Hello all! One of these days I will start a post without apologizing, however this post is not it. I do apologize for not writing in a while. It has been an adjustment these last few months and I have finally found the motivation again to write. We have officially been dealing with the pandemic for a year and what’s a better way to celebrate than with this post.
Although COVID initially hit Lombardia (the region where Milan is) all of Italy has been heavily affected by the pandemic. At the moment we are living in Florence and although we haven't been here long, there are quite a few differences that I have noticed. Let’s get into it.
1. Language
Oh mamma mia this is probably the biggest and most evident difference I have noticed between the two places. When I first started studying Italian I could not tell the difference between dialect and just Italian. Someone speaking Italian was speaking Italian, it was all Greek, I mean Italian to me. I like to think I can speak some of the language myself and can notice when someone is from a different region but there are still times I really can’t tell the difference. However, since moving from Milan that is not the case. I can definitely identify a Tuscan accent now. For me, the Milanese speak “normal” but I am biased. I learned the bulk of my Italian there so moving to a new place has thrown me for a loop. Tuscans have replaced their c’s with h’s and they use articles completely different and i'm still confused if they are even used correctly. I am basically starting at all over again. I remember trying to order coffee my first day of work at a bar across the street and I honestly thought me and the barista were speaking different languages. Pasquale loves pointing out the differences and I can’t help laughing every time I hear a heavy accent.
2. Concepts of Time
Milan is a big city with a concept of time and Florence is a small town with, well, no concept of time. I always thought Italians in general did not have a concept of time but I must apologize to the Milanese. They are punctual compared to the Florentines. Time in Milan always felt like it was rushed. Always running to get somewhere to catch something. Everyone even generally walked in a rushed pace. What about Florence you ask? The freaking opposite. Tuscany is more like what’s the rush, grab a coffee, sniff the flowers, then we will get on our way, wait first, a cigarette. I don’t mind it but sometimes I wouldn't mind a brisk walk especially in crowded areas. Our first few weeks here we had gone out to dinner and it lasted 4 hours! And it wasn't just one place where it happened. Don’t even get me started on public offices either. Kiss your day goodbye going to any of those places.
3. Food
Ah yes, my favorite part of the list. Italy is always praised for their food but Tuscany is loved worldwide for their dishes and of course their wine. Although Milan had good food, I mean come on we are still in Italy, it definitely can not compare to Florence. Risotto, coteletta, and ossobuco are some of the dishes traditionally from Milan or Lombardy but to be honest none are my favorite. Tuscany, however, there is Florentine steak, ragu’ with wild boar, pici (a type of pasta), finocchiona(wine soaked salame), schiaccatta(foccocia) and so much more! I haven't even mentioned all of the wines made here in Tuscany. If you see me getting fat in my photos, mind your business. I also think Tuscany and Florence have more slow food compared to Milan. Tuscans take pride in their craftsmanship and food is no exception. Remember those 4 hour dinners I mentioned earlier, definitely slow. Milan had a lot more international options and while yes, Florence has some it does not compare to all the options you can find in Milan. Florentines are prideful in everything they do and I am pretty sure food is at the top of that list. I am not complaining.
4. Cost of living
Now my bank account’s favorite part of the list. Milan was one word: expensive. We paid a pretty penny to be within the city limits and we lived in an old (emphasis on the old) apartment. We don’t live in the center of Florence now but we are still within the city limits and we pay hundreds(emphasis on the hundreds) of euros less and we get so much more. Can you say air conditioning? Our apartment now has actually been built in this century and we even have a parking spot. Also simple things like going out for coffee or dinner are overall cheaper. Our pockets are pretty happy so far.
5. Transportation
Yes even transportation is different between these two places. Milan has a subway and Florence does not. However, I wouldn’t say that's the only difference between these two cities in the transportation department. Time tables. Milan stuck to their times tables pretty well with the occasional missing bus or late train, but here in Florence I honestly never know. The schedules are very spread out and change often without notice. In Milan I knew that another bus would come along in the next 10 minutes at least. Florence if you miss a bus, start walking. Jokes of course but definitely don’t plan on getting to your destination soon. The nice thing about Florence though, is that it is small and walking most of the city is a pretty good option. In Milan it's pretty difficult to cross the city in a reasonable amount of time. We lived 4 stops from the center, that's around 10 minutes on the subway, walking would take us 1 hour. Not impossible but not as easy. You can walk most of Florence and then some in 1 hour. I prefer walking around anyways. Getting lost in small Italian streets anyone?
6. Weather
Lately this has been another favorite of mine. Milan and Florence have pretty similar summer weather in that it is incredibly hot but winter, that is a bit different. I bought my first ever winter jacket in Milan and I got some good wear out of it, but since moving I have worn my winter jacket once. Working from home and COVID have also been contributing factors to that but this winter in general has been the least cold winter I have experienced in Italy. Winter in Milan seems to always start on November 1 and this year we made it well into December before it was freezing. It even snowed this year in Milan and to be honest I am glad I missed it. The last few weeks here in Florence have even felt like Spring! Knock on wood though because I would like it to continue. Of course this is all my opinion but geographically this also makes sense. Milan is in the northern part of Italy, close to the Alps and other large mountains. Makes more sense that winters would be colder and longer. Florence is more towards the center and located closer to the coast. Global warming also plays a factor in this but we won’t get into that today.
7. Scenery
I talked about the weather but there are quite a few scenery differences as well. I mentioned that Milan is located in the northern part of the country close to large mountains great for skiing, and well that's what it looks like. It's an overall flat city with large snow capped
mountains in the distance. Of course you can only see the mountains if there isn't too much smog in the air. I remember thinking there was just a permanent fog in Milan, turns out it was smog. Florence on the other hand is quite hill-y. Florence and Tuscany is what I picture when I hear the word Italy. Lush green hillsides with winding streets lined with cyrus trees. Florence isn't far off of that. I love seeing the hills surrounding Florence on my commute to work and I just love all of the green. Milan is very modern as well. Large buildings, big streets and new areas popping up. Florence is a little behind the growing part but the center is full of small streets and cobblestones and while there may not be any skyscrapers there are great views around every corner.
8. History
I feel like since I brought up scenery I have to bring up the history a little bit because well it does play a part in why these cities look the way that they do. I mean the differences between Milan and Florence aren't just recent; they have been around for centuries. My history nerd self, sorry to Milan, prefers the history of Florence. It’s home to the Italian Renaissance and you can still feel that when you walk around the city. The architecture screams medievale and I always feel like I am experiencing a city of the greats. By the greats I mean Dante, The Medici, Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci and more. Of course there have been a few years between me and the greats but it still feels like I am a part of a place very special to them(well more or less). I could go on and on about Florence but that wouldn’t be fair to Milan. Milan is big and like I said before pretty modern. However in the center of Milan you can still see many of their historical architecture and buildings. I mean hello, duomo! That building screams gothic history. Milan has a rich gothic history that can still be seen in most of their buildings. They are typically grey, big and intimidating. The size and modernization of the city also has to do with some later history and making it the commercial center of Italy. Now it is considered the fashion capital and leading financial center of Europe. Milan is open to change and welcoming the modern world, while Florence is still reliving the Renaissance.
9.Lifestyle
Guys were almost to the end, stick with me. I know I talked about food, time, cost of living which are all part of lifestyles but there is a little more to it than that. The Milanese are often on the move. In the winter it's to the mountains, in the summer it’s to the seaside and if for some reason you have to stay in the city for the weekend, it is jammed packed with activities. Museums, shows, shopping or eating out. Everyone was out and about on the weekends. If there was an event in the city, everyone was there. I haven’t lived in Florence without COVID so I can’t really compare it too much. I will say it's overall slower. We went out one Sunday morning and no one was out on the streets. I really do mean no one and it was around 10 in the morning. I love to sleep in too but up and at'em people. Also I have noticed people in Florence spend more time outside. We live close to a large park and it is always full of people playing or doing sports but mostly just walking around. This once again could be because of COVID but it's nice to see a lot of people outside doing more than just jogging. I will definitely have to come back to this difference at a later time though to give you my full opinion, post-COVID.
10. Me!
I am very different here in Florence than I was in Milan. It could be a lot of things of course but overall I feel like myself again. Work is good. Working decent hours and finding people I work well with is incredible. Milan I worked weird hours and felt like I worked with people but I never saw them and I rarely was able to see the people I wanted to see because like I said weird hours. Also money helps a bit. I don’t make more or less than I did in Milan but the cost of living makes it easier to not always have to worry. I still am Milanese when it comes to the concept of time but I am working on it because I can not be the first one to arrive at everything anymore. I am overall very happy here and feel like I have found a place that makes living in a foreign country just a little bit easier.
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