Before studying abroad, I didn’t think about how time-consuming travel planning would be. Even at home, sometimes it can be hard to juggle everything that comes with being a student. But being a study abroad student comes with a whole new to-do list: homework and studying for exams, making new friendships, maintaining relationships with your friends and family back home, AND planning new trips each weekend. Not a lot of downtime if you ask me. So, if you’re thinking of spending a weekend in Florence, I’ll take one thing – a travel itinerary – off your plate. Because I just had the most amazing weekend in Florence, and I feel it would be a disservice to study abroad students everywhere not to share my advice.
The Florence Food Tour
The Florence Food Tour is something you’ll have to book ahead of time, but I highly recommend it. It was the highlight of my trip. It’s a cooking class in Corte dei Pazzi -- a small Italian restaurant -- taught by a woman named Veronica. Our class started at 11:00am and ended sometime around 2:00pm. You might be feeling a bit hesitant because it takes up a chunk of the day but trust me -- it was totally worth it. In the class, we learned how to make tiramisu and two kinds of pasta, and Veronica even sent us home with the exact recipes we used (I’m absolutely going to make everything again once I’m back home). While we were there, we met other American study abroad students and ended up spending a few hours with them after the class. The class was a great way to meet new people, kill a few hours, and score an amazing lunch. If I haven’t already convinced you, just note that the class comes with bottomless prosecco. You definitely need to check it out if you’re spending time in Florence.
Il Mercato Centrale Firenze
If you’re looking for some shopping and street food in Florence, look no further. Il Mercato Centrale Firenze has it all. Outside, you’ll find Florence’s leather market where -- if you know how to haggle -- most things end up being very affordable. Most of the girls in my group, including me, ended up buying a purse or two for around thirty euro. However, if you’re wanting to buy a leather jacket, I recommend Massimo Leather instead. It’s more expensive than the market, but it’s also higher quality.
If you walk inside the building next to the leather market, you’ll find Florence’s food market. Downstairs, booths sell anything from fresh fish to limoncello, and upstairs is filled with all kinds of street food vendors. Lunch there was amazing, and I recommend it to anyone looking for a quick bite to eat.
Galleria dell Accademia di Firenze
Even if you aren’t a big museum person, you need to check out the Galleria dell Accademia. It’s a smaller museum, which might make it more enjoyable for some people. More importantly, it has Michealangelo’s Statue of David. I’ve heard some people say that the exhibit is overrated, but I think it’s one of Florence’s must-see attractions. Tickets are available to book ahead of time online, and I’d recommend booking a time slot early in the morning. My group went at 8:45am and beat the crowds, making our experience much more enjoyable.
Shopping, Good Eats, and More
If you didn’t get your fill of shopping at the leather market, check out Signum for cute postcards and souvenirs and then visit Marlu for cute, affordable jewelry. And if you’re looking for cute places to take a few photos, Florence has several photo booths scattered around the city. We went early in the morning and avoided the line, which I recommend if you don’t want to wait half an hour. As for food, I definitely recommend Pizzeria O’ Vesuvio; they cook a personal-sized pizza right in front of you, fold it like a taco, and wrap it so it’s ready to eat on the go. Finally, if you’re up for a little walking, check out the Piazzale Michelangelo. It’s a half an hour walk from downtown Florence, but the view is so worth it. We managed to hike all the way up to the top wearing our backpacks, so I’m confident almost everyone can manage the walk.
My weekend in Florence was my favorite study-abroad trip so far. Between the food, shopping, and pasta making, it was easy to stay busy (and very full). If you’re studying abroad at CIMBA, I highly recommend you take a weekend and visit Florence. It’s absolutely worth it.
Until next time,
Sydney