First and foremost, the food in Florence is finger-licking good. Jumping from dorm food, to fresh, succulent Italian cuisine, my stomach has yet to experience any symptoms of culture shock. From, a nice, affordable three course meal at Osteria de Pazzi, to greasy, late night pizza at Fo’Caccia la Notte, my tastebuds continue to be pleased. I also think it is worthy to note taste tasting gelato has been integrated into my daily routine.

inTavola Cooking Class

All of the delicious eats have even inspired me to do some cooking of my own. I first attended a cooking class at inTavola with a group of 14 other people (highly recommend). A chef walked us through making an appetizer, main course, and dessert before getting to indulge in the fruits of our labor. Since the class, my roommate and I have cooked every dinner, including our last being chicken marsala.

Chicken Marsala

View from Piazzale Michelangelo

Above all, Florence bleeds incredible art. Walking through the streets in Florence has been reminiscent of the overwhelming joy of a kid in a candy shop. Being an art major, I have been fascinated with the opportunity to see all of the masterpieces in person that we observe from a distance in school. In addition to the traditional, intricate architecture that trims the buildings, I am particularly intrigued with the street art that is scattered through out the city. Clet Abraham is the artist who cleverly incorporates designs of the vinyl stickers he uses with the existing design of the “Do Not Enter” signs.

Florence Street Art

Ponte Vecchio

The atmosphere has been contagious. It has acted as a therapeutic relief from the continuous hustle and bustle days of finals week. This has been my experience of Florence so far, I am more than excited to further experience the beautiful nuances of the city.

View in Siena

Duomo di Siena

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Cole is a current student at University of Michigan – Ann Arbor studying at Florence University of the Arts in Italy during the Summer 2016 term.