Written by Italy & Greece Overseas Students, Ryan Chun & Julia Rivard
We went to Florence (Firenze) and made ourselves at home for a few days! We climbed the Duomo Bell Tower, explored the Palazzo Vecchio, and did a scavenger hunt of different city attractions, among other things. We also started our trek to Siena on the Via Francigena!
Top Highlights of the Week:
🍨 Gelato Galore: Gelato, gelato, and more gelato! On our first full day in Florence, we walked to grab a gelato and watch the sunset on the river! It was a perfect welcome to Florence moment.
🏛️ Guided City Tour: We went on a city tour guided by our amazing partner, Lauren! We learned about the history of the city, from Ancient Rome to the Renaissance, and ended in the Accademia looking at Michelangelo’s David!
🥾 Via Francigena Trek: While we were nervous about all the walking, we powered through and were rewarded by the amazing views of rolling hills in the Italian countryside.
Challenges Faced:
Navigating through our first big city in Italy was challenging, especially given all the winding roads and narrow pathways. However, the walkability of the city made it a rather easy transition and allowed us to explore everything we wanted!
Gratitude for Our OEs:
This week (and every week), we are most grateful for our fearless OEs, Ariana and Megan. They have made our transition into this semester as easy as possible, and they are always there to help us achieve our goals. We can’t wait to embark on the remaining six weeks with them. They are the BEST!
