CIAO ITALY

After Paris we met up with a tour group in beautiful Venice, Italy. There were about 22 of us all raging from age 18-28. Surprisingly, there were a lot of people from Washington State which was fun to find out. It was interesting meeting people my age from all over the states, I recommend meeting up with one if you're determined to see all the sites and do not want to plan the whole trip on your own. Our tour director Jos, pronounced "Yos," aka MAMA made us feel comfortable and well taken care of. During this portion of this European adventure, we visited seven wonderful places (Venice, Burano, Verona, Florence, Pisa, Orvieto and Rome).

Venice was extremely picturesque but VERY touristy. We only spent a day there and to be honest, that was probably all we needed. My favorite part was the gondola ride with an opera singer and an accordion playing That's Amore in the background. I felt like I was in a movie.

 In the same day, we visited an island right next to Venice called Burano. I've never seen so many colorful houses! London's Notting Hill doesn't even compare. The houses are coated in such vibrant hues. Each resident is assigned a specific color which I thought was super interesting. As I said in my Instagram post, I would have vouched for black...of course. Our next stop was Verona.

Verona was beautiful and is famous for the notorious Romeo and Juliet love story. We saw her balcony and everything. In the center of the town square, there is a market with food, drinks and souvenirs. It was a very touristy part of the area. We hopped back on the bus and headed to Florence. Florence is amazing. So rich in art and history. It was interesting to learn about the Medici family's influence and all the art they've sponsored. The Duomo or Florence Cathedral's opulence and intricate detail in design was breathtaking inside and out. One night, our tour guide led us up countless numbers of steps, to Piazzale Michelangelo. This place is known for its spectacular sunset views of Florence. Although it was too cloudy for a sunset the day we went up, many people go there with wine, friends or lovers and take in all the magical views. I met up with my best friend Terri whom I met in college in New York. Our "long distance friendship" is something we really try to work on ;p and any chance we get, we try to see each other. We also visited the Gucci Museum which was completely insane! I've never been in the presences of so much vintage Gucci. It was unreal.

Our next stop was Orvieto. It's a quant little town on a hill with beautiful views. It was a quick stop with just enough time to eat and take a few pictures:

Our very last stop and most definitely, my favorite was Rome. There is so much to talk about regarding this city but I'll focus on the things that stuck out to me. It is a lively and dynamic city in culture and color. Fashion is major there and I really enjoyed the cohesion of lifestyle and fashion. The ancient ruins of government buildings at the Roman Forum were epic for lack of a better term. It was surreal being in Vatican City and even more surreal comprehending that it's its own country. The Colosseum was massive in size and impressiveness. I loved learning about the history of the first stadium/largest amphitheater ever built. I would have to say this city felt more metropolitan and reminded me of a New York or London but Italian style. I threw one coin in the Trevi Fountain which means one day I'll come back to Rome. Fingers crossed...

xx

sarah