Having grown up in the UK, this renaissance city has always been Florence to me. Whilst preparing for my year abroad, if people asked where I was headed the mere mention of “Florence” even sparked excitement. For good reason, the city is known worldwide for its rich history and artistic beauty, and thousands of tourists visit every year.

My name’s George and I’m a Modern Languages student at the University of Bath, but for my third year of studies I’m doing a year abroad, immersing myself in the Italian language and culture. After only three weeks in Florence, I’m confident that there would have been no better place to start.