Are you heading to Flo-town for the summer semester? Get ready for the best time of your life. You’ve chosen a great time of year to come to Firenze, because aside from the heat, there are 5 special things that happen only in Summer that make our city so great.

1. Outdoor Venues and Nightlife

Some of study abroad student’s favorite spots for nightlife in Florence are Blanco Beach Bar and Flo for their outdoor club scenes. Florence by Night, Florence’s top-rated nightlife promotions team, runs events at these two locations weekly along with other Florence clubs.

2. Calcio Storico

Started during the 16th Century, Calcio Storico is a classic Florentine version of soccer that is played through a tournament yearly in Piazza Santa Croce. There are four teams that compete in the tournament, representing the four quartets of the city of Florence: Santa Croce (Azzurri/Blues), Santa Maria Novella (Rossi/Reds), Santo Spirito (Bianchi/Whites) and San Giovanni (Verdi/Greens). Do not miss out on this experience!

3. San Giovanni Fireworks

In Florence, June 24th celebrates the holiday of San Giovanni in memoriam of the Saint who represented the symbol of moral rectitude and political correctness, aspiring to build Florence into the economic city that it is today. There are many events around town to celebrate this day, including a small parade near the Duomo in the morning, the final game of Calcio Storico in the afternoon, and ending with a beautiful display of fireworks over the Arno River in the evening.

4. Beaches Beaches Beaches

Nothing is more beautiful than the bright blue water of European beaches. Luckily for you studying in the central location where Florence finds itself, you have the opportunity to visit many of these beaches through both day trips and weekend trips. FlorenceForFun offers day trips during the summer to Cinque Terre every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Elba Island every Sunday. Looking for a longer experience? Head to the Amalfi Coast every weekend of the summer or Croatia every other weekend. FlorenceForFun’s weekend beach trips are full of fun, relaxation, and booze cruises!

5. Eat a Gelato a day

Did you know that in Florence you can find some of the best gelato in town at Gelateria de Neri for only 1.80 euro, which is just about 2 dollars! This means you can eat as much gelato as you can. Our favorite places are Gelateria de Neri, Gelateria Carabe and Gelateria Perché No. Let us know what your favorite is once you’ve found it!