What 6 Weeks in Florence Taught Us About Travel, Food, and Living Abroad

Why We Chose Florence

When we first decided to study abroad, we knew we wanted an experience that would push us outside our comfort zones while allowing us to explore Europe. Florence felt like the perfect choice. It offered a balance of history, culture, food, and travel opportunities that we couldn’t find anywhere else.

Before arriving, we imagined spending my days admiring the Duomo, eating pasta, and taking weekend trips across Europe. While all of those things happened, our experience became so much more than we expected.

What Daily Life Was Really Like

One of the biggest surprises was how quickly Florence started to feel like home.

Our days usually began with a walk through the city to class. Instead of driving everywhere like we do in the United States, we walked almost everywhere. At first it felt unusual, but eventually it became one of my favorite parts of daily life.

The city itself became our campus. Every walk included historic buildings, busy piazzas, local cafés, and views that never seemed to get old. What started as a place we were visiting gradually became a place we knew very well.

Studying abroad isn’t just about traveling. It’s about creating a routine in a completely new environment.

Food is More Than Just Food in Italy

Before coming to Italy, we thought Italian food would be one of the highlights of my experience. We were right, but not for the reasons we expected.

What stood out most wasn’t simply the food itself, but the way food brought people together.

Meals in Italy are often slower and more social. Friends gather around a table for long conversations, and food becomes part of the experience rather than something rushed between activities.

Some of our favorite memories happened during meals:

Sharing paninis with friends after class
Morning cappuccinos at local cafés
Steak dinners that lasted for hours
Late-night gelato walks through Florence

These moments taught us that food is often the center of connection, conversation, and community.

Our Favorite Food Experiences in Italy

If we could only recommend a few food experiences to future students, they would be:

Morning Coffee Stops

Italian coffee culture is very different from what I was used to in the United States. Coffee isn’t something people carry around all day—it’s often a quick but meaningful part of the morning.

Florentine Steak

Trying a traditional Florentine steak was a must. It quickly became one of our favorite meals during the program. We went to Antico Ristoro di Cambi, and it quickly became our favorite restaurant to get steak and pasta! https://anticoristorodicambi.it

Gelato Walks

Sometimes the simplest moments became the best memories. Walking through Florence with friends while eating gelato became a regular tradition.

Weekend Travel: Our Biggest Advice

Some of our favorite memories we’ve made abroad have been weekend trips. It has been such great to explore Florence, and then see a experience a new, different culture on the weekends! We have been to Amalfi, Lake Como, Malta, and France in the 6 weeks we’ve been here.

Travel often, but don’t forget to enjoy Florence itself!

While we’ve had so much fun traveling, some of our favorite memories happened on ordinary days spent exploring Florence with friends. I think it’s so important to have a balance between travel and soaking up your home base.

What Surprised Us The Most

The biggest surprise wasn’t the food, architecture, or travel opportunities.

It was how quickly we adapted to living here.

Things that felt intimidating at first, like navigating trains, ordering in another language, meeting new people, and living in a different country, eventually became normal and part of our day-to-day.

Studying abroad taught us how important it is to step out of your comfort zone, but we both truly feel that we have grown so much through this experience.