It is crazy to think that I planned my tour of Italy week-long adventure for Easter back in January. Time has just flown by this semester. Italy was my last country on my list to visit this semester. I only have one more weekend trip planned before I board on a plan back to the US. Before studying abroad, I knew I wanted to attend a mass at the Vatican and I thought to myself, what better Sunday to attend that Easter Sunday! I did my research and applied for three tickets. To apply, I had to print and fill out the form from the website and fax it back to the Vatican. (They recommend doing this 2-4 months in advance because there is only a limited number of tickets.) Tickets are FREE too! Once I received the email letter that I would be guaranteed my tickets I told my other friend who was joining on the trip to apply too.
Thursday 4/13/17
My last day off class was on April 13th. (Classes typically end two weeks before final exams take place.) After German class on Thursday, my group of friends and I traveled to the Frankfurt-Hahn Airport where we boarded a flight at 18:00 (6PM) to Rome, which landed around 20:00 (8PM). When we arrived, we headed for our Airbnb that we rented for our weekend in Rome. Rome is the capital of Italy with an approximate population of 4.4 million people. Rome is famous for the ancient roman architecture like the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and the Roman Forum, as well as the cuisine, and how the Vatican City State is located within Rome. Once we arrived to our Airbnb, we went to a local Italian restaurant nearby and ordered pizza and wine. The food in Italy was to die for and I took advantage of overloading on pizza, pasta, gelato, and wine haha.
Good Friday 4/14/17
Our 2nd day in Rome began around 08:30. We previously bought tickets to visit the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel because we knew it would be busy on Saturday because of all the tourists in the area for Easter. Oh, and the Vatican was a 1hr walk from our Airbnb; therefore, we took a metro to get there. The Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel are located in the State of Vatican (obviously). The museums had so much to see and were first founded in the early 16th century by Pope Julius II. My favorite part of the museum tour was the Sistine Chapel. The Sistine Chapel is a chapel in the official residence of the Pope. Today, the chapel is the site of the Papal conclave, which is the selection process for the new pope. The Sistine Chapel ceiling was painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512. Looking up at the ceiling, I was astonished by how much detail was put into it. (It also hurt my neck from looking up for so long.) After visiting the museums and the Sistine Chapel, we had lunch and then walked around St. Peter’s Square. We were not allowed to enter the square because of security reasons and they were preparing for Easter mass and Good Friday mass. I did not realize how large the square was and I was shocked that Easter mass is held in the full square. We then left the Vatican and headed to Campo de’ Fiori. Campo de’ Fiori is a square in Rome typically filled with a daily market. We then made our way to the Spanish Steps. On the way, we came across the Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, and of course we had to stop for some gelato. The Piazza Navona is a plaza built on the site of the Stadium of Domitian; which was built in the 1st century. The Pantheon is a former Roman temple, now a church, and was built between 118-128AD. It is crazy to be in a city that has such rich history. The Trevi Fountain made me feel like I was in the Lizzie McGuire
movie! The fountain was constructed in 1762 (the fountain is older than the US!) Finally, we made it to the Spanish Steps (also in the Lizzie McGuire movie). The steps connect the Piaza di Spagna to the Trinita dei Monti church on top. We were not quite ready to go back to our Airbnb so we went to a nearby park to look at the views of Rome. The lookout from Villa Borghesse were perfect because we were able to see a panoramic view of the city. After soaking up the views, we headed back to the Airbnb to grab our jackets. The days in Rome were fairly warm with temperatures reaching in the mid 70s during the day. The mornings and nights were chilly but it warmed up by midday. We decided that we wanted to see the Colosseum during the day and night so we headed to the Colosseum to see it at night and to grab dinner nearby. My first time seeing the Colosseum was during the night and I was amazed with the beauty of it. I could not believe how old it was and the purpose it was used for. The Colosseum was built between 70-80AD under the emperor Vespasian. It is the largest amphitheater ever built and during its time, it could hold between 50,000-80,000 people to watch the gladiatorial contests or public spectacles. I think it would be interesting to live during the time of the Roman Empire in Rome to witness all of their history in present day. When we arrived to the Colosseum, we noticed there was a large crowd in the area before you could enter the Colosseum. We found out on Easter Sunday that it was actually the Stations of the Cross going on and the Pope was there too! We ate dinner at a nearby restaurant with the Colosseum in sight and then headed back to the Airbnb to get some rest for the next early morning.
Saturday 4/15/17
The 3rd day in Rome started around 08:00 because we wanted to make it to the Vatican by 09:00 to see the inside before it closed a little after noon and so we could pick up our tickets. We also wanted to beat the crowds. After walking from the metro stop we saw a huge line wrapped around the square and the line had a couple of zigzags. (The line was well over a 4/5 hr wait if not more.) We then thought what if we jumped to the front of the line with our special letters for Easter mass so we split up in pairs. Unfortunately, only two of the four got to go inside (one for each paper) but I am glad it worked! The other two said they would head to the Colosseum to hold a spot in line. Once past security, we walked to the entrance of St. Peter’s Basilica. It was a weird feeling to walk near the platform of where Easter mass would be held and an even weirder one when I entered the Basilica, to know that several Popes have walked this same path. St. Peter’s Basilica is the burial site of Saint Peter, one of the Apostles and the first Pope. The current St. Peter’s Basilica was completed in 1626. In the Basilica, there are several tombs of past Popes and Saints. They are also in glass coffins because according to the Catholic faith, if a body does not decay after death, the person is holy. After visiting St. Peter’s Basilica, we made our way to the Colosseum to tour the inside of it. Once we reached the Colosseum, the other two people were near the front so it did not take long to
enter. Once inside, I was impressed at how well it has be preserved. There was also a platform to show what the main arena floor would have looked like; however, the original was no longer in existence. After walking through the inside of the Colosseum, we made our way to the Roman Forum, which was close by. The Roman Forum is a plaza surrounded by the ruins of ancient Rome. The most important buildings during the time period were located in the Roman Forum. I could not believe how the Romans managed to build such strong structures that have lasted since the time before Julius Caesar (100BC-44BC). Although now they are ruins, it is still neat to see where the buildings would have been or how big they were. After visiting the Roman Forum, we headed to the Altare della Patria, which is the “Altar of the Fatherland.” The monument holds the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and was completed in 1925. The monument stands very high and we could see if from the park near the Spanish Steps (which is pretty far away!) We then headed back to the Airbnb but we stopped for gelato first. For those of you who do not know what gelato is, it is a type of ice cream made in an Italian style. The base is milk, cream, and sugar and can be multiple different flavors.
Easter Sunday 4/16/17
Easter Sunday began very early because we knew we would have to get to the Vatican early enough to get a good location to see everything. We made it to the Vatican by 07:30 and the gates opened at 08:00 and mass was at 10:00. When we got there, there was already a lot of people lined up. They let a small amount of people through the first section a block away and when this happened, everyone would push and shove to get to the front. We stood in a line holding on to each other to pull each other through the crowd. Once past the first group, we started running to the security line. It was also funny to watch the nuns run too! Once we made it to the security line, we pushed our way to the front again and made it through. Originally, I thought we were going to have to stand in the sections behind the seats; however, we got through security fast enough and we ran to get a seat! Luckily, we got seats near the aisle because I knew the Pope would drive through the aisles of the crowd. Once mass started, I was just in awe because I could not believe I was attending Easter mass at the Vatican and I could see Pope Francis. People were still funneling in during mass and it was crazy to think that the square can easily fit more than 15,000 people! We were so lucky to be able to have a seat during mass because everyone behind us were left to stand. The mass was held in many different languages (each section was a different language). During mass, it started to downpour and we had no cover from the rain. Someone behind us under an umbrella handed us her shaw/scarf. It was such a nice feeling to be in a place where people were so nice. After the bells rang for the changing of the bread and wine to the body and blood, the clouds lifted and it became bright and sunny. We gave it back to the lady and it turns out she was a nun. It was also a nice feeling to give people the sign of peace because everyone would
say it in their own language. During the communion time, I assumed that we would not receive it since the crowd was so large; however, there were a lot of people giving communion out and they would line the aisles with a yellow umbrella. Everyone would then shuffle their way to the aisle to take communion. After mass, the Pope did his traditional drive around in his popemobile. Typically, the Pope has a bulletproof case around him; however, Pope Francis insisted that he be with the people without a covering. Everyone was screaming and happy when he was driving through the crowd. I was so happy to be able to get a video of him driving right past me! After he drove around, he made his way to the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica where he appears only twice a year (Easter and Christmas). Here he gave a speech about today’s society and the issue in Syria condemning global violence. After mass, we headed to the train station because our next stop was Florence. We arrived in Florence around 18:30 (6:30PM). Florence is the capital of Tuscany and has a population of approximately 380,000 people. Florence is known for the Piazza del Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, and the location in Tuscany. Before coming, we all thought that we would be getting away from the crowds like in Rome; however, it seemed a lot busier. I am guessing that is because there is fewer tourist attractions in a smaller city. We made our way to our hostel and had dinner nearby.
Monday 4/17/17
The 1st day in Florence began around 09:00. We headed to the Piazza del Duomo, which is the Cathedral Square. Inside the square, there is the Giotto’s Campanile, the Florence Baptistery, and the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore (Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flower). The detail of the buildings was unique and unlike anything I have seen before. It was a Florentine Gothic and Romanesque style architecture. We decided to go up the Giotto’s Campanile to get the views of the top of the Duomo and of Florence. Giotto’s Campanile is a bell tower next to the Basilica of Santa Maria del Fiore. It is almost 278 feet tall and has 414 steps to reach the top. It was completed in 1359. The hike up was worth it because it was a beautiful and clear day. I could not stop taking pictures and admiring Florence. After soaking up the views of Florence, we headed to the Florence Baptistery. The Florence Baptistery (Baptistery of Saint John) was constructed between 1059-1128 and is an octagonal baptistery. There is a mosaic ceiling and has art depicting various scenes from the Bible and the Book of Genesis. There is also the Last Judgement above the high alter. We then made our way to Ponte Vecchio, which is a medieval arch bridge over the Arno River with shops on the bridge. Originally, the stores were butchers;
however, today they are primarily jewelers. The bridge was originally documented in 996 but has been rebuilt since. I was impressed with the bridge because it was like the buildings did not stop from one side of the river to the other. After walking across the bridge, we headed to Piazzale Michelangelo (Michelangelo Square) to get a panoramic view of Florence. The view was stunning and the weather was perfect. We sat in the rose garden for a while to soak up the sun and relax. We then headed back to the hostel before dinner. We decided that we wanted to get out of the city for dinner so we decided to go to Fiesole. On the way to the bus stop we noticed that the Galleria dell’Accademia was opened. We were shocked because it said it was closed on Mondays on the website. The Galleria dell’Accademia is an art gallery famous for housing the Statue of David. The Statue of David is a masterpiece of Michelangelo that was sculpted between 1501-1504. I was shocked when I turned the corner in the gallery to see the statue because of its size. The statue is 17 feet tall and represents the Biblical hero David. After going through the gallery, we headed back to the bus stop and went to Fiesole. Fiesole is a town with an approximate population of 14,000 people on the outskirts of Florence that has a scenic height above Florence and Tuscany. We ate at an Italian restaurant on the slopes of Fiesole overlooking Florence. It was chilly during the night; however, the views were worth it. An interesting thing about Florence is that the city busses are mini because the roads are very tight; however, the busses going to Fiesole were normal size.
Tuesday 4/18/17
The 2nd day in Florence began around 10:00 since we had been waking up early for almost the whole trip. First, we made our way back to the Piazza del Duomo to take a look at the inside of the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore. The cathedral was largest building in medieval Europe and remains the largest brick dome ever constructed. It is a Catholic church and was consecrated in 1436. After our visit to the cathedral, we stopped by at a bakery to get a cannoli. A cannoli is a type of pastry that is native to the Sicily region in Italy. It is a fried pastry dough with ricotta filling. The one I got was covered in chocolate chips and it was delicious. We then split up in pairs because the girls wanted to go shopping but we wanted to walk around Florence more. We ended up going back to Ponte Vecchio and we explored the other side of Florence that was across the river. We ended up walking down a road that went out of town and the countryside was beautiful and peaceful; however, the wind started to pick up so we made our way back to downtown because of the storm that was coming. We met back up with the other ½ and ate lunch. After lunch, it started to downpour and we needed to go to the train station. We looked for a taxi but they were all busy so we were stuck walking without an umbrella or poncho. It looked like we just got out of a shower with our clothes on because there was not a dry place on our bodies. We boarded our next train to Venice and arrived around 21:30 (9:30PM). We took a taxi to our hostel and checked in. Our hostel this time was a campground with two-person cabin rooms and it had a restaurant and bar. This was one of my favorite hostels I have stayed at and I think that if it was the summer, it would be even more enjoyable because they have a pool. Since most of Venice is limited due to water, we stayed on the mainland of Italy because it was much cheaper.
Wednesday 4/19/17
Our day in Venice began around 07:30 because we only had ½ day to explore Venice before heading back to Vallendar. We took a taxi to the train station and took a train to the islands. Venice is a city in the region of Veneto with an approximate population of 265,000 people. Venice is famous for the canals, gondola rides, and St Mark’s Basilica. The first we did when we got to Venice was we took a gondola ride. A gondola is a traditional flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boat. Venice is flooded with gondolas and luckily we were one of the first ones in the canals so it was peaceful. They are expensive and only last 30 minutes; however, they are worth every penny for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The driver took us through a portion of the Grand Canal and went around the block of a quiet and beautiful region in Venice. The Grand Canal is one of the major water-traffic corridors of the city and it is also the widest one. After the gondola ride, we headed to the Piazza San Marco. On the way we crossed the Rialto Bridge and spotted a nice restaurant to eat for lunch before we would head to the train station. The Rialto Bridge is the oldest bridge across the Grand Canal in Venice and is the dividing line for the districts of San Marco and San Polo. The bridge was also built in 1591. You could tell when we began to get close to the Piazza San Marco because we started to see more and more people than before. The Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square) is the public square of Venice and contains the Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark, St Mark’s Clock Tower, and St. Mark’s Campanile, which is the large bell tower of St. Mark’s Basilica. St. Mark’s Basilica was completed in 1092 and is a good example of Italo-Byzantine architecture. The church is very detailed and I enjoyed the detail put into the sculptures all on the building. After walking around the Piazza San Marco, we headed to a point of the island we could see from the Piazza San Marco and the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute. The Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute was consecrated in 1681 and stands on the narrow finger of Punta della Dogana. The church contained a huge dome in the center and offered good views of Venice towards the Piazza San Marco. By this time, we were all hungry and it was getting closer to the time we had to leave. We headed back to the Rialto Bridge and ate lunch along the Grand Canal. We made our way back to the train station and waved goodbye to Venice. We did research for the cheapest option to get back to Vallendar so we decided to train to Bergamo, Italy. Bergamo is a hub for Ryanair (one of the cheapest airlines in Europe) outside of Milan. On our way, the train stopped for a long time and it said we were going to miss our connection. We started to panic but good thing there was a bus that would take us to the airport! We departed Bergamo around 20:30 (8:30PM) and finally arrived in Vallendar around midnight after traveling over 2000 miles roundtrip.
Before coming to Europe, I knew Italy would be one of my favorite countries and I was right. I look forward to the day I can go back to Italy and explore even more!
See you soon, but not too soon
-E