Inches Wide, Miles Deep

March 2025

The thing about studying abroad is how quickly connections form — strangers one week, travel partners the next. For me, one of the trips that cemented those early friendships was our whirlwind journey through Tuscany.

My main partner on the trip was Coni, and together we spent a weekend in Florence. Everyone always said Florence was the favorite Italian city, and it lived up to every bit of the hype. The Duomo, the art tucked in every alley, the way the whole city felt like a living painting — it was impossible not to fall in love.

We started Friday with what I can only describe as the best pistachio pancakes of my life (and trust me, as a devoted pistachio croissant enthusiast, I don’t say that lightly). Even at 9 a.m., there was a queue wrapping around the corner, but one bite in and it all made sense. Fueled by espresso and sugar, Coni and I were ready to take on the city — two girls with cameras, caffeine, and a growing friendship that felt easy and full of laughter.

At the Duomo, we stood in awe of the intricate, almost 3D façade — it felt less like sightseeing and more like stepping into history. As we wandered from café to café, sipping lattes and comparing Florence’s romantic chaos to Milan’s modern rhythm, we realized that the trip was less about where we were and more about who we were with.

That evening, at Piazzale Michelangelo, we stood shoulder to shoulder under a cloudy sky, watching Florence shimmer below. The sunset never broke through the clouds, but the moment didn’t need it. Between people-watching, laughing at the street performers, and quietly taking it all in, we promised we’d remember this feeling — the start of something solid.

The next day was our “Tuscan sprint.” Lydia and Sofie joined us, and together we hit Pisa, San Gimignano, Siena, and a winery — all in one day. Pisa’s leaning tower felt surreal, like stepping into a postcard. San Gimignano stole our hearts — its medieval walls and cobblestone streets felt frozen in time. We shared “the world’s best gelato” (Venere Nera, if you’re wondering), and though I couldn’t tell if it truly was the best, sharing it with the girls made it unforgettable.

Siena greeted us with pouring rain, but we didn’t care. We huddled under shared umbrellas, grabbed pizzas to go, and laughed our way through puddles — drenched but happy. By the time we reached the winery, the rain had turned into soft Tuscan light. A tipsy sommelier guided us through tastings, pairing each glass with warm bread and olive oil that tasted like sunshine itself.

It was a full day: four cities, countless laughs, and more miles than we could count. But what stuck with me wasn’t the monuments or the meals. It was how much we showed up for each other. Lydia and Sofie traveled all the way from Milan just to join. Coni knew she’d return to Florence soon with her dad, but still came anyway — because this wasn’t about checking cities off a list. It was about us.

We hadn’t known each other long - barely a month - but somehow we’d already proven that we’d go the long way for one another. Tuscany was only inches wide on the map, but that weekend, our friendship grew miles deep.