Venice

     Venice, or Venezia, is easily one of the most well-known cities in all of Italy.  The city is unique because it is made up of over a hundred small islands that are all connected by bridges.  Almost everyone in Venice travels by boat because there are no cars in the city.  I took a night train from Rome to Venice; we arrived just as the sun was rising and the view was amazing.  We heard the best way to see Venice was to get lost in it so that is exactly what we did.  We wandered the narrow streets and explored all day.  Whenever we were hungry we'd stop and eat the freshest seafood we'd ever had.

     This trip was different from any of the other trips I'd taken because we didn't have anything that we had to do.  Without a schedule, we were free to explore and eat and shop at our leisure.  The city was a maze of winding streets, tiny bridges and peaceful canals.  Laundry hung from windows over the water while gondolas and other small boats passed by.  Every night, we watched the sun set over the water.  I loved everything about Venice and wish I could have stayed longer.  Thankfully, I did get to take home a few souvenirs.  I got a Murano glass bracelet and a black lace Carnival mask.  

Florence

     Florence, or Firenze, is the capital of the region of Tuscany.  It is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance and is famous for its historical landmarks.  Among these are the Duomo and the Ponte Vecchio.  The Duomo is one of the largest churches in Italy and used to have the largest dome in the world.  Next to the Duomo are the baptistery and the bell tower.  In person, the Duomo is so much larger than it appears in pictures.  To learn more about the Duomo, click here.     

     The Ponte Vecchio, which translates to "Old Bridge," is one of the most interesting things I've ever seen.  The bridge is one of many crossing the Amo River in Florence.  What makes it so unique are the shops built on the sides of the bridge.  Most of the stores are very expensive jewelry stores.  The bridge was extremely crowded; I could barely move.  People were walking around, taking pictures, painting, singing and playing music, and shopping.  It was very busy but I liked it.

     When we left the Ponte Vecchio, we went to the leather market and then to Gusta Pizza.  Gusta Pizza is a tiny pizzeria that is constantly packed to capacity.  Most people order their pizzas and take them outside to eat on the sidewalk or one of the bridges.  Why do so many people wait so long for pizza only to have to eat it elsewhere?  Because Gusta Pizza makes the best pizza in Florence.  It is a favorite of study abroad students and locals.  Not only is the pizza delicious, you also get to watch the chefs toss the pizza dough in the air before baking it in their huge stone ovens.  My mouth is watering as I type this.  If you're ever in Florence, make Gusta Pizza your first and last stop!    

Il Torre - The Leaning Tower of Pisa

     One of the most well-known landmarks in Italy is the Leaning Tower of Pisa.  In Pisa it is simply referred to as "Il Torre" which means "The Tower."  Pisa was not too far from Rome, so one day we took a quick day trip there by train.  When we arrived at the train station, we wandered the streets following the signs to the tower.  When we got there, I was surprised to see the Duomo and the Baptistry.  I had always pictures the Leaning Tower by itself but there are two other buildings very close to it.

     After admiring the tower, we took cheesy tourist pictures.  We had a lot of fun pretending to hold the tower up and pretending to push it over.  When we left, we tried some homemade jelly donuts at a local shop and then got back on the train and headed to Florence!

Umbria

     One Saturday I went on a weekend trip with my school to Umbria.  It is a more rural region of Italy. We did some bird watching at a wildlife preserve.  They had many wild animals including two horses.  It was very calm and peaceful there - nothing like the fast-paced city life of Rome.  

     After the preserve, we toured a castle.  It had been restored over the years but the basement ceiling was still the original one built in 1560!

     The next day we went to Orvieto.  We walked down St. Peter's Well and then had to climb all the way back up again.  I think it might have been more difficult than climbing the dome of the St. Peter's Basilica!  We also saw the Duomo there.  It's construction began in 1290!  The gold parts of the facade are real gold.  The designs on the walls were extremely intricate; it was incredible.

     Umbria was a great trip because we got to see an entirely different side of Italy.  The towns we visited were rural and the landscape was beautifully untouched.  I had a great weekend!

Cinque Terre

     Cinque Terre means "Five Lands."  It is made up of five little towns built into the cliffs along the coast of Italy.  I went with several friends so we rented an apartment instead of staying in a hotel or hostel.  The apartment was in Manarola and had an incredible view.  If you look closely at the following picture, our apartment was the yellow one all the way to the left. 

     The five towns are reachable by car, train, or hiking trail.  We hiked from Manarola to Riomaggiore and then took a train to Monterrosso al Mare.  The trail from Manarola to Riomaggiore is called Via dell'Amore which means "The Path of Love."  All along the path there are locks with initials on them.  Legend has it that if a couple writes their names on a lock, locks it to something along the trail, and throws the key into the ocean they will always be together.  

     There was a giant rock along the beach in front of one of the towns.  We had never seen anything like it before and just had to climb it!  The hike through the mountains was difficult but the view made it well worth the effort.    

     One of the towns, Vernazza, had recently suffered a flood and mudslide.  The bay used to be full of water but when we saw it, it was all mud.  Many of the buildings were destroyed in the mudslide but in January, artists from all over Italy came and painted murals on the doors of the boarded up buildings.  They painted them as a symbol of hope for the people of Vernazza.  The murals were beautiful and the thought behind them was so moving.

     I attended my first Italian Mass on Easter Sunday in Manarola.  It was a awesome experience and a fantastic trip.  Staying in an apartment gave us a lot more freedom than a hotel or hostel would have.  I thoroughly enjoyed my stay in Cinque Terre and hope to visit again someday!

Tuscany

     Tuscany is one of the most gorgeous, peaceful places I've ever been.  It's also home to some of the greatest food I've ever eaten! This trip was arranged by my school so we didn't have to do any planning.  Saturday, we took a bus from the station in Rome to Tuscany.  We spent most of our time in the city of Pienza.  Our first stop though, was Cantina Tanagatta.  We had a delicious meal and then toured the cantina and got to see where they make the wine.  The owner even let us try some wine right out of the barrel!  

     On the way into Pienza, I found my dream home.  It was so simple and perfect; I loved it! It was also right across the road from a field of wild tulips! How awesome is that?  The sunset that night was stunning.  The vivid colors over the hills were so beautiful.

Sunday, we toured Pienza and tasted the famous Pecorino di Pienza.  Pecorino is a cheese made from sheep's milk; it's a specialty of Pienza.  The streets were so cute and the cheese shop smelled absolutely amazing.  I loved the cheese so much that I bought a whole wheel to take back to the U.S. with me and split up as gifts for friends.

Sicily

     Sicily is one of the most breathtaking places I've been.  Some friends and I took a short plane ride to the island for part of our spring break.  We stayed in Palermo for the duration of the trip but took several day trips to other places.  One of the trips was to Mondello Beach.  We took a city bus about 45 minutes to the beach.  The water was unbelievably clear.

     One of the other day trips was to the city of Cefalù.  There is a mountain there that we hiked.  The hike wasn't too difficult and the view from the top was incredible; there is just no other way to describe it.  We stood on top of old ruins of a castle and looked down at the beautiful ocean.

     I wish we had had more time in Sicily to see more of the island.  I hope to go back someday and visit other parts.  It was such a wonderful trip!  If you ever go, make sure you get some seafood! It's delicious and everything is fresh.