During my time in Barcelona, my friends and I went to Italy for a weekend. Although we were only there for a few days, I still thoroughly enjoyed the trip and got to see many wonderful things that the country had to offer.
First, we flew into Florence. After checking into our hostel, we walked to a local market for dinner. I got to eat authentic Florentine pizza and got have a nice glass of wine with my dinner. Following that lovely meal, my friends and I went to the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge). On the bridge, we had a beautiful view of the arno river and the surrounding buildings. The next day, we wandered around the city exploring the local shops and culture. I got to see the Florence Cathedral and was in awe of its structural and artistic beauty. We eventually found ourselves in a bodega (wine shop). My friends and I got to sip authentic Italian wine while having a breath-taking view of the hills. After that, we walked to the top of a large hill that overlooked the city. We met some other Americans there and ended up hanging out with them that night.
Our flight back to Spain was through Pisa, so the next day we took a train to Pisa. The train ride through the countryside was very enjoyable as I got to stare out the window and see the beautiful Italian countryside. After the arrival to Pisa, I got to climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa; I won’t lie, it was kind of a hike but the view at the top was worth it. I felt like a bird; I could see the whole city and the surrounding hills and trees. Following this, my friends and I went to the airport for our flight back to Barcelona. We got to see three cities in one day (Florence, Pisa, and Barcelona). Although the visit was short, I can say that I loved every minute of it and that I would love to go back.
What I loved about Florence and Pisa is how authentically Italian the cities are. There are no skyscrapers or large buildings and the roads are barely wide enough for cars to drive. The people are friendly and of course the food is amazing. The city seems like it has barely changed over the last few hundred years. Italy has a traditional and very rustic vibe that I enjoyed and believe that many others would enjoy too.
Italy seems so beautiful to me, I wish I could have gone with my school trip. I am so interested on your take on the food and grape culture.
I’ve never been to Florence or Pisa but I did spend a few days in Rome a few summers ago and it was amazing and I’d love to go back to Rome and Italy as a whole to see what else they have to offer. It’s also been super fun reading your travel blogs this semester; I love traveling and hearing about different places!
Italy has always been a place on my bucket list that I would love to visit as I have always been fascinated by the sights and culture there. This was really fun to read and your take on the culture was really interesting!