Written by Presley Privitera (Colby College), Student Correspondent for CET Florence, Spring 2024
Time, while abroad, has felt prolonged in some ways but fleeting in others. This week marks one month of living in Florence, and I have caught myself asking my roommates on a few occasions, “Where has the time gone?”
CET Activities
CET has an endless amount of activities planned for us students. In one month of being here, we have done so much. First, we climbed to the top of Brunelleschi’s dome and Giotto’s Bell Tower. Together, that is around 900 stairs. The 360-degree panoramic views of Florence made up for the steep and claustrophobic climb.
Next, we traveled outside of the city center to Imprunenta to learn about terracotta making and try our hand at it. The huge terracotta pots the artisans were making will be used to age wine.
I attended a day trip to Modena, which included a visit to a balsamic vineyard, a journey around the quaint town, and a tour of the Ferrari Museum. Modena was so beautiful and less touristy than Florence, which was a nice change of pace.
Back in the city, a group of CET students attended Florence’s Welcome Day reception to greet American abroad students from all over the country. We heard speeches from representatives of Florence and were able to sit in the beautiful Salone di Cinquecento in Palazzo Vecchio. Finally, we did a chocolate tasting at Slitti Experience in Florence. The owner spoke to us about the different chocolates we were served, and they all tasted great.
Immersive Classes
The fun has not been limited to the weekends or free time, but many of my classes have taken place on-site at famous places. My art history curriculum has included a visit to the Uffizi, a visit to the Bargello, and a visit to the Accademia gallery to see Michelangelo’s David. In addition, my wine studies class has gone to a well-known and long-standing enoteca (wine shop) to taste wine and learn about the appropriate way of pairing food and wine.
Learning through experience is a huge reason I wanted to study abroad, and I have been so happy with the curriculum of my classes. I have loved getting out and exploring with my professors, who are so knowledgeable in their fields. I also love all of these site visits because they allow me to feel even more engulfed in Florentine history and culture.
Italian Food and Recommendations
What would Italian culture be without food? There will never be a shortage of restaurants that I want to try while being here! It is really important to me to try and find the most authentic food while in Florence, which can be a little challenging since there is an abundance of tourist traps. I love walking into a bar, sandwich shop or restaurant and being the only American amongst locals.
My first recommendation is for a panino at I’Ritrovino de’Servi. My sandwich was only 6 euros and it was so delicious. For gelato, the best I have found is at RivaReno. It is rich and creamy. You can tell it is authentic because it is served from silver-covered canisters. If gelato is piled high and has bright colors—it probably isn’t the best stuff. For a simple dinner, I would recommend Il Ricettario. They have a good Rigatoni al Pomodoro, and my roommates highly recommend their seafood pasta. I have a long list of restaurants I am still waiting to try while here.
My Favorite Place: Boboli Gardens
Aside from food, my absolute favorite place I have visited while in Florence is the Boboli Gardens. I went there after school one day, expecting to go for a quick stroll, but when I went to buy my ticket, the woman helping me warned me that I would have to be quick because they closed in an hour. I thought to myself, how big could the gardens be? The gardens are breathtakingly beautiful and never-ending, it seemed. I definitely did not see all of it in the hour I was there. Luckily, since I am taking art history, I received my own Uffizi card, which means I have free entry to the Boboli Gardens and Palazzo Pitti. I cannot wait to go back! Next time, I will plan for more than an hour!
Birthday Celebration in Rome, Italy
This week was my birthday, and I couldn’t think of a better place to be celebrating than Italy! My roommates and I went on a day trip to Rome. As a history buff, there is no cooler feeling than standing in the same spots that gladiators stood thousands of years ago. We made sure to see all the important places, including the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps, and we even managed to go to the Vatican City. Roman history has left such a lasting impact on Italian culture as a whole, and spending time in the city was a great experience.
So where has the time gone? It has been spent exploring new cities, and learning from Italian artisans. It has been filled with brushing elbows with local Florentines in bars and cafes. It has passed while eating delicious food in the company of people I never knew I needed to meet. I can attest that time does really fly when you are having fun with people you love. As Ferris Bueller once said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it,” and I do not want to miss a second of life here in Florence.