The 2026 Florence Art History and English trip started with an efficient departure from London City airport. Marshalled by teachers John Cameron, Richard Martin and Charlotte Burnett, we waved good-bye to the sugar factories and the sludgy River Thames estuary, the crew took off towards Tuscany, through the clouds and over the Alps (stunningly visible from our rather small plane). The European passport holders swiftly cleared customs and proceeded to stand in the most visible position at the end of the non EU-ers 20 minute queue. The trip from Florence airport to the actual city was considerably more beautiful as we rolled through the Tuscan landscape in our tram to the hotel. We concluded the day with a delicious dinner at the restaurant Zà Zà, all feeling a little smug thanks to John’s reservation as we marched past the queue trailing around the block.

Day one was dominated by the Florence Dome experience, as we climbed to the very top of Brunelleschi’s cupola and admired the views of the city, all the while being showered in relevant A level info from Richard and John. On the way down we marvelled at Vasari’s frescoes adorning the ceiling and pointed out the fun obscenities within his depictions of hell. Next, we moved onto the Museo di San Marco, and as lunch loomed and the sun beamed, everyone was very much looking forward to a sandwich in one of the scenic palazzos that seemed to be around literally every corner. Groups splintered off for their meals and re-convened to explore the Accademia Gallery, home of Michelangelo’s David, and the Palazzo Medici. With 20,000+ steps and at least 500 stairs climbed, the group dinner felt well deserved. For some however, not heeding John’s no seafood advice proved fatal and some frozen swordfish led to a 2am prayer session with the porcelain gods.

After dealing with some uncharacteristically bureaucratic Italian gallery workers who seemed convinced Mimi was not actually Mimi, day two got started with a chronological exploration of The Uffizi Gallery with John’s commentary radioed straight into our eager ears. The tour lasted well into the afternoon and all the big-ticket paintings were thoroughly analysed, from the International Gothic Gentile De Fabriano pieces all the way to the Baroque’s Caravaggio paintings. Another couple of thousand steps later the English and Art History teams split up. The Art Historians headed to the recently opened Opera Del Duomo Museum, where (to put it nicely) one of us was told off for somehow stealing their own sunglasses and told to prove their innocence with photographic evidence. Despite the overzealous security, the incredible Gates of Paradise and construction equipment for Brunelleschi’s dome, combined with some funny Radio John moments, meant that it was my highlight of the trip.