By Morgan O’Reilly
It’s 8:30 on a February morning as I swiftly dodge bikes and local pedestrians on my way to class. The damp chill of Florentine air jostles my bones as my tired eyes stare downwards at the passing cobblestone. The frigid gust of wind and the loom of tardiness pick up my weary feet and hurl them toward the next stone, until suddenly a crack on the sidewalk catches my foot and I trip. Only then do I look up from my monotonous routine and spot a little, hidden bakery; a woman laughing with her daughter; the incredible detail on the Santa Croce archways; and a side of Florence I had neglected to notice.
Falling into a routine comes naturally when settling in Florence: you find the quickest routes, the cheap panini places, and a couple go-to evening spots. Although finding some favorite places will help with your acclimation to the new environment, it is also important to keep exploring the city and appreciating new sights each day. Yes, many weekends will be spent crossing off travel bucket lists, but weekends should also lend themselves to new Florentine discoveries. The city cannot be fully appreciated in one, momentous layer. It opens itself up to its guest every day; tripping and confusing its inhabitants and then strategically placing a hidden gem right in their winding paths
Finding a new sight a day, or moreover, appreciating a new sight a day, can transform the city from a world renowned bustle to a personalized home. Form a realistic plan of things you want to see, do and eat, and try to knock off a few each week. Reach out to your professors and locals for their recommendations. Even on your walk back from class, pay extra attention to the detail on the Duomo; the finely cured meats at your favorite panini spot; the muffled italian chatter in the Oblate Library; veins on statues; love locks on fences; foam on your cappuccino. Explore the Uffizi over and over again, visit Oltrarno’s gardens, grottos, and local eateries, and find those special details and locations you would have overlooked if you hadn’t payed active attention.
The simple act of opening one’s senses to new discoveries can not only act as a mantra for an immensely enriching Florentine experience, it also lends itself to a life of new discovery and appreciation. Begin to notice, to see the overlooked, and to experience the little moments that make Florence so unprecedented.
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