Tips and Tricks From a Fellow Backpacker
This blog will be all about smart traveling tips for before and after takeoff! Over the years of traveling by myself as well as with friends and family, I have created a list of essentials for smart backpacking. From how to save to safety tips while abroad, I have a list of secret tools that will be sure to make your traveling experience exciting, safe, and worthwhile!
Saving
As the departure date quickly approaches, the anxiety of having enough money begins to settle in more and more each day. As a student, my bank account relies on my paychecks from when I am on school breaks, as well as birthday and holiday checks. Since this is the reality for many students, I have created a system for saving money while also being able to enjoy yourself from time to time before the trip.
Tip #1: Save a portion of money that you earn or are gifted.
It’s hard to save the entire portion of whatever money you earn or are gifted, that’s why I have created the “off-limits stash” which gets fifty percent of whatever cash I get. Instead of saving all of it or none of it, a perfect medium is to just save fifty percent instead. Now this of course can be on a case by case basis, if there is something that you need to spend money on like books or essential clothing then maybe the next month you put away seventy percent of your earnings for that month instead. It is really easy and an amazing feeling to have more cash for spending while abroad! It also is great when you don’t spend it all on your trip and have money left over for when you are back in the states.
Packing
Tip #2: Plan your packing and invest in a durable backpack.
In the past, I have found extremely useful Youtube videos of fellow backpackers that are pro packers. As silly as it may sound, there are good and bad ways to fold and pick your clothing for travel. These videos give you all that you need to know about how to pack in the best way possible.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lQ9lnd8SME
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFYhNKuyw2g
With that, a durable, lightweight, multi-pocketed backpack is a must for your travels. Having a bag that you can store all of your clothing, toilet trees, and paperwork/electronics is a necessity for successful backpacking. I recommend getting a suitcase style bag that opens up in a fashion that allows you to see all of your clothing. This style is different from the traditional hiking packs that require you to dig through the entire pack to get to the bottom. I have attached photos below that reflect these differences.
Safety When Abroad
Tip #4: Carry a fanny pack with you when traveling.
My mom taught me this trick when I went on my first backpacking trip alone. I’ve heard many horror stories of people’s passports and money being stolen while asleep on trains or while walking along busy sidewalks. A trick to keep all of your important documents and money safe is to travel all the time with a fanny pack. Though it may look silly and be a little uncomfortable, fanny packs are the key to a safe traveling experience. I love mine and always hide it under the waistline of any pants that I am wearing, you cannot even tell it’s there! I can also say that I have never had anything of mine stolen while abroad and I am sure this has played a role in that.
Tip #5: Buy a small lock to lock your bag while in hostiles and traveling from day to day.
This tip goes hand in hand with tip #4. The photo below is the exact lock I used to lock my backpack when I would leave my backpack in the room during the day or sleep on trains while traveling. The lock acts as a deterrence for thieves, while also ensuring that your valuables are secure for peace of mind. 
I hope these tips will make your traveling experience more stress-free and enjoyable. Though they seem pretty simple, they truly will enhance your travels!
Sources:
http://nymag.com/strategist/article/best-fanny-packs-lady-birds-greta-gerwig.html
http://amazon.com
https://www.etrailer.com/Padlocks/Master-Lock/ML4688D.html?feed=npn&gclid=CjwKCAjwzoDXBRBbEiwAGZRIePHm0YzA2QgjXhGoMWREJrAjQ9qlcQInG-jyf3XeC2i1-PjQCuGFXhoCdu4QAvD_BwE
Ciao, Verona, Italy!
Verona has always been on the top of my list of must-see’s! From the medieval town feel to the Romeo and Juliet love story, I know a piece of my heart will be left in this beautiful city this summer. Verona is one of our last stops on our trip. Hopefully by the time we arrive we will be well rested from our trip to Cinque Terre and ready for the hustle and bustle of this amazing city. The city’s convenient location allows for us to stop and admire the beautiful area while traveling from Cinque Terre to Slovenia. We figured stopping here would be a perfect pit stop in the route to see my grandparents in Slovenia.
Verona became a Roman colony in 89 BCE. As time passed, it became increasingly more popular because of its convenient location between Italy and all of northern and eastern Europe. Ruled by king after king, it was during the reign of Bartolomeo della Scala that the fictional characters, Romeo and Juliet fell in love and tragically died beside each other. And in 1866, the city finally joined with the Kingdom of Italy. Unfortunately, the city was badly damaged by World War II, thankfully, it has since been reconstructed.
Verona Must See Destinations:
Arena di Verona
This theatre is a must for me! It was built in the first century AD and can hold up to 22,000 spectators with forty-four levels. Today, it is one of the best preserved Roman amphitheaters. Like the colosseum in Rome, the theatre was home to gladiator fights, different shows, etc. I am excited to compare the colosseum to this magnificent theatre! Every engineering bone in my body is jumping with anticipation.
Casa di Giulietta
Believe it or not, I have already seen Giulietta once before. Pictured above is me on my backpacking trip with my sister a few years ago. This statue was donated from Verona to Munich and rumor has it, if you touch her breast you are promised to find love. I actually burned myself while taking this photo because of how hot the statue got during the scalding Bavarian summer. In Verona, the balcony of the old Cappelletti house was that of the famous Romeo and Juliet love story where Romeo promises Juliet his eternal love. Visitors touch Juliet’s statue in hopes of finding their one true love and all along the exterior walls of the house are love letters written by hopeful visitors (usually attached by gum).
Another one of my dorky childhood obsessions comes out when I think about the cheesy love story, “Letters to Juliet.” The movie features Verona and tells the tale of a sappy romance revolving entirely around the Juliet statue in Verona.
Click here to watch the trailer!
The following are photo’s that my cousin who is studying abroad in Italy this summer sent me from her trip to Verona last week! She said it was her favorite place that she has visited this year.
Stay tuned for my next blog all about smart backpacking and saving!
Sources:
https://www.britannica.com/place/Verona-Italy
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g187871-d243473-Reviews-Arena_di_Verona-Verona_Province_of_Verona_Veneto.html
http://www.tourism.verona.it/en/enjoy-verona/art-and-culture/monuments-and-sights/juliet-s-house
Here We Come, Cinque Terre!
I am so excited to get into all of the details about Cinque Terre! I have heard a lot about this place from my sister, along with other Italy backpackers, and everyone says it is a hidden gem. Comprised of five towns, Cinque Terre dates back to early medieval times. It was a prime real estate location because of its coastal location next to the Mediterranean Sea. The five towns were originally fishing establishment because of the easy access to the sea. And, since 1997 Cinque Terre has been listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site. For this post I am going to go a little into each of the five towns, which are closely located and accessible by foot from one another. Luckily for us, cars are banned from the area so we will not have to worry about Ubering or cabbing around. Lonely Planet says about three to four days is enough time to explore the five villages, but I hope to spend a little more time there than that. My favorite places to travel are those like Cinque Terre– quiet, walkable, and coastal. So I am looking forward to exploring it from top to bottom!
As for housing accommodations, we are planning to stay in the nearby city, La Spezia, where there are trains that we can take to get to Cinque Terre each day. It’s much cheaper to stay there, many travel blogs strongly recommend it. Plus we can experience another town along the way too!
Riomaggiore
Riomaggiore, serves as Cinque Terre’s unofficial capitol. On the top of my list to do there is Trail 2. Trail 2, though the name is not that exciting, links all of the villages together and offers amazing views along the way! It is definitely high on my list of overall must-do’s, but the hike is not an easy feat with lots of hills, unstable ground, and muddy terrain. I am going to need to do a little pre-workout before traveling this summer so I am physically able to do all of these things I am hopeful of doing.
Manarola
A beautiful hike with a view at the end, Punta Bonfiglio, is something I do not want to miss out on. Lonely Planet even includes that it has a wonderful bar at the top where I can imagine sipping on some local wine while taking in the incredible views. Manarola is surrounded by grape vines that supply all of Cinque Terre with grapes for their wine. It won’t get fresher and prettier than what I am imagining to see in Manarola!
Cornigli
Located in the middle of the five villages, Cornigli is the only village that is not directly accessible to the sea. In order to even get to the village, we will need to use the Lardarina, a 377 step stairway. There’s also a cheap bus, but the steps will only add to our adventure!
Vernazza
What I imagine to be my favorite of the five villages, Vernazza is filled with cafe’s, a small harbor, and a castle! I think there will be so much to do in this village that I hope to spend a few days just exploring it alone. We wanted to spend some time at a beach while in Italy and that’s when the idea of visiting Cinque Terre arose. Since Vernazza has a beautiful beach and lots to do, I can image it will not be hard to find things to do and see while visiting.
Monterosso
Last, but not least, Monterosso sits as the furthest west village and the largest of the villages. Monterosso includes the largest beach out of the five villages, so I am sure we will be spending a fair amount of time here as well. It is divided in half, the old and the new, linked together by an underground tunnel. Monterosso is home to the famous Giant statue, Il Gigante, which is of the god of the sea, Neptune. I love how much architecture and art flood these five villages and I cannot wait to explore it all myself!
Stay tuned for my next few blog posts all about my tips for smart backpacking, saving, and my next stop, Verona, Italy.
Sources
http://thewanderlostway.com/11-things-know-hiking-trail-2-cinque-terre/
https://cinqueterre.a-turist.com/history
http://www.cinqueterre.eu.com/en/monterosso
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/liguria-piedmont-and-valle-daosta/travel-tips-and-articles/italys-fabulous-five-planning-your-visit-to-the-cinque-terre/40625c8c-8a11-5710-a052-1479d276d61e
All photos are credited to Google Images and Lonely Planet
Next Stop, Florence!
Oh how excited I am to delve into the details about our plans to visit Florence! I had the honor of visiting Florence my senior year of high school while I was staying in Slovenia for the summer. My aunt and cousin, surprised me in Slovenia and took me along during their trip to Italy to explore where my cousin, a fashion student at F.I.T., would be attending the following year. I fell in love with the city, from the historic churches located on every street corner, to the pop-up shops everywhere you looked. Florence is historical, beautiful, trendy, and so much more! It is small enough to explore on feet, but large enough to supply you with plenty to do for weeks! If I were given the opportunity to live here, I wouldn’t even take the time to think about it! Florence captured my heart the minute I arrived and I am sure it will capture yours too! To begin, I thought I would share some of my most favorite photos from my last trip to Florence!
Now onto the top two places I want to see during our trip this summer! A little disclaimer, though, there is so much to see and only about a week for us to see it all, making the choices of what to see and what to leave for next time so difficult! I’m sure you will find this problem too. We plan to stay in an Air B&B during our trip to Florence since the city has so much to do and we only have a few days to see it all! Since there are a good amount of us, splitting the cost of an Air B&B is actually cheaper than each of us paying for our own bed in a hostel. We also have access to a kitchen and private bathrooms which is an added bonus!
Galleria degli Uffizi
The first on my list is this stunning art gallery. The art collection was given to the city by the Medici family in 1743, under the terms that the artwork never is to leave Florence. The gallery started with forty-five rooms and now contains a total of 101! Currently the museum is receiving a sixty-five million euro renovation and redecoration, meaning some areas will be closed when we go and visit in the summer, but that definitely won’t deter us from going, there is still so much to see and do within the gallery. Lonely Planet recommends a visit of around three to four hours, followed by a bite to eat in the rooftop cafe. The cafe sits where the Medici family and friends would sit and watch live performances in the square below. The gallery holds famous ancient Greek sculptures, Venetian paintings, and their most popular, Renaissance collection. Needless to say, I am very excited to see all of this amazing artwork in Florence!
Giotto’s Bell Tower (Campanile di Giotto)
Second on my list, this AMAZING bell tower! I remember seeing it when I was in Florence two years ago, but we only had two days, leaving us with little time to do everything. The tower is a large tourist attraction which is going to require me to go against a lot of my morals as a traveler. I tend to avoid crowded, touristy places because I find that I often enjoy the underrated things much more, but after climbing the 414 steps to the top, the view is supposedly spectacular. A unique view is something I will always go against my morals for, and the pictures haven’t help me change my mind!
Stay tuned for next week’s blog all about Cinque Terre! A five-town village that has some of the most spectacular views and beaches in all of Italy!
Sources
https://www.google.com/search?q=Galleria+degli+Uffizi&safe=strict&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwic_6n7neDZAhXFulMKHXlTCbsQ_AUICygC&biw=1447&bih=747#imgrc=JqcXoW4VlHLKYM:
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/florence/attractions/galleria-degli-uffizi/a/poi-sig/1157282/360059
https://www.visitflorence.com/florence-monuments/three-towers-with-a-view-you-cant-miss.html
https://travel.usnews.com/Florence_Italy/Things_To_Do/Giotto_s_Bell_Tower_Campanile_di_Giotto_26421/
Onward to Siena!
After Rome, we are planning on hitting the trains to Siena, Italy! Luckily, Anya’s step mother has a place that she is willing to share with us for as long as we wish. As of right now, we plan on staying in Siena for a good amount of time since we can take day trips to cities nearby. A huge portion of our expenses will be sleeping arrangements, so having a free place to stay is going to be incredibly helpful. Not to mention the fact that Siena is beautiful and a wonderful place to stay!
A little history of Siena…
Tying into my last post, Siena is said to have been founded by the sons of Remus, who is said to have founded Rome with his brother, Romulus. Although, I still am a firm believer in the founding story of Rome that gives credit to the strong woman, Roma. In reality, though, the city is said to have been a military colony founded in the first century B.C. for Roman soldiers, originally named Sena Julia. Siena began growing through power and wealth, becoming a competitor to Florence, only fifty miles apart. During the thirteenth century, wars became common between the two cities. One even lead to Florence throwing dung and donkey’s over the walls of Siena. I don’t know what is more terrifying, the thought of feces or live animals landing on my head. Eventually, Siena was allied to Florence and the two cities worked hand in hand. In 1348, though, a plague swept the streets of Siena, killing two thirds of the entire cities population. After that, the city was handed down from ruler to ruler, eventually landing in the hands of the de’Medici family. Cosimo I de’Medici hurt the city terribly, holding it back from its large potential of becoming even more powerful. The city’s success now lies in its tourism, beauty, and bank, Monte dei Paschi di Siena. It was also the first city in Europe to outlaw vehicles from the city center, which is great for its aesthetic and carbon footprint (lonely planet)!
I always love learning about the rich history of European towns and countries. There is so much we as humans can learn from history and I find there is no better way than traveling to the very places such historical events took place.
A few attractions in Siena
Piazza del Campo
The historical center of Siena is on the top of my list of must-see’s in Siena. The center is a large reason why Unesco recognizes Siena as “the ideal embodiment of a medieval city” (Discover Tuscany). The center was built on top of the intersection of three main roads that lead to and from the city of Siena, being the optimal location for a square where holidays and celebrations could take place. In the late thirteenth century, any building that did not connect properly in the manner that the government desired (all buildings look as if they are connected as one), were to be torn down. At a time, the city was said to be the same size as Paris, but the plague in the fourteenth century drastically decreased the power and size of Siena. An interesting fact about the red stone flooring in the square is that it is divided by nine white lines, each meant to honor the nine governors at the time. Some say, though, that the lines are to reflect the fold in the Virgin Mary’s cloak, the “ultimate ruler” of Siena at the time (italiannotes).
The Palio Horse Race
Even though I will not be in Siena during the annual Palio Horse Race, I still want to include it in this week’s blog. As a Dressage horseback rider, anything horse related excites me! Taking place every July 2nd and August 16th, the horse race is a popular event that occurs in the city center. The several areas that belong to the city of Siena challenge each other each year to a horse race. These areas are known as “Contrade,” originally totaling to fifty, there are now seventeen Contrade left. Almost signifying as neighborhoods, the Contrade each have their own flags and colors. Each Contrade can pick the rider, but the horse is unknown until four days before the actual race, for the fellow horseback riders out there, you know that it takes much longer than this to truly feel out what your horse is capable and incapable of accomplishing. The horses must successfully lap around the center three times, regardless of if the rider remains on the horse or not. The photos are clear evidence that staying on is much harder than it may seem. As a result, animal rights activists are known to protest the event. The winner is given the Drappellone, a banner that serves as a trophy for that years winner. Each banner is painted uniquely for the winner, so the banners have served as historical pieces of Siena for centuries.
The Piccolomini Library
This colorful and historical library is located inside the Duomo of Siena, it is for sure a must see for me!
Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for next weeks blog all about Florence!!
Sources:
https://italiannotes.com/facts-piazza-del-campo-siena/
https://www.discovertuscany.com/siena/piazza-del-campo.html
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/tuscany/siena/history
https://www.discovertuscany.com/siena/palio-siena.html
http://www.sienaonline.com/palio_of_siena_drappellone.html
https://www.discovertuscany.com/siena/piccolomini-library.html
All of my photos are taken from Google Images.
First stop, Rome!!
A little back story…
My best friends and I have decided to take a trip abroad together this summer. If all goes as planned, we will leave right when school ends and head to Italy for a few weeks, ending in Slovenia to see my grandparents. I am beyond excited. In high school, the four of us were inseparable. Now that we are all across the East coast in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, State College, and Durham, seeing each other every day is obviously a thing of the past. I know that part of growing up is knowing that you will meet people along the way that will move in and out of your life, but my friends from high school are different. I refuse to let them slip away from my life as I move on and away from Pittsburgh.
Long story short, we decided that before the summer truly begins, with internships, work, and whatever else may require our undivided attention, we would take a trip. Italy seemed perfect because my best friend Anya’s stepmother is from Siena and has a house that she is willing to let us use throughout our trip. We’ve begun biweekly Skype calls to plan the trip, making sure everything is planned for and thought out. Our first stop is Rome! We figured start south and work our way up north, and eventually make it to Slovenia. I plan to travel with only a travel backpack because I find it much better for train rides and hostel stays, the less you bring backpacking, the better!
Now all about Rome!
There are many versions of the story of how Rome was given its name. My favorite, though, has to be the version where the city was named after a powerful woman, Roma. Roma and a group were traveling after the fall of the city of Troy. When the group came across land off of the Tiber river, Roma refused to leave even though the men in the group were determined to depart and keep moving. The strong, independent women in the group, burned the Trojan ships and thus, forced the Trojan soldiers to stay in what is now Rome. I always love me a good female power story, so Rome, you’ve already won me over in that department.
As Rome began growing, with the help of several Kings along the way, it became a flourishing city. Rome was heavily influenced by Greek culture and architecture, coming directly from Greek colonies in the south. It was during the 6th and 8th centuries that Rome shifted completely from a trading town to a flourishing and powerful city. Rome became the capital of Italy in 1870, taking the title from Florence.
Pictured above is the famous Colosseum in Rome. Construction for the giant arena began in 70 A.D. and is estimated to have taken about ten years to complete. The Colosseum could hold around 50,000 to 75,000 people and was the prime source of entertainment in ancient Rome. People, poor and rich, would attend the violent games. There were two types of games, hunts and gladiatorial games. Hunts were either animal vs. animal or human vs. animal, where the object of the game was to kill the other in the arena. The gladiatorial games were usually gladiators vs. prisoners. Both types of games were explicitly torturing humans and animals, people would come from all around to witness such awful acts of terror. Personally, I would not have attended, but maybe if I were alive during that time I wouldn’t have thought twice of attending. 3.9 million people visit the Colosseum each year, making it one of Rome’s largest tourist attractions. Now, I’m not one to usually visit all of the classic tourist attractions in a city when I travel, just because tourists tend to stress me out, but I will, without a doubt, visit the Colosseum. It is said to be an “engineering marvel,” come on, what engineer wouldn’t want to witness such an intense scene.
The Trevi fountain is high on my list of must-see’s when we are in Rome. All I can think of is one of my favorite childhood movies, The Lizzie McGuire Movie, airing in 2003. Hilary Duff visits Italy on a school trip. She meets the man of her dreams at this very fountain and plays the role of a missing famous Italian pop star who happens to look identical to Hilary Duff. As I write about the plot of this cherished childhood movie, I realize how well Disney played me as a kid. Honestly, it is a terrible movie in hindsight, but man did I love it at the time. Ever since I was a young girl, I have always dreamed of being the real life Lizzie McGuire, actually maybe it was just the vespa… It was originally said that if you drank a glass of the water from the Trevi fountain you were ensured good fortune and a trip back to Rome, now it has turned into just tossing a coin into the fountain and you are guaranteed a trip back to Rome in the future. 1.26 million Euros is said to result annually from hopeful people wishing for a return to the lovely city. The money is collected three times a week and donated by a Roman Catholic organization to the needy.
My list is only growing as I do my research on the lovely country of Italy, so stay tuned for my next blog all about Siena!
Sources:
https://www.ancient.eu/Rome/
http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/colosseum
https://luxeadventuretraveler.com/legend-of-the-trevi-fountain/
Last five photos taken from Google Images
A Little About Me and My Travels
I always feel nervous right before I hop on an international flight. No matter if I am alone or surrounded by family or friends. The idea that I am going to experience something so new is by far one of the most amazing feelings. I am fortunate enough to have been to several different countries throughout my lifetime and every trip I realize something new about myself and my values. I hope to create a blog for college students who are interested in backpacking Europe on a budget. Some of my skills will be from experience and some will be tips and tools I’ve heard along the way.
A little about me…my mother was born in former Yugoslavia, what is now Slovenia, in 1968. My family fled from religious persecution in the early 70s and moved to America in hopes of more opportunities. My grandparents still spend half of each year in their house in Dravograd, Slovenia, one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. My passion for traveling is deeply rooted in me, when I go to Slovenia I feel like I am learning much more about where my family came from and what our culture really is. As I become older, my connection to Slovenia and my desire to learn all about my families story grows stronger and stronger. I finally had the opportunity to spend a great amount of time abroad in the summer of my senior year of high school. I spent the majority of my summer sleeping in the same room my great grandmother slept in years before. I sat down with my grandfather weekly to create a family tree that he had been wishing for years for. I wanted to fully embrace my familial roots and that’s exactly what I did.
With that, there are definitely different ways to travel. I’ve backpacked with my sister throughout Europe, with truly only a backpack and a train pass. We spent a few nights in different cities, working our way South from Germany down to Croatia. I’ve taken family trips to Eastern Europe, strictly on the basis of visiting relatives that longed to see us. I’ve traveled alone, meeting my grandparents eventually in Slovenia two summers ago. I also have traveled in a group, with my school our senior year of high school, starting in Ireland and making our way East to England and France. All methods of traveling offer their own positives and negatives, but I think my favorite is the adrenaline I felt when my sister and I had nothing to stop us as we explored Europe with only the clothes in our backpacks.
I’ve included several of my favorite photos from my travels over the years…
My first trip ever abroad, to Slovenia. I was about two, that was the last time I ever saw my great grandmother before she passed away
My best friend and I, our senior year, in London, England
My favorite travel companion and boyfriend, Noah, on our senior trip in Paris, France
My cousin and I, in Lake Como, Italy the summer I spent in Slovenia (if you click it, it turns into a video!)
A meal with a view in Lake Bled, Slovenia
My best friend who also happens to be my grandmother, “Bica Erika”, in Slovenia
Some of my closest friends that I met in Slovenia my Senior year
My sister and I in Germany on our backpacking trip together