Halftime reached @Istituto Marangoni Florence

Workflow @Istituto Marangoni

Now that a few weeks have passed and we are halfway through the semester, I can tell you a bit more about my experience at
Istituto Marangoni. Since the semester is divided into 2 terms, we are now close to our first exams and project submissions. In the second week of January we have our exam period. Some subjects end in the first term, others extend into the second term. Still other subjects only start in the second term. At first, this was a little difficult to keep track of. Since we are the first foreign students in Florence at the Istituto Marangoni, not everything was always perfectly organised. Nevertheless, we had good correspondents who really made an effort to plan our stay well. I would rate the workflow at the Istituto Marangoni as relatively high and demanding. Since the lecturers come from the professional sphere and work for big luxury brands, the demands are correspondingly high, but you also get taught a lot. You shouldn’t come to the lessons unprepared and you are expected to produce a constant work output, which is discussed in every lesson. This means that the projects are under control from the start and you receive valuable tips and assistance from the lecturers. As a result, by the end of the deadlines, you’re pretty much done with the projects, but the workflow during the semester is really high. You should stick to it pretty well and fullfill all the requirements of the lecturer, as your participation is also taken into account in the grade. I can really report that I have been taught very well and that the projects are worked on in a very detailed and practical way. For the first term, we have to hand in 2 large project works, a presentation with additional oral discussion, a written exam and an essay. This has to be completed only for the first term.

Nightlife in Florence

But now for the more exciting part. Nightlife in Florence.
At the beginning it was really a bit hard to find the good bars and clubs, because due to Corona, everything is a bit more secret. But I would generally describe the nightlife in Florence as more relaxed. I got the impression that people in Florence prefer to go to bars and have a good time rather than dance and party for hours. People in Florence also prefer to stand outside the bar instead of squeezing inside. The most central and happening bar is Colle Boreto. They serve very good cocktails and a DJ provides good music and atmosphere. However, the bar is only the warm up, because the real party starts one floor up. Above the bar is a club guarded by strict bouncers who meticulously check the guest list. You can only get in here if the bouncers know you. For me, this is one of the best bars in Florence, because the people are selected much more carefully than in some other clubs and the vibe is much better as a result. The other, more commercial clubs are more outdoors and are currently only accessible with table reservations. If you want to have a drink and meet interesting people after a good dinner, I recommend the bar “Gosh”. It is very familiar and the bartenders are very friendly and recognise you if you come often. They play chilled lounge music and you can have a good time. The bar is not the right place for dancing.

Worth a visit

Finally, I suggest 3 really cool exhibitions that you should definitely visit. For fashion lovers, they are perfect and must be on the top of your bucket list in Florence. The Gucci Garden is really one of my favourites. Even if you’re not an avid Gucci lover, the exhibition is really worth experiencing. You will discover a new side of the brand and have fun understanding the different inspirations. The second exhibition is the one by Salvatore Ferragamo. Not quite as exciting as Gucci Garden, but also recommendable. Here you can see various silk scarves and shoe creations by Salvatore Ferragamo. After the exhibition, you can go straight to the store and be further inspired by the current creations. One of the most beautiful Ferragamo stores is definitely in Florence. The third exhibition we explored was Jeff Koons. Also a very interesting but unfortunately only temporary exhibition.