Gabby Schinosi is a CEA CAPA Alumni Insider and a student at Indiana University of Pennsylvania pursuing a degree in Marketing. An alumnus of CEA CAPA, she studied abroad in Florence, Italy, during Summer 2024. Read on for our interview with Gabby about how she explored Florence during her time there and some of her favorite spots around the city!  

What are the top three spots you think every study abroad student should visit in Florence? 

Piazza Michelangelo, the Duomo, and the Boboli Gardens. Piazza Michelangelo was my absolute favorite part of Florence. You have to hike up walking trails to get there, but once you arrive, there are vendors and restaurants that overlook the entire city of Florence. In the evenings, hundreds of people hike to the Piazza to watch the sunset. When the sun goes down, everyone starts clapping and cheering. Small, daily moments are cherished so beautifully, and it really gave me a whole new perspective on life.  

The Duomo, part of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, is part of the main cathedral of Florence, which is one of the largest churches in the world. Its architecture was astonishing, and you are almost guaranteed to walk past it daily, since it is located in the center of the city.

Finally, I really enjoyed visiting the Boboli gardens. The gardens also had spots that overlooked the city, and it was an amazing spot for photos! 

Are there any hidden gems that aren’t as well known in the city you particularly recommend students visit? 

A hidden gem I highly recommend is the cafe Melaleuca Florence. It was a pretty small cafe, but the food was incredible, especially the cinnamon rolls! It was located right along the Arno river and had a great view outside as well. I also went to a customized jewelry store and made custom charm bracelets with my friend. The man who created our bracelets actually invented the Gucci bee symbol!  

Florence is known for its amazing food! What were your favorite places to eat in the city? 

 Out of everywhere I have visited in Italy, Florence undoubtedly had the best food. For lunch, I would love to grab a sandwich from All'antico Vinaio. The line to get a sandwich here is usually pretty long during busy times, but it is well worth it for the best sandwiches I have ever had! Dinner spots were incredible, and I recommend Lo Scudo, Osteria Pastella, and Trattoria Zà Zà. These were all such wonderful places and all of these restaurants had very wide selections.  

Let’s talk culture! Are there any museums, libraries, gardens, or other cultural institutions you really enjoyed visiting? 

One museum I really enjoyed visiting was the Palazzo Vecchio. This was a Medici family palace, and all the walls in the rooms were covered with beautiful paintings. I truly felt like I was in a fairytale when I visited many of the museums, but this one really blew me away. I also loved visiting the Ferragamo Museum. Salvatore Ferragamo was the first shoe designer for early Hollywood and worked with many movie stars such as Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn. All of their shoes were on display in the exhibits. As a lover of fashion, this was one of my favorite places to visit. 

What are your top tips for navigating the city? Tell us about your experience walking in and using public transportation in Florence. 

 Within the city, I never had to take public transportation anywhere! Florence was completely walkable, and I enjoyed walking from place to place instead of taking a taxi or Uber. On the weekends I did travel to other cities, but the train system was extremely easy to navigate. I suggest downloading the train app on your phone for easier access and directions. The train tickets were much cheaper than I expected, and traveling was so easy! 

Please share any other advice you have for students considering studying abroad in Florence and how to make the most of their time there. 

Take everything in day by day! Notice all of the smaller aspects of life that we don't typically celebrate in the United States. In my experience, Italian culture focuses on simplicity and human connection. There is a much slower pace of life in Italy, where Italians truly cherish and embrace life's simple pleasures. I notice that when I am home, it is easy to get caught up in a fast-paced lifestyle. Italy taught me how important it is to take in every moment, and be thankful for all that life has to offer, even the simplest things.