Admissions – Finding Florence

June Events in Florence

As temperatures start to heat up and Italians head toward the beaches, the month of June proves to be busy in and around Florence. From music festivals to historical soccer matches and medieval dinners, tourists and Florentines alike are sure not to get bored with these upcoming events. Here are some suggestions that FUA students put together.

Il Mercatale

By Jessica Kruebbe

Piazza della Repubblica will host another one of its Mercatale events for the public. The market is normally held the first weekend of each month welcoming residents and tourists alike. The next market will be held on June 3rd and 4th from 8:30 to 19:30. There will be 84 producers at the event, 46 of which are from the province of Florence. Others are from the surrounding provinces such as Prato, Siena, and Arezzo. Visitors can browse long booths full of wine, oil, vegetables, fruit, truffles, and other freshly grown produce. In addition, there will be some typical products from the area including salami, cheese, and honey. The variety of vendors allows passersby to try many authentic foods such as “necci” biscuits of the Tuscan Appennino. For the rest of the spring and summer seasons, the market will rotate between Piazza Repubblica, Piazza del Carmine, and Piazza Santa Maria Novella.

A Cena da Messer Giovanni

By Whitney Byrd

Hear ye, hear ye!
Come experience a night in Medieval times sponsored by the Municipality of Certaldo on June 10th and June 17th. Join us in the beautiful castle in Certaldo Alto, the small medieval town, for the 17th annual feast!
The night will consist of a typical dinner from Medieval times served with authentic wooden cutlery. The menu for both evenings will be the same, catered by Party Giò-Certaldo. The meal will be served by 80 boys and girls in medieval costumes.
No feast would be complete without entertainment! Between courses, don’t miss the sword duels, fire eaters, and a performance by Compagnia del Drago Nero. To celebrate the end of the evening, stick around for a magnificent fireworks display over Palazzo Petrorio!

“A Cena da Messer Giovanni” will begin at 20:00 and end at 23:00.
Don’t forget to book in advance! Cost is € 39 / person

For reservations:
Grazia Palmieri, Via 2 Giugno – Certaldo (FI)
Tel. 0571 663128 – Cell. 335 6988480
info@elitropia.org

Rock the House Down with Firenze Rocks Summer Festival!

By Paige Petronio

Florence Italy- From June 23rd until the 25th at the Visarno Arena big names like Aerosmith, The Cranberries, and Placebo will be sharing their talent to the people of Florence. They are expecting big crowds for this event and the Mayer of Florence has already stated that for those three days Florence is going to be the “capital of rock”.

This festival is bringing in talent from all over the world. This includes English chart topping bands making their first Italian Debut along with some lesser known acts including Prophets of Rage and Glen Hansard. Accompanying these amazing artists, will be a variety of food trucks and stands to cater to the concert goers cravings.

The festival has even created its own app available that you can download so that you can stay in touch with all of the exclusive content throughout the entire festival. This gives guests the ability to take pictures with exclusive filters. Most importantly it will have a lay out of each of the acts so you can be sure to not miss your favorite singers.

What: Firenze Rocks!
Who: Big names including Aerosmith, Eddie Vedder and System of a Down
Where: Visarno Arena
When: June 23, 24, 25, 2017
The summer Firenze Rocks tickets are on sale online: www.ticketone.it

La Festa di San Giovanni

By Lauren Fulton

The summer months of Florence showcase beautiful blue skies and sparkling water as the temperatures increase in the lovely summer months of Italy. June 24 brings lots of excitement and cheer to the city as Florence celebrates their patron saint, Saint John the Baptist. Throughout the day festivities can be discovered around the city. The main event of the day, is the final game of Calcio Storico, a soccer game mixed with some rugby and wrestling played in historic Renaissance attire, followed by fireworks at the end of the night. Calcio Storico includes four teams, representing the four historical neighborhoods of Firenze. The semifinals begin the weekend of June 11, times to be announced.

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Live Music Evenings in Florence

By Madison Starkey

Florence is home to a rich live music scene waiting to be discovered. Madison checked out NoF, a locals’ favorite in the artsy San Frediano neighborhood in the Oltrarno, where the vocals and beat made for an unforgettable experience to be remembered.

NoF is where good vibes are plenty and musicians from “all corners and crossroads of the globe” are hosted weekly. My friends and I have the good fortune of living just a block away from this cool and confident live jazz club in the Oltrarno neighborhood. We recently caught a performance that I know will be one of my favorite memories of Florence. A young woman with dark hair, black boots, and the strongest, most vibrant voice I’ve ever heard provided the vocals for this unforgettable evening. The night was unforgettable, due to her captivating talent and due to the fact that we stumbled across it by pure chance. We had originally intended to walk past NoF, but the voice of the singer, the rhythm the drummer was banging out, and the smooth, deep sounds emanating from the guitarist’s strings captured us before we could do so. Instead, we wandered, dreamlike, into NoF, and weaved our way through the small crowd to the front of the stage.

And that is where we stayed.

I so vividly remember that night, that music, and stealing glances at my friends faces and enjoying their facial expressions: they were as entranced as I was. The woman’s voice was deep, smooth, and seductive even with the most upbeat songs. The band played mostly jazz music and re-vamped versions of classic hits. I failed to find out what the artist or band’s name was, unfortunately, but I know I’ll be revisiting that night in years to come. In my reveries, one moment I’m taking notes at University, the next, I’m back in that dark wood-panelled room, unable to stop myself from swaying to my imagined, but once real music.

NoF
Borgo S. Frediano 17red

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Time to “Leaf” Home for Florentine Gardens

By Samara Rynecki

Get away from the touristy crowds in the museums and art galleries, and get lost in the green areas of Florence.

These quiet spots can have you feeling relaxed and stress free within minutes. These places are interesting to get lost in and easy to spend hours in. If you want a place where you can feel peaceful and connect with nature, away from the busy and chaotic streets during touristy seasons, then check out these sanctuaries.

There are many options in Florence where you can appreciate the greenery and landscape, They include the Orto Botanico also known as the “Giardino dei Semplici,” the well-known Boboli gardens, the Bardini garden, and Florence Tepidarium at the Giardino di Orticoltura.

Each of these individual gardens is unique in their own, and in Florence. The Orto Botanico is a botanical garden located in Via Micheli, 3. It was originally the Medici family’s medicine garden and one of the oldest in Europe. Today it is a part of the Science of Natural History complex managed by the Italian university in Florence. Boboli is Florence’s grandest palatial garden with an early baroque drama and amazing view of the city. Bardini is not well known despite being connected to Boboli, but its terraced landscape is making a comeback from its previous restoration. The Florence Tepidarium located at the Giardino di Oritcoltura and was the largest greenhouse in Italy when it was built in the late 1800s.

These charming spots for calm walks and cooling off in the heat are going to leave you wishing you were smelling the roses instead of standing in long lines for the major monuments of Florence.

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Marketing Class Visits Florentine Perfume Company

By Amanda Guido

FUA’s Marketing Mix class visited with a local perfume-maker to discover the marketing practices of a niche industry.

You can smell the rose-scented air even before reaching the street where AquaFlor is located. As you turn onto Borgo Santa Croce, the inviting smell only gets stronger until you find yourself in front of the 15th century Renaissance Palazzo where AquaFlor is located. In case you could not already tell from the image above, this is no ordinary perfume store. AquaFlor is a perfume showroom and laboratory outfitted with olfactory specialists. This is not just a store where you can purchase high quality perfumes, but an experience where you are educated on scents so that you can find the right one for you. Open seven days a week, AquaFlor is truly a hidden gem in the city center of Florence.

During my experience in this magical place, I was given a tour of the grounds from their communications strategies specialist. He explained to us that the perfume industry is growing rapidly, increasing 15% from 2014 to become a 39.2 billion dollar industry. He is taking advantage of this by making AquaFlor different from any other perfumery to create brand recognition and word of mouth advertising.

Clients can spend hours just browsing different scents with the help of experienced olfactory specialists, and create their own scent to take home.

The perfume showroom itself had such a unique aesthetic: classy, put together, and vintage. The first room has diffusers, used to give rooms in the home a pleasant scent. Next, our guide then took us to a room filled with pastel-colored soaps. These are very affordable and would make a great gift for loved ones back home. The third and final room on this floor was where the perfumes are kept. The price point for the perfumes is 140€, but this is a steal considering the quality of the product. Most other perfumes have a high concentration of alcohol and water whereas these have a significantly higher concentration of the actual scent for a longer lasting experience. Even testing the perfume is unique at AquaFlor. The pure scent is concentrated in beakers and a test tube is placed upside down in this scent. You simply smell the inside of the test tube which is meant to give a more accurate feel for what the perfume will smell like when it is worn. Most other retailers spray the perfume on a piece of paper, which is not effective for getting an accurate smell. I personally enjoyed how the rooms were split up by product. From a consumer perspective, this made it easier to shop.

Lastly, we visited the lower level lab. Our guide explained the scientific and chemical aspects of the production process and showed us how the perfumes were made. We also explored scent categories, and the experiential aspect of the visit is a great marketing tool. The Instagram account of AquaFlor is beautifully curated too. You can visit AquaFlor in Borgo Santa Croce 6 in Florence, as well as check out the company’s website.

Did you know that an FUA alum is a part of the AquaFlor team? Watch this alumni video interview.

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Along the Lungomare in Livorno

By Steven Scaglione

Italy is famous for its food, but did you know that each region, and even more specifically, each city, has their own specialties? When in Italy make sure to try some of these typical dishes that you won’t be able to find back home. This week’s focus is on the Tuscan port town of Livorno.

On the second day of what was planned to be a nine-day bike tour, I finally reached Tuscany’s beautiful port city of Livorno. I had been riding for about four hours, with frayed nerves from sharing the road rather unevenly with trucks of various sizes. It felt nice to pop the kickstand and sit among the trees in Parco Pertini, one of Livorno’s few green spaces just outside the city center while I reflected on my simple priorities for today: find some food, then find the sea.

After checking into a bed-and-breakfast with some difficulty (this key is for the front door?), I was ready to explore the city. With my first priority in mind, I set out to find a 5&5 (cinque e cinque) sandwich: a popular Livornese street food specialty consisting of a savory chick pea flour “cake” topped with olive oil and black pepper then placed between flat schiaccia bread.

To find the best 5&5 around, I was directed by some Livornese locals to go to “da Gagarin,” a torteria near Livorno’s own Mercato Centrale. The building was confusingly nondescript, and I’m still not sure if it has a sign on its storefront or not. But the best advertising a restaurant can have is a line of customers leading down the block, and when I saw this, I knew I was in the right spot.

Edible treasures in tow, I set my sights on the sea, looking to watch the sunset as the waves crashed on the rocks. Two enormous cruise ships sat docked in the city’s port like man-made whales with waterslides and a few freighters sailed steadily on the horizon.

Passing behind the Aquarium of Livorno, the ground under my feet seemed to morph, the familiar gravel being replaced by a seaside checkerboard of black-and-white tiles – something straight out of “Alice in Wonderland.” What was happening? Were all those hours of biking getting to me? Maybe so, but my eyes weren’t failing; these tiles were just some of the thousands composing Livorno’s stunning lungomare, or boardwalk, near Terrazza Mascagni.

The sun was going down in a ball of orange flame, setting the sky ablaze in wispy waves of pink and purple. The freighters turned on their lights to blink their presence cautiously. I unwrapped my sandwich, eating it from the paper wrapping while sitting on the concrete railing of the lungomare and thought about my trip so far. Tomorrow I would start heading south, toward Grosseto and its vineyards along the way. But tonight, just for tonight, I would sit among these black-and-white tiles until dark, watching those blinking lights and listening to the sound of the waves.

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Il Doppio Bacio

By Christina Trupia

It is Italian tradition for family and friends to kiss each other on each cheek as a greeting when saying hello or goodbye. If you look around the streets of Florence, you will see this salutation everywhere. Have you adopted this Italian custom or any others yet?

It is the simple gestures that hold a plethora of meanings between those who share them. You can see it between friends passing each other on the street while taking an afternoon stroll, in a restaurant amongst two friends meeting for a meal, or even those departing after a day spent with someone who was once a stranger. Un doppio bacio, or a double kiss, customarily on the cheek, is a common gesture between those local to the region of the world that I now call home.

Mostly used among those who know each other such as family or close friends, I view this effortless, social gesture as a beautiful and welcoming practice. It is a sign of love and caring for those who have had an impact on your life at some point in time.

Imagine friends from university coming together after years of living distant lives, greeting each other with a double kiss on each cheek as a sign of the relationship they once shared. Perhaps you may see it shared within a family of grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews meeting for a celebration of a new life born into the family. It may even serve as a farewell gesture between a classroom of a small group of students after the completion of a course, or a guide ending their journey with the travelers they have come to know after a full day of touring and adventure in a new place.

It is an engaging tradition that means so much more than a simple handshake or an exchange of words. A small gesture with a heartfelt meaning, the double kiss symbolizes the genuine respect and sentiment we all have for one another.

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Talking Stones of Florence

By Aaron Klevan

What do Florence’s “talking stones” have to do with modern-day journalism and civic awareness? FUA’s Writing for Digital Media students recently explored connected readings of the city’s political and cultural history through its talking stones. Next time you take a walk around the city center make sure to look up and see if you can spot some.

Florence is a city with a rich history that dates back centuries. One of the unique ways that the city actively communicates its vibrant past is through “talking stones.” These stones, containing inscriptions of both writing and art, are adorned on walls throughout the city and tell Florence’s most fascinating tales. The stones also portray the art of journalism in its truest form, exhibiting many principles still applied today in an authentic breath.

The idea of social awareness can be seen in the way the stones project the stories of Florence.
The principle of connected reading is presented by the way the stones link current Florentines and visitors to the city’s political past.
The stones also share visual information with supplementary images and drawings in addition to pure text.
Finally, at the time they were created, the stones were a form of enhanced technology requiring specialized knowledge and methods for chiseling messages into stone.

The first talking stone shown on the left of the photo is one of the first known forms of graffiti, located near the main entrance to Palazzo Vecchio. As the legend goes, it was a self-portrait of Michelangelo. It is a fascinating way to look at the technology artists used at the time, and also offers a glimpse into the booming art community during the Renaissance, connecting people today to those who walked Florence’s streets and drew on its walls in the past.

The second stone is perched atop a bustling intersection near the city center in Via delle Oche. It textually denotes that the building on which it is placed was once home to the prestigious Adimari family, of which Alemanno Adimari was a member. He was a famous Italian Catholic cardinal and archbishop. This stone serves the purpose of displaying the famous residents that played a fundamental role in shaping the city.

The final stone is a beautiful bust and description of Saint Antoninus in Via dello Studio. He was an Italian Dominican friar who ruled as an Archbishop of Florence. This talking stone is found on the exterior façade of the Pierozzi family home. It is a perfect example of combining visual information with written texts, much like an article, that allows viewers to see the subject and read about it.

The city continually talks to us every day through its surfaces, signs, and symbols. What unexpected discoveries have you made through Florence’s talking stones?

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Put your Phone in your Pocket (and get lost!)

By Madison Landau

Walking down the streets in an unknown city in a foreign country can seem very overwhelming, especially in Florence’s winding neighborhoods. A great rule of thumb is to let yourself get lost and put your phone away…in trying to find your way back home you might just discover something new.

When arriving in a new country, my first instinct is to take my phone out to see if I have cell service or Wi-Fi. Arriving in Florence for my study abroad semester at FUA was no different, and I held my phone in a death like grip for the first week of living here.

Even though I was provided with great maps of the city by FUA, I still felt as if my phone was my lifeline here in Florence and that without it I would get lost forever among the streets of the city center. Little did I know how much nicer and productive my first week being here would have been if I had just allowed myself to actually get lost.

I had my face buried in my phone, looking at my maps instead of actually taking in my surroundings and understanding the streets of Florence. I didn’t want to feel uncomfortable in this city, yet I was so new to my surroundings that I refused to listen to everyone around me encouraging me to get lost.

My presence here in Florence was artificial in a sense that I really didn’t focus and appreciate where I was until I put my phone away and learned the streets of Florence.

Don’t get me wrong, I was still capturing and recording my moments here in Florence as much as I could. But instead of having my maps app constantly open, I had my camera open, or the TripAdvisor app open.

The difference between being too consumed within your electronics and being just consumed enough is a very delicate and thin line. While you want to photograph and remember every moment you can while you’re here in Florence, it’s so important to make sure you’re actually appreciating where you are and not just focusing on surviving.

Trust me, put the phone away when possible. Don’t just survive day to day while you’re abroad; thrive as much as you can here. Grow as much as you can. Put yourself in a world that you’re not familiar with, and learn to be okay with it.

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A Slimmer Suitcase in 3 Steps

By Aidan Loughran

Whether you’re packing for a semester, quarter, or single short session, these suitcase-slimming tips come in handy for everyone and may even provide a head start to making new discoveries at your destination.

As I was preparing to depart for Florence to study abroad for a semester, my main concern through the pre-departure process was how and what I was going to pack. A semester is a long time to be away from home and it is hard to know what will be needed in a new country that you’ve never been to. I know myself fairly well and I knew I would over pack, but I also don’t want to leave anything behind that I may potentially want to wear. Once I started filling up my suitcase, I realized that there were many things I wouldn’t wear and by limiting myself, I ended up packing much lighter than I originally would have. Here are three main tips you may find useful while packing.

1. Slim Down: Buy Vacuum-Sealed Ziploc Bags

These bags saved my life! While I had a decently large suitcase, being a girl, I still packed more than I needed (of course!). I was able to fit about ten, thick sweaters in one of these bags and it shrunk them down a crazy amount. It took up very little space and made ten sweaters look like two.

2. Remove When in Doubt: Toss Any “Maybe” Items

When packing, I have always had the problem of packing “maybes” or “options.” By this I mean packing clothing items that I think I may want to wear, but usually never end up doing so. DO NOT bring these items. You will not end up wearing them. If you don’t wear them at home, you won’t while abroad. Limit yourself.

3. Buy There and Make New Discoveries

Unless you are going to a country that has little access to grocery stores, pharmacies, salons, etc., do not buy your toiletries in advance. It is a waste of space and you can get anything abroad that you will need. Sure, bring along that face or hand cream from your favorite niche brand but otherwise wait to buy items such as mascara, eyeliner, and hair products until you get to your country. Florence for example has Sephora, salons, beauty stores, and interesting local brands. For the guys, there are bespoke barbershops and well-stocked men’s sections at stores. Checking out what’s available can also lead to local discoveries, such as the antiche farmacie, the historic pharmacy shops that produce their own collections, or contemporary perfume makers that you’ll only find in Florence.

I hope these tips will provide you with a simple, easy and slimmed down packing process. Enjoy!

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