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Florence
Why Florence?
Florence, a city that was once home to Dante Alghieri – at least until he was exiled. A city still home to Michelangelo’s David. And a city that could become your future home. As the capital of one of Italy’s most traditional regions, whose Tuscan dialect formed the basis of what we now recognise as the Italian language, Florence should be discovered in depth. The famous Duomo is just one more monument in this relic of the Renaissance where local life is characterised by schiacciata sandwiches and live jazz, with weekends spent rolling through the Tuscan hills. Your time here might just make for a very Divine Comedy.
Entertainment
"Florence nightlife is good in summer so make the most of it. During the winter months, it quietens down a bit. You won't find all that many young Italians in the centre as most of them live on the outskirts, the centre is full of tourists."
Siena
Year Abroad 19/20
Fiesole
Hop on the number 7 bus (buying your ticket in the tobacconist beforehand) and you’ll be here in just 19 minutes. The view over Florence is something you won’t forget, and one that you might just have to add to your (now very long) Instagram story.
Jazz Club
This place is exactly what is says on the tin and is especially lovely on Sunday evenings, when the weekly live jams take place. Whether you’re in the crowd or up on the stage, there is plenty of music to enjoy at the Jazz Bar, and it deserves at least one evening’s worth of your time.
Oltrarno
On the other side of the river, the streets of Oltrano are saturated with independent boutiques, bars and restaurants, making it an ideal quartiere for letting day fall into night.
All'antico Vinaio
Renowned for its schiacciata sandwiches. They're so delicious that there's usually a big queue. To avoid this, order your panino via Glovo – Italy’s answer to deliveroo – and feast next to the river Arno.
The Best of Florence
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Accommodation
The average place costs €450 euros and bills tend to be added on in large quantities so be sure to find out this cost before committing to a contract. The Erasmus facebook pages are generally very useful for finding accommodation, as are websites such as Spotahome and Uniplaces. If you’re struggling to find a place, look for the ‘Affittasi’ (to rent) sign in the street and call the numbers.
"I found my accommodation on Spotahome - it seems like a dodgy website but the place I stayed was legit. I met my flatmate through a website called Erasmusu, the website was a bit hit and miss but she ended up being a fab flatmate. Our flat was about 20 metres away from the Duomo with a terrace, it was quite expensive for its size but most likely due to its location. It cost us €1000 a month, about £850 for 2 people."
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Transport
As with the majority of small Italian cities, walking is often the best option as public transport within old parts of town is not great and cabs are usually quite expensive.
In Florence, the most popular bike rental service is called ‘Mobike’ and is very affordable.
Need help planning your trip? Book a free consultation with one of our team members today!
Our Community
Get in touch with one of our ambassadors who have spent an extended period of time in this place. They have great advice!
Nick Field
Ellie Wookey
General FAQs
Barcelona is mostly a fairly flat city, where it’s always sunny, so getting around by bike is a very good option. Barcelona has its own version of Boris bikes called Bicing. Also apps like Yego where you can rent mopeds all over the city for around 20 cents a minute.
It is also a good option to buy a T-10 card. With this card you will have 10 trips on all public transport, otherwise it’s €2.20 per ride. The metro runs 5am to midnight Sunday to Thursday, till 2am on Friday and 24 hours on Saturday.
Avoid Uber if you can. It’s a very small city, so its very easy to walk places. FreeNow is a reliable taxi service around the city.
