Letter to a friend

I have had a unique situation while studying abroad, but aside from everything that went wrong I did manage to enjoy a lot of my time here. Although through experience, I do have some recommendations. Literally, NEVER let go of your valuables, even if they are right in front of you. Second, bring the most important toiletries even if you think they add to weight and you can just buy them here. I found that there is a significantly smaller selection and had trouble finding good conditioner & lotion that actually worked. Also, I thought I was packing well by not bringing as much, but I found that I packed a little too light and wished I had some more clothes. Another thing I regret is not planning ahead in the beginning. The first weekend a group of people went to Milan and Lake Como & my roommate and I had not planned anything so we stayed at home. Especially during a summer session that is shorter, you end up being away almost every weekend to explore Italy, which is very fun even though it can be tiring at times. You don't miss out on the nightlife in Florence either, because everyone goes out all the time during the week and the bars are usually packed like its a weekend. The bars here do not have a cover charge and never check ID, however the clubs or discotecas are usually a little expensive to get into, maybe around 10 Euro. There are however a couple clubs that are free including 21 or Twice and they are open late, usually past 4 A.M. Aside from the nightlife, Florence is crowded with tourists on a daily basis, which can get kind of annoying. Also what I really didn't like are the hours of stores here, which is pretty normal for a lot of places in Europe. A lot of stores & restaurants here close around 2 or 3 or will have a very limited menu, and then reopen a couple hours later. They also close very early here and are not usually open on Sundays except for downtown near the Duomo. Shopping is expensive downtown, especially shoes, so you have to find the good places that don't charge as much or go to the markets. As for food recommendations, I did really enjoy 'The Oil Shoppe' on Via S.Egidio, close to the Duomo. It had really good fresh sandwiches which are made right in front of you and then Owner is extremely nice. Also they take credit cards if you are running low on cash. For a significantly more expensive dinner, I went to La Giostra which was delicious but pricy. It is not in a crowded area, so you kind of have to know about it to get there, but the food & service is great and the interior is nice as well. For places to visit, definately Piazza Michaelangelo and Boboli Gardens. Piazza Michaelangelo looks over the whole city and is very beautiful, Boboli Gardens are huge and very relaxing, also a great place for photos. Outside of florence I would try Fiesole which is about a 15 minute ride on bus line #7, great view also and not as touristy.

Boboli Gardens:


Tourists Everywhere!