So I’ve woken up in the beautiful city of Florence, a far cry from my home town of Birmingham (UK). I study journalism at university and was given the opportunity to come here on a work placement, so naturally I jumped at the chance.
I spent my first day soaking up the culture, eating my body weight in Gelato, but mainly getting lost, which believe me is easy to do here.
A stones throw away from were I’m staying is The Cathedral di Santa Maria del Fiore, which is simply breath taking.
Whether shopping is your thing or just sitting enjoying a spritz in the sunshine ( that’s an Italian thing by the way) you don’t have to be a person of faith to be in awe of this building’s beauty.
If you’re feeling brave you can take on the 414 steps up the bell tower, I’m terrified of heights but I wasn’t going to let that stop me. The view from the top is amazing and you can hear all the sounds of the city, often a busty lady singing opera.
This is a must see and well worth every step.
Get your walking shoes on and take a stroll down to Ponte Vecchio. Don’t put your heels on like the Italians do as I assure you, you will end up with blisters.
Grab yourself a slice of pizza, a good spot on the wall and watch the world go by. I sat watching the local’s playing cards on the bank and gesturing repeatedly as the Italians do. This is also a perfect place for a selfie to.
One of my favourite places is just on the outskirts of the city, Piazzale Michelangiolo. The views from here are special to say the least and will stay with me forever, yes I no how cheesy that sounds but it’s true. I sat and enjoyed lunch whilst listening to this gorgeous Italian man play guitar (I mean what more can a girl want?).
From here you can really appreciate the beauty of this city: the architecture, the sounds of the church bells, the people, everything that makes this city so special can be seen from Piazzale Michelangiolo. It’s a must see and will turn even the coldest of hearts all warm and fuzzy inside.
It’s not just the buildings and the sights that make this city a magical place its the people.
With the men all suited and booted like movie stars and the woman all looking like they have just walked straight off the cat walk, and of course everyone has a designer pooch, it’s no surprise the Italians are known for there style, but I have also found in my time here they are very caring and considerate people, always willing to help and go out of there way for you, a rare and beautiful trait in today’s society.
Florence & The People Of Florence – You Have My Heart!
Francesca White
Wolverhampton Univeraity (UK)
Email: missfrancescawhite1812@outlook.com
Blog www.ayoungadult.com
