Cecil Pinsent and his Gardens in Tuscany
September 18th, 2026
Exploring the gardens of Villa I Tatti, Villa Le Balze, Villa Medici and Villa La Foce…
Villa Le Balze News
Summer Renovations at Villa Le Balze Prompt Changes and Excitement for Students
September 24th, 2025
On a breezy afternoon below the Tuscan sun, Georgetown University’s property sits above Florence in the neighboring city of Fiesole to welcome summer session students.…
New Project Creates Updated Learning Spaces at Villa Le Balze
May 5th, 2025
Start Date: May 2025 End Date: September 2025 Project Status: Active Construction Operations: No on-site activitiesVisits: By appointment only Description Built in 1912 and donated to…
The Tuscan Tradition of Carnevale di Viareggio: An Exploration of Italian Culture
April 7th, 2025
Just a short train ride away from Florence you’ll find the town of Viareggio, whose calming waves invite tourists all year round. However, there’s one time of year when the quaint beach town turns into a mile-long party – Carnevale.…
The Scents of Time: Visiting Florence’s Historic Pharmacy
March 3rd, 2025
The scent might hit you before anything else – a mix of fresh herbs, aged wood, and something floral yet familiar. When you step inside the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella…
Placing the Pieces and People Together
December 17th, 2024
The students stepped into a world of Florentine mosaics, a craft as intricate as the city itself.…
Guitar Notes and Garden Roots
November 27th, 2024
Villa Le Balze’s newest connection with the larger community of Florence is a friendship that bridges together music, nature, and community. In April……
A New Welcome: Modernizing Villa Le Balze While Preserving Its Legacy
October 23rd, 2024
Exciting updates and renovations were completed at Villa Le Balze! In order to create more student spaces that take advantage of the beautiful gardens, work began to renovate and repurpose the Limonaia.…
Honeymoon to Acceptance: VLB Students Reflect on Italian Culture Shock
September 20th, 2024
Culture shock is an unavoidable part of studying abroad, so we asked former VLB students about their experience with culture shock in Italy! …
Experiencing Modern Italy
March 25th, 2024
From Morocco to Italy to Syria, the Mediterranean Sea is a hotbed of events for historians, and historians-to-be, to explore. Prof. Mustafa Aksakal discusses the importance of Modern Italian history through the courses he’s teaching at Villa Le Balze.…