Florence: for those who are planning a trip here, or for those who are coming to study here, in the city of the Renaissance, immersing yourself in a calm, relaxed and pure Italian atmosphere will be even easier than in other large cities of the Belpaese, such as Rome.
Living and studying in Florence means experiencing a city on a human scale, with parks and historic views, small and delightful neighborhoods within easy reach of each other. But… what does a day in perfect Italian style consist of? We tell you more about it here below.
Learn Italian in Florence… with a nice breakfast
There is nothing more typical than a nice sweet breakfast, consisting of a croissant – or a “sfoglia alla ricotta” or a “sfoglia di riso” – and a steaming cappuccino, or espresso, perhaps topped off by reading a newspaper to stay informed about what is happening in Florence and in our Peninsula. he best scenario for doing all this is the bar next door, where it will be even easier to make friends, perhaps with the patrons and managers, practicing the language and above all, to learn idioms and slang expressions that they will make you feel no longer like a traveler or a student, but like a true Florentine.
Our advice: remember that a cappuccino should only be drunk in the morning!
A day with lots of little breaks to chat
After recharging your batteries with this first meal – which for Italians and Florentines is certainly among the most important – you are ready to start your day. But you have to know that, every two or three hours, in Italy, especially in the summer, we usually take a little break: around 10:30 in the morning, time of the second (or third!) espresso; at 1 pm, to have lunch with a salad, a sandwich with Lampredotto, or a good plate of pasta; and around 3.30 pm, to break up the afternoon’s work.
And how do you relax during these breaks? With absolute simplicity, taking a breath of fresh air, having a chat with a friend or colleague, perhaps looking out of a window, a balcony, or a bridge in the center admiring the splendid panoramas of the city. An example? Take a break, or a snack around 4 pm, in the splendid Piazza Santo Spirito where, in addition to many bars and shops, you can also find Italian schools and outdoor meeting spaces, breathing in history and beauty.
An aperitif to end the day is really what it takes
To learn Italian well, some lessons are definitely not enough; in fact, practicing and speaking with a native is an optimal solution. Luckily, if you are studying Italian in Florence, it will be quite easy for you to converse with someone: the Florentines, in fact, are talkative people and always willing to exchange a few words. The best time is towards the end of the day, during the aperitif time! What does this entail?? Choose a bar, grab a spritz, a glass of wine or a non-alcoholic cocktail, olives, chips, or a platter of cold cuts and cheeses and that’s it: conversing and practicing in these modes will be even easier… and fun.
Interacting with native speakers, immersing yourself in the daily life of the city with them is certainly one of the best ways to learn Italian. Did you know that there are schools that use this method precisely to increase your ability to speak fluently? One of these is InFlorence Academy, in the very heart of Piazza Santo Spirito, where you will find itineraries of Italian culture, art, with outings, visits to museums and aperitifs to enjoy your time in Florence… in the most Italian of ways!
