Reliving the Renaissance

A turning point in Europe's history is the Renaissance which started in Italy. A new search for greatness, the good life and true learning. This Pascal Experience will make you relive the excitement of those famous Renaissance men: in Florence, studying great texts and having deep conversations.

During Reliving the Renaissance, you will read The Book of the Courtier written by Baldassar Castiglione. You will learn why this Italian can rightly be seen as the standard-bearer of the Renaissance, and why many are still inspired by this book. In conversation with other participants, you will consider power and ethics, virtue and vice, the meaning of sprezzatura, of etiquette, of literature. 

Besides Castiglione, we will read some passages from Machiavelli's Il Principe and see to what extent this Florentine author belongs to the Renaissance and how he also breaks with it.

Led by Dr. Jordi Wiersma, you will travel to the city of beauty, where you will study these books at beautiful locations. You will alternate this with good conversations while enjoying Italian wine and Florentine food. You will return home with new insights about politics, human life and the good.

On Thursday afternoon you will arrive in Florence. With an autumn sun you drive into the city of Dante on your way to the hotel where you can settle in before a small aperitivo followed by dinner. You will get to know the other participants, teacher and already some key ideas from Il libro del cortegiano, which you have already read in preparation once. 

On Friday, the real work begins. After a modest Italian breakfast there will be an intensive morning seminar in which you will read together, try to understand the text better and respond to the questions of the teacher and the questions you pose each other. The world of Castiglione, Machiavelli and the Renaissance will open up before you, as well as the question of power. What is the essence of politics? How does a good leader act?

After the pranzo you have free time, to walk through the city, have another caffè. You will need the energy to continue reading together for a few hours in the afternoon as well.

We enter the Friday evening. A Pascal Amuse will bring you to current events. After a good dinner and beautiful evening on a beautiful Florentine rooftop terrace, you will go to bed.

Saturday is pretty much like Friday. Reading in the morning, but with another intellectual, though relaxing, assignment in the afternoon. This time in another special place in Florence. This will be an experience to remember.

Sunday we close, starting the day a little later, but definitely still doing some reading. We close the weekend with a real Sunday lunch. From that place we take the taxi to the airport, back home.