24/05/2026
Some exhibitions are simply meant to be seen.
Others are meant to be experienced slowly.
If you’re staying in Bologna this season, there are two extraordinary art experiences just about one hour away by train — one in Florence and one in Parma — and somehow they seem to speak the same language.
In Florence, the powerful Rothko exhibition at Palazzo Strozzi and the suspended silence of the Monastery of San Marco invite visitors into a space of contemplation and stillness.
In Parma, Brian Eno’s “SEED” and “My Light Years” transform sound, light and time into immersive experiences that ask for something very simple — and today almost revolutionary:
to slow down.
To sit.
To listen.
To observe the smallest changes in light, sound and perception.
The languages are different, but the feeling is surprisingly similar:
a suspension of time, a sense of presence, an invitation to truly inhabit a space instead of simply moving through it.
In a world built around speed and constant distraction, these exhibitions remind us of the value of attention and quiet observation.
So if you’re visiting Bologna and looking for a meaningful day trip beyond the usual itinerary, both Florence and Parma are absolutely worth the journey this year.
And our suggestion is simple:
go slowly.
It’s part of the experience.
PalazzoStrozzi SlowTravel ItalyByTrain ArtExhibition VisitItaly ContemporaryArt TravelItaly MindfulTravel
