Day 6 - Siena and San Gimignano

As soon as I stop and call the students to assemble for a group photo, they all simultaneously cry out "for the blog!!!" so here are our photos of Siena and San Gimignano.

We spent an hour or so milling around the beautiful town of Siena, some students relaxing in the Campo, others shopping, some visiting the Cathedral and the more energetic ones climbed the 400 steps to the top of the town hall tower to admire the view. We ate lunch at Trattoria Gallo Nero, a medieval restaurant where the staff was dressed in medieval Sienese costumes. After sampling the local ice-cream, we headed back to the coach and after a 50 minute drive we arrived in San Gimignano, for more ice-cream! Some students just had to visit the torture museums while others strolled around the beautiful medieval town!and then relaxed in the quaint piazza. We were back on the bus late afternoon and after an hour\'s drive back in Florence. The evening was spent packing.

Florence - Day 5

Museo San Marco
Archaeological Lab

A full day starting with an early visit to Museo San Marco, the Domenican monastery and once the home of Beato Fra Angelico who decorated each cell with a beautiful mural depicting scenes of the life of Christ.

We headed towards SACI, an American school of fine art, design, conservation and restoration and after a short introduction to the school, the history students headed to the State Archaeological Laboratory while the Art students spent the morning learning different techniques in conservation and restoration: patching canvases, retouching, gilding, plastering and painting using the egg tempera medium.

The history students were shown round the archaelogical laboratory and saw archaeologists working on Etruscan tombs. They also saw other artifacts all being restored.

We the joined the art students for lunch back in the centre of town, after which we split up into the respective art and history groups. The history group visited the Museo do Galileo, while it was the Art students\' turn to visit the Archaeological lab.

Although exhausted from all the cultural events, they always seem to find new found resources of energy for a spot of shopping, most of the students ably assisted by the teachers making sure that the presents they\'re buying will be well received by their parents.

Back at the hostel for supper, games and a spot of dancing and day 5 ended with the students a bit more tired, more satisfied, and looking forward to our trip to Siena and San Gimignano tomorrow.

Florence - Day 4

Ice-cream treat

Posing in front of Ghiberti\'s doors of the Baptistry
In the baptistry
Piazza della Signoria
A typical evening at the Hostel

We started the day with 9am Mass at the Duomo, and as we had a few minutes to spare we all headed for a Grom ice-cream and this, not because breakfast is frugal, but because we are on holiday! After visiting the Baptistry we spent an hour relaxing around Piazza della Signoria admiring the stunning sculptures around the Piazza and La Loggia. The favourite is always CelliniBlogThis!