A day in the life studying in Florence, Italy!

Disha Dhananjay ’26 is a Law major studying at Accademia Italiana in Florence, Italy this Summer 2024.

Here is a glimpse into an average day studying abroad in Florence Italy!

8:00 AM – My alarm is typically always set for 8 and we have to be in class by 9:30AM. Breakfast is usually a quick yogurt and granola before heading to class!

9:30AM- Time for the Life and Works of Michelangelo! We meet up with our professor and class before we walk over to our museum of the day. Every class we visit a new museum that is related to Michelangelo and Renaissance era art.

10:00AM- Today we were visiting the Opera del Duomo Museum and i had a presentation here as well. This museum is right behind Florences famous Duomo and hold many of Michelangelos and Donatellos famous pieces. It also has a section that discusses how the Duomo was built and the history of the Cathedral.

10:30AM- I had a presentation on Donatellos Mary Magdalene in class today. I had to explain the historical, biblical and artistic significance of this piece. The Mary Magdalene was a wooden sculpture of a biblical hermit. It was interesting to learn more about Donatello and not only focus on Michelangelo and it was also interesting to explore the biblical significance of such a famous piece.

12:00AM- After walking through the entire museum my first class of the day was over and it was time for a lunch/coffee break! We grabbed coffee and a quick bite right outside the museum and headed over to the Odeon Cinema to relax and eat before my second class. This theater has quickly become one of my favorite places to just relax, read and spend some time alone in the chaos of constantly traveling. It is a theater/bookstore and there are always old movies running throughout the day and anyone can come in and watch for free!

2:00PM- After watching a movie and eating lunch, I headed over to my second class of the day, Italian Style. This is typically a lecture style class so we just sat in class for all three hours today and learned about Italian Cinema and Television!

5:00PM- Time to head home and unwind for the day! I got home, did some schoolwork and planned out a couple last trips we have coming up before we leave to go to London.

7:00PM- Dinner time! One of my favorite places to get dinner in Florence was Piazza Santo Spirito (it was also very close to my apartment). The square has some of the cutest restaurants with all outdoor seating in the summer it is so lively at night. Spaghetti and Clams has quickly become one of my favorite meals in Italy and I love to order it every time I see it on the menu.

8:30PM- Post dinner gelato near Ponte Vecchio. The gelato here really has been one of my favorite things to try, it is so amazing every time.

9:30- Shower, unwind, read and get ready for bed and the next days adventures!! This is typically a normal day in my life in Florence and I am so grateful for the opportunity to travel and study in such an interesting city!!!