Verona | Italy

"In fair Verona, where we lay our scene"...

My trip to Italy was full of famous cities; Rome, Florence, Pisa, and Venice to name a few. Each one of those cities I knew what to expect. The sites and scenes of each one of those cities can be found on Instagram or blogs. However, Verona is a city famous for its name but not famous for its sites. I had no idea what to expect from the city that sets the backdrop fro Romeo and Juliet. Was it industrial? Was it touristy? Would it be like Pisa (don't get me started on the tourist trap that is Pisa, Italy). As our bus pulled alongside the flowing waters of the Adige, I caught my breath. No, Verona was something different entirely. 

Verona is a city seeping with history and architecture. As you walk through the quiet streets you may spot the Scaliger Tombs, tall structures marking the burial sites of the lords of Verona from the 13th and 14th centuries. 

Not far from the tombs you can wander through Pizazza Dei Signori, easy to identify from it's Dante statue standing tall in the center.

Walking down the alley further you reach one of the most remarkable piazza's in Italy, Piazza Delle Erbe. Famous for its daily market it is the perfect place to grab lunch or just to watch the locals as they go about their market shopping. 

I knew from the movie "Letters from Juliet" that Verona had a famous arena but I was stunned when I finally visited Arena di Verona. This famous arena is in excellent condition considering it was completed around 30 AD. It is still used today for concerts, which just shows how much the locals appreciate using the history around them as part off their daily lives. 

And lastly, no trip to Verona is complete without visiting some Romeo and Juliet sites. Casa di Romeo (the 14th century home believed to be where the real Montague family lived) and Casa di Giulietta (the 13th century home of the Capello family) are remarkable buildings on their own. The legacy of the two families has lived on for hundreds of years, inspiring people from around the world to leave letters to Juliet and touch Juliet's statue. 

Verona was so unexpected. The city is full of charm and character, making it a must visit when in the region. 

xoxo

Florence | Italy

The city of Florence holds significance in the history of our world. It is the city where the Renaissance began, a time period that brought Europe out of the dark. It is the city where the Medici family changed the fortunes of the middle class, the city where Michelangelo gained inspiration from growing up, the city that most United States federal buildings are designed after. Florence is a city I had been dying to visit ever since I was a sophomore in high school taking AP World History. I was afraid that my expectations were too high and that I would be disappointed after years of dreaming about it. But I was wrong. Florence is everything I imagined it would be and more.

We began our day in Florence at Piazza di Santa Croce in the shadow of the Basilica of Santa Croce. Although we did not have time to explore inside, Basilica of Santa Croce is home to both Michelangelo and Galileo's tombs. From there we explored the alleys and streets surrounding the church. It was only fitting that Michelangelo grew up in the same neighborhood to which he is buried. His childhood home is marked with a plaque that may otherwise be missed unless you know it is there.

After exploring the streets surrounding Basilica of Santa Croce we then visited arguably one of the most famous churches in the entire world, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. The cathedral towers over Florence. It is easy to see how it is the third largest church in the world (first being St. Peter's in Rome, second St. Paul's in London). Once again we did not have time to go inside (July in Italy is CRAZY busy), but I know that one day I will return. This church is incredibly significant in architecture and design. The dome is one of a kind, largely being built in the 15th century. 

Florence is a city that is very easy to explore. A short walk from the magnificent Santa Croce is Piazza della Signoria, otherwise known as the heart of Florence. This 14th century square is home to a copy of Michelangelo's David (the original is now housed in the Galleria del Accademia and the copy is where the statue originally stood), the Fountain of Neptune, and many more famous Renaissance works. 

As I mentioned before, July in Italy is one of the busiest times. The majority of our visit to Florence, although enjoyable, required us to force our way through crowds and crowds. When lunch came we dipped down a deserted street and stumbled across Vecchio Vicolo. There was no one inside, which can be taken as either a good sign or a bad sign. We decided to take it as a good sign, a sign that the restaurant was not very touristy. To this day, Vecchio Vicolo is my favorite restaurant in all of Italy. I cannot recommend this place enough. 

After the perfect lunch we walked across Pinte Vecchio, the famous medieval bridge in Florence. The bridge itself is a beautiful piece of architecture, but be careful of pit pockets. Our destination was across the river at Pitti Palace, aka one of the many homes to the famous Medici family. 

Pitti Palace was home to the Medici Family in the 16th century. It's grandness perfectly shows how powerful the Medici Family had become. Its as such an important building in Florence that by the 18th century Napoleon used it as a base. The palace is now divided into four museums and a garden. We spent the majority of our visit exploring the vast and beautiful gardens which has a perfect view of the city of Florence.

Florence is an incredible city. Just by walking the streets you can gain an appreciation for the importance of the city on the history of our world. Although our trip was brief, Florence easily became one of my favorite cities in all of Europe.

xoxo

Rome | Italy

Guess who is slowly transitioning herself back into the blogging world!

As a teacher, it is hard to find the time to sit down and write about my travels (trust me, I am still traveling). Although I fully can't commit myself to this blog as I did years ago, I find I still want to share my photos and stories as I continue to explore the world around me. Gone are the days where I spent hours obsessing over stats and promoting my posts across all social media platforms. At the time this blog was really growing my priorities were different. This time around I am here to share for the sole purpose of making myself happy. I want to be able to go back years later and say to myself "what a wonderful trip that was, I am so happy I documented it". These posts won't be long, and they won't be as detailed. But if you find yourself still reading my blog after all these years I am happy to have you here. 

Rome | July 2019

Last summer I visited Italy for the second time. The first time I was sixteen and Italy was my first introduction to Europe. It was all new and exciting, but unfortunately I came down with a bad case of food poisoning that left me stuck in my hotel room for 5 days.

I was beyond excited to return. Our first stop was Rome and the Eternal City was exactly as I remembered. There are some places that slowly change as time moves on. Rome however, is a city frozen in time. No matter how many years pass, the magic of the city will always be there. 

Our trip to Rome only lasted for two days. Some people say you need more time to really get to know a city, but I was eager to explore parts of the Italian country that I had never visited before. Stayed tuned for posts on the Vatican, Verona, Venice, and Florence.

xoxo