Istituto Avventista Villa Aurora is situated in an original Renaissance villa in a 2 1/2 acre park on a hillside at Careggi in suburban Florence, the main city of Tuscany and one of the most beautiful provinces in Italy, rich in history and art. The villa is of great architectural value and beauty dating from the late 1300's, and is surrounded by a variety of valuable trees several hundred years old. The surroundings offer an ideal environment for study and various cultural and recreational activities as well as serenity and quietness.

Opened in 1940, the school offers both government-recognized junior college level studies in theology plus language courses. A coeducational institution with an average class size of 15, the school family consists of about 100 members during the regular academic year. Summer enrollments are much smaller, but are drawn from students from Europe, the Americas and other points of the globe.

The 15,000 volume library is under constant development making various works of Italian and foreign literature, history, sciences, books on ecology, and documents and books dealing with theology within easy reach. A moderate amount of education subsidies is dedicated to the development of the audiovisual department. The great resources of the museums, palaces, and churches of Florence provide extended opportunities for students to learn the culture of Italy and this city so vital to the birth of the renaissance and western civilization.

A computer classroom, video library, multi-purpose athletic field (tennis, basketball, and volleyball) and a student cafeteria which features a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet in the best of Italian culinary traditions complement the first-class instruction provided by the Institutes' qualified faculty and staff. Villa Aurora is known for its good food. There is an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables in the cuisine and no pre-cooked food is served. Everything is prepared in the clean, modern kitchen of the cafeteria and results in abundant breakfasts, hearty luncheons and light suppers. Students learn to cook many Italian recipes as part of their program.

A new, large classroom building opened in the 1995-96 school year. Students attend most of their courses in the morning except, sometimes, on Tuesday afternoons when they have extra lectures on Italian art and culture in preparation for all-day outings which will take them to such places as Cinque Terre, Siena, the Chianti Region, Rome, Venice, Pisa, Lucca and the Tyrrhenian Seaside.

Taking advantage of their location in the center of the Italian Renaissance, Villa Aurora students will focus on the significance of Etruscan, Roman, medieval and renaissance eras to Italian and western culture and make numerous visits to local as well as national art treasures. Each week special recreational events are planned as well as Sabbath outings to beautiful countryside locations. Students find the city of Florence readily accessible ($0.80, 20 minutes by city bus).

Entering Italy: Citizens of US, Canada, and European Union Countries, do not require a visa to enter Italy and stay up to 90 days. However, you need a valid passport (valid for at least three months longer than your stay abroad). Citizens of other nationalities require a tourist/visitor visa. Please check your Italian consulate's Web page for more information.

The school is easily accessible by road, train and air. By road: Toll road (autostrada) exit (uscital): Firenze Nord. Follow signs to Careggi Hospital (Ospedale). Once you reach the main entrance of Careggi Hospital, turn right for about 100 m. Via del Pergolino starts winding up the hill to the left. After branching off to the left, it becomes a one-way street. About 300 m. further up is the entrance to Villa Aurora, on the right side of the road. Parking is available on campus.

By Train: From the train station, take bus number 14 in the direction of Careggi. Get off at the Morgagni 8 bus stop. This stop is located on a rounabout, across from two small restaurants and a tiny newspaper shop called 'La Nazione.' You will exit the bus on the right side of the road. Follow the sidewalk straight ahead, around a slight curve to the right and continue walking.  After a short walk, the road will widen and you will see the entrance to the hospital ahead as you walk straight on the left side of the road.  In front of the hospital entrance, turn to the left.  The road will then split into a'Y.'  Take the road to the left, up a long hill called 'Via del Pergolino.'  About 300 meters up the road is the entrance to Villa Aurora on the right side of the road.

By Air:  Students are advised to avoid using the Milan airport.  The Pisa international airport is connected by bus or train with the Florence main railway station (every 30 minutes).  Students may also make international connections and arrive at the local airport in Florence usually at a higher price, but much easier and safer.

Students who have sent their Notice of Arrival Form ahead of time and arrive at either the Florence central train station or the Florence airport will have free transportation at first arrival and at departure. A Notice of Arrival Form is provided in the admission packet. Please e-mail or fax this information to the Director at Villa Aurora. See page 6. Also, you can go to the ACA web page, click on Preparing to Travel, Arrival Form, and submit your arrival information directly to the international ACA program director.

Students enrolled in the ACA program are permitted to stay at the campus, with no additional charge, if you arrive two days earlier than the published arrival date, and/or if you stay two days after the published departure date.  Provided that space is available and students make the proper reservation with the administration ahead of time, an additional charge will be required for any days exceeding this grace period.

Two residence halls provide separate housing for men and women. In recent years the residence halls, kitchen and dining room have been remodeled to better serve students. New showers and bathing facilities provide hot and cold water. During the summer time, it will not always be possible for ACA students to room with an Italian roommate, but the administration will try to avoid placing two ACA students in the same room. Depending on summer enrollments there will be two or three students per room. A brand new men’s dorm has just been inaugurated. The rooms are very modern and comfortable and each room includes a private bath.

These are the average high and low temperatures at Florence for the summer months:
June       82/45°F (28/7°C)
July         88/48°F (31/9°C)
August   84/45°F (29/7°C)

From 7:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., the campus may be reached by phone, fax and e-mail.
Inside Italy: 055-41-20-14 or Fax: 055-41-27-97
From outside Italy: 39-055-41-20-14 or Fax: 39-055-41-27-97
E-mail: dip.lingue@villaaurora.it

All students must participate in the outings designated as cultural tours. These tours are an integral part of the instructional program. Record will be taken and specific assignments given. Students' completion of these assignments and positive participation in the tours will affect their overall grade in courses for which they are enrolled.