Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Rome and Pompeii

The top two places I wanted to visit while in Italy were Rome and Pompei. This weekend I got to visit both! Pompeii is a little out of the way from Rome (about 3 and half hours), but this was my only chance to visit a city I have wanted to see since sixth grade. I took a flight from Torino to Rome. You can also take a train, and if it is between a flight from Milan to Rome and a train, a train is probably a better option.

Neither Rome or Pompeii were how I was expecting them to be, but I really liked them all the same. From watching movies like The Lizzie Mcguire Movie and To Rome with Love, I imagined Italian pop singers wisking me away on vespas and getting lost on adorable tiny colorful streets. Instead I did a lot of running from one sightseeing place to the next among the thousands of tourists. But this wasn't necessarily bad. I got to visit all the famous and amazing monuments. I just wish I also could have had more time to walk around the other parts of the city and experience the city for what it is besides the major sightseeing places.


Colosseum/Roman Forum: For twelve euros you can visit the forum and colosseum. There are walking and audio tour options, but I enjoyed just taking my time and experiencing the space peacefully. I went on a Sunday, which is their busiest day, and the lines weren't that bad. Unless you are short for time and really want a guided tour, I would just do either the regular ticket or the five euro addition of the audio tour. The forum was one of my favorite places I visited in the city. Definitely worth it.






Trevi Fountain: I went first at night and then again during the day. It was more stunning at night, but go when ever you have time.


Spanish steps: Tourists! I wish I could see them with out mobs of people sitting on them, but I guess that's part of experience of the widest staircase in Europe.


Vatican City: I actually went here twice. First I went to visit Saint Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel. The Basilica, which is the largest in the world is absolutely breathtaking. It is free to get in. I almost fell for a guy advertising tours with the promise of skipping the lines. Don't do it. The line moved pretty quickly and during the wait we got to see the beautiful square. The Sistine Chapel is part of the Vatican museums which are very extensive. Because of time constraints, Katie and I were just really there to see the chapel, but we had to zig zag through rooms of the museum to make it to the chapel. It cost 8 euros for students (bring your id!) and 16 regularly. Be careful, because the sistine chapel is closed on some days like the last sunday of each month.
On Sunday (Palm Sunday), the new Pope Francis gave his first mass, and we got to attend. It is free for any mass, but for this one 250,000 people filled Saint Peter's square. We didn't have tickets, yet we still managed to get seats. It was a really really cool experience despite the fact I'm not catholic, had to get up at 5:30 in the morning, and battle through crowds of people.



You're not allowed to take any photos of the chapel...shhh


Pantheon: The only time I wish it had been raining while I visit a place, was when I stepped inside the Pantheon.


On to the best, Pompeii! We had to take train to Naples and then one of Pompeii. We decided to stop for lunch in Naples because why not and we got pizza because that's what you eat in Naples. On the way back we also stopped in Naples and attempted to find the beach but the metro system was so slow, we got two stops in and had to turn back.
Anyway...I didn't fully realize how awesome the ruins of Pompeii were until I left. Go, go, go! It cost 11 euros to get inside (and I paid 5 euros for a useless audio guide). Katie and I listened in to some of the group tours to pick up facts. For example, old recipe books were found and reviled the heavy use of garlic in their cooking.










Dark chocolate with wine, raspberry and sage,
pear and caramel gelato at Gelateria del Teatro




Thursday, March 21, 2013

Spring Break in Italia!

Ciao a tutti! I still can't believe how lucky I was to be able to spend Spring break in Italy. I was fortunate enough to have my parents come as well, and got to show them a little bit of Torino. Over break we traveled to Florence, Pisa, Rome, and Pompeii. Pisa and Pompeii were both day trips, so most of our time was spent in Florence and Rome.

First, I have to say that I was a little worried about going to so few places over break. Everyone that I talked to had elaborate plans to visit as many countries as possible during our time off. My parents had planned everything on their own, and I was pretty much along for the ride. Looking back, I'm so thankful that we stuck to just a few places in Italy. Not only did I get to experience more of the country I live in, I got to actually take enough time to fully appreciate each place. 

We spent about three days in Florence. Had the weather been more friendly, I would probably have much more to tell. I saw most of the city from underneath an umbrella, but it was stunning regardless. We were lucky enough to have the sun come out just long enough to climb to the top of the Duomo and experience the break-taking panoramic view. Going to the top is an absolute must-do if you're in Florence. Even someone who is deathly afraid of heights (like me) will be so glad to have done it. The sheer size of the building is incredible, and to be at the top is definitely surreal. 

Another must-do in Florence is the Galleria dell'Accademia, which houses Michelangelo's statue of David as well as many other significant works of art. We have likely all seen countless photos of the David, but nothing compares to seeing it in person. I was amazed at how large and detailed the statue actually is. I can truly appreciate all of the work that went into this masterpiece after experiencing it first-hand. 

Another of my Favorites from Florence was the Ponte Vecchio, a famous bridge over the Amo River. It is known for the shops that run along each side of it, which are mainly jewelry stores. I thought it was absolutely beautiful and so unique from anything I had ever seen. 

My best advice for Florence is to simply walk everywhere. Most of the attractions are within walking distance of one another, and it's the best way to really appreciate the beautiful scenery. 





Our next stop was in Pisa on our way to Rome. The train ride took less than an hour and we got to see a little more of Tuscany on the way. You really don't need more than a couple of hours to see the leaning tower, the cathedral, and the baptistry, which all happen to be right next to each other! We decided to climb to the top of the tower, thinking that we would regret it if we didn't. It was a little pricy (18 € per person), but definitely worth it, plus it felt like a piece of cake after climbing the Duomo in Florence! Regardless of the rumors that Pisa doesn't have much to offer, I thought the city itself was charming, colorful, and very serene.



Next we were off to Rome, which for me was the highlight of the whole trip. We started our time in Rome with a day tour to Naples and Pompeii. My parents booked the trip through Vastours (http://www.vastours.it/) before coming. The tour took all day and stopped briefly in Naples for a quick walking tour, then went on to Pompeii. For me, 30 minutes in Naples was plenty. But I'm sure that depends on personal preference. I was much more excited to get to Pompeii. I have wanted to visit the ancient city since learning about it in middle school. 

To sum it up, Pompeii was unbelievable. I had very high expectations and it lived up to them in every way. We also had a fantastic tour guide, provided by Vastours, who made the experience all the more interesting. He was so funny and interactive that we almost forgot that it was windy and freezing. Almost. 

It is hard to even put into words how amazing the experience was. But I will say this: GO! It was unbelievable that everything is so well preserved. Nowhere else will you be able to see anything like it. 
         


Back to Rome! Where do I even begin. Rome was incredible and I would go back in a heartbeat. Absolutely everything was beautiful and had its own rich history. It turned out that we got to Rome the day after the Pope Francis was elected. We thought the city would be teeming with tourists, but it really wasn't bad at all. We actually went to the Vatican on the Saturday after the election and I was shocked at how small the crowds were. Unfortunately for us, the Sistine Chapel was still closed from the conclave. However, the Vatican museum was still incredible in its size and collections. We chose reserve our tickets online before going (http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/MV_Home.html), which allowed us to skip the long lines. 


St. Peter's Square was also a surreal experience. I've seen it on TV so many times that it was hard to believe that I was actually there. We spent about four days in Rome, which I really felt was the perfect amount of time. We spent a lot of time just walking around and taking it all in (and eating gelato). During our time there we also visited the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Roman Forum, and the Colosseum. 

The Roman Forum and the Colosseum were definitely a highlight as well. The Roman Forum is the remains of the ancient government buildings at the center of Rome. You can buy one ticket at the entrance to the Forum for 12 € that allows you entrance into the Forum, the Palatine Hill (Former home of the emperor Augustus and one of the most ancient parts of Rome), and the Colosseum. We easily spent about four hours here, and I easily could have spent even longer if it hadn't started raining. Seeing the Colosseum was the absolute best way to end my time there. It's something I've wanted to see my whole life.








I would say Spring break was a complete success. This weekend I'm off to Paris with my parents, so more on that to come! As always, if you have any questions about the trip feel free to ask!

Ciao for now!





Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Spring Break: Madrid and Lisbon!

I spent the 10 days of spring break with my friend Sarah traveling from Madrid, Spain to Lisbon, Portugal. Our flight to Madrid was out of Milan, so we decided to spend the day before in Milan and visit the city. Bad idea. It rained nonstop. We visited the Duomo and pretty much gave up after that. Instead, we napped and rested up for the rest of break at our hostel. I think we would have had a better opinion of the city if the weather was nicer, but most of the other students I have talked to, also disliked Milan. It was also supposed to rain in both Madrid and Lisbon, but thankfully we were safe most of the time.

I'm going to start off by saying I absolutely loved Madrid. The architecture, the people, the museums, the atmosphere, the food! The first afternoon we visited the world famous Prado museum. They have free hours from 6 to 8 pm, but beware that the museum is huge and it may take more than a couple hours. Also, the gift shop closes early. (I spend an unhealthy amount of time in museum gift shops.)
For dinner, we met up with Jen and Diana, also from USAC, and looked for a tapas place in touristy Puerta del Sol area. 1st mistake. I ordered some very interesting tapas (duck kebab in yogurt sauce and strawberry crab gazpacho) that was very very small and equally as expensive. I had to get a 2 euro slice of pizza to compensate. The next night, we went to El Tigre, a very popular tapas place with three locations all in close proximity of each other. I went with four others. We each ordered a huge drink for 6 euros and received more than enough typical spanish tapas.

I also visited the botanical gardens in light rain (it smelled really nice), the Thyssen-Bornemisza museum, and the Renia Sofia museum. I had to pay 8 euros for the Thyssen, but I think I would of had to pay double that without my student ID, so always carry that with you. The Renia Sofia was free after 2:30, which was nice because I zoomed though the museum just so I could see Piacaso's famous Guernica. I spent a good 20 minutes looking at the painting. (Piacaso is my favorite painter, so this was a big deal for me/maybe one of the top reasons I wanted to visit Madrid in the first place).

In both Madrid and Lisbon, we did two free walking tours organized by our hostels. Great way to see things and learn things you might not by exploring on your own.


Plaza Mayor (don't eat in the beautiful tourist trap)

Parco del Retiro 


In Puerta del Sol, the center of Madrid, the center of Spain
Churros from Chocolateria San Gines,
which is open 24/7 except for New Years. Go!

Lisbon was a lot different from Madrid. It is built on seven hills (very hilly) and is along a huge river. Our hostel was a couple blocks from the river and on the main shopping streets. Jen and Diana were staying at a hostel one street close to the river from us, and Sarah and I ended up hanging out there more often than ours. It was the coolest hostel I have seen, called Yes Hostel, and is amazing. There is also one in Porto, Portugal. The people working there treated us like guests, they had a great dinner option, a bar, free walking tours, and organized a pub crawl.

There is a huge castle on the top of one hill in Lisbon. Go up near there for the views, but don't spend the money to go inside. There is also a elevator in the middle of the city for another great view, but if you walk up a couple hills, you can get the same views for free. There are a lot of day trips/half day trips around Lisbon. Each place cost only 2.50 euros to get to and back from. We visited Sintra, which is a town with castles, beaches, and a forest. The two hilltop castles, which we skipped, are about 6 to 12 euros to explore but they offer amazing views. Instead we went to Quinta da Regaleria, the property of a King's summer residence that includes towers and underground caves and grottos. Cascais, the closest beach town, was so beautiful. You can rent bikes for free and ride along the coast. Belèm is still in Lisbon, a 20 minute tram ride from the city center. We saw the huge monastary, the tower of Belèm, and ate where the best and original Natas are made (portuguese custard pastries).

Barrio Alto is a relatively small neighborhood in Lisbon where there are about 300 bars. Its a great place to experience the night life of Lisbon. There are also a lot of less touristy restaurants with authentic Portuguese food.

The last day was rainy, so I visited the aquarium of Lisbon, which is one of the biggest in Europe. It cost 14 euros to see the temporary turtle exhibit and the main building. If you enjoy aquariums and have extra time in Lisbon, this is a great option.




Cascais




The River
View from the old city, Alfama



Quinta da Regaleira
Tower of Belèm
Nata heaven