Here are the main clubs, classified according to their types:

Y.A.B (click for the link) – Via Sassetti, 5 Firenze

If you are looking for a proper student party you’ll be fully satisfied by the YAB.  Situated in the centre of Florence, right near Piazza della Repubblica, the YAB is a spacious club with a quite chic interior. Student evenings are usually happening on wednesday and are crowded with  mostly Florentine students (btw, themes are chosen according to the university departement represented). As for the sound, you’ll mostly find  comercial, house and pop music.

*Be careful*  Some italian clubs can be quite… original when it comes to paying. Indeed, instead of paying your ticket at the entrance before entering the club, the bouncer gives you a little card you have to keep carefully and with which you can pay your drinks (each time you take a drink your card is stapled). Before leaving the club you need to go to the bar, pay and validate your card and then show it to the bouncer at the entrance.

Babylon - Via Pandolfini, 26  Firenze

The Babylon is a polyvalent club, it has two dance floors with two different atmospheres (electro/house and 80′s). For 8 euros: entrance + a chip for one drink.

Twice (click for the link) - Via Verdi, 57 Firenze

The Twice is a free club. However, the music is mainly commercial.

Monte Carla - Via de bardi 2, Firenze

The Monte Carla is an after so we advise you to finish your night there after 3 AM. First, make your membership card and then go through the threshold of the door. Once inside, you will have to hang your coats to a coat hanger. The atmosphere is very subdued, you can sit down on chairs covered with leopard and watch the room from the top of a mezzanine.

Tenax - Via Pratese, 46 50145  Firenze

The tenax is the temple of house music. A little outside of Florence this club is by far the greatest. The dance floor is huge, lighting is astonishing and sound is powerful. All the best and most famous DJs come and give concerts.

*For girls only* As you may know italians are quite enthusiastic and forward with the ladies… So when entering a club be prepared to get hit on and keep in mind you will have to struggle to dance solely with your girlfriends. True story.

First of all, which bus to take if you arrive at Florence Airport:

It’s very easy! When you get out of the Airport there is a bus on which it is written « Stazione SMN »,  take it and stop at the « terminus » SMN. Then, there are some taxis, thus, take one. Don’t worry, with time, you will know which bus you will have to take to go from one place to another in the city (you will see that a lot of bus leave from the station)

Now, if you take a low cost company (Ryanair/Easy Jet), you will arrive at Pisa Airport:

You can take the Terravision Bus, which is direct from the Airport to Firenze SMN. Nevertheless, you need to watch the hours on the Internet. For that, go to http://www.terravision.eu . The ticket costs 10 euros.

If there are no hours which corresponds to your flight arrival, you can take the train. When you get out of the airport, go to the left and you’ll see two train platforms. Either the train is direct from Pisa to Florence, or you will have to stop at Pisa Centrale and then take a train to Firenze SMN (be careful, do not stop at Firenze Rifredi). You should buy your train ticket at the airport (on the left, there is a ticket office where it is written « biglieteria », it costs 5,80 euros). The train lasts 5 min to go from Pisa Airport to Pisa Centrale. When you’ll get out of the train at Pisa Centrale, it’s very easy to go to the platform to Firenze. To see trains hours, go to: http://www.trenitalia.com/

Then, when you arrive at Firenze SMN, get out of the station and on the left you can find taxis.

From Pisa, it seems complicated explained like that but don’t worry, it’s very simple!

First of all, let’s talk about the lounge bars:

Colle Beretto (Piazza degli Strozzi): If one evening you just want to chill out, this is the place to go. At first, the atmosphere is lounge, everything is in the design style, the ambiance is made by a commercial pop music. But the most important is the quality of drinks. Your glass of wine (red, rosé, white) is one of the best you have ever drunk. Although the drink is expensive, we cannot deny that this is a perfect link quality/prices. Indeed, your drink will cost 8 euros, but it’s worth it! There is also an aperittivo for 10 euros, which is pretty good but not fantastic.

Flo Firenze (84, piazza Michelangelo): This elegant bar is open only from May to September. Built on Piazzale Michelangelo, it is the perfect place to spend a great evening with friends. At the beginning of the night, there is an awesome aperitivo, with desserts! The decoration is design, everyone is well-dressed. There is a little lounge music, which is very pleasant to begin the night. Then at 11:30 PM, the night club is opening. The music is pretty good, there is of course a dance floor (nevertheless, a little bit too small).

The entrance, if you book a table, is 15 euros. It seems expensive, but it is a perfect value for money!

Now let’s talk about bars to go to have fun and laugh and drink with loud music, before going to a night club for example :

The William Pub (Via Antonio Magliabechi, 7-red near Piazza Santa Croce): Here, the music is louder, it’s more like an Irish Pub where you can have fun with friends before going out. Try the Daikiri Fragolla and you’ll want to stay all night long with the same drink! There is loud rock music and the barmen like to show their talents by playing with alcohol bottles…

Volume (Piazza Santo Spirito): On the evening, Piazza Santo Spirito becomes a place for young people and, thus, students like you! There are some bars but the most famous among them is the Volume. The music is very loud and very good, the atmosphere is youth and, especially for girls, the barmen are very hot!! Piazza Santo Spirito in general is the perfect place to gather and spend an « ottima » time.

 Now, let’s take a look at bars hype, chic:

Zoe Bar (Via dei Renai, 13): Zoé Bar is lively, young and hype. The bar is open all day long but it’s great to go by night for the aperitivo, or just for a drink. Sometimes, there is a wine degustation, which is very good. The music is young, it’s in the techno style. The bar is design, the cocktails and the aperittivo are very good, and the price is reasonable. Thus, this is a good place to spend a nice evening with friends!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Consequently, you can’t be bored in Florence, there is so much to do by night! Of course there are certainly other great bars to try, do not hesitate to suggest other places you like…

If you live in the center of Florence, the bicicletta is not very useful, except  to go to the university (Stazione Santa Maria Novella – Novoli : 15minutes), because Florence is not very big… For instance, from Mercato Centrale to Piazzale Michelangelo, you will take 30minutes by feet.

However, you can find a lot of small shops selling biciclette (not in the Duomo area, though).

Prices :

* For a new one : 60€ minimum (some can be at 100€)

*For an old one : around 20€

Take care while riding, Italians have their very own way of driving so be aware

Warning : Florence isn’t a safe city for biciclette… They are often stolen, flat tyresm etc.  So taking the cheapest bike you will find is quite a good idea !

The tower is located on the “Piazza dei Miracoli” also called “Piazza del Duomo”, and it is 20 min walk from the railway station.

Nevertheless Pise is not just about the tower, take a walk in the city and you will find a lot of nice places.
For instance, a noticeable work is the mural of Keith Haring: ”Tuttomondo”, around the theme of peace and harmony in the world (Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II).

Internet, adds, there are a lot of ways to find a room in Firenze !

The university of Firenze doesn’t offer any accomodations for international students, so you’re on your own for this one !

Most of students, including the italian ones, live with « coinquilini » (flatmates). As there are a lot of international students in Firenze, staying there for a year or a semester, it is quite easy to find a room. You can first check on internet :

* www.lapulce.it (which is  the italian version of Craig’s list)

* www.easystanza.it

* www.subito.it 

You can also check at your university or in the streets the numerous adds that students put…

The prices depend of the size of the room, if it’s a single (singola) or double (doppia – very common in Italy) room, the location, etc. Basically, the cheapest price for a doppia would be around 200€, and 350€ for a singola.

For Law, Political Science and Economics : The office for international students is at Novoli (Via delle Pandette, n°32) : this is the first place you need to go, in order to warn the Administration of your arrival ! First, you have to go to the Ufficio degli Relazioni Internazionali, where they will give you some papers and books to help you. The office is held by a bunch of young italian students, so you can ask them all the questions you want and they can actually be of good help ! However, it is not open very often : only Tuesday and Thursday from 11am to 1pm….Once you’re done with the International Relations Office, you have to go to the Erasmus students office (which is in another building, at the opposite of the campus, of course…). Here you will be given the « libretto », which is very important as exams grades will be written inside and  asyou will need to give it back at the end of the Erasmus.

While you’re on campus, i would also advise to do the « mensa card ». The « mensa » is the university student restaurant : there are a lot of them all around Florence. There, you can eat for a minimum of 2€, and it’s not too bad ! The opening hours, menues and prices depend of the mensa you’re going to, but when you make the « mensa card », you will be given a list of the restaurants with all details.

Finally, you should also go to the Library building in order to get the card allowing you to borrow books, study, and make cheap photocopies !

There you go, you’re now officially an Erasmus student in Firenze : let the fun begin

Where to find a good pizza?

The best pizzeria of Florence is Il Pizzaiolo (Via dè Macci, 113/r) : You will find joyness and happyness there having eaten your pizza. The menu is expensive (10€/pizza and 35€ the menu), but you must go there at least once in your stay!

There are other pizzeria where you should go, in which the prices are low (5-8€):

Between Santa Croce and the Duomo, there are:

Pizza Man (Via dell Agnolo, 107) : The restaurant is not famous for his decoration but as soon as you eat the smallest piece of your pizza, you’ll love it. One advice: Try the Pizza alla Provola (this is a Pizza with cheeze Provola, small tomatoes and basilic), it’s fabulous. You can also buy a take-away pizza and eat it at your place with or without friends! (Price: 7-10€)

I Ghibellini (Piazza San Pier Maggiore, 8) : In a beautiful place, command your pizza and sit at a table outside. There are pizza with Mascarpone, or the « 4 Formaggi » which are « ottime »!  The place is calm and cute. (Price: 5-10€)

Oltr’Arno there is:

Gusta Pizza (Via Maggio, 46) : There are always a lot of people because the pizzas are incredible! Among them, there is the famous Calzone with bacon and Ricotta. The kitchen is inside the restaurant, so you have a view to how your pizza is made. You can either eat it in the restaurant or take it away and eat it at home or on the steps of the Church of Santo Spirito when the weather is good. The restaurant is a good plan if you want to eat a pizza with friends before going out for example. (Price: 7-8€)

You’re not keen on pizza but love Italian food? Try these:

Boccadama (Piazza Santa Croce, 25-26) : At first, the place is fantastic, just next to the Church, which is marvellous. The staff is very nice. The food is good and for reasonnable prices. You can find whatever you want (Pasta, Salads, Meat etc.), and you will find the best chocolate cake ever!

MammaMia (Piazza di Mercato Nuovo, 18) : This is a small, calm and cosy restaurant, where you can found all kinds of food. But the pasta and risotto are the best. You can eat outside, the decoration is original, it looks as if you are in the countryside. Once again, prices are reasonnable.

Gusto Leo (Via del Proconsolo, 1) : With large and big tables, this restaurant is perfect if you want to have dinner with your friends’ group! The menu is written on your placemat, which is very practical to have a complete view of all of it: here you will found ALL Italian specialties: Bruschetta, Foccaccia, Pasta, Pizza, Tiramisu and of course salads. The service is good, and the prices are pretty low (8-10€)

These restaurants are of course only some examples but you will learn to appreciate a lot more places to eat during your stay. Thus, this article is open to all suggestions!

Bring your friends, bring a book or  just bring yourself and go to the Cascine. The Cascine is the most important public park (meaning: free) in Florence, it is on right side of the Arno river, on the West of the city center. You can go there by bike, tramway, or bus. Cascine is just the ideal place to do sports, you can run or do some riding, even some soccer play or volleyball. It is also the ideal place to make a giant picnic as well as a Sunday brunch, in one of the great herbs area.

You can even choose your favorite side to stand: the river side or the woody side/tramway side:

On the river side, there is a little strip of land to to chill out next to the water, and have some fresh breeze from it in the summer. Also, every Tuesday morning a market is standing on this side selling clothes, all kind of stuff, and a little bit of food (around the Easter period the market is also taking place on Sundays). For a certain period, which is from March (for carnival time) to the summer a fun fair is set up on this side: bumper car, turning swing, and churros… this is what is on the program!

On the other side, the more woody side, you can take a quick walk in the wood, or go until the great verdure parks in the fond, close to the Faculty of Agriculture, pick some place and enjoy the sunbath!

From our French vision we have to say that we find the relation student-professor kind of reversed in Italia. Here, teachers are usually  late, are picking up the phone during class, are leaving the class without reason… It seems they are more acting like students !

A class never begin on time. Most of the time, there is a delay of half an hour, sometimes teachers warn you they will always begin at a certain non-official time and that they will not follow the hour the class should begin.

A class almost always ends before time. It depends when the professor wants to leave.

Attendance is rarely compulsory, and some teachers even clearly ask not to come, to the students. In fact, contrary to the French system, what matters for the final exam is to have a good knowledge of books and other material attributed to the lesson, finally what the professor says in class is not really taken into account.