Italia

Italy is a must see when planning a European adventure, but there is so much to see it can be overwhelming. After spending a week there I am by no means an expert, but maybe my experiences can help show you a taste of what Italy has to offer. My favorite experiences were just being friendly and meeting locals. Who knows who you’ll sit by on the train…I have new Facebook friends and a professional soccer player’s autograph.

Rome- Rome is a tourist haven. I must have seen more Americans than Italians. If you have a picture in your head of what Italy is…Rome is not what you’re picturing. That being said, there’s a reason it’s packed with tourist. Everyone should see Rome once, but you might feel once is enough. The history in this one town will blow your mind! The must sees are:

1.      Mamertine Prison

2.      Vatican Museum

3.      Coloesseum/Forum

4.      Trevi Fountain

Mamertine Prison is right outside of the Forum. Paul and Peter were both imprisoned there at different times. The prison is very lax and let’s you go into the actual cell. You can touch the walls and just soak up the history.

The Vatican Museum is one of the top museums in Europe (meaning it’s one of the top museums in the world). This museum is jam packed with gorgeous statues, paintings and art. If you’re like me and museums bore you, you will still be entertained in this gigantic collection of beauty. Also, you’ll see a 3,000 year old mummy that’s so well preserved you can still see her wrinkles. Obviously the Sistine Chapel is a must see. It’s the size of a basketball court and the individual pictures within it our big enough that you’ll be able to see everything just fine.

The Colosseum is cool to see, but you’ll probably feel you have no need to see it again. I was surprised to discover that the Forum was actually the more entertaining part of that ticket. You can walk the paths that Julius Caesar himself walked everyday. In front of where his house used to be there’s a small structure. If you peek your head inside you’ll be able to see a large stone with flowers. This is where Julius Caesar’s body was burned and is now his grave.

The Trevi Fountain is so large and beautiful, but about 34,203,480 want to spend time there too. If you want to see the Spanish steps, they are about a 6 minute walk away.

Florence- Florence is how you envision Italy. It was everyone’s favorite city. There are market vendors that are worth stopping by. There’s an indoor food market as well. Before you leave the city, don’t forget to see the David. The David is kept inside a museum. Don’t see the outdoor replica and be fooled. In the museum you will also see the unfinished works of Michelangelo. He was working on these when he died. It’s incredible to see the progression of how a slab of rock can turn into a masterpiece.

Pisa- There’s no way a camera can fully capture how the tower is leaning. It looks like it should fall over when there’s a strong wind. There are also other pretty buildings around it that go unnoticed.

Cinque Terre- If you like to hike, go to Cinque Terre. It’s gorgeous towns on cliffs hanging over the Mediterranean. It’s also where pesto was invented. Be prepared to run into tourists. I never saw any hotel that had an elevator or any first floor rooms so be prepared to walk up hundreds of stairs. There are narrow stairs, wide stairs, spiral stairs, broken stairs, short stairs, rock stairs, metal stairs, and hellish stairs. You might want to rent a locker at the train station instead of lugging up your suitcases.

Venice- Venice is like Rome. You must see it before you die, but you probably won’t feel much need to go back. Venice is gorgeous and Venetian glass is incredible. There’s lots of shopping and strolling alongside the canal. Don’t be fooled; even though there are only canals, there is still plenty of walking. The streets are not always named and it can be a terror navigating around. Be sure to get some gelato by St. Mark’s Basilica and sit in the plaza to eat it. Go at night if you want to hear music and relax.