First Year Away at NYU Florence: Campus, Community, and Life in Italy

Going into NYU Florence, I knew my experience would be very different compared to first-year students in New York City. This time, I was on a campus with walls: La Pietra, a 550-year-old, 37-acre Tuscan estate that felt like living in the Renaissance.

The campus includes five historic villas that house student residences, classrooms, a library, a dining hall, and even a tiny gym. In between classes, you can wander through the olive groves or explore the world-famous art collection because Villa La Pietra is a registered house museum! Furthermore, in the spring, when the wisteria bloom, the entire campus looks like a painting.

During my time at NYU Florence, I loved lounging on the chairs outside Villa Ulivi, grabbing the best banana bread from Shake Cafe, or playing tennis with my friend Julie on the outdoor multisport court.

In terms of academics, all first-year students take the following mandatory Liberal Studies courses: Writing as Exploration, Arts and Cultures across Antiquity, and Global Works and Society. Additionally, they take a required Italian class. I took Intensive Elementary in the fall with Daniela Lateana (my favorite language professor) and Intensive Intermediate in the spring. I had already studied Spanish in high school, so picking up Italian wasn’t too overwhelming.

Learning the language while living in Italy was incredibly useful. Every day, I could practice through real conversations around campus and across the city. At the end of each semester, we also had the chance to meet local Italian high school students so they could practice their English and we could put our Italian to use.

One of my favorite parts of the academic experience was learning about historical paintings and sculptures in my Arts and Cultures class and then actually seeing them on day trips to places like Siena or museum visits in Florence. It was so surreal.

To enhance our experience at NYU Florence, the faculty and the Office of Student Life also planned various enjoyable and educational activities. There were weekend trips to nearby cities like Cinque Terre, hiking in Abetone, and fun activities such as pasta-making classes or attending an Italian opera. Students could also join clubs like the cooking club, drama club, student council, or weekly yoga, which I participated in.

I also signed up for NYU’s community engagement program, where I volunteered once a week at a local Italian elementary school teaching English to third graders. Other students volunteered at thrift stores, participated in city clean-ups, and joined various community-focused activities. Teaching those kids is one of my favorite memories, and at the end of the semester, they all made thank-you cards for me. I still have them today.

If I could talk about Florence all day, I would. It’s one of the most beautiful cities, and even though it’s small, there are so many simple joys that make everyday life feel special. From exploring museums and grabbing gelato to finding great sandwich shops and going out with friends, the city felt magical. Plus, there was the joy of eating pizza at my all-time favorite spot, Gusta Pizza (a must-visit!). One of my favorite experiences was watching the sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo, where people often sing and dance as the entire city lights up below.

The campus also isn’t too far from the city center; I usually took two buses to get there. While they weren’t always the most reliable, they were convenient, and the grocery store Esselunga was just a quick ride away. I also loved browsing flea markets like the Piazza Santo Spirito market. Once, I even got to attend a Fiorentina football game. The chants and energy of the crowd made it such an unforgettable experience.

Now, on to my favorite part (just kidding; every part was my favorite!). One of the best things about studying in Florence is  the accessibility of travel. The main train station, Santa Maria Novella, is right in the heart of the city, which makes weekend trips incredibly easy. Some weekends, campus would feel almost empty because everyone was off exploring somewhere new.

I was lucky enough to visit new cities like Amsterdam, Vienna, and Budapest, as well as so many incredible places in Italy, such as Rome, Milan, Venice, Cinque Terre, the Amalfi Coast, Verona, and more. Travel is very affordable because everything is so well connected. I’d definitely recommend making the most of it, especially early in the semester when the weather is perfect for beach trips.

I do wish I had made it to Germany for Oktoberfest or the Strasbourg Christmas markets. If you go, I hope you’ll consider it!