These past few weeks have been such a whirlwind of adventure. In two weeks we were in 3 countries, saw 3 new cities, and had a lot of fun. After CJ's parents left we had a few days to get ready and then we headed off to Italy for 6 days.
To say Italy did not disappoint would be an understatement. Our first city was Rome which I was most excited to see. I fell in love with it immediately. The mix of vibrant new city with the remnants of an old city was truly something all its own and I doubt there's anything else like it in the world. We got used to getting around the city pretty quickly since the metro only has two lines but that also meant that there was a lot more walking.
Our first day was spent getting to the hotel and exploring the area around our hotel, in search of somewhere to eat. One thing you need to know heading into Rome, and probably most of Italy, is that all the restaurants close down from about 3pm until at least 7pm. Unfortunately for us, we hadn't eaten lunch yet and it was well after 3 so almost everything was closed. Luckily we found this little pizza place open. It definitely wasn't the most luxurious first meal in Italy but we made up for it that night.
We found a little hole in the wall place that our travel guide recommended but we definitely wouldn't have found on our own. It was probably one of the best meals I've ever had. The service was so friendly from the second we walked in, singing loudly and just bringing us tray after tray of food. The appetizer antipasti could have easily been my whole meal. Overall it was definitely the best way to start off our trip in Italy!
The next day was reserved for sightseeing. We got up and headed straight to the Colosseum. It’s amazing when you see the Colosseum for the first time
because you take the subway and you exit onto a normal city street but then you
look up and you see this giant ruin right in front of you. We headed straight
in and luckily didn’t hit many lines. The view from the top was beautiful and
you could see for miles around. We took tons of pictures but here are some of
the best:
After the Colosseum we headed across the street to the
Palatine Hills and the Roman Forum. Together they form the ruins of the ancient
city. We couldn’t have picked a more perfect day since the sun was shining and
the flowers were in bloom everywhere. I could have spent an entire day
wandering and as it was we spent a few hours and only saw about half of it.
Once we had had our fill of Italia beauty we headed to the
Trevi Fountain. I’ve been excited to see the Trevi Fountain ever since I saw
the Lizzy McGuire movie. While it was definitely a lot more crowded and I
didn’t open my eyes to find an international pop star staring at me, it was
still amazing! Weary as we were, we headed over to the Spanish Steps, our last
tourist spot of the day and then headed back to the hotel for a little break
before heading out for a delicious dinner.
The next day we headed to the Vatican because my mother
would have killed me if I went to Rome and didn’t make time for a stop at the
Catholic center of the world. While we didn’t see the Pope I was still blown
away by the sheer extravagance and beauty. We saw St. Peter’s Basilica first
and then after getting a little lost, finally found the Vatican Museums. In
order to get to the Sistine Chapel you have to walk through the whole museum
which is in the shape of a horseshoe with the Sistine smack in the middle. The
museum had lots of very cool art but everyone was mostly anxious to get to the
Sistine Chapel. Unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to take pictures in the
Sistine Chapel but I’ll tell you that it was definitely worth the walk and was
absolutely amazing. You’re mostly struck with the idea that someone painted the
entire ceiling by hand and was able to create this immense masterpiece.
Overall, my time in Rome was amazing and I got to see so many sights that I've always dreamed of seeing and the city did not disappoint. However, the next morning we boarded a train and headed to another place I had been dying to see: Venice.
The first thing that strikes you about Venice is that you have absolutely no idea how to get anywhere but neither does anyone. We spent at least 2 hours wandering the city and trying to find out hotel and every local we asked gave us different directions. I found out later that there are only 3 bridges that cross the Grand Canal and if you're not nearby them you have to use a boat. I also found out that it's common for street names to change and numbers to not follow a pattern...go figure.
However, despite our travel woes, Venice was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. It's lively and peaceful at the same time. We didn't spend too much time on a schedule during our few days there but that's what made it so nice. I felt like I could have taken a whole week and just explored all the twists and turns of Venice and I would have been happy.
Of course, being in Venice, CJ and I had to take a Gondola ride despite the high price tag. It was so cute and our Gondolier was very friendly. He even explained the process of becoming a Gondolier and the history behind it. It may have been cliche but I definitely thought it was worth it.
Another highlight was our trip to Murano, a small island off the coast of mainland Venice, where all the glass blowing is done. We got to see a master at work making sculptures from molten glass. It was incredible! And of course I couldn't leave without getting myself a little glass jewelry!
Italy was so much more than I had ever imagined it would be. I was so sad to leave and I know I could have spent another month just exploring the country. I definitely plan to go back again one day! That's all I've got for now. Until next time, Ciao!
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