We arrived in Florence on Thursday and after a quick pit stop in our hostel, we were on our way up the Duomo. Climbing up the 463 steps led us to some amazing views of the city and gave us an insight into how the Duomo was constructed, with its herringbone brickwork creating a self-reinforcing structure. Our second day started with a Maths and Science focused tour led by our wonderful guide, Francesca. As we walked around Florence, she pointed out the many relevant statues of mathematicians and scientists, like Galileo and Da Vinci and discussed the importance of the patronage offered by the Medici family, the ruling family of Florence during the renaissance. After a quick break by the pool at the hostel, we went out again in the afternoon to the Uffizi, observing artworks by the likes of Botticelli, Caravaggio and Raphael. Our final museum of the day was the Galleria dell’Academia so see Michaelangelo’s David. In constructing David, Michelangelo paid special attention to human anatomy with small details such as the bulging veins on David’s hand. We ended the day with a meal of pasta and tiramisu.

The third day was started with a trip to the interactive Leonardo Da Vinci museum where we observed many models of his famous failed flying machines and even some of his writings and notes. What captivated many of us most was the challenge to build a bridge with only sticks and building Archimedean polyhedra with 2D shapes. After some authentic Italian sandwiches, we crossed the Arno to the Pitti Palace, where we explored the Medici’s art collection and rooms, taking note of the classical themes in each room. Also included in our visit was a trip around the Boboli Gardens, where we hiked our way to the top and observed the palace and the rest of Florence.

Our final day in Florence began with a fascinating guided tour Museo Galileo. We learnt about a variety of ancient of astronomical and meteorological instruments. Some of our favourites included Galileo’s first telescopes, his actual finger preserved as a relic, and learning how some of the earliest thermometers worked. Our final activity was climbing up to the Piazzale Michelangelo to enjoy the panoramic views of Florence. At this point the heat was beating us, so, after a quick water break, we made our way to the airport and ended our Italian adventure. Over the four days, we learnt a lot about Maths and Science, as well as Mr Taylor’s haggling skills. Thank you very much to Ms Ramage for organising the trip and guiding us, with the phrase ‘Follow Ramage!’ becoming very familiar, and Mr Taylor and Ms Stansfield for making the trip possible.

Katie – Year 12