Unique Private Visits Mingle with Must-See Sites during Tours of Florence, Siena, Bologna, and Ravenna

Even Decorative Arts Trust members who have traveled to Tuscany were impressed and inspired by the sites we visited during the October 2024 Study Trip Abroad to Florence and Siena, with an Extension to Bologna and Ravenna. An itinerary filled with spectacular scenery and museums, including little-known but exceptional collections, also featured a selection of private homes that combined luxurious settings with charming hospitality.

Florence and Radda in Chianti

The tour began with an informative lecture by expert Elizabeth Namack at our headquarters, the Hotel Savoy, located on Florence’s famed Piazza della Repubblica. Then Elizabeth led a walking tour of the famed Battistero di San Giovanni and the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, which houses two Ghiberti baptistery doors and sculptures by Michaelangelo and Donatello. The Capella dei Magi in the Palazzo Medici Riccardi awed us with the Benozzo Gozzoli’s c. 1459 cycle of gorgeous frescos. The day concluded with a warm and welcoming dinner of Tuscan fare to recount the day’s activities and get to know fellow travelers.

Our second day in Florence included visits to the Museo Stibbert and its arms and armor collection —amazing in its scale, variety and creative display. The Opificio delle Pietre Dure institute’s gallery of mosaics was paired with the Scarpelli Mosaici pietre dure workshop, each shaping our appreciation of the history and craftsmanship of this unique Florentine decorative art practice. We also experienced the Villa La Pietra’s Acton Collection of paintings and decorative arts, carefully stewarded by New York University. The day ended with an elegant dinner at the privately-owned c. 1591 Palazzo Corsini, where we were kindly welcomed by Donna Sabina Corsini. An exploration of the immense and spectacular collection at the Palazzo Pitti kicked off the third day of our program. A restorative lunch at a private home boasting the largest European garden located within historic city walls prepared us for a striking afternoon visit to the Chiesa di Santa Maria del Carmine, where we saw the Cappella Brancacci, known for impressive ceiling paintings and frescos. The next day, we examined numerous masterpieces at the Museo Nazionale del Bargello, including Raphel’s triumphant bronze of David and Giambologna’s Flying Mercury. At Museo Horne, we studied an exquisite collection of furniture, sculpture, and paintings. Following a lunch which concluded with a reinvigorating serving of tiramisu, we ambled through the Piazzale degli Uffizi, the Piazza della Signoria, and the Basilica di Santa Croce, before paying homage to the life and artistry of Michelangelo at Casa Buonarroti.

Our final site visit in Florence was Antico Setificio, a workshop preserving the Renaissance art of silk weaving. We were awestruck by the antique looms, learned about Leonardo Da Vinci’s contributions to weaving machinery, and even inspired to purchase our own silk products to take home. We settled in for a scenic drive to Siena, stopping en route at Radda in Chianti, where we enjoyed a fun and delicious lunch at La Penisola, the private residence of two longtime Trust members.

Siena, Montalcino, and Pienza

Upon arrival in Siena, a visit to the Palazzo Chigi Zondadari impressed us with their ceiling and wall decoration and their collection of furniture, as well as their view of the Campo! The next day began with a short walk to the city’s famed Palazzo Pubblico followed by a look at the impressive collections of the Archivo di Stato di Siena, where we saw historic texts and documents, including a record written in 736. We enjoyed special permission to visit the Onda Contrada Museum and learned about Siena’s immensely popular biannual horse race called Il Palio, a tradition dating back to 1633. A hearty lunch of local specialties prepared us for a full afternoon of visits to Siena’s spectacular public spaces, including its dizzyingly-beautiful Duomo, Baptistery, and Libreria Piccolomini. Our afternoon in Siena concluded with viewing the frescoes of the Ospedale Santa Maria della Scala. We drove slightly out of town to enjoy a splendid dinner and local wines with Conte Andrew Boscu Bandinello at his picturesque Villa di Geggiano winery.

The next day, we departed Siena to explore several stunning sites in the Tuscan countryside. The Abbazia di Sant’Antimo has elements dating to the 9th century, with a series of additions and renovations throughout the years. Stopping in charming Montalcino, we enjoyed the collection of the Museo Civico e Diocesano d’Arte Sacra in the Chiesa di Sant’Agostino. After lunch, we continued to the La Foce estate, on the hills overlooking the Val d’Orcia, a uniquely intact valley in Southern Tuscany and a UNESCO World Heritage site. On the final day of the Study Trip Abroad, we explored the gorgeous 14th-century Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore and the nearby 15th-century Castello di Cosona. A walking tour in Pienza led to awe-inspiring tours of the Duomo di Pienza, followed by a visit to the Palazzo Piccolomini with its stunning courtyard. We recounted stories, swapped favorite moments, and said “cin cin!” to Tuscany with a cheerful closing dinner.

Bologna and Ravenna

After the main tour concluded, some members continued to Bologna for our Extension. The exploration began with a guided walking tour and an exploration of the decorative arts holdings at the Collezioni Comunali d’Arte in the Palazzo d’Accursio. We continued to the Archiginnasio, with its striking 1636 anatomical theatre.

The next day opened with a delightful visit to the Museo Internazionale e Biblioteca della Musica, housed in the Palazzo Aldini Sanguinetti. The palace, erected in 1559–66 and later updated in the Neoclassical style, features late-18th and early-19th-century frescos as backdrops for Giovanni Battista Martini’s impressive collection of instruments and paintings, as well as live musical performances! After a visit to a private site and lunch at the beautifully frescoed Palazzo Cospi, we experienced the wonders of the Santa Maria della Vita. Founded in the late 13th century, the church was rebuilt in 1687–90 and is known for its Baroque grandeur. The day ended at the stunning 14th-century Basilica di San Petronio, one of the most remarkable brick ecclesiastical structures in existence.

Traveling to Faenza, we visited the striking Palazzo Milzetti, designed by architect Giuseppe Pistocchi and finished c. 1796, and then opened as the National Museum of the Neoclassical Age in Romagna in 2001. The painted rooms and furnishings were superb. We continued to the nearby Teatro Masini opera house, constructed between 1780 and 1787, to admire the remarkable interior decoration.

In Ravenna, we explored early Christian and Byzantine architecture to appreciate the range of extraordinary mosaics found there. With guided tours of the c. 425 Oratoria di Galla Placidia, the c. 526–47 San Vitale, the c. 450–75 Baptisterio Neoniano, the Museo Arcivescovile contained within Ravenna’s Duomo complex, and the early-6th-century Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, we were amazed by the artistry of the craftspeople who executed the mosaic designs as well as the evolution of these religious buildings as the rulers of Ravenna evolved over time.

The final day of the Extension returned us to Bologna’s environs, as we explored a number of breathtaking villas and a gorgeous palazzo. We began by visiting the 18th-century Villa Pallavicini, known for its Ionic portico and enfilade of rooms decorated with frescos, and then we continued to the 17th-century Villa Garagnani, which features Neoclassical stucco work and some of its original terrazzo floors. The afternoon featured tours of Villa Aldrovandi Mazzacorati with its gorgeous theatre as well as Palazzo Albergati, a lavishly decorated 17th-century retreat with frescos by Angelo Michele Colonna and Giacomo Alboresi. In San Marino di Bentivoglio, a farewell dinner at the stunning 16th-century Villa La Paleotta was the perfect ending to an enchanting program!

More photos from this program—as well as videos—are available on our Facebook and Instagram pages. Learn about the Decorative Arts Trust’s upcoming Study Trips Abroad and other programs on our Calendar of Events. We encourage those interested in these programs to consider becoming an Ambassador or Champion member to receive early registration benefits. Our Study Trips Abroad sell out quickly!