If you have read the page I dedicated as “about me”, you will know that my love of travel really began as a young child on family vacations. Although I considered myself lucky and well-traveled, I didn’t realize how easily accessible the world outside of the United States can be. As a soon to be senior in college, my summer study abroad to Florence, Italy officially lit the travel bug inside me. Not only was I experiencing a completely different culture, I got to see places I had only read about in my history books.
Because I majored in nutrition in college, I inevitably took a Mediterranean diet and lifestyle course on this once in a lifetime experience (um, who wouldn’t want to do that?). Ok, I did go to class several hours per day, but the majority of my time was spent wandering the streets of Florence. Class field trips included a Tuscan winery, olive oil farm, Parmesan cheese factory, Balsamic vinegar producer in Modena and of course both Rome and Venice. We even got to experience the beauty of the Cinque Terre in all of its glory by hiking the coastal path between all five of the picturesque villages. 
My favorite view in all of Florence, from the Piazza Michaelangelo. This requires a short hike but you can see the Arno River, Ponte Vecchio bridge and really the whole city of Florence from the top. We loved it so much, we even went back later in our trip to watch the sunset.
Dreaming of Tuscany yet? Maybe Chianti wine or Pecorino Romano cheese from Pienza? Our day long drive through Tuscany included stops at a winery as well as the towns of Montepulciano and Pienza. The pictures don’t do this beautiful region justice.
The one and only Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, very different from the Parmesan cheese we are used to eating in the United States. We had the opportunity to visit a farm in Parma that produced this cheese.
Speaking of places you read about in history books…Pisa is only about an hour train ride from Florence and turned out to be a great morning trip.
Our trip to Rome was only a day but totally worth it! We took the train to and from Florence all in the same day but seeing the ancient sites scattered throughout the city is a once in a lifetime opportunity. On a side note, we went on the last Sunday of the month which means free entrance to the Vatican…a great way to save some money but get there early and be prepared to stand in line.
Back in Florence, I highly recommend climbing to the top of the Bell Tower of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, more affectionately known as “the Duomo.” Even from the highways outside of Florence, it dominates the skyline with its impressive size. Be aware that you are required to climb 414 steps to the top as there are no elevators available.
Similar to our trip to Rome, we were able to see Venice in a day trip from Florence. The draw of this city is obviously the gondolas found on most of the canals, but I thoroughly enjoyed getting lost in the network of narrow cobblestone streets that make up Venice.
I had to save my favorite part of the trip for the last part of this post. The Cinque Terre is often overlooked in favor of the Amalfi Coast, but I found the five towns along the coast to be charming and beautiful. Riomaggiore is the typical starting spot if you are hiking the trail between the towns, which we were able to complete in a single day. The first section of the trail is relatively flat and easy, commonly known as the Via dell’ Amore or the Way of Love (unfortunately this section of the trail was closed for a period of time after we visited and has only recently been partially reopened).
The trail between the second and third towns, Manarola and Corniglia, is much more challenging. In order to reach the center of Corniglia you must climb 382 steps, but you are rewarded with some amazing views from the top.
Vernazza, the fourth town, was my favorite for it’s unique landscape and cute restaurants that lined the harbor. At this point we were getting a little worn out but we had one long stretch of trail ahead of us.
By the time we reached the beach at Monterosso, we were ready to dip our feet in the water. This was a day I will never forget, and I loved it enough to come back 5 years later 🙂
Luckily, for those who are unable to hike the trail, there are both trains and ferries that connect the five towns. Definitely a good option if you plan to stay in one of the them for a few days.
A few of my takeaways from my 3 week journey in Italy:
- If you or a relative ever get the opportunity to study abroad, please do it! I had never traveled out of the country let alone traveled without my family and the programs available to college students are typically very well organized and include experiences you might not get as a true tourist.
- The train system in Italy is amazing. You can purchase tickets at kiosks in the train stations with instructions available in English and they are an inexpensive way to see a lot of the country (and Europe for that matter).
- Embrace the cultural differences no matter where you are traveling, don’t be upset by them. Example: you may not be waited on in restaurants as attentively as in the U.S. and a cover charge is normal.
- Even if you only have one day to spend in a city, like we did in Rome and Venice, don’t forgo the opportunity to visit them. I promise you won’t regret it.
- Be prepared for the unexpected. Oh, if only I had a picture of my suitcase when it arrived in Florence…it was completed wrapped in duct tape because the zipper broke. Miraculously nothing was missing, but I had to purchase a new one while in Florence.
- My trip took place in May and June and if you couldn’t tell from the pictures, we had beautiful weather! It only rained the day we arrived (aside from a few pop up storms) and the temperature stayed about 75-85 degrees most of the time. I have heard from numerous sources to avoid Rome in August due to the intense heat.