Written by Sofia Gonzalez (University of Wisconsin-Madison), Student Correspondent for CET Florence, Summer 2026
In Florence, every day is a little different. Often I feel adventurous and up for exploring the city, while other times it’s nice to have a peaceful moment to myself. I’ve done a lot of different things in my first week here, and I’d like to share one of my most exciting days so far.
Slow Mornings
Since my classes don’t start until late morning or early afternoon, I like to take my mornings slow. On this day, I decided to try out Melaleuca, which is a café near my apartment. I ordered a cinnamon roll and took some time to read my book and observe the other customers around me. I don’t eat out for every meal since it’s much cheaper to cook at home, but sometimes it’s nice to get a fresh pastry and experience the restaurant atmosphere.
The rest of my morning before class was spent wandering the city and getting groceries for the week ahead. I enjoy walking around Florence in the morning because there are less people out and it is much cooler than later in the day. The high temperature has been in the 90s for most of the days I’ve been here so far!
My favorite places to get groceries are CONAD (a typical grocery store) or the Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio, which is kind of like a farmer’s market that has fresh produce outside and other things like meat, cheese, and other locally made foods inside. I also use the mornings to work on homework or readings for my classes.
Academics at CET
Like every other day, I learned a lot of interesting things in my classes. In Wine Studies, we talked about the importance of wine for cultures of the past as well as the present. We also learned how methods of wine production have changed throughout time. Did you know that ancient Greeks and Romans used to mix their wine with water, honey, and spices to mask oxidation and a vinegary taste?
During my Renaissance Art and Architecture class, we took a field trip to the Basilica of Santa Croce. It was the first church I’ve been to so far in Florence, and I was blown away by the architecture and sheer scale of it. The frescoes, stained glass, and paintings make it a really beautiful site. It was also interesting to learn that while it was built during the Renaissance, some parts, like the ornamental white facade, were added on later.
CET Excursions
After class, I participated in an activity hosted by CET, where we went rafting on the Arno River! The water was pretty low and calm, so it was fun to paddle around and chat with my classmates while enjoying the scenery. Our guide was also very knowledgeable and told us some things about the Arno and suggestions for what to do in Florence while we’re here.
Savoring the Evening
After our activity with CET, a few of us went to try the viral sandwich shop: All’Antico Vinaio. I had heard this place recommended many times for its ginormous sandwiches, and I did enjoy it, but I would also like to try some more different sandwich shops to find my favorite. Either way, it was nice to sit down and enjoy some food after our adventure on the water.
Since I prefer doing a lot of my exploring in the morning, oftentimes after I eat dinner I like to decompress in my apartment and get ready for the next day. Things I enjoy doing to unwind are reading a book, writing in my journal, or catching up with friends and family from home. Some days, I will also go back out to watch the sunset over the city and/or get gelato as a little treat.
While studying abroad, it can be easy to get caught up in the idea that every moment of every day needs to be spent going out and doing something new. While this is a great time to discover new things, I think it’s also important to find a balance. Even though you’re in a cool new city, you still need time to breathe, and everyone has a different amount of time needed to recharge. Not every day is as busy as this for me, and I’m okay with that, because my time spent relaxing allows me to further enjoy the adventures I do go on.