Date: July 17, 2024
Location: Castiglion Fiorentino
Blogger: Caitlin Dorn ’26 (MSC FLI Chair)
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Ciao!
Today was our first full day in Castiglion Fiorentino. We started our day with breakfast at the hotel before joining our tour guide for a walking tour of the city. We learned about the city’s history and briefly stopped at yet another church dedicated to St. Francis before making our way to the archeological museum. In the museum, we saw many interesting Etruscan artifacts including painted pottery, fishing nets, and oil lamps. We were also able to see the ruins of an Etruscan temple.
Next door to the archaeological museum was the Church of St. Michael the Archangel which had also been converted to a museum. The highlights of this museum included a Pieta and several beautiful reliquaries adorned with jewels. This museum also featured a small art gallery that featured religious art ranging from Byzantine to Rococo styles. It was a nice preview of what we are to see at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence in a few days! We concluded the tour with a quick stop at the Chiesa del Gesu. It of course housed beautiful artwork as well. We also learned this church happens to be one of the only ones open in Castiglion Fiorentino due to a shortage of priests.
Following the walking tour, we all had lunch together at the Garden Bistrot located near the town center. I had a delicious crostone which is like a thin pizza without the sauce. After lunch, we had a few hours of free time. I opted to grab some gelato before heading to the grocery store to pick up some chocolate and snacks to bring back home.
Later on, Pat and I gave our last two presentations on opportunities and leadership organizations at A&M. Dinner followed shortly thereafter. We got a small taste of home today with the menu featuring cheeseburgers, fries, and ice cream. After dinner, we enjoyed a little bit more free time before heading to bed and preparing for a great day in Arezzo tomorrow!