Florence is a beautiful city filled with so much history, good food, and great people. It takes a while to find the hidden gems of this city and establish a routine of everyday cafes and hangout spots. I am a month and a half into my semester abroad and have discovered some great spots for all kinds of different activities. Here are my suggestions:

Food:
Food in Florence is very affordable for the most part and there’s a great variety of options based on what you are feeling.

Italian restaurants:

• Osteria d’elle Tre Panche – Great truffle options, cute rooftop terrace
• Trattoria Anita – Great authentic food with a variety of options
• Buca Mario
• Osteria Pastella – Amazing cheese wheel pasta
• Mister Pizza – Open very late
• Pino’s – Best paninis for the price
• Gelateria Della Passera

Asian Food:

• Nima
• Satori

Other:

• Rosalia – Make your own salads

Travel Tips:

• Use Omio or Trenitalia for train tickets
• Ryan Air, Easy Jet, and Vueling are all cheap options for flights
• Fly out of Bologna or Pisa for cheaper flights
• Book tickets at least a week in advance, everything gets more expensive
• Hostelworld is a good app for hostels all around Europe
• In Italy specifically, taxis must be scheduled or called in advance. They do not stop when waving them down for the most part

Shopping:

Grocery stores/ Markets

• Conad
• Central Market (has an excellent food court upstairs too)
• Sant’Ambrogio market
• Pharmacies – A good place to buy hair and facial products for the cheapest price

Written by: Andrea, Fall 2022 Florence Student from University of South Carolina