Submitted by Hannah Wilson on the 2017 winter session study abroad program in Italy sponsored by the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies…
Today was my last day in Florence, and we’re leaving for Milan tomorrow morning. I am very sad to be leaving Florence because it was an extremely beautiful, historic and entertaining city. I highly recommend this city to all travelers! Although, I wish I had longer in Firenze (Florence), I am eager to explore Milan! While in Florence, I learned a lot of information and experienced many scenic views while touring the city, museums and Italy’s best fashion school, Polimoda. Florence is special because you can walk the entire city. You can see the spectacular landscapes, city landmarks and experience all of the amazing food, all on foot. My favorite restaurant was called Yellow Bar, in which they home-make the pasta right in front of you. The Gnocchi Rose was absolutely delicious and they gave us large portions. I definitely recommend that one, just past the city center.
The museums in Florence are almost as breathtaking as the famous Ponte Vecchio and its picture-perfect view of the water, the hillsides and the old buildings. Taking pictures on these bridges is highly encouraged and is a must-see for those coming to Florence.
My group toured the Gucci and Ferragamo Museums as part of our fashion curriculum and they were extremely interesting. The Gucci Museum held historic collections of Gucci products and told the rich story of the luxury brand. The clothing, shoes, bags and more from Gucci were stunning.
The Ferragamo Museum was equally interesting. This one contained historic pieces from many different designers and showed the history of Ferragamo and its shoe making. The Ferragamo Museum was also amazing because it offered examples of some of the new things happening in the fashion industry, which is perfect for us fashion students.
I was also able to take a day visit to Rome. Despite almost missing the train ride back to Florence, that day was one of my favorites. We were able to tour all of the best spots in Rome, all in a day! The food was delicious, and the sites were surreal. Rome is so historic and seeing the Colosseum, Pantheon and other Ancient Roman ruins brought out an appreciation of art and history in me. I would love to go back to Rome one day with more friends and family. Making a wish in the Trevi Fountain is honestly magical. As we turned the corner towards the fountain, we could hear the water bubbling, and we started running towards the landmark followed by one of my friends actually shedding tears at the beauty of it. Clearly, Rome was amazing, and I wish I could have stayed longer than just one day.
Off to Milan!