Le Strade di Firenze

Things you should know when walking through the streets of Florence:

• Florence is a city; therefore, most people live in apartments, surrounded by concrete instead of grass. And those of them who have dogs don’t always take the time to walk their pets to the park. They just let the dogs go on the sidewalk. And then neglect to clean it up. Basically, be careful where you step.

• Italians have no qualms about public displays of affection. Walk through any piazza or park and there will be about three pairs of couples making out wherever you look. And this activity isn’t limited to teenagers—oh no, there are people of all ages necking all over the place. This can be rather annoying when you’re trying to take pictures of monuments, especially churches.

• Look out for gypsies. Usually you can hear them coming because they’ll rattle around their little cup of coins. But they will barge right on into your tour group while your professor is lecturing. Don't make eye contact—just shake your head and cover up your pockets. And then there are the people who sit on the side of the street with their dogs (who just happen to be wearing little sweaters…), using their cute faces to guilt tourists even more.

• If you are a female, I suggest investing in a pair of ear buds or headphones. Personally, I enjoy being able to block out the catcalls and leering comments of creepy Italian men while I wander around the city.

• However, there is a downside of listening to music: you can’t hear the cars. And pedestrians don’t have the right of way. That car, bus, or Vespa will just honk and keep on going. Many of the (very narrow) streets are one way, so walking against the stream of traffic is safer because you can see what’s coming. But if you’re trying to dart around one of those couples, make sure you aren’t taken out by someone’s side mirror.

• With all of those one-way streets, it’s easier to find a place to cross. With time, you’ll become a pro at judging how far away a vehicle is, how fast it’s going, and whether or not it’s safe to cross (even if the crosswalk sign is yellow or red). When disembarking from a bus, use the rear exit, then dash across the street while the bus is still stopped. Because by the time you wait for it to depart, there will be a line that stretches three blocks back and if there isn’t a stoplight, good luck finding someone who will be willing to slow down long enough to let you cross.

• Even when those cars are parked, they’re still a nuisance because people will park anywhere. On bridges, across sidewalks, in the middle of the road, too close to somebody else who doesn’t know how to parallel park. And when the sidewalks are as narrow as they are in Italy and everybody’s in a hurry, it’s difficult to squeeze through.

• Oh, and there’s always the group of lost tourists stopping in the middle of the street with a map, or the tour group following their guide around (the latter of which I know I’m guilty of, just from being in class. Luckily, our class is fairly tiny and we know how to be discreet, aka not obnoxiously loud. Also, I love that our group has gotten to the point where we roll our eyes at “those American tourists”).

After being here for three weeks, I know that I probably still stick out as a foreigner. Nevertheless, I’m doing my best to blend in and knowing how to get around, even when I’m purposely trying to get lost, is probably one of the best ways to do so.