Roma

Our last full day of the tour was jammed packed. Started with a Coliseum tour and a tour through the ancient ruins right beside it. After a short lunch break we headed over to the Vatican for a tour of the Vatican museum so we could see the Sistine Chapel and after got to explore St. Peter's Church. It is seriously beautiful and the huge sculptors and crazy detail really sets it apart from anything else. The Sistine Chapel, while crowed with about a million people, was so cool to see. It is HUGE and filled with great detail you could stand there for hours looking at every little part. After that we had the rest of the afternoon, however I was extremely disappointed in the Coliseum tour..I I didn't wait my whole life to get "30 mins" to enjoy it and we didn't even get access to the 3rd floor or underground!! So I had pre booked a ticket while I was already there the first time so I headed back over and got a 2nd tour of the Coliseum!

It was well worth it though because the view from the top looking down and getting to see the underground tunnels was one of coolest things I've ever seen! (And with the amount of reports and research essays I've done on the Coliseum, I knew almost as much as the guide!) ;) just kidding, but close! After we had our last group dinner together at this cool underground restaurant and each course was served with an entertaining opera show. Our last night together as a group we all hit one of the local bars and got to party together one last time. I had an amazing time on the tour, while not enough time in some places and long hours on the bus, it was fun getting to travel with complete strangers and becoming friends with everyone by the end. I meet people from all over the world, of all different ages, all coming for the same amazing experience. Today, a girl I became close with on the tour was staying at a hostel 3 blocks from mine so we went to the Church of Bones. It was a monk church and has mini rooms filled with real bones!! 

That is a whole wall of human skulls!!! So creepy. We were both so tired from the tour so after we had a delicious dinner together (my last pasta meal for at least a year!) and called it a night. I'm too sad to fall asleep because when I wake up ill be headed for the airport home. I've seen some of the most interesting sites, in the most beautiful cities, with the coolest people in the world and I couldn't of thought the past 6 weeks could of been any better even I tried. I got to experience traveling with my best friend, strangers, making our own itinerary, being in a tour, experiencing life in 5 different countries, with 5 different languages (6 if you count Catalan, language of Barcelona) and I somehow managed to survive it all. 15 hours on a plane and ill be back in one of my favorite cities in the world!!! (No I'm not talking about Manteca) ;) Ciao!!!! 

Venice, Milan, Cinque Terre

After taking the ferry to Venice, we first stopped for a glass blowing demonstration at a famous glass blowing shop that is traditional of the Venetian people. After we had a walking tour of San Marco square and the surrounding area. It was cool to learn about the Venetian culture and how different it is and how powerful they once were. After we had the rest of the day to explore. We took advantage of just exploring the tiny streets and crossing random canals to get out of the tourist district and really experience Venice. Later that day, when it finally cooled off, we took a gondola ride through the canals with a bottle of the region wine, Prosecco!!

Perfecto!!! The next day we were up early first for a pit stop at Lake Garda, Italy's largest lake and a popular vacation spot for many locals and it was beautiful!! We got to Milan in the late afternoon so we had a quick stop at Milan's famous Duomo and then a small group of us headed across town to check out AC Milan's futbol stadium and got a tour inside the stadium and of all the locker rooms and press rooms. 

This is the huge church (duomo) of Milan!  The next day we hit the Cinque Terre!!!!! The place I've been waiting for the most. We first stopped in Porto Venere for lunch and to wait for the cruise that was taking us to each town's port. A few of us got off at Vernazza and took the only open hike to Corniglia. 

We eventually ended up at the town at the top of that cliff and started from sea level, so it was quite the hike. Ended the day at the Monterosso beach, had dinner on the cliffs of Riomaggiore watching the sunset from the top of the Cinque Terre.  Ended our night with a live Italian cover band and couldn't think of a more perfect day!! Today we headed to Rome but first stopped in Tuscany for wine tasting of the famous Chanti Classico and hand pressed olive oil. Delicious!!!!! Once we got to Rome we had our first mini sample of Rome with a quick tour of the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain and the piazzas in the area. 

Whew!! This post could of been my whole trip but it was only the past 4 days!!! Tomorrow we have a FULL day of Rome and it is our last day of the tour! I only have 2 days left in Italy! :( sorry the posts have been limited but we have been nonstop, literally, for 2 full weeks!!! Having an amazing time!! Ciao!

 

Florence, Pisa and Verona

After the long 6 hour drive to Florence went only had a few hours to explore our first day. Couldn't get into the famous Domo so we climbed the bell tower to get full 360 degree views of Florence and the beautiful Tuscan hills. The buildings are just as beautiful and detailed as the amazing scenery and hills. Another thing that is hard to put into words and pictures is realizing how old these cities and buildings are. They are full of so much history and significance it is mind blowing. The next day we had a leather demonstration and lessons on how to tell fake from real. We got a walking tour of the city and had the rest of the day to explore. A few of us went together to the Micheli palace and walked through the Botanico Gardens and again had one of the most amazing views. That night we had a dinner overlooking the Tuscan hills and for a group dinner, it was amazing. It was a family restaurant and they made sure the wine glasses and your plates were constantly full!! This morning we were up early to head to Pisa!! 

Didn't realize how small Pisa actually was!! Literally the tower and church are the entire thing!! Stopped at an outlet mall for lunch and then got to spend a few hours in Verona. Went to Juliet's famous balcony and only got to explore the town briefly but it was the cutest, full of energy little town and I only got to see a small section!! Tomorrow we spend literally 12 hours on the island of Venice so another busy busy day!!!! 

Sorrento/Capri

Day 3 of our tour and it has been going great. The first night was in Rome but we only got a bus tour of the city because we're spending 3 days there the last 3 days. First thing in the morning we drove to Naples to go to Pompeii. It was so crazy and cool to see all the old ruins and how well preserved it was. We had a tour guide for our group so it was nice to learn what we were actually looking at. After that we drove to Sorrento and got a few hours to look around and explore the city. 

This is our view from the bus as we were driving down the hill to Sorrento. We went to a group dinner to a local pizzeria and even got to watch them make pizza in the kitchen. The next day we caught the ferry to Capri and spent most of the day there. First we got a 2 hour boat ride around the island. We got to see the White grotto and got to swim through the Green Grotto. It was SOO amazing. The water is crystal clear, unlike you'd never believe. After the boat ride we had a few hours to explore Capri. I took a hike with a few other people and got to see some incredible views. After I explored the city and window shopped all the high end Italian designers. Spent the last hour relaxing at the beach!! Later that night we had a full 3 course Italian dinner at an incredible restaurant overlooking the water as the sunset. 

This is our view from dinner. First thing this morning we left for Florence. We were supposed to stop in Tuscany for wine tasting but since our bus broke down for about an hour and half, we rescheduled the wine tasting on our way back to Rome at the end of the tour. Having a great time and our full Italian tour guide and bus driver are full Italain and they are crazy!!! Listening to them talk (argue) on the bus in Italian is quite entertaining! As you can see our days are jammed packed and busy!! Try to update as often as I can!!!

Goodbye Barcelona, Hello Italia!!

Our last few days in Barcelona were perfect. The Spain game ended up being at midnight and our whole room in our hostel plus tons more came! It was so much fun getting to know everyone and hang out with practically the entire hostel! Went to Parc Guel as well! 

Beautiful mosaic buildings and landscape that overlooks the city. Amazing!! Spent the last day at the beach and some people from the hostel took us to he coolest shot bar ever! All the shots had some fun aspect but mostly we got ones that lit up on fire because they were fun to watch. Headed to the airport and was so sad that Madison had to leave me for America!!! We had an awesome time and couldn't of asked for a better travel mate. First day in Rome was a recovery day but I obviously had to come check out the Colisium! 

Today is the first day of my Contiki tour. There is 51 people and its a full bus (a little too many but should be fun). On our way to dinner we drove by a few sights but were coming back to Rome the last 3 days. Our tour guide is Italian and he is crazy, but seems so much fun. Tomorrow we leave at 7 am to get to Pompeii!!! 🇮🇹 Ciao!!!