Travel Tip: Spend a Weekend in a Lesser-Known City

Most travelers are familiar with Italian cities such as Milan, Rome, and Naples. These are the cities with miraculous views, endless activities, and waves of interesting people. These are the “must see” cities, but they are not the only places to find adventure. After studying abroad in Italy, I would suggest visiting small, discrete places. Whether you visit for a day or a weekend, you never know what you may find. My friends and I spent a weekend in Padua, Italy, which (despite its many attractions) often goes unnoticed by the majority. After three train rides and a lot of confusion, we started to regret our decision to travel to this city. Upon our arrival, we were worried that Padua would be a disappointment, but despite our concerns, we ended up discovering the Arena Chapel, the Botanical Garden of Padova, and streets filled with restaurants and boutiques. I think going somewhere different offers a unique experience, something you'll never forget. As much as I loved Florence, Venice, and Milan, these cities tend to be overcrowded. With the tourist menus and English signs everywhere, you can sometimes miss the more authentic side of the country. The best advice is to go explore somewhere new. The risk is worth it.

 

By: Courtney Merolle, FSUIP Alumna

Budgeting- Let’s Be Realistic

London is an expensive place to live- and eat. Especially when the conversion rate is around 1.5 US Dollars to 1 GB Pound. No, London is not just a large but still quaint, English city. It is the business capital of the world and an international melting pot equitable to living in New York City. In preparation for my study abroad this summer I thought, “It’ll be so great to have a flat where I can cook all of my meals. I’ll average about $4 per meal!”- No.

            Any place you study abroad you will want to experience the local cuisine as much as possible. As someone who enjoys cooking, I have found myself cooking dinners at home only about one night a week. I eat lunches at home another 1-2 days and most breakfasts. Other than that, I’m always out and about in the city, traveling, exploring new places, not worrying about getting back to the flat to make myself a sandwich when I can pick one up on every street corner- beautifully prepared with a side of crisps from Pret a Manger.

           Problem #2 with trying to plan ahead and keep a well-stocked fridge: the food goes bad within a matter of days. Ladies and gentlemen, I’ve found the downside of the fresh, non-GMO, preservative-free food populating the grocery stores in the UK- it rots at rapid speed. Here, it’s the social norm to run to your local Sainsbury’s or Waitrose to grab your next meal every day, maybe twice a day. Keeping large amounts of food at home isn’t realistic for a busy student like you or me. When your bread, deli meats, and cheese are all perishing at different paces and you don’t want to buy a whole bottle of mustard or mayonnaise for the 1 to 2 months you’ll be here, why bother? Just go to Itsu and get some half-priced sushi between 7-8pm and punch another notch in your loyalty card.

            BUT don’t let all this get you down! There are still plenty of ways to stay on track and on budget while studying abroad in London:

-Sainsbury’s offers a meal deal of either a sandwich, pasta, or salad with crisps (chips) and a drink for 3 pounds (about $4.5). Stop by in the morning and bring it with while you’re traipsing around town.

-Have “family dinners” with your flat mates. As often as we can, my flat mates and I take turn cooking for each other. When you buy ingredients from the store, it’s going to be enough to feed 5 anyways.

-Don’t spend money on water bottles. All of the tap water in London is safe to drink and tastes fine! Keep 1 or 2 bottles at home and reuse them.

            Be sensible with your spending on food but know that a typical meal out is going to average 6-10 GBP (tack on 4 GBP if you plan on getting a drink). This will come out to about $15-$20 per meal. 

Budget accordingly and you’ll have a recipe for success. Cheers!

“Free” Restaurants in Valencia

By Quinton Campbell

While living in Valencia, it’s impossible not to notice the wide variety of dining options that are available. Not only are most of them located near the study center, but they’re very affordable on a student budget, especially when one accounts for the meal tickets, or “cheques,” included in the program fee when studying with FSU.  Not only are there a wide variety in cultural cuisines within the city limits of Valencia, but these cheques are also accepted in major cities all over Europe. This not only helps the budget during independent travel, but since it’s already been paid for, I know I personally felt more inclined to go out on a limb and eat at a restaurant that I might not have tried originally had I been paying directly out of pocket for my meal. Here’s a short list of restaurants within walking distance from the study center in Valencia that accepted cheques while I studied there:

Walk-to-Wok (Chinese)

Pizza Gratis (Italian)

Fressco (Pizza, Pasta, and Salad buffet)

Wok Quing (Chinese)

Pan de Queso (Spanish)

There’s also a Greek restaurant that serves gyros and shawarmas a block away from the study center that accepts cheques but I can’t remember what it was called!

Those are just to name a few of the ones I was aware of, and there are most likely more restaurants that have started accepting cheques (or more restaurants in general that have opened near the study center) within the year and half since I have been there. The restaurants that accept them are really easy to spot as well. When I was there, there were orange signs on the front door that indicated if cheques were accepted there, and this came in handy during the weekend excursions (also provided in the program fee) to Barcelona and Madrid when we were unfamiliar with the restaurants in the area. Again, they’re accepted widely across Europe, so make sure to bring an extra cheque or two with you if you travel independently on weekends to other cities. However, DON’T travel with your entire book of cheques because they’re essentially as good as cash; if you lose them, they’re non-refundable. Definitely take advantage of this aspect of your program fee, because not only have you already paid for it but it really gives you the opportunity to get a feel for the cuisine of the neighborhood on a budget. If all else fails and you have a lot of cheques left at the end of your semester, you have an excuse to eat like a king during your last weekend in Valencia! Buen provecho!

Navajas - The Perfect Spanish Getaway

By Morgan Welsh

Are you an outdoors type of person? 

Looking for a nice place to hike and see some waterfalls? 

Hiking in Navajas

Then Navajas is the place for you! From the Valencia Train Station you can catch a train to Navajas for about 8 euros. It drops you off in a small little town with several specialty shops and delicious family owned restaurants. It’s about a 10 minute walk to the Park. You have to walk down a few trails and eventually you’ll come to waterfalls, a swimming hole and several different hiking paths! The best part was being able to walk under waterfalls and jump off rocks into the swimming hole. If you’re looking for a getaway from the city of Valencia for a day, Navajas is definitely a place to look into! 

The Swimming Hole

Freetime in France

By Allyce Smith


There is no uniform opinion about studying abroad. Granted, if one chooses to study in a foreign country then it is likely you have a strong desire to travel and experience new cultures. However, each experience is unique and it is up to you to make the absolute most of it. Sure, one could simply attend class and all the fabulous excursions FSU has planned, but on the weekend and afternoons you have the freedom to design your ideal study abroad experience. The opportunities offered to you are vastly different from studying within your home country. The sense of independence which accompanies each decision you make is liberating and at times daunting, but the type of experience you have is entirely up to the individual. Because France, and Paris alone, is so vast it can be overwhelming to decide which places you wish to visit. Trust me, one month flies by in the blink of an eye.  I therefore urge students to start thinking about weekend trips and personal excursions before arriving in Paris. Look online and familiarize yourself with the train schedules and nearby locations. Because you only have one month, you will be tempted to hit the ground running upon arrival. 

A walking path through Monet's garden

Detail of some of the buildings

I personally knew before arriving in France that I wanted to visit Normandy. Paris is lovely, Paris is huge and Paris is busy, it is because of these things I wanted to have a weekend trip outside of the city, to see another side of France.  I therefore chose to explore the town of Giverny. Besides having a lovely name which can make you feel French simply by saying it, the town is only about an hour train ride from the Gare du Nord train station and loads of fun! I was able to experience a more traditional village atmosphere (think Belle's hometown in Beauty in the Beast!), with horses, fields of flowers and adorable old houses complete with rose gardens. The experience was surreal and well worth the 12.80 Euros. People could rent bikes, ride down dirt roads and eat traditional Norman cuisine. Probably the most popular site was Monet's house which included his famous water lilies. Although there were tourists, they did not overrun the town, for the most part it was quiet, calm and breathtaking.

We ran into some friendly horses while walking back to the train station!

Because I took the initiative to branch outside of the traditional curriculum (with my trusty friend Kat of course) I was able to personalize the study abroad experience to my taste. Of course, even if I had chosen to only participate in FSU excursions and class I would have still had a fantastic time, but by using my free time to explore places which were near to my heart and interests, I feel that my study abroad experience truly reflected me as a person.  It is difficult to understand just how much a study abroad experience can change you as a person but it honestly does.  So take advantage of your trip and use your free time wisely, this is an experience which you will cherish forever and hopefully change your world perspective! Studying abroad influenced my decision to pursue a graduate degree in French history and cultivated my love for the French language. This is your study abroad experience, use your free time to make it unique. 

Me and one of the numerous flower fields in Giverny

Must Do Markets In London

By Kelsey Repins

Part of being a “true Londoner” is experiencing the weekend shopping at the various markets scattered around the city. Come back to the States with cool, one-of-a-kind souvenirs and gifts!

Borough Market: This market is a wonderful place to find fresh bread, homemade jams, cheeses, meats, and all sorts of yummy goodies! Do your weekly food shopping here and enjoy all of the sights and smells.  Spend the morning picking up snacks and go on a picnic with the food you buy.

• Make sure you try an ostrich burger!

Borough Market

Brick Lane: This was one of my favorite markets! Brick Lane is a string of markets that open on Sundays only.  Find cool jewelry and funky screen tee shirts. Locals make headbands, purses, dresses, and so much more.

• There is lots of food from all over the world here but make sure to try the Moroccan cuisine!

Camden Market: Come here to barter on anything from clothes to antiques. Camden is more the alternative scene and residents of this area are generally young. Camden is a known as the home for the struggling artist, fashion designer, and musician.  Just walking through Camden is an experience!

• After a morning bartering in Camden, get on the bus and take the short trip out to Primrose Hill. Here you will get a wonderful view of the whole city.

Camden Market

Covent Garden Market: My favorite place in all of London would have to be Covent Garden and the area surrounding it. Covent Garden is a little shopping plaza filled with great stores to buy little gifts and funky trinkets. Make sure you not only visit the stores but the actually market itself on the weekends.

• One time when I was shopping in Covent Garden I stumbled across a flash mob!

Portobello Road Market: Anyone who has seen Hugh Grant and Julia Robert’s Notting Hill has heard of Portobello Road Market. Here you can fight the crowds for antiques on the main street. Make sure you go off the main road because there are smaller stores and venders who are willing to haggle! Keep in mind that this market is only open on Saturdays.

• Even if you are not in the market for antiques or clothing go for the atmosphere. Notting Hill is a very fashionable and “posh” neighborhood.  The rows pale blue, pink, and yellow houses are adorable and a must see for anyone visiting London.

Knotting Hill

Spitalfields Market: Like most of the other markets, Spitalfield vendors sell clothing, antiques, homemade crafts and much more. There are actual stores as well as venders and booths. The market itself is only on Sundays but the stores are open during the week.

• When I was in London, I would go to Brick Lane in the morning and Spitalfields in the late afternoon!

Keep in mind some of the items are sold by multiple vendors in multiple markets. Shop around for the best price and don’t buy the first thing you see! 

 

Now, That’s Amore: A Culinary Love Affair

By Erin "Caterina" Heffernan

I went to Italy hoping to fall in love.  I wanted to find my future husband there.  Instead, I fell in love with a plate of pasta (and one of the world’s most beautiful cities).

I thought that I knew what to expect from Italian food: spaghetti, pizza, panini, mozzarella, etc but I could never have anticipated the love affair that would inevitably ensue.  From the beginning, I had moments of hesitation, but as I began to eat, I realized that I had nothing to fear.

This love began with a sandwich, a particular sandwich.  This sandwich is numero 9 from Antico Noè, a panino shop near FSU’s study center that serves some of the most delicious sandwiches I have ever eaten.  Turkey, onions, brie cheese, spicy sauce: in a word, magic.  My love for numero 9 was unrivalled by anything I had ever eaten previous to that point in my life.  That is, until I met numero 11: sausage, spinach, pecorino cheese: in a word, life-changing.    As I ate these sandwiches and walked around the beautiful city of Florence, I realized that I had never loved an item of food so much before.  My life had been changed forever and I thought that it could not possibly get better than it was at that moment.

Andrea, me and Luca in Antico Noè

I could never have guessed what fate had in store for me just around the corner, literally. 

There is a restaurant in Florence called Trattoria all’Anita.  It is just behind the Piazza della Signoria, one of Florence’s most historic squares.  Affectionately known to travelling Noles as Anita’s, this is a favorite of locals, travelers and foreign students alike.  It is here that I would first lay eyes upon the love of my life, a little dish called tortellini alla norcina.  Tortellini, sausage, tomatoes, truffle cream: in a word, everything that is good about life.  I guess you could say that it was love at first bite (pun absolutely intended).  One day, I tasted some tortellini from a friend’s plate by chance, and was so smitten that I returned to the same restaurant the next night.  I needed a whole plate of this pasta for myself, sharing was simply not an option.

Tortellini alla norcina—the goodness can just not be conveyed in a photo

As I finished the plate, Nicola, one of the waiters, walked by to ask how everything was.  I looked up at him and, without hesitation or irony, said:

           

            “C’è un posto riservato in Paradiso per il cuoco di questo piatto.”

           

            “There’s a special place in Heaven for the cook of this meal.” 

Gianni, me, Nicola, and Maurizio; the brothers who own Anita’s

This is what the plate looked like after eating norcina.

He laughed and called his brothers over so that I could tell them what I had said and everyone laughed.  Honestly, I don’t know what came over me at that moment. I was just so overcome with emotion.  It was a sublime, divine, experience; something that I only imagine could be compared to falling in love or a divine revelation.  From that day on, the brothers at Anita’s always brought me tortellini alla norcina, without even asking.  They understand that there is only one dish in the world for me.

Believe me when I say, the churches in Italy are beautiful, but if you are looking for a religious experience, you should try searching the restaurants in addition to the cathedrals. 

Restaurant Suggestions in Florence

By Christine Lacayo

Although all programs in Florence provide meal tickets for most days of the week, I enjoyed eating at some of the other local restaurants. Below are some of my favorites.

Il Gatto e La Volpe- Via Ghibellina 151/r. This great Osteria serves big portions for very cheap prices. The breadsticks here are to die for and it has some of the best tasting pasta and pizza. Many American students come eat here and, apart from the food, students always return only because the friendly waiters make your evening so much more enjoyable.


Trattoria Anita- Via del Parlascio 2/r. The three brothers who own this little trattoria are very sociable and love for you to practice your Italian with them! They are open for dinner as well as lunch and they have a fantastic lunch menu. My favorite antipasto here was the bruschetta.


Gusta Pizza and Gusta Panino- Via Maggio 46. This restaurant is on the other side of the river. You should definitely venture out to Gusta Pizza because they serve the best pizza you will ever try!  Gusta Panino is right next to the pizza place and they serve delicious pastas and salads.


La Loggia degli Albizi- This little café serves great pastries, coffee, cappuccinos and lunch as well! Located a few doors down from the study center.


Antico Noe- Volta di San Piero 6/r. Located right around the corner from the study center. Here you can get the best panini you will ever try! There are about 16 or 17 different panini and they all taste amazing! You stand in line and there is menu of all of the different panini, feel free to make up your own! Try to go straight from class the line gets long quickly during lunch hours.