Spring Break in Italy
Spring break for me usually means unwinding from a semester that I know will just get harder once we go back to class. However, when one is already in Europe for their spring break, the outlook is a little different. My friends here had plans to go to exotic places like Egypt, Tunisia, or Spain. I really wanted to get to know and explore the rest of Italy, seeing as how it was my country of choice to live and study in for four months. This turned out to be one of the best spring breaks of my life, and one I won’t soon forget. |
| Another look at Torino |
I like to refer to this little jaunt through Italy as my “whirlwind tour”, which it most definitely was. I saw eight cities during the ten days I was gone and took trains in between each city. I started in Torino, which was the first capital of Italy as well as where the 2006 Olympics were held. The city itself was very nice, people were friendly, and it was not too touristy, so people treated us as equals and not as just another American tourist. Seeing Torino was especially interesting for me because so much of what we talk about in my Italian history class is all over the city. There are monuments and street names for several important Italians, so my traveling buddy and I especially enjoyed that aspect of Torino.
After the first capital city, we trained over to Milan, which is a must see if fashion is of any interest to you. I loved looking in the windows at the purses, dresses, shoes, and anything else. Gucci, Prada, Versace, and Dolce and Gabana surrounds you as you stroll down some of the most famous shopping streets in the world. As for anything else to do in Milan, there is the famous Gothic cathedral, but it really is just a city to see just to say, “Yes, I have been to Milan.”
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| Canals of Venice near San Marco's Piazza and Church |
After the not so impressive visit to Milan, we moved on to the most enchanting city on our trip, which would be Venice. Venice is unlike any other city in the world and is absolutely fascinating. To take a boat taxi as the normal form of public transportation amused me. The canals are beautiful, and it is a city that needs to be soaked in. The streets are wonderful as well, you can easily wander through Venice without a map just to get lost and see what the back alleys of the city have to offer.
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| Duomo (cathedral) in Florence with the Battistery |
Continuing on our adventure through Italy, we stopped in Florence, home of the most amazing and breathtaking art I have ever seen. Personally, I did not enjoy Florence as a city, but there is nothing like turning a corner to have the statue of David looking so domineering and powerful. There is so much art and architecture in Florence that it really is a beautiful city, it is just very overrun with tourists and American students. The city has almost lost its’ sense of Italian identity and is just there to please those who come for the art. While it does its’ job quite well, there was just something about the city that I wasn’t too excited about.
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| Sunset in Florence from Ponte Vecchio (old bridge). |
However, we did take day trips to a few cities just outside of Florence, which made me appreciate the region of Tuscany so much more. One of the first trips we took was to Pisa, which is just a little city that doesn’t have too much to offer except for the tower. It was worth it to go see the tower in person, and all the tourists holding their hands up so it looks like they are actually supporting the tower. After Pisa, we went to Perugia, which is a quaint little city in the region of Umbria. It is called a hill town, and once you enter the historic section of town, the view is absolutely breathtaking of all the villages surrounding the town. While there is nothing famous in Perugia, it is definitely worth a day trip to see the countryside and be in a less touristy spot.
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| View of Siena |
After we had our fill of art in Florence, we moved onto Siena, which is also in Tuscany. Siena is a small, medieval town that definitely needs at least one day to see and appreciate. There are beautiful churches, quaint piazzas and lovely streets. Again, like Venice, it is a city to get lost in. Especially in the most historic section of town, everything is so fascinating and the architecture and balconies are just how one would picture Italy. It is an absolutely picture perfect town, and is also a hill town as well, so there is a great view of Tuscany below you.
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Vatican City |
To conclude our tour of Italy, we stopped in Rome, which I fell in love with as soon as we stepped off the train. It is a busy, modern city, although I was half expecting to see the Coliseum as soon as I left the train station. To be able to see Vatican City and most especially the Sistine Chapel in person is one of the best things that could ever happen. You walk into the Chapel and are just in complete and total awe. How one person could have painted an entire room with such detail and precision continues to amaze me. Everything in Rome was just like the Sistine Chapel; I was becoming more and more enthralled with the city. To see ancient ruins almost everywhere you turn in such a modern city fascinates me and I thoroughly enjoyed Rome.
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| Inside the Coliseum |
This spring break was definitely one to remember, and I am incredibly lucky and glad that I got to experience so much culture in just ten days. Never would I have been able to hop a plane to Italy for ten days to see all these different cities. Having lived in Sicily for three months so far also gave me a different impression as the culture is slightly different in every region we visited. While I had an amazing time and so much fun, the trip really was a one of a kind learning experience.
Ciao!
Analise's January Journal