Finding Florence

By Caroline Kaczynski & Carly Dorsen 

1. Don’t limit yourself to just one grocery store!

It can be tempting to fall into a routine of going to the most conveniently located grocery store. We want to encourage you to push your boundaries! By experimenting with different grocery stores, you will be able to see a fresh selection of goods every day. We recommend you check out the Mercato Centrale. In the mornings, the bottom half of the Mercato serves as a local produce market – stop by for a wide array of meats, cheeses, and local delicacies. By trying out new stores you will be able to find new foods, which we think makes grocery shopping more fun! 

2. Experiment with Italian recipes & take cooking classes!

Just because you might not be able to buy all the meals you hear about ready-made, doesn’t mean you cannot cook them yourself! We suggest you push yourself out of your comfort zone and try to prepare a local Florentine dish! Since you are in Italy, it is easy to acquire all of the right ingredients for the perfect homemade dish. If you are feeling adventurous, you can sign up for a cooking class to do with friends. We recommend you check out the experiences section of Airbnb, where there are a lot of cooking classes offered for an affordable price. You can check out these experiences here. Once you learn how to make the dishes they teach you, you will have that skill for life! 

3. If you are feeling homesick, cook one of your favorite meals from home! 

As unbelievable as it sounds, you might get sick of pasta! On those rare occasions, we suggest that you try to recreate one of your favorite dishes from home. One night, we were really missing the mexican food that is readily available at home. As a result, we decided to host a “Taco Tuesday” night where we prepared some of our favorite mexican dishes. 

4. Treat yourself to a restaurant every now and then!

Although we love cooking, you should absolutely make the most of your time in Florence to try out all of the delicious restaurants. As a student, you can get various discounts around the city. We also suggest you look up a menu online, to make sure the offerings are within your price range. You can also grab inexpensive bites to eat such as pizza or paninis, which are still a nice change! 

Hopefully these tips and tricks help keep you and your stomach satisfied as you enjoy your time in Florence!