LdM Florence Facilities and Services

The Cafeteria at the LdM Florence campus offers students the chance to enjoy freshly-cooked local Italian specialties. Every day espresso, cappuccino, fresh pastries, salads, sandwiches, snacks, fruit, candy, and drinks are available until late afternoon. Main courses are available for lunch and change from day to day. The relaxed atmosphere creates the perfect environment to unwind and share down time with friends.

The cafeteria is on the first floor of the LdM headquarters on via Faenza, 43. Meal Plans are available, click here to to learn more and purchase your meal plan card.

The Library offers a continuously growing collection of innovative resources, carefully shaped in collaboration with the faculty. The ever-growing collection of over 6,000 valuable resources is updated regularly in collaboration with LdM faculty and responds to the academic needs of research and higher education. 

Learn more about LdM Florence Library.

Students can find the Student Point and Computer Lab at Via del Giglio, 4. During Fall and Spring semesters, the operating hours are 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday + on Make-up days, and 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Fridays.

Students are notified about special opening hours during the exam weeks.

Please note that during the month of August the Student Points/Computer Lab has reduced hours.

Wireless connectivity for personal laptops is available at the Student Point/Computer Lab, and at all of LdM facilities throughout Florence during opening hours.

Password access to the wireless system will be given to students at the relevant front desks. Besides wireless connectivity, the Student Point also gives students access to various computer terminals.

The LdM Gallery is a project by Istituto Lorenzo de’ Medici, a space where academic research and artistic experimentation meet within a professional setting.

More information on the LdM Gallery

Navigating foreign postal services can be daunting for students living abroad, so LdM seeks to improve and simplify students’ experience. For this reason, LdM offers the services of the Student Mail Office, where student mail may be sent to directly, rather than a personal address. This allows deliveries to be easier and more reliable. Students are responsible for checking in with the Student Mail Service when expecting a letter or package.

Please provide the following address to those wishing to send letters or packages:

Student’s Name
c/o Istituto Lorenzo de’ Medici
via del Melarancio, 6/r
50123 Firenze
Italy

Tetriz Print Shop is the LdM printing center located in Via dell’Alloro, 14r, offering students a comprehensive printing service at competitive prices.

Students can bring electronically stored materials on a USB memory device or CD, or they have the option to email their properly formatted request to [email protected]

Health insurance is mandatory for all LdM students.

For those required to obtain a student visa and/or permit of stay (Permesso di Soggiorno), the Italian government mandates that all students have comprehensive international health insurance coverage for their time in Italy, and they show proof of insurance before entering Italy. LdM strongly encourages that students get a health insurance plan that includes medical evacuation and repatriation.

During orientation, students receive information regarding doctors in Florence, public hospitals, and 24-hour pharmacies. LdM refers its students to general practitioners for general medical issues. All doctors on staff speak English. Walk-ins are welcome with no appointment needed during regular office hours. There is always a doctor on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for house visits. The general practitioners may refer students to specialists or private clinics to run more specific medical tests if needed.

For students covered by HTH and CISI health insurance, office visits to this practice are free. It is mandatory for the student to bring the health insurance card or a photocopy as proof otherwise they risk being charged. 

For students with GeoBlue insurance, office visits are free upon getting the Guarantee of Payment from the insurance company in advance.  

For house calls and for students who need to visit a specialist, they will most likely pay a fee.

For emergency care, students can visit the 24-hour emergency rooms at any of the Florence public hospitals. Emergency rooms have specialists on staff available 24 hours a day.  There are 4 main public hospitals in Florence; Santa Maria Nuova located near the Duomo, AOUC Ospedale Careggi, The Hospital Center Florence Piero Palagi, and Ospedale Torregalli.

For students who wear contact lenses or have a condition that requires regular medication, LdM strongly recommends bringing a full supply that lasts for the duration of their stay in Italy. Make sure medications come in original packaging with clear labeling, along with the prescription from their home doctor. It’s advisable to put medications in a carry-on in case the checked luggage gets lost or delayed. If the prescription runs out, it is possible to obtain a prescription from a doctor in Italy. Students are responsible for checking with the local embassy to make sure that their medication is acceptable to bring into Italy. Be warned that some countries in the EU may consider certain prescribed medications illegal, such as some ADD therapy medications.  Students should bring a letter from their doctor, printed on official letterhead, listing their medications and explaining why they are necessary.

Students should do their research to guarantee their well-being and to help prevent any misunderstandings that can hinder their study abroad experience.

LdM discourages students from having medicines or medical supplies shipped from their home country. Italian customs laws are strictly enforced, and packages can be held for long periods or shipped back to the sender. If this happens, students must provide customs officials with a prescription from a doctor in Italy, creating the risk that the medication may not arrive by the time the student needs it.