Italy Photo Diary
Italy is a charming country filled with delicious food, beautiful buildings, and breathtaking views! I was lucky enough to spend two amazing weeks there (on a teen tour) meeting new friends and having once in a lifetime experiences. I ate too much pasta, pizza, and gelato, but what else are you going to do in Italy? The art and architecture is a must see. I was also so fortunate I was able to visit the extremely underrated country of Slovenia as well. It is hands down the prettiest place I have ever been! The water is so clear and the scenery is so clean and green. If you are ever in Italy and have the chance to go to Slovenia, I 100% recommend it. Here is a sneak peek into my last two weeks!
The first stop on the trip was the outskirts of Milan. We visited Lake Maggiore and went from there to Verona. In Verona we made all of our Language Arts teachers very, very proud by seeing Juliet’s famous balcony. From there we went to Venice where we stayed for three nights. The first day we went on a traditional gondola ride through the canals. We went on a walk in the ghetto and the old city streets. The next day we set out for the island of Murano. Here we watched glass blowing and took another boat to swim in the Adriatic Sea. The last day in the city of canals, or as I like to call it the city of bridges and stairs, we explored Piazza San Marco, the Basilica, and Ducale Palace. On day 6 we drove to Slovenia where we rafted on the breath taking Soca River and traveled to the town of Bled. The next day we took a boat to a tiny island in Lake Bled and enjoyed swimming in the crystal clear water. We also traveled to the beautiful capital of Ljubljana. It is spotless, has a grand canal, and is filled with some of the nicest people and buildings. Later, we returned back to Italy, but first made a stop at the most visited cave in the world, Postojna. We also took a break to visit the Gelato Museum/ Academy. We spent one day in the Tuscan country side in Florence. We went to learn how to make pasta, see the Duomo, Piazza San Lorenzo, The Great Synagogue of Florence, and the David Statue. I made the hike and climbed 414 stairs of Giotto’s Campanile tower to see the view of all of Florence. I also made a stop at the leather market, one of the things Florence is known for. The next day we went to Pisa to see the one and only, Leaning Tower of Pisa. Many, many stairs were climbed and touristy pictures were taken. That night we stopped near Rome to go to gladiator training (I am now a certified gladiator!). The first full day in Rome we went to Vatican City. Here we went to St. Peter’s Cathedral and the Sistine Chapel. The art was insane and unimaginable. I used my gladiator training from the previous night while entering the Coliseum and viewing the Arch of Titus. For the last day in Rome we walked all over the city stopping at the Pantheon Temple, Spanish Steps, made a wish in the Trevi Fountain, and for gelato, of course. The last day in Italy was a sad one, but we tried to make the best of it by taking in the Roman city of Pompeii and admiring Mt. Vesuvius. I had the best two weeks traveling on a trip with 40 strangers that became best friends. This trip was an amazing experience and I am so lucky to have been a part of it!
(Photos below are in chronological order)
Italy Photo/ Video Diary:
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