Join us to explore Florence, one of Italy’s most beautiful cities. This three-day tour is an opportunity to see some of the most famous Renaissance paintings, sculptures and buildings in context, with an expert art historian.
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
This course is an opportunity to view Renaissance paintings, sculpture, and architecture in situ. Discover Fra Angelico’s stunning frescoes for the monastery of San Marco. See Michelangelo’s tombs and his David. Admire the Brancacci Chapel and that feat of engineering - Brunelleschi’s dome. Hear the fascinating story of the Medici family then visit the world-famous Uffizi gallery to see Botticelli’s paintings.
Please note the following disclaimers before you book:
1. The course fee covers 3 full days guiding and tuition. It does not include flights, accommodation, meals etc. which you will be required to book independently. You will also need to independently purchase a Firenzecard (for entrance to museums), which is an additional €85 (approximately £75) as of June 2026. Please do not purchase this card until the course is confirmed with a minimum enrolment.
2. City Lit is not responsible for flight/travel cancellations or delays. Please ensure you have travel insurance. We strongly advise that you wait until the course is confirmed* before booking flight/travel accommodation.
3. This course requires a minimum enrolment to be *confirmed. You will be informed as soon as the course reaches it minimum enrolment (at least 8 weeks before course start date). Once confirmed, it will be exempt from our normal refunds and transfer policy. Please be aware of this before you make your booking.
4. You will be sent the itinerary within a week of the course start date. Please be aware that Florence museums and historic sites have different booking procedures and availability, so we are not likely able to provide the specific itinerary sooner than this.
What will we cover?
- The history and layout of the city and its patrons - Brunelleschi’s dome and church architecture - Developments in sculpture: Donatello, Ghiberti, and Michelangelo - The art of fresco: Fra Angelico, Masaccio - The Medici family and patronage.
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Recognise and identify key paintings, sculptures, fresco cycles, and buildings in Florence - Follow the connections in the development of sculpture from the Early to the High Renaissance - Describe the narratives in key fresco cycles - Describe the role of the Medici family in Florence and how they used patronage to reinforce their status.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
The course is open to all. No prior knowledge is required other than a general interest in art and architecture.
You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information, and will be invited to take part in group discussion.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
You will be taught through guided visits and discussions. There will be breaks throughout the day, as well as a break for lunch. The pace will be determined by the group.
This course will be held in Florence, Italy at various venues. There will be a reasonable amount of walking between venues. We cannot guarantee stools at venues. Offsite courses take place during public access hours. Tutors are not able to control sound levels or behaviours of visitors outside of the course group. Unless you are a wheelchair user, and have confirmed access details with us (as levels of access can vary between buildings), you will need to be able to walk between sites and stand for some time while looking at them (you may bring your own portable stool if you have one, but we cannot guarantee access to seating offsite.) If you feel you may be impacted by these environmental variations, please inform the department on humanities@citylit.ac.uk before the course begins, to discuss reasonable accommodations we can make to assist your learning in offsite.
You will be sent the itinerary within one week of the course start date. Please be aware that Florence historic sites have different booking procedures and availability, so we are not likely able to provide the specific itinerary sooner than this.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
The course covers three full days of guided visits. It does not include flights, accommodation, meals, travel insurance, etc. which you will be required to book independently. Please ensure you have travel insurance.
You will be required to book a Firenzecard - this is an unlimited museum/culture pass that is required to get into the venues we visit. You will need to purchase this Firenzecard, which is an additional €85 (approximately £75 exchange rate at time of course listing, subject to fluctuation); this price is dated June 2026. There are no refunds for this card. We advise you do not book the card until the course has been confirmed. Venues will be booked by the tutor, but you will need to show your Firenzecard to enter each venue as part of the group.
City Lit is not responsible for cancellations or fees related to bookings outside of our institution.
Please also make sure you bring comfortable shoes and something waterproof. There will be a reasonable amount of walking between venues and some looking at buildings from the outside. Please note you are responsible for getting yourself to and from meeting points so please bring a city map/app.
Once the course has confirmed enrolment minimum, it will be exempt from our normal refunds and transfer policy.
Dr Marie-Anne Mancio trained as an artist before gaining a D.Phil. from the University of Sussex for her thesis ‘Maps for Wayward Performers: feminist readings of contemporary live art practice in Britain’. She is an accredited NADFAS lecturer and has lectured on art, architecture, and cultural studies for Tate Modern, The Course, Art in London, London Art Studies, and the London Art Salon. She is an accredited Art Society lecturer. Fluent in Italian and French, she lectures on City Lit’s art history study trips abroad. She has led trips to Venice, Florence, Rome, Perugia, Assisi, Amsterdam, Paris, Madrid, and St. Petersburg. Since attaining an MPhil (Distinction) in Creative Writing from Glasgow University, her art practice has become primarily text-based, including a novel about four migrant women in antebellum America: ‘Whorticulture’.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
product
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/study-trip-glories-of-the-florentine-renaissance2488030Study trip: Glories of the Florentine Renaissancehttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/an-introduction-to-european-decorative-arts-at-the-v_a-vb909-1024.jpg799799GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Art history/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Art history/Art trips abroad22851136117715071228511771136Join us to explore Florence, one of Italy’s most beautiful cities. This three-day tour is an opportunity to see some of the most famous Renaissance paintings, sculptures and buildings in context, with an expert art historian.003075142Study trip: Glories of the Florentine Renaissance799799https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/an-introduction-to-european-decorative-arts-at-the-v_a-vb909-1024.jpgInStockDaytimeMon-WedOff SiteAvailable courses1 to 4 weeksWeekday2027-01-18T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allJan 2027Culture, history & humanitiesVB801799799Study trip: Glories of the Florentine Renaissance799799799Marie-Anne Manciostudy-trip-glories-of-the-florentine-renaissance/vb801-2627Join us to explore Florence, one of Italy’s most beautiful cities. This three-day tour is an opportunity to see some of the most famous Renaissance paintings, sculptures and buildings in context, with an expert art historian.0000-Available|2027-01-18 00:00:00<p>This course is an opportunity to view Renaissance paintings, sculpture, and architecture in situ. Discover Fra Angelico’s stunning frescoes for the monastery of San Marco. See Michelangelo’s tombs and his David. Admire the Brancacci Chapel and that feat of engineering - Brunelleschi’s dome. Hear the fascinating story of the Medici family then visit the world-famous Uffizi gallery to see Botticelli’s paintings.</p><p>Please note the following disclaimers before you book:<br><br>1. The course fee covers 3 full days guiding and tuition. It does not include flights, accommodation, meals etc. which you will be required to book independently. You will also need to independently purchase a Firenzecard (for entrance to museums), which is an additional €85 (approximately £75) as of June 2026. Please do not purchase this card until the course is confirmed with a minimum enrolment.</p><p>2. City Lit is not responsible for flight/travel cancellations or delays. Please ensure you have travel insurance. We strongly advise that you wait until the course is confirmed* before booking flight/travel accommodation.<br><br>3. This course requires a minimum enrolment to be *confirmed. You will be informed as soon as the course reaches it minimum enrolment (at least 8 weeks before course start date). Once confirmed, it will be exempt from our normal refunds and transfer policy. Please be aware of this before you make your booking.<br><br>4. You will be sent the itinerary within a week of the course start date. Please be aware that Florence museums and historic sites have different booking procedures and availability, so we are not likely able to provide the specific itinerary sooner than this.</p>Join us to explore Florence, one of Italy’s most beautiful cities. This three-day tour is an opportunity to see some of the most famous Renaissance paintings, sculptures and buildings in context, with an expert art historian.- The history and layout of the city and its patrons<br>- Brunelleschi’s dome and church architecture<br>- Developments in sculpture: Donatello, Ghiberti, and Michelangelo<br>- The art of fresco: Fra Angelico, Masaccio<br>- The Medici family and patronage.- Recognise and identify key paintings, sculptures, fresco cycles, and buildings in Florence<br>- Follow the connections in the development of sculpture from the Early to the High Renaissance<br>- Describe the narratives in key fresco cycles <br>- Describe the role of the Medici family in Florence and how they used patronage to reinforce their status.The course is open to all. No prior knowledge is required other than a general interest in art and architecture. <br> <br>You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information, and will be invited to take part in group discussion.<p>You will be taught through guided visits and discussions. There will be breaks throughout the day, as well as a break for lunch. The pace will be determined by the group.<br><br>This course will be held in Florence, Italy at various venues. There will be a reasonable amount of walking between venues. We cannot guarantee stools at venues. Offsite courses take place during public access hours. Tutors are not able to control sound levels or behaviours of visitors outside of the course group. Unless you are a wheelchair user, and have confirmed access details with us (as levels of access can vary between buildings), you will need to be able to walk between sites and stand for some time while looking at them (you may bring your own portable stool if you have one, but we cannot guarantee access to seating offsite.) If you feel you may be impacted by these environmental variations, please inform the department on humanities@citylit.ac.uk before the course begins, to discuss reasonable accommodations we can make to assist your learning in offsite.</p><p>You will be sent the itinerary within one week of the course start date. Please be aware that Florence historic sites have different booking procedures and availability, so we are not likely able to provide the specific itinerary sooner than this.</p><p>The course covers three full days of guided visits. It does not include flights, accommodation, meals, travel insurance, etc. which you will be required to book independently. Please ensure you have travel insurance.</p><p>You will be required to book a Firenzecard - this is an unlimited museum/culture pass that is required to get into the venues we visit. You will need to purchase this Firenzecard, which is an additional €85 (approximately £75 exchange rate at time of course listing, subject to fluctuation); this price is dated June 2026. There are no refunds for this card. We advise you do not book the card until the course has been confirmed. Venues will be booked by the tutor, but you will need to show your Firenzecard to enter each venue as part of the group.</p><p>City Lit is not responsible for cancellations or fees related to bookings outside of our institution.<br><br>Please also make sure you bring comfortable shoes and something waterproof. There will be a reasonable amount of walking between venues and some looking at buildings from the outside. Please note you are responsible for getting yourself to and from meeting points so please bring a city map/app.<br><br>Once the course has confirmed enrolment minimum, it will be exempt from our normal refunds and transfer policy.</p><p>Introduction to the Italian Renaissance</p><p>Michelangelo: the High Renaissance to Mannerism</p>Art historyArt trips abroadvirtual3075145Study trip: Glories of the Florentine Renaissance799799https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/an-introduction-to-european-decorative-arts-at-the-v_a-vb909-1024.jpgInStockDaytimeThu-SatOff SiteAvailable courses1 to 4 weeksWeekday2027-01-21T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allJan 2027Culture, history & humanitiesVB950799799Study trip: Glories of the Florentine Renaissance799799799Marie-Anne Manciostudy-trip-glories-of-the-florentine-renaissance/vb950-2627Join us to explore Florence, one of Italy’s most beautiful cities. This three-day tour is an opportunity to see some of the most famous Renaissance paintings, sculptures and buildings in context, with an expert art historian.0000-Available|2027-01-21 00:00:00<p>This course is an opportunity to view Renaissance paintings, sculpture, and architecture in situ. Discover Fra Angelico’s stunning frescoes for the monastery of San Marco. See Michelangelo’s tombs and his David. Admire the Brancacci Chapel and that feat of engineering - Brunelleschi’s dome. Hear the fascinating story of the Medici family then visit the world-famous Uffizi gallery to see Botticelli’s paintings.</p><p>Please note the following disclaimers before you book:<br><br>1. The course fee covers 3 full days guiding and tuition. It does not include flights, accommodation, meals etc. which you will be required to book independently. You will also need to independently purchase a Firenzecard (for entrance to museums), which is an additional €85 (approximately £75) as of June 2026. Please do not purchase this card until the course is confirmed with a minimum enrolment.</p><p>2. City Lit is not responsible for flight/travel cancellations or delays. Please ensure you have travel insurance. We strongly advise that you wait until the course is confirmed* before booking flight/travel accommodation.<br><br>3. This course requires a minimum enrolment to be *confirmed. You will be informed as soon as the course reaches it minimum enrolment (at least 8 weeks before course start date). Once confirmed, it will be exempt from our normal refunds and transfer policy. Please be aware of this before you make your booking.<br><br>4. You will be sent the itinerary within a week of the course start date. Please be aware that Florence museums and historic sites have different booking procedures and availability, so we are not likely able to provide the specific itinerary sooner than this.</p>Join us to explore Florence, one of Italy’s most beautiful cities. This three-day tour is an opportunity to see some of the most famous Renaissance paintings, sculptures and buildings in context, with an expert art historian.- The history and layout of the city and its patrons<br>- Brunelleschi’s dome and church architecture<br>- Developments in sculpture: Donatello, Ghiberti, and Michelangelo<br>- The art of fresco: Fra Angelico, Masaccio<br>- The Medici family and patronage.- Recognise and identify key paintings, sculptures, fresco cycles, and buildings in Florence<br>- Follow the connections in the development of sculpture from the Early to the High Renaissance<br>- Describe the narratives in key fresco cycles <br>- Describe the role of the Medici family in Florence and how they used patronage to reinforce their status.The course is open to all. No prior knowledge is required other than a general interest in art and architecture. <br> <br>You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information, and will be invited to take part in group discussion.<p>You will be taught through guided visits and discussions. There will be breaks throughout the day, as well as a break for lunch. The pace will be determined by the group.<br><br>This course will be held in Florence, Italy at various venues. There will be a reasonable amount of walking between venues. We cannot guarantee stools at venues. Offsite courses take place during public access hours. Tutors are not able to control sound levels or behaviours of visitors outside of the course group. Unless you are a wheelchair user, and have confirmed access details with us (as levels of access can vary between buildings), you will need to be able to walk between sites and stand for some time while looking at them (you may bring your own portable stool if you have one, but we cannot guarantee access to seating offsite.) If you feel you may be impacted by these environmental variations, please inform the department on humanities@citylit.ac.uk before the course begins, to discuss reasonable accommodations we can make to assist your learning in offsite.</p><p>You will be sent the itinerary within one week of the course start date. Please be aware that Florence historic sites have different booking procedures and availability, so we are not likely able to provide the specific itinerary sooner than this.</p><p>The course covers three full days of guided visits. It does not include flights, accommodation, meals, travel insurance, etc. which you will be required to book independently. Please ensure you have travel insurance.</p><p>You will be required to book a Firenzecard - this is an unlimited museum/culture pass that is required to get into the venues we visit. You will need to purchase this Firenzecard, which is an additional €85 (approximately £75 exchange rate at time of course listing, subject to fluctuation); this price is dated June 2026. There are no refunds for this card. We advise you do not book the card until the course has been confirmed. Venues will be booked by the tutor, but you will need to show your Firenzecard to enter each venue as part of the group.</p><p>City Lit is not responsible for cancellations or fees related to bookings outside of our institution.<br><br>Please also make sure you bring comfortable shoes and something waterproof. There will be a reasonable amount of walking between venues and some looking at buildings from the outside. Please note you are responsible for getting yourself to and from meeting points so please bring a city map/app.<br><br>Once the course has confirmed enrolment minimum, it will be exempt from our normal refunds and transfer policy.</p><p>Introduction to the Italian Renaissance</p><p>Michelangelo: the High Renaissance to Mannerism</p>Art historyArt trips abroadvirtual799799799VB801,VB950NONEMon-Wed,Thu-Sat18/01/27 - 20/01/2710:30 - 16:3010:3016:303 sessions31 to 4 weeksDaytimeWeekdayOSOff SiteMarie-Anne MancioBeginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allAvailable courses2027-01-18T00:00:00+00:00,2027-01-21T00:00:00+00:00Jan 2027Culture, history & humanities799799Study trip: Glories of the Florentine Renaissancestudy-trip-glories-of-the-florentine-renaissance/vb801-2627,study-trip-glories-of-the-florentine-renaissance/vb950-2627Join us to explore Florence, one of Italy’s most beautiful cities. This three-day tour is an opportunity to see some of the most famous Renaissance paintings, sculptures and buildings in context, with an expert art historian.0000-Available|2027-01-18 00:00:00<p>This course is an opportunity to view Renaissance paintings, sculpture, and architecture in situ. Discover Fra Angelico’s stunning frescoes for the monastery of San Marco. See Michelangelo’s tombs and his David. Admire the Brancacci Chapel and that feat of engineering - Brunelleschi’s dome. Hear the fascinating story of the Medici family then visit the world-famous Uffizi gallery to see Botticelli’s paintings.</p><p>Please note the following disclaimers before you book:<br><br>1. The course fee covers 3 full days guiding and tuition. It does not include flights, accommodation, meals etc. which you will be required to book independently. You will also need to independently purchase a Firenzecard (for entrance to museums), which is an additional €85 (approximately £75) as of June 2026. Please do not purchase this card until the course is confirmed with a minimum enrolment.</p><p>2. City Lit is not responsible for flight/travel cancellations or delays. Please ensure you have travel insurance. We strongly advise that you wait until the course is confirmed* before booking flight/travel accommodation.<br><br>3. This course requires a minimum enrolment to be *confirmed. You will be informed as soon as the course reaches it minimum enrolment (at least 8 weeks before course start date). Once confirmed, it will be exempt from our normal refunds and transfer policy. Please be aware of this before you make your booking.<br><br>4. You will be sent the itinerary within a week of the course start date. Please be aware that Florence museums and historic sites have different booking procedures and availability, so we are not likely able to provide the specific itinerary sooner than this.</p>Join us to explore Florence, one of Italy’s most beautiful cities. This three-day tour is an opportunity to see some of the most famous Renaissance paintings, sculptures and buildings in context, with an expert art historian.- The history and layout of the city and its patrons<br>- Brunelleschi’s dome and church architecture<br>- Developments in sculpture: Donatello, Ghiberti, and Michelangelo<br>- The art of fresco: Fra Angelico, Masaccio<br>- The Medici family and patronage.- Recognise and identify key paintings, sculptures, fresco cycles, and buildings in Florence<br>- Follow the connections in the development of sculpture from the Early to the High Renaissance<br>- Describe the narratives in key fresco cycles <br>- Describe the role of the Medici family in Florence and how they used patronage to reinforce their status.The course is open to all. No prior knowledge is required other than a general interest in art and architecture. <br> <br>You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information, and will be invited to take part in group discussion.<p>You will be taught through guided visits and discussions. There will be breaks throughout the day, as well as a break for lunch. The pace will be determined by the group.<br><br>This course will be held in Florence, Italy at various venues. There will be a reasonable amount of walking between venues. We cannot guarantee stools at venues. Offsite courses take place during public access hours. Tutors are not able to control sound levels or behaviours of visitors outside of the course group. Unless you are a wheelchair user, and have confirmed access details with us (as levels of access can vary between buildings), you will need to be able to walk between sites and stand for some time while looking at them (you may bring your own portable stool if you have one, but we cannot guarantee access to seating offsite.) If you feel you may be impacted by these environmental variations, please inform the department on humanities@citylit.ac.uk before the course begins, to discuss reasonable accommodations we can make to assist your learning in offsite.</p><p>You will be sent the itinerary within one week of the course start date. Please be aware that Florence historic sites have different booking procedures and availability, so we are not likely able to provide the specific itinerary sooner than this.</p><p>The course covers three full days of guided visits. It does not include flights, accommodation, meals, travel insurance, etc. which you will be required to book independently. Please ensure you have travel insurance.</p><p>You will be required to book a Firenzecard - this is an unlimited museum/culture pass that is required to get into the venues we visit. You will need to purchase this Firenzecard, which is an additional €85 (approximately £75 exchange rate at time of course listing, subject to fluctuation); this price is dated June 2026. There are no refunds for this card. We advise you do not book the card until the course has been confirmed. Venues will be booked by the tutor, but you will need to show your Firenzecard to enter each venue as part of the group.</p><p>City Lit is not responsible for cancellations or fees related to bookings outside of our institution.<br><br>Please also make sure you bring comfortable shoes and something waterproof. There will be a reasonable amount of walking between venues and some looking at buildings from the outside. Please note you are responsible for getting yourself to and from meeting points so please bring a city map/app.<br><br>Once the course has confirmed enrolment minimum, it will be exempt from our normal refunds and transfer policy.</p><p>Introduction to the Italian Renaissance</p><p>Michelangelo: the High Renaissance to Mannerism</p>Art historyArt trips abroadconfigurable
15071136Art trips abroadhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/art-history/art-trips-abroad1/2/285/1177/1136/15071/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Art history/Art trips abroad
