Traveling makes my heart thump fast–exploring new cultures, taking in the breathtaking scenery, and creating memories. You can never go wrong with too many pictures because it’s always great to show off (not in a snobby way, but a narration-type way) so everyone knows more snippets about me, where I’ve been, and incorporate it into many stories I share. A year ago from today, I left for Costa Rica on a Rustic Pathways trip (without my family or anyone I knew). Three years ago from today, I arrived in Roma, Italia. Visiting Italy was one of the best trips!
We made three stops while visiting Italy–Rome, the Amalfi Coast, and Florence. We also had some fun with a few outside excursions here and there.
Rome
Walking from the Vatican, to the Trevi Fountain, and around to various museums was exhausting. But to me, I would much rather be exhausted than miss out on all the unique attractions that cities have to offer.
When you enter most Italian churches, especially the Vatican, women have to be covered in complete “church garb.” Unaware of this rule to all other churches besides the Vatican, my mother and I wore what we had packed for daily excursions–shorts and a shirt. Oddly enough, they sell you covers…out of vending machines!
That was an odd experience, but we bought them, put them on, and explored the never ending churches of Italy. You can’t leave Rome without visiting the tremendously built Colosseum, which takes longer to explore than you would think. Endless openings, crevices, and floors…the ancient Romans sure had fun with their stadium. Thank you, Romans, for illustrating how to build stadiums, but thankfully, for safer entertainment than your own!
Pompeii
When visiting Italy, you have to take a trip to Pompeii.
Walking through Pompeii was rather eerie…learning about where people were at the time of the volcanic explosion, seeing the remains of their houses, viewing casts of the positions of people and dogs while trying to survive the clouds of smoke surrounding their homes…it all just had a weird feeling about it.
I’m not saying that it wasn’t amazing to see the city of Pompeii, it just had a weird atmosphere. On a happy note, Pompeii is now a home for dogs…they find little hide outs and often get fed by the passing visitors! It’s like a doggie palace of ruins!
Visiting Italy: The Amalfi Coast
Colorful homes stacked upon homes on the mountainsides, crystal clear waters, and hidden shops located on the side streets. The overall ambience of the town could not be beat.
At least for me, the Amalfi Coast in Italy is one of my top favorite places I’ve visited so far. It’s laid-back and quiet, and the town itself is like no other.
Florence and Tuscany
I find it so interesting how Italian culture works.
If you decide to go for a late lunch around 3 o’clock…it won’t work. All of the workers are on their afternoon break to go home, eat lunch, drink wine, and nap. Around 6 o’clock, they’re all refreshed and ready to get back to work!
Us Americans, we do it a little differently. It’s up and at it at 7am until around 6pm…then we get to rest. I think I would much rather the Italian way. For us as tourists, we weren’t so lucky…we had to plan our days around what time the shops would be open for business and plan meals accordingly since their dinners are so late. By the time we got home from dinner, it would be around 11 o’clock.
My favorite part of Florence is the layout: shops along the rivers, plazas with artwork and various events, side streets with hopping restaurants, and the famous Ponte Vecchio shopping bridge. Right outside Florence, lies Tuscany. It has beautiful landscaping and vineyards where we were able to attend a wine tour (lucky for me I could actually participate in the wine tour).
There is nowhere in the world that can match the aura of Italy. It is surely one of a kind!!