Ciao from Florence!
There are so many fun and interesting things to do and see in Florence and I want to share some of the amazing things I was able to experience these three weeks!
The first thing I recommend to do in Florence is to just walk around the city because there is so much to see that you can find yourself stumbling upon things you did not know were there and it's just a great way to get to know the layout of the city. My friends and I went out walking trying to find where each of our classrooms were located and we made it all the way down to the Arno River, which was such an amazing view.
My class was scheduled from 8:50-11:45 and it was the perfect time for class because I was able to go through museums and do other stuff during the day and still be able to go get dinner with my friends in the evening. After my class one day I went to the Museo Casa di Dante, which was a museum at the site of Dante's birth that explained all about his life. I also went to his church right down the street which was also very interesting. It does not take long to go through, so if you have the time while in Florence I think it was worth the visit!
In one of the main squares, Piazza della Signoria, is the Palazzo Vecchio, owned by the Medici family. Out front is a copy of Michelangelo's David as well as an open air museum full of original sculptures. After passing by it many times on my way to and from class I finally decided to go into the Palazzo Vecchio, which is the town hall of Florence. From the first step you take into the courtyard of the Palazzo, you can see the breathtaking architecture and it only gets better as you truly get into the museum. While here I took the opportunity to climb up the Tower of Alfonso to see breathtaking views of the city below. It's a pretty tall climb but you get a panoramic view from different heights that making it worth it.
During my first weekend in Florence my friends and I decided to do a vespa tour through the countryside from a vineyard in San Pancrazio. It was definitely a little nerve-racking to get started but once we got on the road it was so much fun! We were able to stop and get a few pictures and then we made it back to the vineyard where the vespa tour started. We got to eat amazing food and tried two different types of wine that the vineyard makes and we got a tour inside the buildings where they actually making and store the wine. If you aren't afraid to drive on the Tuscan roads then I definitely recommend trying to do a vespa tour!
Through Airbnb my friends and I booked a cooking class with a woman that teaches you to make Pici out of her own kitchen. She is from Tuscany and Pici is a dish that comes from her small village, so it was special to learn how to make it from her. She had appetizers laid out for us and the meat and wine came from her family's farm out in the countryside and it was honestly some of the best food that we had. It was so nice to get to talk to her and learn about Italian life -- she was not fluent in English but she told us that she was working on it and that doing the cooking classes was a good way for her to practice. The Pici was amazing and it's definitely something that I'm going to try to make when I get back home!
At least once while in Florence it is a must to go up to Piazzale Michelangelo to watch the sunset! My friends and I got some pizza from Pizzeria O' Vesuvia -- because one of my friends saw that the Jersey Shore people went there -- and we brought it up to eat while watching the sunset. It does get very crowded up there but everyone is so nice and it's a great spot to get views of the city.
As someone who is interested in art history I loved going to visit the Uffizi Gallery. Some famous works of art that are on view here are "Spring" and "The Birth of Venus" both by Botticelli. There are so many Roman sculptures on display here as well as paintings by Michelangelo and Da Vinci. One of my favorites that I saw, and also a famous work at Uffizi, is "Medusa" by Caravaggio. "Medusa" is painted on a parade shield and was given to Grand Duke Ferdinando I by Cardinal Francesco Maria del Monte in 1598. I could have spent all day walking through the Uffizi Gallery, if you are in Florence you can't miss it!
If you are into archaeology then I suggest the National Archaeological Museum of Florence. I was able to see a wide range of history through the pieces here; from Ancient Greece to Egyptian mummies to famous works such as the Chimaera of Arezzo and the François Vase.
If you are interested in seeing beautiful churches then I recommend Santa Croce -- not only does it have a stunning interior but it holds the tombs of many famous and important people from Florence. Michelangelo, Galileo, Dante, and Machiavelli all have tombs here, as well as many other influential people. Located here is also the Medici Chapel and two beautiful cloister gardens that you can't miss.
There is so much to do in Florence that this blogpost has barely scraped the surface of all there is to experience. Even in my three weeks I was not able to see it all, however Florence is definitely a city that is worth multiple visits too and I am so lucky to have experienced it! Florence is a great city for anyone who loves art, history, or really good food! I absolutely recommend this city for anyone who is looking to study abroad in Italy, as it is also a good central location for day trips within the region. I can't wait for the next time that I can get back to this city!
- Katelyn Compton