Within the confines of my study abroad program, there were multiple excursions built-in to experience as a group – my absolute favorite of these was our weekend journey to Florence. I was honestly struck by how small the city felt in contrast to the endlessly bustling streets filled to bursting with tourists. We went on multiple walking tours through the city, learning where the larger tourist-y areas were in contrast to our guide’s favorite local ristorantes and gelato places.
We daily walked by Florence’s duomo, capped by Brunelleschi’s famous dome, and were constantly in awe of it and the surrounding architecture. We walked down to the New Market square, guarded by statues, and each wandered off to get goaded into some crappy souvenir or another. But far and away the best moments of Florence were those I spent beyond the itinerary and simply hung out with my group.
The first night in Florence, I was desperate to go to the Piazzale Michelangelo, a hilltop plaza that promised panoramic views of the city; as an avid photographer, that was a dream. The professors of my trip aided me by guiding me there and then shortly thereafter I caught a cab and met up with the rest of my group who had made dinner reservations at a local restaurant. Outside of one or two other eateries, that was the absolute best food I had my entire time in Italy and most of my group seemed inclined to agree. The pasta dish I had, cacio e pepe, was so incredibly simple and yet one I don’t think I could ever hope to replicate here in the States. In that same sense, the tiramisu and cheesecake I had for dessert were honest-to-god heavenly and nothing can ever compare to them. But honestly perhaps the best part of that night was simply talking and laughing with those in my study abroad group, having the time of our lives and not adhering to any set schedule.
And the rest of Florence, the better parts at least, was much the same.
There were a few locations I wanted to see myself that nobody else wanted to see; places from a series I binge-watched and fell in love with over quarantine. The third season was largely filmed in Florence so seeing some of those places in real life was a true joy to see, and some of my favorite moments from my entire trip abroad. Being able to make some parts of the trip work for me, beyond the constraints of my professors and the broader itinerary was a wonderful experience, one that I will never forget to cherish and remember for the rest of my life.
