Melissa's Experience in Florence, Italy

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What do you think of Florence as a place to live? Would you recommend it? What's it like?

I would absolutely recommend it! I think it's been one of the best experiences of my life. It's a beautiful place and if you're into art, you'll love it. Simply taking a stroll through the city you'll come across numerous of works of art and beautiful architecture. Everything in the centre is close-by, it wasn't often that I needed to use public transport to get around. You can get everywhere on foot (school, bars, parties... ). The food is delicious, pasta and pizza, great wines and bistecca fiorentina. Don't forget to try the lampredotto, a traditional Florentine dish (it's street food though, not gourmet). I recommend it for people who like to try new things. Get up early and go for a run along the banks of the Ponte Vecchio, it's even better if you catch the sunrise or sunset. If you go to Florence, you'll fall in love with the city, but be careful that you don't let it break your heart!

What's the student life like in Florence?

There are so many students, you'll make friends from all over the world.

What is the cost of living in Florence?

A full meal (food and drink) costs around €10. I preferred cooking at home, and I would occasionally go out to eat: a drink at a bar costs around €7, and gelato can be between €2 and €8, or sometimes more.

Was it difficult to find accommodation in Florence? Do you have any advice?

No, mine was arranged through the school. The accommodation was very good, very central, safe and with nice, spacious rooms for 6 people to live in. However, I recommend looking elsewhere, as you'll be able to find something much cheaper.

What's the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

Pizza. Since I'm Mexican and we like our spices, I was always looking for spicy food. I found a pizzería where they served pizza with spicy salami, which was my favourite. Although you wouldn't think it, Florence has great Asian food, you can find a lot of Chinese and Japanese restaurants in the city centre. Italian gelato is the best in the world, but be careful, not all the ice cream parlours have the nicest flavours. Lampredotto and tripe, if you feel like being an authentic Florentine, have some lampredotto and a beer before watching Fiorentina play a football match. You can find pasta everywhere, every restaurant serves delicious pasta (I'm not a huge fan, but I think most people like it). Tiramisú, my favourite dessert since I tried it - it's like cake dipped in coffee with sweet cream and a dusting of coffee powder on top. Delicious, my favourite.

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Where would you recommend visiting in Florence?

El Duomo, Galleria dell'Accademia, Galleria degli Uffizzi, Ponte Vecchio, Giardino di Boboli (Palazzo Pitti), Piazza della Repubblica, Piazzale Michelangelo, Giardino delle rose, Piazza Santo Spirito, Basilica di Santa Croce, Palazzo Vecchio, and hundreds of other places to discover while wandering through the streets.

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What about eating out in Florence? Can you tell us some of your favourite places?

La Giostra (the best pasta and desserts I've ever eaten and great service), Panbriaco (delicious paninis and reasonable prices for students), Acqua al 2 (pizza, pasta and wine), Gelateria la Carraia, la Cantina del Gelato, Kisch (for aperitifs), Otel (aperitifs on Sundays), and Amblé (paninis and drinks).

Where would you recommend for a night out in Florence?

Otel, Blanco, Cole Beretto, Blue Velvet, Caffe Giube Rosse, and Flo.

Any advice for students going to Florence in the future?

Make the most of your time there, go out, meet people, and if you want to get to know the authentic Florentine culture, you'll need to venture a little outside of the city centre.