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!