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Living in Florence

Stunning view of Florence from Piazzale Michelangiolo

A blog by Renell Aikens, one of We Like Tuscany’s beloved marketing interns!

For the last six weeks, I have had the pleasure of living in Florence, Italy. As a study abroad student I got to experience taking classes, having an internship, and trying to immerse myself within the Italian culture as much as possible. If you’re thinking about studying abroad or just visiting, Florence is the place you want to be. Prior to coming to Florence, I knew very little about Italy besides the history I was taught in my classes. However, leaving Italy, I already know I will be telling my friends and family everything I learned about this amazing culture. So now you are probably wondering, what is the best thing that Florence has to offer? This question is not so easy to answer.

The weather in Florence encourages you to step outside and enjoy what the city has to offer. You will experience warmer temperatures during the day but at night you feel cool comfortable breezes. The product of the amazing weather is the fresh ingredients used for the food. In the countryside near Florence, you see many olive trees and wineries.

Although I had limited knowledge of how to read or speak Italian, I never went wrong when choosing something different on the menu. Often you hear about pasta and pizza as the only Italian cuisine, but some lesser-known delicacies are melons with prosciutto, savory bread, caprese, fresh seafood, and fresh olive oil to name a few. You never get tired of trying a new flavor of gelato either. I strongly recommend trying the Nutella!

When traveling around Florence, you always bump into something that has a lot of historical value. While doing a Vintage Fiat 500 tour for my internship, the guide casually passed by the house Galileo used to live in as well as his observatory. There are also many works of art by Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo that live in Florence. Going into the more populated areas, you pass the stunning Duomo in the center, which is literally breathtaking. That view never gets old. There are also amazing museums such as the Uffizi and the Accademia galleries that will have you staring in awe for hours. The amount of history you can see and learn about in Florence is shocking and never-ending.

Of course, the people who live in Florence are some of the nicest people in the world. Even with the language barrier, everyone is more than willing to help you out and make sure you’re enjoying your stay. A lot of local Florentines get very happy when they hear you are from a different country and decided to visit and stay in Florence.

All in all, you will never regret coming to Florence. The amazing culture, food, history, and weather will make you fall in love. There are so many activities to do such as biking, shopping, seeing history, trying different types of food, or simply talking to the locals. Step out of your comfort zone and visit Florence!

The famous statue of David located at the Accademia Gallery in the heart of Florence.

A day in Florence is not complete without gelato.

The tiny Vintage Fiat that we used to explore the hidden gems of Tuscany.

A lovely spread of Italian delicacies such as bruschetta, meats, and cheeses.

 

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Discover Florence’s quiet Oltrarno area and the breathtaking countryside hills nearby Chianti with one of our experienced and fun guides! Explore a farm and its marvelous gardens nestled in the hills, see Galileo’s Villa, enjoy a glass of Chianti wine and Extra Virgin olive oil tasting paired with traditional Tuscan cold cuts, while learning about the olive oil-making process and local life.