Florence-5 Must-Do activities for the most incredible weekend
My name is Sareena and I am a Junior in college studying abroad in Milan, Italy, for the semester. I attend Indiana University in Bloomington, where I study merchandising and entrepreneurship, so it is safe to say that after just a few weeks, Milan has everything I am looking for in a city to study overseas! I thought I would share about my just-about-perfect weekend spending time in Florence, Italy. My weekend was full of visiting sorority sisters, eating incredible food, exploring the city, and, of course, squeezing in some tourist activities.
Here are five things I would recommend to anyone going to Florence who enjoys food, fashion, and friendship and wants to venture outside of the typical tourist activities, (which we also did!)
- Take a Pasta-Making Course
This one seems quite obvious, but one of my favorite parts of the weekend was participating in a pasta-making class with some of my sorority sisters studying in Florence. We took a lunchtime class, so the price was much cheaper, and we had a class full of girls, all from different American colleges studying abroad, so we made friends in addition to making pasta! This class was such a great time for me. One of the main reasons it was so great was that my aunt, who studied abroad in Italy when she was in college, teaches me to make pasta with her each time I visit her in Denver, Colorado. It was fun taking the tricks she taught me and learning different ways to prepare pasta, whether stuffed or paired with a fun, flavorful sauce. I definitely recommend doing this!
2. Attend the Santo Spirito Market on Sunday Morning
Being a merchandising major, I could look around for hours at different clothing and accessories in stores. However, there is something extremely special about a Sunday morning market in an area filled with Italian locals. The jewelry was of such high quality at countless stands, and they had tons of sweaters, bags, and vintage pieces that you could just tell you wouldn’t find anywhere else! ( At least, that’s what my friends and I said to justify our many purchases.)I also am a huge fan of sour candy so that stand had to be my favorite! In all seriousness, this was one of my favorite things I did, and I highly recommend it if you enjoy browsing and shopping for accessories and clothing!
3. Eat a Cinnamon Roll from Melaleuca
Now, to be honest, I don’t usually gravitate toward sweet breakfasts. However, friends studying in Florence told me repeatedly that I had to get a cinnamon roll. I took a leap of faith, and it was one of the best I’ve ever had. We sat outside the crowded brunch restaurant (where all the food also looked amazing) and ate it on a bench near the Arno River that splits the city in half. It was absolutely delicious, and I couldn’t recommend it more!
4. The Gucci Garden
This one might be a more well-known activity, but I still highly recommend it. At only 5 euros with a student discount, this museum was fascinating, it showcased the history behind this high-end brand. From the iconic loafer to a room full of purses, it was safe to say that this was my heaven. I just really enjoy museums like this one—everything feels like it has a purpose, and I was shocked by some of the things I learned while I was there. I recommend it if you enjoy looking at high-end accessories! It was such a great way for my friends and me to spend a rainy afternoon.
5. Gelato from La Strega
I debated putting a second sweet treat on this recommendation list, but because I’m doing it, you should know just how good both of these were! After almost a month in Italy, I’ve had my fair share of gelato. Not to be a gelato snob, but some are definitely better than others. This place was hands down the best one I’ve been to. My personal favorite at any gelato shop is stracciatella, the Italian equivalent of cookies and cream, it was fantastic. Others in my group raved about the Nutella flavor, the coffee, and the chocolate. It was extremely well-made and felt very local.
That about wraps up my five recommendations for spending a weekend in Florence. If you have
any questions or want more recommendations, I post daily updates on my Instagram, @sincerelysareena, if you’re interested in following along on my adventures!
