Welcome to Marist Italy Housing

Hi! I’m Veronica Ranucci, the Resident Director (RD) of Marist Italy in Florence.

I was born and raised in Florence and I am deeply in love with the city of my birth. At the same time, I’ve always loved travelling and I’ve had the good fortune to have travelled abroad several times both for study and work. So, I’m aware of the challenges and anxieties of moving to and living in another country: the language barrier, the culture shock and … of course, the housing.

As an RD I live in the same building with our students and I work with all aspects of their residence life. I help them get acquainted with their new life abroad, especially from the housing perspective. Our Freshman residence is located in Palazzo Le Monnier (PLM), an ancient building with a fascinating history.  It is over 300 years old, built in 1775 as a hospice for religious pilgrims. In 1861 the palazzo was purchased by the French publisher Felice Le Monnier, and became a publishing house, which was active until 2007.

Marist Italy is an urban campus, and our housing, classrooms and administrative offices are spread around the city and located in historical buildings. Our residence, Palazzo La Monnier, is located on via San Gallo, in the heart of Florence! It is close to all the major city attractions, such as: the Duomo, the Medici Chapel and the San Lorenzo church. You will be immersed in the history of Florence and surrounded by the beauty of its masterpieces. Living here you will realize that Florence is a small city and everything is reachable on foot. It’s just a 10 minutes walk to get to the Marist Italy offices and all classrooms. The main train station, Santa Maria Novella, is only 15 minutes away on foot.

Palazzo Le Monnier is divided in 26 apartments. Each apartment is unique: some are smaller and house  2 or 3 students, others are bigger and can house up to 6 students.

Each apartment has 1 or 2 bathrooms, which means one bathroom every 2 or 3 students.

Each apartment is fully furnished and equipped with: bed linens, towels, kitchen essentials (plates, silverware, pots and pans), either an oven or a microwave, a washing machine, and WiFi. Apartments are also fitted with various fire safety mechanisms.

300 years old is actually considered a fairly new construction for Florence, since most of the buildings here date back to the 1300s! But living in a charming, historic building, even one that has been updated as PLM has, means that some of the things that you might be used to, will not be present, such as a garbage disposal in your sink. There are also some cultural differences to keep in mind. In general kitchens tend to be much smaller in Italian apartments as compared to homes in other parts of the world. You will also learn that many Italian families do not have AC, tumble dryers and dishwashers in their homes, and as a consequence you won’t find them in your apartment. In order to keep your room cool, you will have to follow the Italian way: close all windows, curtains and shutters during the day to prevent the sunlight from heating your flat and open them up after sunset in order to let the summer breeze freshen the rooms. In winter, heating is regulated by the city and can only be turned on for the whole building on a certain date, and at certain times of the day. We always provide students with extra blankets if they are needed and encourage you to pack some warmer ‘indoor clothing’ for the colder months.

What about drying clothes? Don’t worry, most of the apartments have clothes lines outside the windows and you will be provided with indoor drying racks that you can fold up when not in use. You will learn to appreciate the merits of a more simple way of living that is a lot better for the environment! And students tell us that their clothes feel and smell more “fresh” if they’re hung outside. Last but not least: WIFI! PLM is equipped with a fast DSL connection. While this is a fast connection in Italy, is not as fast as Internet in US and other parts of the world

Some of these challenges can actually be positive – they help students to slow down, and become more accustomed to the Italian way of life. In the end, I’m sure that will be one of the things you value most about your time in Florence!

PLM has two community spaces, a comfortable Common Room and a sunny terrace, and both are home to a vibrant residence life program. We have a number of Resident Assistants who also live in PLM, and who plan a host of exciting events and activities for students. From movie and game nights to pamper parties, Halloween celebrations and art competitions, PLM is an important part of community life.

I look forward to welcoming you to my home of Florence and helping you make the most of your experience in Palazzo la Monnier and in our beautiful city!

Veronica