Erasmus in Florence

Florence is the Renaissance in the open air: the Duomo, the Uffizi, the Ponte Vecchio — all packed into a UNESCO-listed historic centre you can cross on foot in 25 minutes. With around 360,000 residents, the city stays human-scale yet hosts tens of thousands of students through the Università degli Studi di Firenze (UniFi) and a dense network of art schools and American programmes (SACI, NYU Florence, Syracuse Florence).

UniFi covers every discipline across several campuses: the historic centre for humanities and law, Novoli for economics, Sesto Fiorentino for sciences, Careggi for medicine. The Erasmus scene is large, international and very English-friendly, especially in the historic neighbourhoods.

The setting is hard to beat: the Arno river winds through the city, the Tuscan hills (Fiesole, Piazzale Michelangelo) offer unforgettable sunsets, and Pisa, Siena or Bologna are less than an hour by train. Budget around €900/month all in — more than Bologna or Naples, but well below Milan or Rome.

The Florence rental market is tight: tourist pressure (Airbnb) and high student demand push prices up and shorten lead times. Start looking two to three months ahead, ideally as soon as your Erasmus is confirmed. A room in a shared flat goes for €400 to €650/month, sometimes more in the historic centre.

Top platforms: Idealista.it, Spotahome, HousingAnywhere, Erasmus Play, and Aparto for modern student residences. UniFi does not offer university housing for Erasmus students — everything goes through the private market. Be wary of listings that look too good, landlords asking for a wire transfer before any viewing, or fake Facebook accounts: scams are common.

Neighbourhoods to consider:

• Santa Croce: ultra-central, nightlife, bars and restaurants — expensive and noisy.
• San Lorenzo / Mercato Centrale: central, lively, convenient for centre-based classes.
• San Frediano / Oltrarno: across the Arno, bohemian and artisan, still affordable.
• Campo di Marte: student-friendly area near the stadium, well connected, cheaper.
• Novoli: further out but perfect for economics students (UniFi campus on site).

Florence has no metro, but the city is so compact that you'll walk everywhere in the historic centre (UNESCO). For longer trips, the network combines Autolinee Toscane (ex-ATAF) buses and the Tramvia (lines T1 and T2), which links the centre to Scandicci, the Careggi hospital and Amerigo Vespucci airport in 20 minutes.

The monthly student pass (agevolato) costs around €50/month (subject to ISEEU, the Italian household income indicator), otherwise expect €35 for the standard monthly pass or €200 for the annual one. Single tickets cost €1.70 (€1.50 via the at-bus app). Remember to validate them as soon as you board.

For regional trips, Trenitalia runs cheap direct trains to Pisa, Siena, Lucca or Arezzo (€5-10). In the city, Mobike and Ridemovi bike-sharing services round out the picture — handy for crossing the Arno or reaching Novoli.

Student life revolves around ESN Firenze, very active with trips, integration parties and language tandems. A daily ritual: the aperitivo, around €8-12 for a drink with a buffet, particularly in Santa Croce, San Frediano and along the Arno. At sunset, everyone climbs up to Piazzale Michelangelo for the view.

Culture-wise, take advantage of free state museum entry on the first Sunday of every month: Uffizi, Accademia (the David), Palazzo Pitti — make sure to book your free slot online weeks in advance, they vanish fast. Most museums also offer reduced student rates with a UniFi card.

Food not to miss:

• schiacciata fiorentina (flat bread with fillings, perfect for lunch)
• panino al lampredotto (a typical tripe sandwich, around €5)
• bistecca alla fiorentina (Tuscan T-bone steak, share with friends, around €40-50 per piece)

On weekends, Pisa (~1h by train, €10), Siena, Bologna or the Cinque Terre are perfect getaways.

First step for everyone: get your codice fiscale (the Italian tax ID), free and required to sign a lease, open a bank account or activate a phone plan. Book an appointment at the Agenzia delle Entrate and bring your passport or ID.

Non-EU students must request the permesso di soggiorno within 8 days of arrival: pick up a Kit Giallo at an authorised Poste Italiane office, send it back completed, then wait for the Questura appointment to give fingerprints. EU students are covered by the EHIC card for healthcare; if your stay is over 6 months, request the Italian Tessera Sanitaria. Residenza (official residency registration) is generally not required for short Erasmus stays.

For banking, N26 and Revolut are enough for most students. If you need an Italian IBAN (some landlords require one), Intesa Sanpaolo XME Conto offers a free student account up to age 30.

The everyday language is Italian, and the good news is that the Tuscan dialect is considered the base of standard Italian. Learning Italian in Florence means learning it in its purest form — a real advantage if you want to progress fast.

On the academic side, many UniFi programmes in engineering, economics and business are taught entirely in English, and the American programmes (SACI, NYU, Syracuse) all run in English. To learn Italian locally:

• Centro Linguistico di Ateneo (CLA): free or low-cost courses for UniFi students.
• Scuola Leonardo da Vinci Firenze: historic flagship, paid but highly regarded.
• Istituto Europeo and Scuola Toscana: solid private alternatives.

To practise for free, ESN language tandems and Tandem Café evenings in central bars are perfect for meeting Italians and improving without pressure.