Beautiful Italia

                Last year my family and I took a once- in- a- lifetime vacation to Italy! Our first leg of the trip took place in the hustle and bustle city of Rome. We spent our three days in a cozy apartment we rented off of Flipkey. I was ready to get out and see what the great city of Rome had to offer!   

 On our first day, we took a short walk to explore the Coliseum and then later roamed part of the city. The Coliseum is an architectural marvel and well worth the visit! On the second day, we took the bus over to The Vatican/St. Peters Basilica which was extraordinary. We practically breezed right into The Vatican while using our Roma Pass.

â–º  QUARTER FINALIST 2012 TEEN TRAVEL WRITING SCHOLARSHIP

Hallway after hallway was filled with sculptures and paintings from the past which was fascinating. After venturing through the maze of rooms, we made our way to what I was looking forward to the most, the Sistine Chapel. There are no words to describe the awe and beauty of the artwork that lied above me. Before long, I was being shoved and pushed out the door, by all of the tourists trying to snap a picture of the ceiling while the guards were not looking. Next door stood St.Peter’s Basilica which was colossal! On our last day in Rome we ventured through the city to shop and see The Pantheon along with the Trevi Fountain. The fountain was beautiful in midday, but also very crowded with people eating lunch on the steps. Overall, a great stay in Rome!

We took off the next day on the Eurail train towards Florence. About halfway through the ride, we had mechanical problems, so we switched trains. It was interesting, let’s just say you need to stay with your family at all times to prevent being shoved to a different train car. When we finally arrived at the station we walked to our apartment that we rented off of Homeaway. The owner, Dario, was very welcoming and gave us tips on what to see and do during our one week stay. Our week was an adventure! The Duomo Cathedral, Basilica of Santa Croce, and Church of Santa Maria Novella were lovely and had quite of bit of history behind them. In fact Michelangelo himself was buried in the Basilica of Santa Croce! We always try to get a taste of the culture so we made a stop at the local market, Mercato Centrale. Stands were lined with all the fresh produce and meats you could ever ask for. Ponte Vecchio is an unique bridge that sells jewelry. Store after store is lined up with some of the best jewelry around the world; I loved to look at it but could afford none of it. The last sight we saw in Florence was Piazzale Michelangelo. It’s based on top of a hill that gives you a grand overlook of the city. It was a lovely walk, but I recommend taking the bus up, a huge hill to climb, and have a brisk walk down.

On our last day, we took the Italia train over to Venice for the day. Once we reached Venice, we strolled through the city. We wanted to see St. Marks Basilica, but with the train schedule and long line, we only got to see the outside.  After trekking along the Grand Canal, shopping, and eating local cuisine we boarded the train for Florence. Italy is an amazing country and is great for families. I hope to come back someday and explore more of the wonderful country!