Fall in Firenze

Florence Italy is a beautiful city full of life and wonderful people. It is a melting pot of other cultures and is the perfect place to meet people from all over the world. Not only did I spend four months diving into the rich art and life-changing food, but I also had the chance to experience life in a walkable city full of history. Florence is also the perfect location to be able to travel to other cities in Italy such as Pisa, Bologna, Roma, Milano, etc. Living so close to the Santa Maria Novella made it so you could hop on the train and make your way over to another beautiful city and their own unique culture. And being a tram ride away from the Peretola Aeroporto made it so we could fly to the other surrounding countries, for example, a trip to Germany!
I stayed in the Social Hub Firenze, where although we had a few struggles with laundry and hotel staff, we had some pretty amazing opportunities. We had access to a rooftop pool and bar with a beautiful view of the Duomo, our kitchen manager Valentina was there to teach us authentic recipes, and access to a dining plan where we could have lunch or dinner and an amazing spread for breakfast, and some amazing events such as Vintage Pop-Up markets and art installations.
I would choose CIS Abroad over and over again if I had to redo my study abroad experience. Our program staff that were in Florence with us, Martina and Romina, were amazing. Not only did they create amazing and unique trips for us to go on as a program, but they also were there to listen to us and consider our ideas. They went above and beyond to make sure that we were comfortable in our living situations at The Social Hub Firenze, and when we were struggling they were right there with us trying to find a solution.
They also made sure we were equipped with a full guide to the city with food, shopping, and museum recommendations, making sure we stayed away from the blue and yellow ATMs! It meant a lot to me and the friends that I made in my program that we had people who were in our corner and wanted to make sure that we could make the most of our trip.
I can't think of any way that my trip abroad could have been more life-changing or life-fulfilling, and I recommend CIS Abroad to anyone interested in studying abroad.