From Etruscan village to small Roman outpost, from the Middle Ages of Dante to the Renaissance of Brunelleschi, Giotto, Botticelli and Michelangelo, the changes of history have created many Florences. Florence has been—and continues to be—the home of artists, writers and philosophers who cast a new light on Western culture. Between the pages of books, beneath layers of plaster and paint, and within the many strata of the city's narrow streets, students on the Sarah Lawrence program challenge and sharpen their intellectual skills as they encounter the complexities of Florence past and present.

Begun in 1986, Sarah Lawrence's Florence program hosts no more than 35 students. The program motivates students to extend themselves, placing participants in the midst of Italians at work and play—not in isolation with other English-speaking students. It offers one of the most genuine, intimate experiences of living and learning abroad through cultural immersion.

You become part of an Italian family, spending your days like a native of the city, studying just as Italian students do, traversing the city's streets in both sun and rain, embracing with all of your senses the unforgettable ambience. As you make friendships with fellow students and professors in the center's courtyard and beyond, you also form a lifelong relationship with the culture itself, one that will enrich you both academically and personally.

"I had a blast in Florence! Definitely the best semester since I started college. Of all the places I could have gone in Italy, I am convinced Florence was the best choice. Florence has everything one can be looking for in a European city: art, music, piazzas, people from all over the world, and tons of fun. From churches to late night bars, Florence has the perfect mix of culture and fun. If you want it, Florence has it."
—Efren C. Olivares, University of Pennsylvania