First stop, cheese. Second and third stop, also cheese.
Italy, a gorgeous adventure I was blessed to go on this past summer with my boyfriend and his lovely family. Nine days of pure bliss that were indeed filled with so much cheese my heart was overflowing with joy - and let's not forget to neglect the pizza and oh, the wine. Three locations, all very special and unforgettable in their own way.
Rome. For those of you who grew up being a Hilary Duff fan like myself, you should immediately know the excitement I felt when I found out that I was going to finally get to see the Trevi Fountain and toss a coin in, just like Lizzie McGuire did when she essentially wished for her prince charming. (Although if I might humbly brag a tad, unlike Lizzie, I've already found mine.) Nonetheless, I was stoked. Not to mention, while working towards my Bachelor Degree of Art in the previous four years, I had the opportunity to study several Art History classes and had fallen in love with the history and architecture of Rome before ever walking in all it's glory. How could you not? The Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Spanish Steps... just to name a few. To add the cherry on top, the view from my room in our very first Air Bnb had a spectacular view of the Vatican. Being that it was my first time to Europe, I couldn't have been more anxious to fully submerge myself in the bustling culture and explore as much of the city as possible.
Breathtaking architecture, sculptures, fountains, paintings (including the Sistine Chapel, which left me utterly speechless)... delicious food (seriously everything I ate was cheese and/or had cheese inside, around, or on top of it) and, for those of you who are infatuated with the Pantheon like myself, I have to tell you that it is one hundred and ten percent more astonishing in person then you could ever imagine. The grand vastness and adornment that embodies what now is a church inside, still leaves me in awe. Two additional, simple yet among my most favorite memories from Rome were the endless apartment buildings that were vibrant orange and pale pink in color (this was actually a trend we noticed mostly all through Italy, and I fell in love) along with that, were the dogs that were literally everywhere! (Peep the last photo, there is in fact a small pup staring out of the bottom window).
Amalfi Coast. Although it was a tough competition, Amalfi was the place that overall ultimately stole my heart above everywhere else we visited during the trip. We arrived by ferry, to the smallest city in all of Italy - Atrani. Cobblestone roads, S. Andrea Ristorante Pizzeria Bar (where you'll find the most mouthwatering onion pizza you will ever encounter, which of course became my favorite pizza from the entire trip), pebbled beaches, and an endless coastline. Needless to say, if Amalfi isn't on your list of future travels, pencil it in, and definitely make it a top priority; you won't be disappointed.
While staying in Atrani, we took a day to travel by boat to the island of Capri. I can't put into words the beauty that I saw while traveling on the water. I had never seen water so blue and pure, or a coastal landscape so rigid and glowing. Hidden caverns and bricked walkways with tiny purple flowers. Sea glass finding me on the beach, stray cats sun-bathing around every corner. Limoncello (strong and sour but worth it), and air so fresh you wouldn't believe it could've ever existed until it filled your lungs and made you so graciously thank it for being a part of our Mother Earth, and allowing you to breathe it in. Capri was a cleanse. The air, the water, the sun. Atrani and all of Amalfi washed over me and flooded my soul with its entire atmosphere, and continues to fill my stomach with butterflies whenever I replay the experience in my head.
Fun fact: Atrani had the best Cosmopolitan I've ever consumed, along with a very friendly tabby cat with half of a tail, that constantly observed us from it's perch on the local's mopeds going to and from our cozy rented home (which also took first place for most stunning views from both it's windows, and two-story balcony). During our boat ride, we also passed by the famous Positano village, and saw it's gorgeous beach front lined with colorful boutiques, cafes and its' well known collection of lounging chairs.
Florence. We arrived late in the evening after a long train ride, in search of more cheese and wine - it had become our absolute staples at this point in the trip (for the record, Italian cheese is far more satisfying than the stuff we have lining our market shelves here in America). The streets were narrow and the night life seemed more lively here than in our previous location. Cafe's and gelato were on every corner. Shops and restaurants of all kinds took over the remaining spaces. Florence had such a vibrant culture and was full of more rich history than I was aware of. One thing that I did know however, was that Florence was home to one of the most famous sculptures in all of Italy's history - the Statue of David. Yet another masterpiece cleverly created by Michelangelo (one that he executed less ambivalently, since after all he was a sculptor, not a painter) that represented a raw, stripped-down, eloquent and meticulously detailed depiction of the almighty, victorious Biblical hero, David. I stood in his presence in complete awe. Goose bumps lined my arms. The sheer beauty that Michelangelo had embodied in stone was utterly breathtaking. Honestly, it's hard for me to find the right words to describe such a remarkable and historical piece of art. One thing I know for sure though, is that when I visit Florence again, visiting David a second time is at the top of my to-do list, so I can spend time falling even more in awe of him.
Our last day in Italy we were blessed to share our company with an extremely comical British driver who took us throughout the hills of Tuscany, around to several vineyards on a winery tour. The owners of each vineyard welcomed us to their homes with such warmth and kindness, and needless to say, it was the best way to finish what has easily been one of the most remarkable and memorable trips of my life.
Ciao, much love.
留言