Coffee Heart Art

Walking around Florence, Italy’s spectacular art galleries and monuments can truly overwhelm you and apparently make you physically ill – it’s called Stendhal Syndrome, and having been to Florence multiple times, I can definitely attest to feeling overwhelmed by all the beauty and history, whether or not the syndrome is real. (Although, it could also have been the fact I nearly knocked myself out on a 14th century beam at the top of the Duomo.) Not a fan of dizziness and feeling completely overwhelmed? How about trying out an entirely different type of experience at the Espresso Academy. That’s right! Instead of wandering around the Accademia or the many piazzas, you’ll get to learn about one of Italy’s greatest passions, which some people say is a work of art in itself – coffee and espresso.

Don’t scoff! The Espresso Academy gets really good reviews, and I find it to be a refreshing, creative alternative to the city’s innumerable art galleries. Here, you’ll learn that anyone can make a cappuccino – but making a good one takes skill and knowledge. Have ever been to a cafe that creates little milk designs on the top of your cappuccino? There’s an actual certification you can get to learn how to do that (it’s not as easy as it looks!) in the course called Milk Art.

I would also love to take the Tasting course – you are able to taste coffees from all over the world, both good and bad, and learn how to distinguish between high quality and low quality coffees. Apparently, coffee is as complex as wine, and this course will help prove that to you.

Florence, Italy

Photos: journeyscoffee, stevehdc

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