Italian Interlude

In 1909, Frank Lloyd Wright fled his family life in Oak Park for Europe: First, to Berlin — to produce a monograph of the architect’s finest work for publisher Ernst Wasmuth — then, to Italy. When he reached Florence, he found the refuge he was looking for in Villino Belvedere — “In ancient Fiesole, far above the romantic city of cities, Florence, in a little cream-white villa on the Via Verdi apartment” — where he stayed until 1910 with his “soul mate” Mamah Borthwick Cheney. There, he worked on the Wasmuth Portfolio and designed an artist’s studio (which was never built) while soaking up the unique melding of art and architecture that is so prevalent in Italy. This important period of self-exile created an opportunity to work on hillside locations that expanded his ideas beyond the flatness of the prairie to greater heights of organic architecture, paving the way for later creations such as Taliesin and Fallingwater.

Forty years later, in 1951, Wright returned to Italy for the inauguration of an exhibition of his works at Palazzo Strozzi in Florence. His second stay inspired young architects and left a mark on post-war Italian architecture, particularly the “Florentine School,” which included Leonardo Ricci, Franco Bonaiuti and Giovanni Michelucci.

Architect and professor Paolo Bulletti — who, with Roberta Bencini, curated Frank Lloyd Wright a Fiesole: Cento Anni Dopo, a 2010 exhibition (and accompanying book) commemorating the centennial of Wright’s time in this idyllic town — introduces us to his native land-and-cityscapes to experience firsthand the harmony between man, architecture, and nature that so inspired Wright.

This seven-night, eight-day journey starts with a taste of Rome’s ancient, classic, and modern architecture, including Paolo Portoghesi’s Casa Baldi and MAXXI by Zaha Hadid. Then, we proceed to the great city of Florence and the green and golden hills of Tuscany, visiting Fiesole and the Chianti wine region. Stay at historic hotels and enjoy curator-led tours, Roman and Tuscan cuisine, and breathtaking scenery on this special inaugural journey to Italy.

Frank Lloyd Wright Trust Members: $8,295 per person, double occupancy
General: $8,795 per person, double occupancy
Single Supplement: $1,695
Airfare not included