Author: Sydney Zaruba

Sydney is a double major at the Univerisity of Florida in Telecommunication News and Theatre. She is the writer and creater of www.bohotravel.org. She spends her free time roadtripping, getting into trouble, and trying to find joy in the little things. If she's not in the newsroom or the theatre, she's probably drinking wine, watching "Friends", and planning her next big adventure. With a serious passion for travel she enjoys spending it with friends and family, and anyone who shares her thirst for discovering new places. You'll often hear her say "You can sleep when you're dead", and then rushing off towards something fun and exciting. She plans never to settle for anything less than she deserves and never be content because she believes you can always keep growing. Souls have to breathe, and without travel, that is near impossible.
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A Fiorentine Specialty: La Bistecca

Sydney Zaruba0
A treat you cannot miss during your time in Florence is the Bistecca alla Fiorentina, or simply called La Bistecca.  An amazing t-bone cut, seared on the outside and rare on the inside- you have not experienced Florence if you don't try this steak! The Legend According to word of mouth and Fiorentine legend, on the birthday of St. Lorenz (August 10), the night of the shooting stars, the Medici Family
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39 Things Every Florence Study Abroad Student Has Said

Sydney Zaruba0
I think we're lost... Oh my god, that gelato looks amazing. Wait, which way is the duomo? I think I want some pizza. God, the pasta here is SO GOOD. Alright, where are we drinking tonight? Why does nobody here speak English?! Why does dinner happen so late here? WHY IS NOTHING OPEN?! Pizza again?...yeah okay. Lets go drink in Piazzale Michelangelo tonight! Alright, now we're definitely lost. Can you
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The Dos and Don’ts of Coming to Italy

Sydney Zaruba2
Do Follow Cultural Norms Accept that dinner doesn't start until 8 or 9, learn that you take a coffee after dessert, not with it, and that there is always room for more food- it is not possible to say no when an Italian gives you more food. Learn to dress nice, and that you're not supposed to tip.  Cover your mouth when you yawn, and you cannot put parmesan. Don’t
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Throwback Thursday: The Palazzo Vecchio

Sydney Zaruba0
Resting on top of an ancient Roman theatre dating back to the 1st Century AD, the Palazzo Vecchio was built from the start as a hall designed to host the city council of Florence.  At the time called Palazzo della Signoria, it was expanded in1342, with the extensions giving it the appearance of a fortress, and hidden staircases were added for secret escapes during the night. The Salone dei Cinquecento
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Thanksgiving in Florence

Sydney Zaruba0
Not looking to cook a meal this Thanksgiving in Florence, but still want to celebrate one of our favorite American Holidays?  Look no further than this handy list right here to satisfy all of your Thanksgiving needs from our favorite restaurants here in Florence. OUR recommendation: Quinoa Gluten Free Restaurant Why not spend Thanksgiving dinner at a place where everyone can eat, even your friends with special dietary restrictions?  Have
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#ThrowbackThursday: The Ponte Vecchio

Sydney Zaruba0
The first bridge in Florence to ever cross the Arno, the Ponte Vecchio, or Old Bridge, has withstood the test of time.  The current bridge was built by the in 1345 after a flood destroyed the original (966-1218).  Since then the Ponte Vecchio survived WWII as the only bridge crossing the Arno the Germans did not destroy.  Miraculously the bridge also survived the 1966 flood, which ravaged the city, but
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7 Reasons Florence Will Forever Be Your Second Home

Sydney Zaruba0
Originally posted on The Boho Traveller I've said it before, but no matter how many times I leave Florence and come back, I fall in love again.  Just something about this town brings me back to it, and it will always be another home to me (I'm slowly accumulating these all around the world).  I'm never going to forget my way from the Duomo to Pinos, and the amazing balsamic
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