People

Florence truly offers an amazing cultural experience, primarily because of the people who make the place. Despite not many Florentines living in the city center, they own most of the businesses and are very friendly and welcoming to foreign students. Suppose you get out of your comfort zone a bit and start a conversation with a Florentine in a cafe or on the street, there’s a very good chance they’re willing to talk and offer recommendations in the city. In addition, a great part of studying abroad is the professors in class, who all live in Florence. The professors at ISI Florence are very nice and make the transition to living in Italy easy. They are a great source to learn about the city, the culture, and the people, and they also have advice for some of the more local and niche spots to try out.

Place

Florence is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, offering incredible art and architecture, not just at the classic tourist attractions you might think of. However, the major tourist sites are popular for good reason. The Duomo, located in the city center, is stunning, especially at night. Despite being there many times, every time we look up at its facade, there is something new to see. It is an awe-inspiring cathedral, seeing it for the first time, it engulfs your vision and is almost overwhelming to look at as there is just so much detail. Another major site in the city is Ponte Vecchio, which translates to old bridge. This isn’t just any bridge, though; it is lined with historic gold and watch shops like Rolex and Patek Philippe. Overhead as you walk on Ponte Vecchio is the Vasari corridor, which was created for the Medici family to walk from the Uffizi to the Pitti Palace without being seen by the public. Of course, we have to mention perhaps the most famous statue in the world, Michelangelo’s David. The piece is located in the Academia gallery, which also has many other famous works and more statues of the great Florentine artist Michelangelo. Another great museum, which was just touched on, is the Uffizi Gallery. This is a staple of Florence and is one of the most impressive collections of art you will ever see. The most famous works in the gallery include the Birth of Venus by Botticelli as well as the Doni Tondo by Michelangelo.

Food

Italy has some of the most delicious and recognizable cuisine of any country on Earth, and the food in Florence is incredible. If you look for food in Florence online, the first dish you will see is, of course, the Florentine steak. Thick-cut T-bone is seared off and served medium rare, often on a hot stone or skillet, so you can cook your slices a bit more if medium rare isn’t your style. Florence also has some of the best sandwich shops anywhere in Italy. The ultra-famous All’antico Vinaio, which started in Florence, has now become a worldwide sensation with multiple locations in other countries. Another one of our favorite spots is I Girone de’ Ghiotti. This small shop serves amazing sandwiches at good prices. If you’re still hungry after a sandwich, we recommend the Nutella schiacciata. If you’re looking for classic Italian pizza, Florence has many great places! Our recommendation is Gusta Pizza, which is located near Santa Spirito. There is often a line because it has become so popular, especially among students, but this pizza is well worth the wait!

There truly is no way to state how amazing our experience here has been, I wouldn’t trade these past few months for anything. If you are thinking of going abroad, go for it and really look at Florence as an option, you wont regret it! For a more visual idea of what we did during our time here, check out the TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube videos we made here –> (Tiktok, Instagram, YouTube). Also feel free to connect with us and reach out on Linkedin!

Emmett Pilsbury
Christian Casaburro
Steven Pirraglia
Daniel Flash