Quando ho abitato a Milano...

I loved participating in IES Abroad’s Milan program. From arrival, they helped us become situated while still giving us the freedom to explore. I lived with an Italian roommate, and I don’t know what I would’ve done without her. She helped us figure out how to get around Milan, gave us amazing restaurant suggestions, taught us delicious recipes, and became a great friend. IES staff also organized some really fun trips for us. For example, we got to go to Parma, Italy, where we sampled amazing parmesan cheese and 50-year old balsamic vinegar. I enjoyed many of the trips that they organized and thought they were a great part of my experience abroad.

Milan itself is a fantastic city to study abroad in. Although it might not be known for having the most tourist sites, it has an incredible history of Leonardo daVinci living and working there, and the Duomo, Sforza Castle, and Galleria are incredible buildings. Due to the relatively fewer tourists, I felt as though I could actually get to know the city itself. I loved exploring the bakeries, cafes, and aperitivos. I would also encourage students to participate in city events. I ran in the Stramilano 10K, and it was such an incredible opportunity that the average tourist would never experience. Be sure to seek out those unique activities, because they will add so much to your time abroad.