and the Firenze-Pisa.
>> Discover further information on how to reach Florence city center.
Our Cultural Activities
The following free time activities are included in the price of each one-week and two-week course in Florence:
- One guided tour of the city
- One half-day tour to Chianti
Our Guided Tour of Florence
Led by a Europass teacher, the walking tour introduces you to Florence’s rich history, culture, and cuisine.
Admire architectural gems including the Duomo and Baptistery, plus open-air sculpture galleries at Orsanmichele and Piazza Della Signoria.
Pass by the Ponte Vecchio and the Uffizi Galleries while listening to stories of Florence’s Renaissance art, politics, and humanist philosophy.
See if you can spot any of the city’s 1,200 street shrines dedicated to the Virgin Mary or patron saints of the medieval guilds. And ast but not least, if you would like to enjoy a glass of wine or a cup of gelato, your guide will show you where to find an authentic Florentine enoteca or gelateria!
Our Chianti tour
Explore the beautiful Chianti Wine region and its rolling hills from Florence. Discover the secrets of Chianti wine-making process in a rustic wine estate where you will enjoy an appetizing snack and high-quality Chianti wine. Visit another enchanting wine estate to taste more exquisite wines and become a true Chianti wine expert. Stroll through the vineyards, and take in the picturesque scenery of cypresses, rolling hills, and olive trees. End your day with a photo stop on a panoramic terrace of Chianti for a beautiful memory of this fantastic experience.
- Expert multilingual escort
- Visit of two wineries in the heart of Chianti
- Walk through the vineyards
- Tasting of 3-4 different types of wine in each cellar (white and red), 7 wines in total
- Tasting of extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and regional products to accompany wine tastings
- Possibility to buy wine, oil, balsamic vinegar and local products
The tour is arranged by a partnering tour agency that will provide assistance throughout the entire trip. Whenever feasible, you will be grouped with participants from other Europass courses.
Florence and Surroundings
Florence, located in central Italy, is the capital of the region of Tuscany. It is no doubt one of the most beautiful cities in the world and contains a wealth of historic treasures of all kinds and tons of cultural heritage.
Founded in the first century BC and developed as the cultural center of Italy under the rule of the Medici family, Florence has been the home of authors and artists like Dante Alighieri, Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, Donatello, Brunelleschi, Machiavelli, and Galileo Galilei. Here they accomplished most of their artistic masterpieces and/or discoveries.
Tuscany’s food, simple and delicious, along with its wines are ranked among the best in the world. Florence is well known for its Bistecca Fiorentina (Florentine Beefsteak).
Florence enjoys four distinct weather seasons equally divided across the year. In Spring temperatures range from 6°C to 24°C, in Autumn from 11°C to 27°C, in Summer from 17°C to 31°C or even hotter, and in Winter from 11°C to 27°C.
Best Things to Do in Florence
1) Uffizi Gallery
The Uffizi Gallery is Florence’s most popular museum. It is also one of the most visited in Italy and one of the largest and best-known in the world. It holds a collection of priceless works, particularly from the period of the Italian Renaissance. It’s also the place to see Botticelli‘s beautiful paintings of the “Birth of Venus” and “Primavera”.
2) Academy (Accademia) Gallery
The Academy Gallery is best known as the home of Michelangelo‘s sculpture of David (perhaps the world’s most famous statue) which was unveiled in 1504. This small and very navigable museum also has other unfinished sculptures by Michelangelo and a large collection of paintings by various Florentine artists. The museum also holds an exhibit of classical musical instruments.
3) Piazza della Signoria/ Palazzo Vecchio
Piazza della Signoria is an L-shaped square in front of the impressive 14th-century Palazzo Vecchio. The square has plenty of statues including those found in the gallery of the Loggia dei Lanzi, the equestrian statue of Cosimo I and the very majestic Fountain of Neptune. In front of Palazzo Vecchio a replica of Michelangelo’s “David” stands at the entrance indicating his original position until 1873.
4) Florence Cathedral (Duomo) and Baptistery
The Florence Cathedral and Baptistery are located in Piazza del Duomo in the heart of the historic city center. It is one of the most visited areas of the city and also contains Giotto‘s Campanile (Bell Tower), the Loggia del Bigallo and the Opera del Duomo Museum. The view from Brunelleschi’s Duomo (Dome) offers a sweeping panorama over the city’s terracotta rooftops and beautiful Tuscan hills.
5) Mercato Centrale
The new Mercato Centrale made its debut in Florence in the spring of 2014 to celebrate the 140th anniversary of the iron and glass building erected there in 1874. Inside, on the ground floor, the open market sells meat, fish, fruit, and vegetables. On the first floor, there is a food court with restaurants and places to drink beer, coffee and eat ice cream. Just outside is the Mercato di San Lorenzo which mostly sells leather goods.
6) Piazzale Michelangelo
Piazzale Michelangelo is a square, dedicated to the Renaissance sculptor Michelangelo. It is one of the few places where one can see a stunning panoramic view of Florence – for free. Giardino Delle Rose is a garden park just below the Piazzale Michelangelo and it also offers a commanding view of Florence. Both are located in the Oltrarno district of the city and are considered relatively quiet places as compared to the rest of the city.
7) Palazzo Medici Riccardi
The Palazzo Medici Riccardi is a Renaissance palace near the Duomo (on the same street of our school!). It first belonged to the Medici family and was later acquired by the Riccardi family in 1659. The palace was built for Cosimo de’ Medici, who was head of the Medici banking family, between 1444 and 1484. The most important section of the palace is undoubtedly the Magi Chapel, which was completed in 1459, by Benozzo Gozzoli. The frescoes here are not to be missed!
6) Ponte Vecchio
The Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) is not only a medieval bridge, it’s also the city’s oldest and most unique. It is made of stone and crosses the Arno River. Butchers formerly lined the bridge but the present tenants sell jewelry, art, and souvenirs. In the middle of the bridge, one can find a portrait bust of the Florentine goldsmith, sculptor, and painter Benvenuto Cellini who lived during the Renaissance period.
7) Santa Maria Novella Basilica
Santa Maria Novella is situated in the Piazza Santa Maria Novella just opposite the city’s main railway station. It is noted as the first great basilica in Florence. The style of the Renaissance was introduced into Santa Maria Novella with Masaccio’s celebrated fresco of the Trinity with the Madonna, St. John the Evangelist, and two patrons (1427). Construction began on its Gothic cloister around 1340.
8) Pitti Palace
The Palazzo Pitti is a vast, mainly Renaissance, palace situated on the south side of the Arno River. The original building dates from 1458 but it was bought by the Medici family in 1549. It remained the principal Medici residence until 1737 and then passed to the Austrian House of Lorraine, and even Napoleon, who used the palazzo during his period of control over Italy. The Pitti Palace houses five museums.
8) Santa Croce + Calcio Storico (Historic Soccer Game)
Piazza Santa Croce is one of the main squares in Florence. It is located near piazza della Signoria and takes its name from the Basilica, built in 1295, which overlooks the square. The Basilica is the burial place of some of Italy’s most illustrious Italians, such as Machiavelli, Galileo Galilei, and Michelangelo. There is also an empty tomb built for Dante in 1829; however, Dante’s remains are still in Ravenna where he died during exile.
“Calcio Storico” Fiorentino is a combination of soccer, rugby and wrestling which originated in the 16th century. In modern times, the final match is still played on June 24 (Florence’s patron saint feast day) in historical costume on piazza Santa Croce. Four teams representing historical neighborhoods of the city play against each other. The four teams are: Santa Croce, Santo Spirito, Santa Maria Novella, and San Giovanni.
10) The Bargello (Art Museum)
The Bargello Art Museum is located in the Palazzo del Bargello. A former fortress and prison, its construction began in 1255 to house a military captain. In 1574, it became Florence’s police headquarters and remained so until 1859. The well-preserved building contains a beautiful, open courtyard, where executions once took place. Today it houses artworks by Michelangelo and, most notably, Donatello’s sensual bronze statue of David (1430).
