A little Florence advice

 Someone asked for more advice about living in Florence so here it goes.... despite the rumor that Italians can be harsh (and some are, of course), for the most part the people in Florence are extremely nice. Florence isn't like Rome or Milan. Both of those are big cities and I found people not to be as open or engaging as they are in Florence. I don't know if you speak Italian (I didn't until I took a class while abroad) but don't be nervous to try to speak to them in Italian. Most Florentines know English and might end up speaking to you in it because it's just easier, but I got the sense they did appreciate my trying to speak their language. Florence is by no means a small town but compared to Rome and Milan, it has a different feel. I would describe it as friendly, inviting, and approachable. Everything is within walking distance and there isn't a metro line or even city buses. Honestly, I think it's a great city to start your traveling-alone adventures. The great thing about most people being friendly is that you feel welcome. The not-so-great thing is that you can feel awkward. Italian men are known for being aggressive. I was never in a scary situation or anything but my first day in Florence, as I walked through town, I heard many "Oh my God's" coming from men on the street. The thing that annoyed me most was when men asked me to take off my sunglasses (so they could see the color of my eyes). The place to watch out for this most is in the market areas, like the San Lorenzo market. It's the one I mentioned in my tip above and has amazing stuff but the men will call out to you, mostly to get you to buy things. Basically, I just learned to kind of have a cold-shoulder attitude and ignore them or say "no, thanks." Walking in groups of two or more helps but eventually I would shop alone and be just fine.

When I left for Florence I honestly didn't have a frame of reference for the type of city it was so I hope this helps :)