After a long period of hard work, there is nothing better than to go on an adventure with some close friends. So, when Christmas break rolled around, some classmates and I decided that some time in Italy would do us all some good. (Side note: I realize this post is a few months late, sorry...) We opted for a two week tour, starting with a flight into Milan, a day in Pisa, four days in Rome (including Christmas day), three days in Florence, four days in Venice and a day in Milan. If I had to choose one word to sum up how I feel about the trip, I'd have to go with "amazing". There were some less than ideal occurrences, but the combination of great friends, beautiful surroundings, delicious food and great memories more than made for those.
So, in the early morning on a cold day in December, my travel mates and I found ourselves standing in the lobby of my building waiting for our taxi to arrive and take us to the Schiphol airport. The driver arrived slightly late in a van that looked less than reliable, leaving us a bit frazzled, hoping we will make our flight on time. Thankfully, we got to the airport and checked in with a bit of time to spare. We were ready to go through security when we found out that our flight was delayed. What we thought would be just a couple of hours turned into the better part of a day. On the upside, we did manage to get a Christmas cowboy hat from Sinterklaas and meet what appeared to be a very tall angel.
Eventually, we did make it to Italy. Unfortunately, we made it there so late that, after a "30 minute bus ride" (more like and hour or more) from Milan Malpensa airport to the central station, there were no direct trains to Pisa. Even more unfortunately, the first train we took was late, which made us miss our connecting train, which left us in some unexpected location, attempting to find someone that spoke English to help us find our way to Pisa. We managed to get to Pisa. But.... yet another unfortunate incident: the only cab available was too small to get us plus our luggage to the hostel. After many phone calls to our hostel asking for help to get a taxi big enough, an hour or so later, we got our taxi. By 3am, we were in our hostel (which turned out to be really nice!). After a very rocky start, we were crossing our fingers for some improvements in the coming days.
Our less-than-a-day in Pisa turned out to be nice and relaxing. Of course, we saw the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Fortunately, we ended up hearing some historical facts about the construction of the tower by listening in on a tour we were not a part of... and we also discovered that one of the funniest things to hear in an Italian accent is "banana shaped". It was in Pisa that we had our first pizza's and gelato's of the trip. YUM!
Next stop: Rome. We arrived late at night and took what we thought would be a cab to our hostel. Word of advice to anyone going to Rome: before you let the driver take your bags to his car, see the car first. It turned out that this "cab" was nothing more than some guy with a car that was waaay too small, we had to hold some of the suitcases on our laps. He did get us to our hostel, but tried to charge us 30 euro for the 5 minute ride. After a heated argument outside of the hostel, we managed to get the help of the hostel manager. In the end we paid the guy just 10 or 15 euro. Lesson learned... I will be much more careful with taxis from now on!
Our hostel was really amazing. We stayed at the Sleeping Beauty Guest-house. The room was beautifully decorated, it was very clean, the staff were extremely kind and helpful, the location was nearby some decent transportation and we even got some free treats (some kind of Italian cake and a bottle of wine) on Christmas Eve. Around the corner from the hostel is a small cafe, where you can get a really great croissant and cappuccino. Nothing better than starting your day with a freshly baked chocolate and cream filled pastry ;)
On Christmas Eve, our first site to see was Saint Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. It was as big and beautiful as we expected it to be. Funny story: on our way out, we checked out the crypt. Prior to our trip, my friend broke her ankle, which meant that we had to use wheelchair friendly entrances and exits. So, when we were leaving the crypt, we were instructed to go back the way we got in. But, there was a barricade in front of the door and no one around to let us out. While one of us went to find some help, a security guard from outside saw us and asked why we were there, in a bit of a panic. After we explained, he let us out saying "quickly, you must leave, the pope is coming!" Had we known this before looking for someone to let us out, perhaps we would have hid inside the crypt to meet his holiness.
The disadvantage to being in Rome on Christmas and Christmas Eve is that many of the sites are closed on those days. This limited what we could see after Saint Peters. Fortunately, Castel Sant'Angelo was open. From the rooftop, there is a nice view of Saint Peter's and the river. After seeing the castle, we got some gelato and went back to the hostel. Another thing to keep in mind when in Rome on Christmas and Christmas Eve (which we didn't consider) is that the only restaurants that are open outside of the center are delivery pizza places and international food. So, on our first day in Rome, our dinner was... take out Japanese. Delicious, but not what we expected to eat.
Being that most things were closed on Christmas, we opted to simply walk around and take a look. We saw some of the Roman ruins and lounged around at cafe's. Before dinner, my friend and I went to see a live piano concert while the rest of the group got a small tour from one of our friends that is from Rome. The concert was wonderful, and from what I heard the tour was too. For dinner, we went to a restaurant in the center. I will never forget my meal there. It was ricotta-filled ravioli in a rich truffle-cream sauce. Heavenly!!
The next day we had a guided tour of the Colosseum and Roman Forum. I highly recommend the tours. Not only do you skip the lines to get in for a cost not much higher than regular admission, you also get a lot of information that, if you are someone like me, you likely will not end up learning on your own.That day we also saw the Pantheon and Trevi fountain and ate some Tiramisu and Gelato. Our Roman friend mocked us when he found out we had dinner at Pastarito near our hostel, because it is a chain restaurant there. I thought the food was pretty good and the portions were huge.
On our last day in Rome we saw the Vatican Museum. There is a lot to see there! We only covered a portion of it. Of course, the Sistine Chapel was very impressive. What really got me was how some of the paintings appear to really pop out of the surface. I recommend that you check it out for yourself. I don't think I can adequately describe the experience.
From Rome we went to Florence. After the magnificence of Rome, Florence was not as enchanting as it probably would have been, had we gone there prior to seeing Rome. The river was beautiful and it the street markets were cool. The David was definitely a highlight. Given that it is one of the masterpieces that we all see pictures of throughout our lives, I was expecting it to be good, but it totally exceeded my expectations. The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore is a beautiful building that is worth a peak. We also got free entrance into another museum, which was cool... sorry, but right now I really can't remember the name! Unfortunately, our impression of the city was poorly influenced by our terrible accommodations, which were cramped and dingy. The only good things I can say about the place we stayed was that the pub across the street was great and it was nearby a place to get a decently priced Steak Florentine.
For New Years Eve we were in Venice. It really was as beautiful as they say. One thing to keep in mind, which thankfully did not affect us, is that at certain at times of year (including New Years), Venice is prone to flooding. So, if you are planning to go, keep that in mind. But that aside, it really is a lovely place.
One of the challenges we faced was crossing the bridges that go across all of the canals with a wheelchair. While we could have seen things on the Grand Canal via water bus, we would miss a lot if we did that. So, we worked out a system. My friend with the broken ankle would hang on the the railing, I'd hug her around the waist and hoist her up the stairs as she hopped on her good leg. The others would carry the wheel chair and other things while we did that. By the end we got quite good at it! And, bonus, we probably burned quite a few pasta calories off in the process.
We rang in the new year in San Marco Square, which was filled to the brim with people celebrating. It was quite the experience. I had no idea what the people on stage were saying, but it was really entertaining when they randomly chose couples from the crowd and make them kiss on the big screen. Very cute. The countdown was a typical countdown. Afterwards though, the square seemed to turn to chaos. People were putting off firecrackers everywhere and there was a lot of broken glass. The firecrackers were quite unusual for me, but my travel mates from India, Mexico and Indonesia didn't even bat an eye. We had a great time though!
On New Years day we slept in, spent a few hours roaming the streets, had a good dinner and caught a magnificent performance of Vivaldi's Four Seasons. It was in a gorgeous church in the center. I really do encourage anyone going to Venice to check out a show while they are there. It is, after all, a city of arts.
Our last day in Venice we spent on the islands of Murano and Borano. As many may know, Murano is famous its amazing glass work. Glass is a challenging medium to work with, but the effects that can be achieved are really breathtaking. While the prices of most of what you can get in Murano are quite high, even just going to look is well worth it. You can also watch some of the artists as they create.
Borano is one of the cutest places I've been. Its multicolored houses give it a really unique charm. Its worth the time to take the water bus there and walk around for a couple of hours. We happened to be on the water bus when the sun was just starting to go down, which made it a beautiful and refreshing ride.
Our last stop was Milan. We were there for a day, which was plenty. I'm sure there is a lot to see in Milan, but we didn't have much time. We made it to the Duomo, which was very impressive. But, after two weeks of being on the road, and then finding out that the hotel gave away the ground floor room that we needed (due to our wheel chair bound friend), and also the less-welcoming atmosphere, compared to Rome and Venice, we were really ready to leave. I apologize to any fans of Milan... no offence, its just hasn't made it onto my list of places I'd like to return to.
Well kids, that's my account of my trip to Italy. While this post is very long, I really have to say that it definitely wasn't a thorough account of the trip. I can't say enough how much I enjoyed myself, especially in Rome and Venice. If you are looking for a place that has a lot of culture, great food, a variety of atmospheres between cities, beauty, eye candy and much more, then Italy is your place. As for me, I'm finally going to publish this post. I hope you liked it! Ciao!!
Next stop: Rome. We arrived late at night and took what we thought would be a cab to our hostel. Word of advice to anyone going to Rome: before you let the driver take your bags to his car, see the car first. It turned out that this "cab" was nothing more than some guy with a car that was waaay too small, we had to hold some of the suitcases on our laps. He did get us to our hostel, but tried to charge us 30 euro for the 5 minute ride. After a heated argument outside of the hostel, we managed to get the help of the hostel manager. In the end we paid the guy just 10 or 15 euro. Lesson learned... I will be much more careful with taxis from now on!
Our hostel was really amazing. We stayed at the Sleeping Beauty Guest-house. The room was beautifully decorated, it was very clean, the staff were extremely kind and helpful, the location was nearby some decent transportation and we even got some free treats (some kind of Italian cake and a bottle of wine) on Christmas Eve. Around the corner from the hostel is a small cafe, where you can get a really great croissant and cappuccino. Nothing better than starting your day with a freshly baked chocolate and cream filled pastry ;)
On Christmas Eve, our first site to see was Saint Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. It was as big and beautiful as we expected it to be. Funny story: on our way out, we checked out the crypt. Prior to our trip, my friend broke her ankle, which meant that we had to use wheelchair friendly entrances and exits. So, when we were leaving the crypt, we were instructed to go back the way we got in. But, there was a barricade in front of the door and no one around to let us out. While one of us went to find some help, a security guard from outside saw us and asked why we were there, in a bit of a panic. After we explained, he let us out saying "quickly, you must leave, the pope is coming!" Had we known this before looking for someone to let us out, perhaps we would have hid inside the crypt to meet his holiness.
The disadvantage to being in Rome on Christmas and Christmas Eve is that many of the sites are closed on those days. This limited what we could see after Saint Peters. Fortunately, Castel Sant'Angelo was open. From the rooftop, there is a nice view of Saint Peter's and the river. After seeing the castle, we got some gelato and went back to the hostel. Another thing to keep in mind when in Rome on Christmas and Christmas Eve (which we didn't consider) is that the only restaurants that are open outside of the center are delivery pizza places and international food. So, on our first day in Rome, our dinner was... take out Japanese. Delicious, but not what we expected to eat.
The next day we had a guided tour of the Colosseum and Roman Forum. I highly recommend the tours. Not only do you skip the lines to get in for a cost not much higher than regular admission, you also get a lot of information that, if you are someone like me, you likely will not end up learning on your own.That day we also saw the Pantheon and Trevi fountain and ate some Tiramisu and Gelato. Our Roman friend mocked us when he found out we had dinner at Pastarito near our hostel, because it is a chain restaurant there. I thought the food was pretty good and the portions were huge.
On our last day in Rome we saw the Vatican Museum. There is a lot to see there! We only covered a portion of it. Of course, the Sistine Chapel was very impressive. What really got me was how some of the paintings appear to really pop out of the surface. I recommend that you check it out for yourself. I don't think I can adequately describe the experience.
From Rome we went to Florence. After the magnificence of Rome, Florence was not as enchanting as it probably would have been, had we gone there prior to seeing Rome. The river was beautiful and it the street markets were cool. The David was definitely a highlight. Given that it is one of the masterpieces that we all see pictures of throughout our lives, I was expecting it to be good, but it totally exceeded my expectations. The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore is a beautiful building that is worth a peak. We also got free entrance into another museum, which was cool... sorry, but right now I really can't remember the name! Unfortunately, our impression of the city was poorly influenced by our terrible accommodations, which were cramped and dingy. The only good things I can say about the place we stayed was that the pub across the street was great and it was nearby a place to get a decently priced Steak Florentine.
One of the challenges we faced was crossing the bridges that go across all of the canals with a wheelchair. While we could have seen things on the Grand Canal via water bus, we would miss a lot if we did that. So, we worked out a system. My friend with the broken ankle would hang on the the railing, I'd hug her around the waist and hoist her up the stairs as she hopped on her good leg. The others would carry the wheel chair and other things while we did that. By the end we got quite good at it! And, bonus, we probably burned quite a few pasta calories off in the process.
We rang in the new year in San Marco Square, which was filled to the brim with people celebrating. It was quite the experience. I had no idea what the people on stage were saying, but it was really entertaining when they randomly chose couples from the crowd and make them kiss on the big screen. Very cute. The countdown was a typical countdown. Afterwards though, the square seemed to turn to chaos. People were putting off firecrackers everywhere and there was a lot of broken glass. The firecrackers were quite unusual for me, but my travel mates from India, Mexico and Indonesia didn't even bat an eye. We had a great time though!
On New Years day we slept in, spent a few hours roaming the streets, had a good dinner and caught a magnificent performance of Vivaldi's Four Seasons. It was in a gorgeous church in the center. I really do encourage anyone going to Venice to check out a show while they are there. It is, after all, a city of arts.
Our last day in Venice we spent on the islands of Murano and Borano. As many may know, Murano is famous its amazing glass work. Glass is a challenging medium to work with, but the effects that can be achieved are really breathtaking. While the prices of most of what you can get in Murano are quite high, even just going to look is well worth it. You can also watch some of the artists as they create.
Borano is one of the cutest places I've been. Its multicolored houses give it a really unique charm. Its worth the time to take the water bus there and walk around for a couple of hours. We happened to be on the water bus when the sun was just starting to go down, which made it a beautiful and refreshing ride.
Our last stop was Milan. We were there for a day, which was plenty. I'm sure there is a lot to see in Milan, but we didn't have much time. We made it to the Duomo, which was very impressive. But, after two weeks of being on the road, and then finding out that the hotel gave away the ground floor room that we needed (due to our wheel chair bound friend), and also the less-welcoming atmosphere, compared to Rome and Venice, we were really ready to leave. I apologize to any fans of Milan... no offence, its just hasn't made it onto my list of places I'd like to return to.
Well kids, that's my account of my trip to Italy. While this post is very long, I really have to say that it definitely wasn't a thorough account of the trip. I can't say enough how much I enjoyed myself, especially in Rome and Venice. If you are looking for a place that has a lot of culture, great food, a variety of atmospheres between cities, beauty, eye candy and much more, then Italy is your place. As for me, I'm finally going to publish this post. I hope you liked it! Ciao!!
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