Florence, Italy

CIAO! Mi amore Firenze! This summer study abroad program was an amazing experience that allowed me to travel all over Italy, make new friends, learn about European business and enjoy the relaxing Italian lifestyle. Italy is much different than the U.S.; shops close mid afternoon so people can meet friends for an espresso, business owners are in no rush to assist customers, and they truly savor both their food and their company.

On weekends I traveled all over Italia:

Venice: I still marvel on how Venice stays afloat. Unfortunately the tiny island that is crowded by shops, narrow walkways, and the famous San Marco square, is slowly sinking. If you visit, you should purchase Venice's famous glass jewelry and take a rise in some type of boat through all of the water canals. I took the Grand Canal Boat tour, which I would highly recommend, that included a narrated tour guide through the waterways, views of Elton John's house and a bottle of Italian Prosecco to enjoy. Venice can definitely be done in a day trip.

Rome: Rome is Italy's big city, it's like the New York of the country. There are lots of people and you have to be careful not to get run over by Vespas. I loved touring the ancient ruins, the Coliseum, the Vatican, St. Peter's Basilica, the Spanish Steps, and the Trevi Fountain. The food in Rome was a bit of a letdown, and there is not as much nightlife as in Florence. However, I would recommend getting a few bottles of wine and hanging out with friends at the Trevi Fountain one night. The setting is magical, with white lights reflecting over the flowing water and it's a fascinating place to people watch. I would recommend three days in Rome.

Amalfi Coast / Capri / Sorrento / Positano: After visiting so many museums, and historical sites, traveling to the Amalfi Coast is a MUST vacation when you can acutally relax. The water is a gorgeous Mediterranean color. I signed up for a package vacation down there, that included bus transportation, a boat tour around Capri, and a bungalow house to stay in. Capri has breathtaking coastlines. Definitely try their native Limoncello liquior when you are there and the lemon chocolates. Sorrento is fun at night with a couple of bars/clubs. If you like seafood there are some amazzzzzing seafood dishes at the Sorrento restaurants. I had two of my best Italian meals here: seafood rissoto & seafood linguini. Positano is a small beach town built along the Italian coast. I recommend the cliff jumping there. If you're in Southern Italy be sure to stop at Pompeii at some point.

Cinque Terre: only a short train ride from Florence, it is a great day get-away. There are five coastal beaches; however, I only stayed at one. The beaches have more locals than the Amalfi Coast, but it can get a little crowded. There is a hiking travel linking the five beaches. There was great cliff-side gelato and restaurants along the water, making for a great place to watch the sunset.

Sienna & San Giminaggio: These are both medieval towns that have breathtaking views of the Italian countryside. Golden Hawn & Kurt Russel were spotted in San Giminaggio when i was there!

Florence: My favorite city in the world. This city embodies the heart of the Renaissance with its amazing art, ornate buildings, and beautiful sculptures.
Best City Activities:
1. Central Market: Located near the Duomo, this outdoor/indoor market is a great place to wander around, shop for souvenirs, and purchase fresh meats, vegetables, nuts and dried fruit.
2. Calico: This is a sporting event that is the earliest form of soccer. It's an intense sport, where any kind of contact is allowed, from tackling, punching, and wrestling. I thought that the men would be kicking around a soccer ball, but the players end up bloddy and there is a lot of team patriotism. Definitely a must see!
3. Spend the afternoon at a local cafe drinkg cappuccinos and espressos with friends.
4. Shopping: Italy is known for its amazing leather so be sure to purchase a wallet, belt, or purse. The high end shopping is located by the arno and Palazzo Ruccelai. Lauren ocnrad was sportted while I was there in Zara's by Piaza di Republica.
5. Bike ride through Chianti: the wine is the best in the world, and the scenery is gorgeous.
6. Climb to Piaza di Michelangelo: the views are amazing and very romantic at night.
7. Climb the steps of the Duomo: exhausting, but also worth the views. The Duomo Cathedral has a very extravagant ceilings as well.
8. Eat gelato every day! My favorite place was La Carreira.
9. Pub Crawl: lots of fun, do it in Rome or Florence.
* Best advice: explore the city, enjoy the sights, sounds, and take in all the scenery around you!
Best Restaurants:
1. ZaZa's: right near central market, has a great open atmosphere. I enjoyed the savory fettuccine with truffle sauce that falls apart in your mouth.
2. La Grostra: on via Borgo Pinti, with tables outside that are decorated with white lights at night. The brie-filled raviolies are delicious! Many famous people dine here, including Chevi Chase!
3. Moyo: near Santa Croce this apertivo bar is a great deal for appetizers & a drink for 7 euros. It's a fun way to start the night and the food is pretty good.
4. Oil Shoppe: ecellent Panini shop, the ingredients are really fresh.
5. Cafe Amerini: right around the corner from school, a great place for a quick bite to eat or an espresso.
Night Life:
1. Space: really fun at night, lots of fun games, pretty decent music.
2. Red Garter: located near Santa Croce, BEER PONG tournaments every Tuesday.
3. J.J.'s: an Irish pub in the heart of Florence. Lots of American students hangout here because you can pay with American dollars from 6-10pm.
4. Twenty One: smaller, but cheap, and free shots.
5. Central Park: really really far away, but I heard it was a lot of fun, but kind of expensive.
6. Fish Pub: known for its "Five Shots, Five Euros" the shots are actually mixed drinks, but still fun to visit at least once.
Class:
You'll actually look forward to class when in Italy. Professor Rummel, who is also a faculty brother, teaches the business class and he is great. You'll have the opportunity to travel all over Italy to see Italian businesses such as a winery, an olive oil firm, Lamborghini, Ducati, wool/raw materials plant used in the fashion industry, and GE in Italy. I also took Masters & Monuments, to lear about Art History while in the art capital of the world. The class included trips to museums around Florence and learning about artists such as Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Donatello, Ghiberti and many more!