study abroad – Page 6 – Finding Florence

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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Castello di Sammezzano

By Steven Scaglione

Sometimes the well-traveled roads lead to unexpected finds, such as the Sammezzano Castle that is at the center of a movement to save a now-abandoned architectural gem.

After stepping out of a two-story charter bus in little Leccio, Italy, I took a breath and surveyed my surroundings. I was at The Mall, which is not a luxury shopping mall but a luxury shopping “destination,” specializing in high fashion brands like Salvatore Ferragamo, Burberry and – maybe more fittingly named – Billionaire started by Italian entrepreneur Flavio Briatore. Though the stores would not open for another 20 minutes, already a line of eager shoppers had neatly queued in front of the Gucci and Prada outlets, talking among themselves with an electric excitement. Soon they would be pulling green suits and bright dresses from the racks, but I would not be among them. I was headed for a different kind of treasure: Sammezzano Castle, only a short hike away.

The castle lies at the top of Sammezzano Park’s central hill, overlooking the town below like a silent, stoic patriarch. The park is home to many exotic species of plants, including the species of giant sequoias native to California. One of them, known as “Sequoia Gemella,” or the “Twin Sequoia” in English, is more than 8.4 meters (27 feet) in diameter and 50 meters (164 feet) tall.

From the outside, the castle’s Moorish-style architecture is a mix of Spanish, Arabic, and Oriental influences. Inside “La Sala dei Pavoni,” or “The Room of the Peacocks” in English, is arguably its most beautiful feature, with mosaics of every color stretching from floor to ceiling.

Unfortunately, the castle is currently closed to the public, falling victim to littering and vandalism. One organization, Save Sammezzano, has been fighting to preserve and protect the now abandoned castle and surrounding park. A petition by the group ended with over 30,000 signatures, but the castle is now privately owned, making it difficult for the municipal government institutions to safeguard it. The future for any restoration is uncertain, but the cause has found great support on social media. For now, the castle remains as it has been for many years, the hands on its clock stopped at 11:28, waiting for the day they might turn again.

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Lose Yourself, Find Your Way

By Abby Moran

Embrace the uncomfortable, enjoy the bewilderment of studying abroad.

Studying abroad may have been the most difficult thing i have ever done. 21 years of figuring life out, myself out and now a new culture is an incredible adventure. To step away from all that is familiar, to acknowledge that you will get lost mentally, emotionally, and physically but all of this will make you grow in ways you could never imagine is daunting. After a couple weeks in Florence, I am less afraid and regaining pieces of myself I thought would be lost back home forever.

Being in a situation where in order to save time, effort, and my roommate’s energy involves being outgoing, assertive, and confident in new situations has turned out to be the absolute best scenario. I love it. I love walking in the rain here. I love the puzzle of streets that could lead anywhere but often times lead me to the Duomo, that I’ve come to see as a safe haven. I love the different languages filling my ears. The uncertainty of who and what can be encountered around the next corner. Gucci, Prada, Valentino, your shop windows bring a spark of life to my longest walks. Even in the most unfamiliar places we find objects to cling to, people to relate to, and places to become accustomed to.

Home is truly where the heart is and when we open our hearts to the culture and lifestyle of others we are given a priceless gift. Be scared, intimidated, and get completely lost because it is there, in this state of initial uncertainty where we find our strength. Find your home away from home is what study abroad offers, despite the voice in your head that says “but it will be hard.” It’s often said that nothing good comes to those who wait, so let’s proactively reach for that which seems the most intimidating. Find your landmark, in my case the Duomo, and learn something about it instead of just passing through the piazza.

Don’t shoot for the stars, shoot for the Duomo.

Surviving the Cold: Florence’s Indoor Activities

By Jess Pitocco

Since January is the coldest month of the year in Florence, it may seem difficult at first to find indoor things to do that don’t include the Uffizi Museum. The city however is full of great indoor activities, here are some ideas of things to do to stay out of the frosty weather.

Palazzo Strozzi is a great place to spend a day indoors without getting bored! Currently, the Ai Weiwei exhibit is being shown until January 22th, 2016 and is a great way to look at some modern art (instead of the Renaissance art you are used to seeing.) The Strozzi Café is open Tuesday throughSunday from 8:00 AM to 00:30AM (Monday until 8:00 PM) and serves breakfast, lunch, cocktails and dinner. It’s a great place not only to bang out a homework assignment or study for finals but also to experience some wine tasting and classic Italian cuisine. There are even a bookshop and a contemporary space to hang out on the bottom floor. Palazzo Strozzi is truly a great place to spend an afternoon sight-seeing, eating and studying.
If you haven’t visited the Gucci Museum yet in one of your fashion classes, it is a great place to learn more not only about fashion but also about Hollywood. The museum has everything from a history of bags, their double G logo, and even dresses for the stars. The Gucci Museum also includes a great café and bookshop to hang out in. In the same Piazza della Signora, the Palazzo Vecchio stands tall. I know that even though I’ve lived here for months I still haven’t had time to see some of Florence’s most beautiful monuments. If you haven’t seen Palazzo Vecchio, it is worth the look. You can see it’s glorious rooms, gold-plated ceilings, and even climb the tower to see a beautiful view of the city. Afterwards, you can dine at the restaurant/café on the top level overlooking the piazza and its many statues below. Definitely take the time to explore this Piazza della Signora because it’s wonders and museums are unique and grand.
Palazzo Pitti is known for the sprawling Boboli Gardens, however, these gardens are not the most enticing in the cold. What you may not know is that the Pitti Palace is a series of 6 museums and gardens, not just the Boboli Gardens. Take an afternoon to explore these museums: The Palatine Museum, The Gallery of Modern Art, The Costume Gallery, The Medici Treasury, and the Porcelain Museum. Among the galleries and museums that range from jewels to plates, there is a wonderful little restaurant and café on the entrance floor to relax, do homework, or write in your journal. To explore Pitti Palace is to absorb all facets of Florentine culture from art to history.
The new Museo degli Innocenti is something interesting and unusual to check out. The former abandoned children’s hospital established in the Renaissance still continues to help Florentine families today through social services and educational programs. The new museum in Piazza Santissima Annunziata will highlight the building’s works, architecture and documentary records which make the Institute’s heritage so unique. The institution’s history and many original paintings tell of the people who lived in the Hospital, so this is a great, unique spot to visit in order to discover a different perspective of Florence.
The Salvatore Ferragamo Museum is another great spot to explore art and fashion, with multiple exhibits that not only focus on the shoes of the stars but also experimental and international fashion and art. Along Via de’ Tornabuoni there are endless shopping opportunities to stop in on your way back from the museum. The list includes Valentino, Burberry, Tiffany, Co., Fendi, Montblanc, Giorgio Armani, Prada and even Gucci again. Not only do these high-end shops stretch seemingly a mile long starting at the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum, but there are also more manageable spots to shop Tod’s, Olfattorio, and more. Take an afternoon or evening to window shop and explore one of the coolest and most progressive museums I’ve ever seen.
La Specola, the Museum of Natural History in Florence, is another great spot for a day indoors. This museum features Medici collections of fossils, treasures, animals, minerals, exotic plants; there are 24 rooms of zoology and 10 of wax modelling. There is also the Hall of Skeletons featuring over 3,000 archaeological finds! Open year-round and on Via Romana near the Pitti Palace, this museum is definitely worth a look inside for a totally different view of Florence’s scientific findings and discoveries.

Obviously, these are not the only indoor activities to do in Florence: you can see a movie at the Odeon Theater or even take a single cooking class at FUA’s culinary department facilities. However, these piazzas, streets and museums offer a range of possibilities for a lazy afternoon on a cold day in Florence. Take the time to explore new museums and places, and don’t forget to bring a hat and scarf!

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The Great Synagogue of Florence

By Caroline Angelini

Though Italy is a predominantly Catholic country, its religious landscape represents other traditions as well. The relationship between the Jews and the city of Florence dates back hundreds of years, and this community is one of the focal points discussed during the FUA course “Shoah: The Holocaust in History.”

This course, taught in Fall 2016 by Valentina Nocentini, focuses on the history of the Jews, specifically in Italy, and how their treatment eventually led to the the Holocaust. To give her students a better grasp on exactly what happened to the Jews in Italy during the Holocaust, Prof. Nocentini brought her students to the Tempio Maggiore, or the Great Synagogue of Florence. Based on the experience and how it helped to contextualize the treatment of Jews in Italy, students wrote a reflective assignment as an outcome of the visit.

The Synagogue dating to 1882 is truly breathtaking. The intricate detail of the hand-painted walls, and the ornamentation of the women’s balcony were like nothing else that students had witnessed both in Florence and beyond. The mosaics and frescoes are reminiscent of Christian art, but have their own character that makes them unique to the Jewish culture of the Synagogue.

While the artistic ornamentation was magnificent, the mood that most students had while in the Synagogue shifted once they reached the museum. The Synagogue separates a portion of its space dedicated to the Florentine victims of the Holocaust. There are stone slabs with each victim’s name and videos depicting the lives that they carried out while being exploited during the Shoah. “It was something difficult to experience—the contrast from first seeing the beauty and grandeur of the Synagogue to then learning about how the Jews were treated during the Holocaust,” commented student Emma Dunleavy.

The visit to the Synagogue helped the students of the Shoah course gain a deeper understanding of the past lives of Jews in Florence. It also provided insight into how Florentine and Italian citizens in general aided those in need of protection especially during WWII, which gave students food for thought as they themselves experience daily the hospitality of a foreign host city with whom they must forge a new relationship, one day at a time.

To visit:
The synagogue is located in Via Farini 6, near the Sant’Ambrogio church. Details about visiting hours, synagogue history, and much more can be found on the website of the Jewish community of Florence – moked.it/jewishflorence

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ACF Fiorentina: Florence’s Soccer Team

By Karla Silva

I grew up in a Brazilian family – we live and breathe soccer. It is like a religion. My parents would set their lives around a soccer game, adjusting their work schedules to watch an important match. There was no such thing as DVR to them– the game always had to be experienced in real time. Soccer games were a time of celebration, where family and friends got together. It was one of my favorite things growing up. And to see that embedded in the Italians, especially the Florentines, is a way to reconnect to my family.

I recently had the honor to go on a special tour of the Stadio Artemi Franchi, home of the ACF Fiorentina soccer team thanks to my Writing for Digital Media course at FUA. You can feel the pride of the stadium’s management team as you walk through the VIP entrance, with its bright white walls and the elegant symbol of the team adorning them: a purple fleur-de-lys inside a gold-lined diamond.

We quickly made our way to the media room, where the press gather together after each match. You can imagine the intensity of representatives of different media outlets fighting to get their questions asked, one jumping over the other to get their burning questions asked for their article.

It takes a lot of work to get a team popular enough for there to be a need for the media room, let alone an audience to watch the game, and we have the team’s Digital Media department to thank for that. To get the word out via countless social media channels and put out content that will appeal to fans of all ages isn’t an easy task. It takes hard work that many do not realize. It made me wonder how much effort truly goes into getting a game to run smoothly, or to construct a large fan base for the team as we make our way out of the media room and into the stadium itself.

I’ve always felt that the locker room is a sacred place for the players. It’s where they get ready, prepare for the upcoming match. They talk strategies, spread words of encouragement. It’s their home. Their private space. And entering that space allowed us to see a personal side that no other fan is able to see. It felt like we were in on a secret that everyone wanted to know.

The Florentines value the sport of soccer, which goes hand in hand with family. It’s impossible to walk down the streets of Florence without seeing a splash of purple here and there. To have the opportunity to walk on the field that the Florentines value so much was an experience I’ll never forget. Though the stadium is on the smaller end, seating around 45,000+ fans, it felt expansive underneath the glowing setting sun. Back home, whenever there was a game, it was always a party. Family and friends, friends of family and even neighbors get together celebrate. The spirits are always high, the energy constantly flowing.

Seeing the stadium empty and quiet, was a new feeling for me. You visualize the loud and high energy of a full stadium in comparison. The lack of cheers and chants made the stadium seem almost peaceful, like the quiet before the storm. We were even given the chance to sit on the players’ bench, which was the perfect end for our visit. Being able to experience the field from the player’s angle was unforgettable, a viewpoint that only a certain select few get to see.

One thing that I noted during our visit was the amount of people it takes to operate the stadium. The fans don’t always know, and neither did I, that the game consists of so much more than just the players. From the coach to the stadium manager, the commentators, the digital media specialist, even the workers who keep the field in top conditions – all of these individuals support the needs of the players and the game itself. The backbone of the stadium is just as important as the team.

I am forever grateful for this opportunity that I have been given. Soccer is a big part of my life and to be able to walk through the inner workings of a stadium and witness how the entire range of stadium workers connect to put on an amazing game for fans was a unique experience that I will cherish.

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What to Do in Florence with only a Few Days Left

By Jess Pitocco

I have only a few days left here in Florence and I am starting to panic. What have I missed? What else can I do? What sights have I not seen? How can I make the most of the short amount of time I have left studying abroad? I know everyone says that time flies by, but I don’t think I really understood that feeling until now. As cliched as it is, I do feel as though this semester went by in the blink of an eye. So how do I savor the tastes, views, and people of Italy with a short amount of time left? After brainstorming, I’ve come up with some solutions for when it feels like it’s too soon to go home.

Revisit your favorite places! Take a couple days, in between studying for finals of course, and revisit your favorite spots. Don’t take them for granted. Give yourself time to appreciate each and every store, restaurant, and museum that touched your heart. Commit them to memory, even take pictures, so that these places will never leave you. My favorite restaurant, Ristorante Il Paiolo on Via del Corso, will be my first stop; their fare is the most authentic that I’ve found in Florence! Plus, every time I go I’m greeted with the warmest of smiles and the most gracious service.
Do something you aren’t able to at home; take an Italian cooking class, visit an enoteca that you haven’t ventured to yet, visit that famous museum you’ve missed. Give yourself a day to explore where you haven’t explored, and find a store you haven’t entered, maybe even taste a new dinner entree you haven’t tried yet! The Christmas market in the Piazza Santa Croce is a perfect place to spend some quality time exploring; not just for the food, but for the lights and the Christmas/winter season spirit.
Speaking of trying new things, try and get lost in your city. Florence, for me, has plenty of side streets filled to the brim with cute boutiques and galleries to discover. Every time I find a new area of the city, or a new street I haven’t walked down, I get excited. On the side street Borgo Pinti, finding the small Mrs. Macis clothing boutique lead me to one of the most creative fashion finds I’ve seen in Florence. Carla Macis, the store owner, makes gorgeous dresses with prints on them from 1980s Italian stamps; truly unique! In these last weeks, I will not hesitate to go off the beaten path and explore what I haven’t yet.
Take a chance; get a haircut, buy that dress you’ve been eyeing for weeks in that store window, or even write that blog you’ve always wanted to start. Give yourself something to remember Florence by; whether that be a journal, a piece of street art, or a pair of shoes, don’t forget to give yourself some kind of souvenir. My recommendation is not to buy yourself a magnet of the Duomo, however, it is to find something that means a lot to you. My souvenir will be spending a Saturday at the San Ambrogio market: getting a meal there, relaxing with coffee, and exploring the wares and produce. That entire day will be filled with journal writing and picture-taking. It was the first thing I visited in Florence and was in awe of Italian culture. Now I will end my study abroad experience in the market, like a bookend to my amazing experience. So whether you find an object that reminds you of a certain day or memory, or even going to get your nails done with your closest friend you’ve made abroad; give yourself something to take back with you, you won’t regret it.

I am realizing how important Florence has become; it has been such a huge part of my college experience, and I will miss it tremendously. I will miss complaining about the steps on the way to Piazzale Michelangelo, I will miss getting a gelato at La Gelateria dei Neri, and I will miss walking in the shadow of the Duomo and Palazzo Vecchio every day. However, I can’t dwell on how much I will miss a place while I’m still here; starting to miss Florence while still living in Florence is a paradox of the mind that I am not interested in traversing. For now, I will live in the moment and give myself the opportunity to make as many positive, fun and awe-inspiring memories as I can in my final days here.

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Home is Where the Heart Is

By Amber Wright

If you asked me how many places I’ve called “home,” I would say four – I grew up in California, now live in Washington, worked in Northern Ireland for a few months, and am now studying for four months in Italy. I’ve had to make a home where I am three times since I’ve left where I grew up, and each time my concept of home has changed.

When I first moved to Seattle, it was easy. My close friends in California had all moved, so it was generally painless for me to leave. I found all the things that made me feel comfortable and things that were familiar to me. I found my groove, and I made as many new friends from school as possible to surround myself with.

When I moved to Belfast, it wasn’t so easy. I was very secluded and separated from people where I lived, and the most familiar place I could go was Starbucks thirty minutes away. I hardly met anybody my age while working there and often spent days alone.

As excited as I was to be in Florence for a semester, I was nervous about moving to a new country again. With moving to Florence, I would be here longer and there was an added challenge of the language barrier in trying to make friends. How was I going to meet anybody? I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to make a home for myself here like I wasn’t able to in Belfast.

Three months later, Italy now feels like home just as much as Seattle does. When I first arrived, I had no idea what to do. I went the first week eating out every night and using a tee-shirt to dry off because I had no idea where a supermarket was or where I could buy a shower towel. Now, after traveling to amazing places like Germany, Croatia, and Spain, I get a sense of comfort, something I never got in Belfast, arriving at Santa Maria Novella Station, walking past the Duomo, and entering my apartment.

Italy has been very different from anywhere I’ve lived before, landscape, language, and climate-wise, but it has become normal and comfortable for me. However, this sense of comfort hasn’t come from knowing where to buy food or from decorating my room, it’s come from the community I’ve been lucky enough to form here. “Home is where the heart is,” “home is where your family is,” and my mother’s personal favorite, “home is where your momma is,” are popular phrases for a reason. Feeling at home is about the people surrounding and supporting you in that place, whether that be friends or family.

My study abroad program staff and the institution have done an excellent job of bringing students together and creating a community that people feel at home in. From taking day trips to having Thanksgiving dinner together, my program has become my family who I lean on for support.

The relationships you form over study abroad are quick and wild. You form friendships immediately because you all know you’re in the same position – a new country where you don’t know anybody. You go to dinner together that first night, then to Piazzale Michelangelo the next day, and then before you know it you’re exploring Florence with these friends every weekend. These friends will be the ones you climb to the top of the Duomo with and also get lost trying to find that one osteria in the far outskirts of city center. You’ll struggle though your Italian language class, and celebrate together when you have your first successful conversation with a local. You’ll discuss the culture you’re immersing yourself in, and also reminisce about the few things you miss about home. Finally, it’s three months later in December, still with two weeks to go, and you’re already crying thinking about leaving these people and leaving what and who has been home for the past few months.

Home isn’t a thing or a place, but a feeling that you get from the people by your side. My time here in Florence is intertwined with the people I spent it with, and I won’t be able to think about Europe without thinking of them. When I’ll look back on living in Italy and how much I felt at home here, it won’t be because of my apartment on Borgo Pinti. It will be because of the amazing friends and community I had surrounding me here making it feel like home.

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The Side Effects of Traveling

By Jess Pitocco

From Florence, it only takes an hour and a half to fly to Paris, France. From Paris to Lisbon, Portugal, it only takes two hours to fly. From there, it takes another two hours to fly to Barcelona, Spain. In my personal experience, I have never been at such ease while traveling by plane. Italy’s central location made it an easy jumping-off point for my ten-day trip to these places over the fall break. While I was at ease traveling, what I didn’t expect were the side effects of all that country-hopping.

My room was filled to the brim with laundry, and my brain was filled with anxiety about homework as classes geared up for the homestretch of the fall semester. I had been so used to switching languages that I resorted back to English instead of Italian when ordering a pizza. I had gotten so little sleep on my travels that I was constantly tired and needed three cappuccinos a morning to stay awake for class. The blisters on my feet were excessive, and my bank account was drained from eating out for every meal while away.

I was overwhelmed, and I still am. While traveling, you learn so much about yourself. You learn how to navigate a city without a data plan. You learn how to let go of the little things that go wrong, like losing jewelry or getting stopped at the airport for having too many liquids in your carry-on. You learn how to stand in a line without getting too impatient with the wait. You learn how to pack for ten days in a bag built for two.

What you don’t learn is how to cope with all that change, both physically and mentally. Now that I am back in my temporary home of Florence, I cannot help but think how much more I want to see and how much more I want to travel. However, my body cannot take the lack of sleep and bad eating habits, and my mind cannot handle the stress of prolonged travel. I missed my routine in Florence; getting my coffee in the morning, walking to class, having dinner with my roommates, and even taking a shower without using miniature travel bottles. Traveling overall was an extremely positive experience. But, traveling is also a double-edged sword: I loved exploring the world, but I craved the stability of cooking in my own kitchen and sitting down to watch Netflix before bed.

I wouldn’t regret traveling, and wouldn’t discourage anyone from doing so. However, some words of wisdom: if I had stayed in one place longer I think I would have had a much more relaxing journey. I wish I had foreseen the complications, and taken it easier. I didn’t need to see four museums in Barcelona, but I did so anyway despite my body telling me to slow down. My advice for a long trip? Take it one day at a time, the world will still be there tomorrow.

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A Local & Two Foreigners: Our Favorite Places in Florence

By Amber Wright, Deborah Galasso, Jess Pitocco

Our mission this week between the three of us, Amber Wright, Deborah Galasso, and Jess Pitocco, was to write down the places that best symbolize or represent Florence, Italy. It proved to be pretty difficult; there are thousands of unique bars, monuments, churches and museums to visit in the city. It could take years to explore all that Florence has to offer! Even so, from each of our own perspectives, domestic and abroad, we chose our favorite spots in Florence.

Florence from the perspective of a local, Deborah Galasso, is full of art, culture, and cappuccino. Her favorite parks, restaurants and artistics centers that, in her opinion, best describe the culture and feeling of Florence, Italy:

Villa Bardini is a magical place where I go frequently. Today, it is an exhibition center that hosts temporary shows. Villa Bardini is a beautiful garden setting, and can be visited today separately with the same ticket that you would purchase at the Boboli Gardens.
Opera di Firenze is another particular place I visit as a fan of art, theater, and Florence’s musical works. I like the unusual and modern structure, and the theater’s interior is spacious and gorgeously decorated.
I always go to Anfiteatro Romano alle Cascine because I love art. This amphitheater located in the Cascine Park, and takes us back to past times. It’s a historic space for indoor and outdoor events in Florence, the best ones are featured in the summer.
Giardino del Drago, near Via Bolognese and a part of the Giardiano dell’Orticultura, is a relaxing place that makes you admire the beauty of Florence from another point of view. The distinctive and artistic statue in the shape of a dragon is at the center, and gives the garden its name. It is a place I visited as a child and remember fondly to this day.
Chiosco is a small bar/kiosk along the Arno near St. Niccolò. It’s great especially in the summer, because you can observe the river while having aperitivo. The bar is close to the Arno, is full of lights, and has a fun atmosphere.”

Florence from our perspective, Amber and Jess, two study abroad students, is a bit different. These five places represent Florence for us because they are landmarks to help us get home, great food and shopping, and places that make Florence feel like home since we’ve arrived.

We pass Piazza Gaetano Salvemini every day on our way to class at FUA’s J School. Whether in the morning or at night, there are always a myriad of characters in the Piazza, from tourists to locals. The old men play chess near the bike racks everyday, and the dog owners are followed by their pooches without leashes. There are helpful places on the edges of the palazzo: an ATM, Tabacchi, and 99 cent store. It is a place where everyone gathers for errands and meals!
Sant’Ambrogio Market is the most authentic market we have found in Florence, and conveniently one of us lives across the street from it. We love ordering a cappuccino at the bar inside, while listening to impromptu performances of the violinist and cellist in the center of the market. This indoor-outdoor market is cheaper than Central Market and offers everything from clothing, antiques, to any type of produce and food you could imagine – a gem for foodies!
La Milkeria is a small boutique coffee shop on Borgo degli Albizi. Every so often when we’re missing home, we go in there and get a good ol’ bagel. It’s our little secret how often we go in there to get a taste of home!
Walking east on that street, you’ll come to Piazza di San Pier Maggiore. This square used to be the home of the Church of San Pier Maggiore. While it no longer stands, the reconstructed arches of the church still outline the square. There is a fresh produce stand in front of the arches that is the perfect place to grab a piece of fruit on your way to class. We love stopping in this square to imagine what it used to look like!
Lastly, our favorite part of Florence are our own streets. We walk home and every time we stroll down our roads, we stumble upon a new shop or new restaurant. We continue to discover a mix of small boutiques, local restaurants, and vintage shops in our own corner of Florence. As we get closer to our homes, street art and familiar places welcome us home – our favorite places in Florence.

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