Prato and Pistoia

Of all the field trips we've taken so far with the Florence program, our trip to Prato and Pistoia was by far the most laid-back and enjoyable. Because the main attractions of both these towns (in terms of Renaissance art is concerned) can be concentrated into a survey of pulpits in churches that are located fairly close together, we spent less time going from place to place and more time enjoying the towns and soaking in the lessons.

Pistoia, in particular was a real joy to visit. Very quaint and not-touristy, it offered many of the same benefits of Florence while allowing us to get out of the hustle and bustle of the Florence city center for a while.

One uniquely fun part of the trip was getting a small tour from a guide who spoke only in Italian. It was surprising how much we could actually catch on to, and for the trickier things, Katharina gladly translated for us. Overall, it made me feel a bit better about how the Italian language-learning is going.