Photos by Tessa Beazley, (The George Washington University), Student Correspondent for CET Florence, Fall 2022
I love Florence at night! While the city is beautiful during the day, there is a special magic about it once the sun sets. One of my favorite things to do this semester has been sitting and listening to the evening street musicians.
Our CET excursion to Rome brought us to many of the most recognizable Italian landmarks, such as the Trevi Fountain and the Colosseum. It was so exciting to see them in person after learning about them in my cinema and food & culture classes.
While I am glad I had the opportunity to go on our walking tour and visit the Vatican, my favorite part of Rome was the stop at Galleria Borghese. The beautiful gardens and time to just relax after a long weekend were just what I needed.
There is beauty everywhere here in Florence. I love the atmosphere of a city full of street stands, surprisingly lush nature, and locals spending the day lounging in a piazza.
This past month I have particularly enjoyed getting to know the hidden gems in Florence, including Jazz Club Firenze, a music club hidden in a side alleyway near my apartment. Never believe them when they say the set starts at 21:30 and prepare to be there until 1AM, but the wait is so worth it and you will want to stay the entire night.
Though I am personally challenged in the area of sports, cheering for the CET soccer team is a sport in and of itself. The soccer tournament is entirely made up of study abroad programs, showing up to the field to watch a game through the fence feels like a very authentic Italian experience.
Not only do we get to watch our own team (dominate) on the soccer field, but we also got a chance to see the Firenze team (lose). We all spent the day tracking down the color purple to sport and the night trying to catch onto the Italian chants in the stands.
As most sane people, I am a pizza lover and have had my fair share of scrumptious pizza here in Italy. Some of the best was in Fiesole at Pizzeria Buca delle Fate.
I have never really been a coffee shop studier, but this semester that all changed after I fell in love with the café atmosphere at places like Todo Modo and BEN’s café. Now you can find me working on my laptop, sipping a hot chocolate several times a week.
I was in the mood for a hike and had heard the walk to Fiesole was a must do. I wasn’t prepared for just as much of a hike it really was, but the views were some of the best I’ve seen in Florence and the fall foliage gave me a warm fuzzy feeling despite the sweat and my tired legs.