Standing underneath the dome of the Florence Cathedral, I got lost in the beauty and optical illusion―feeling humbled by its scale and craftsmanship. Learning about the renaissance movement in a classroom falls pale in comparison to actually seeing such grand architecture in the flesh.
My third month abroad kicked off with a spring break trip to Italy and Greece. Along with three of my roommates, we decided to travel to the continent and plan the trip ourselves. Shuffling my luggage across timezones, European borders and four glorious cities, I embodied the life of a backpacker for a week, but the adventure felt like it lasted decades.
The first stop was Venice, where we saw the stunning mosaics of Saint Mark’s Basilica and romantic gondolas streaming past the Bridge of Sighs. My first day in Italy was magnificent, but the views of Venice by night were even more breathtaking; unfortunately, my camera could not capture the magic so revisiting my memories will have to suffice. We walked along the Rialto Bridge that night and also had a mandatory three-course Italian dinner with complimentary red wine.
The second stop was Florence―the center of Renaissance art. Wandering museums was the highlight of my brief visit: I saw Michelangelo’s David at the Gallery of the Academy, and I was merely inches away from my favorite painting―Botticelli’s Birth of Venice―at the Uffizi Gallery. Being an art history minor, I was in awe of Florence’s impressive collection of art. Standing underneath the dome of the Florence Cathedral, I got lost in the beauty and optical illusion―feeling humbled by its scale and craftsmanship. Learning about the renaissance movement in a classroom falls pale in comparison to actually seeing such grand architecture in the flesh.
The next adventure took us to the eternal city of Rome. While the Trevi Fountain was in scaffolds due to restoration, we did view the Pantheon at night. In the morning, we visited the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel―which was so sacred that photography was prohibited and security insisted on strict silence. Afternoon sightseeing led us to the Roman Forum and the iconic Colosseum.
The final destination was Athens, and luckily admission to the Acropolis is free on the first Friday of the month. It was a sunny gorgeous day for a hike to see the famous Erechtheion and Parthenon temples. The best part was the aerial view of Athens once reaching the top. Athens was a beautiful place with festive flea markets and superb hospitality. From gyros to baklava, moussaka to dolma, greek cuisine was absolutely divine.
Once Saturday rolled around, the week of traveling had commenced, and it was time to return to our flat in Maida Vale. The trip was unforgettable, and I feel grateful to have had opportunities to travel around Europe. Italian and Greek culture were stark contrasts to the reserved demeanor and dry humor that I have come to know in England. I thought the bulk of my culture shock experiences were done, but every city had its own challenges. From deciphering Italian flirting to failing miserably at reading Greek, there were plenty of cultural differences to go around. To clue you in on the beauty of Italy and Greece, I have included pictures below and hope that your travels will someday take you to this wonderful countries.
