Food, Art, & Architecture - Studying Abroad in Florence, Italy

Alyssa Caccavale, Verrazano Class of 2019, completed major in Accounting with minors in Business Finance and American Sign Language

I was lucky enough to spend a January intersession in the beautiful city of Florence, Italy.  I attended the institute of Lorenzo de’ Medici, where I enrolled in a class called Italian Regional Food in a Cultural Perspective. It was a three hour class that I had Monday through Friday for three weeks. During the first hour of each class, the chef would lecture about the history, culture, and society of a particular region in Italy. For the remainder of the class, we would cook/bake a widely known dish that originated in the region we were discussing. This class allowed me to learn about Italian culture and society from a native Italian perspective and it gave me an opportunity to eat delicious and authentic Italian cuisine.

Throughout my time in Italy, I was constantly exploring new places and experiencing new things. During the week, I would go to my cooking class in the morning then I would explore the beautiful streets of Florence where I found street markets, delicious foods, and amazing gelato. I would also visit some of the most famous works of art and architecture, such as the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the Statue of David, the Pitti Palace, and The Boboli Gardens. My favorite spot was the Piazzale Michelangelo.This piazza had a breathtaking, picturesque and panoramic view over the  city where my friend and I went oftentimes to watch the sunset and listen to a street performer sing and play guitar.

On the weekends my adventures continued to other parts of Italy. My friend and I ventured out to Rome, Pisa, Fiesole, San Gimignano, and Bologna. Rome was overall my favorite city to visit because it had the most delicious pasta I have ever tasted. There were so many historical landmarks that we visited, such as the Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and the Vatican City. San Gimignano is a beautiful hill town in Tuscany where my friend and I went to two wine tastings then ate gelato from a shop which was awarded the best gelato in the world. 

Every moment I spent in Italy was an adventure. Whether walking down the streets of Florence, trying new food, or looking at beautiful works of art in museums, there was always something new and exciting to experience. I am extremely glad I did not miss out on this opportunity to see how people from Italy live. In addition, I also gained valuable skills as a result of living on my own, such as properly managing my money, which is a skill I will use throughout my life.

 After studying abroad, my desire to travel and experience new cultures has grown immensely. Studying abroad was an amazing experience that I am beyond grateful for and I want to encourage others to take advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity.