What better way to spend the hottest two weeks of
the year than a trip to Italy! Of all
the adventure we have had and places we have travelled Italy is the one I was
looking forward to the most. To me Italy
is such a romantic and exciting land full of history and gorgeous landscapes. Since I was a child I have always wanted to
visit there and anyone who has ever asked knows that my ultimate goal in life
would be to settle down on my own personal vineyard in Tuscany (so I thought I
should check it out first).
Our trip began with an early morning train ride
from Valladolid to Barcelona where we would spend two nights before our flight
to Rome. The train, as I have mentioned before,
takes 7 hours so we were stocked with snacks and TV shows on our pad. I love the trip and do not mind the time it takes. I think the scenery is beautiful and I truly
just enjoy being on a train. I love
drinking coffee in the dining car watching the mountains roll by.
Our hotel in Barcelona was near the airport – convenient
for a 6 am flight but a little out of the way for hanging out downtown - however
we made it work and spent our days chilling near La Rambla, eating Wok to Walk,
drinking Starbucks and hanging out with our friend Heather, who recently moved
from Valladolid to Barcelona. It was
awesome seeing her. She took us to a few
bars we had heard of but never visited on our previous trips. She showed us an old run down Absinthe bar
where Oscar Wilde and Picasso used to hang out!
It was really cool especially since the Absinthe available in Europe is
much different than the Absinthe back home in Canada. I still didn’t see any green fairies,
however I did only have one glass. We
also went to an amazing shots bar where there were at least 200 different shots
you could choose from. We got the Fuego
(fire) shot which was pretty epic.
Absinthe Bar...
Fuego
Our last day in Barcelona we went to Guell
Park. It is a huge park that Gaudi
designed and also includes the home he lived in which is now a museum. If you ever want to venture that way I recommend
buying tickets online as just showing up means you will likely have to wait
several hours before you can get in. We
arrived at 1 pm and were told the next entry time was not until 430 pm. We ended up just wandering around the free
areas of the park which were totally interesting and beautiful but it would
have been nice to get into the more artsy sections. Also be prepared to walk up a crazy amount of
stairs. This park sits atop a huge hill
and overlooks the entire city so it is a hike.
Luckily there are escalators to get you up – which I normally oppose but
proved necessary this day – so if you are not in amazing shape you can still
get to the park.
Guell Park
Guell Park
On the morning of our flight we had to be at the
airport by 5 for a 6 am flight. We
were flying Ryanair – cheap but frustrating airline. We had checked in online and when we saved
the boarding passes to our phones they just didn’t save so we had to pay an
extra 15 euros each to have them reprinted at the airport. I like that discount airlines exist but they
do not come without extra stress and they also gouge you with luggage so keep
that in mind as well. Ryanair is not the
worst by any means though. Just do not
fly EasyJet ever.
We arrived in Rome at 8 am and after figuring out
buses and trains from the airport we made our way to our Air BnB. This was our first experience using Air BnB
so we didn’t know what to expect. We
rented an apartment for 6 nights for 300 Euros.
It was slightly cheaper than a hotel and we had a kitchen with laundry
so that came in very handy. It meant we
could pack lighter and make many of our own meals which saved us a ton of
money. Unfortunately the air conditioner
was broken – luckily it was only 41 degrees every day (note the sarcasm) - and
it was much further from the center of town than he lead us to believe. He said it was a 7 min bus ride but it was
more like 30 min. So we ended up needing
public transit more often than expected.
Overall we found the service seems great for people who just want to
rent a room but when you start getting an actual apartment the cost is not
really a significant enough difference.
Rome was amazing.
Knowing that we were exploring the birth place of democracy and the city
where Caesar lived and died, the land of Cleopatra and Mark Anthony (I know Cleopatra
lived elsewhere but she visited Rome) made me smile. We saw buildings from thousands of years ago,
and explored the ruins of the very first settlers in Rome! It is such an intense feeling knowing how old
these structures are.
The Ruins of the first Roman settlement (Palatine Hill)
More ruins from the settlement (Palatine Hill)
Altare della Patria
Piazza Republica
We tried to see all the major tourist attractions
– The Pantheon, The Vatican, The Coliseum, The Forum, The Republic! We were happy to have a week to spend touring
around because there is no other way to fit everything in, and with the intense
heat we couldn’t just run around town like we usually do. We had to take it
easy and I mean we still ran around like crazy because its what we do. Ross and I do not know how to take a relaxing
chilled out vacation. It was so hot
though! There was not a moment when we
were not covered in sweat and we couldn’t drink enough water! Seriously by the end of the trip I never
wanted to drink another sip of water.
The Pantheon
Circular dome of The Pantheon
Waiting in line to get into St Peters Basilica at The Vatican
St Peters Basilica
St Peters Basilica
The Vatican Museums
The Vatican Museums
The Sistine Chapel
Ruins of The Republic and The Forum
NBD just The Coliseum
The Coliseum
Speaking of water we had heard that in Italy it
is difficult to find cold water to drink but we had no issue anywhere we
were. There are these water fountains to
fill up your bottles everywhere. The water
was clean and tasted good and it meant we didn’t have to buy 5 liters of water
every day which was awesome! The
fountains were also great for dunking your head into to cool down. It was so funny because every person we saw
was just dripping in sweat and or water.
So I didn’t feel so bad for looking awful the whole time because everyone
did. Also people said it was difficult
to find places to sit, like there are not a lot of benches, so you had to
always pay to sit in a café. We did find
this to be true but there didn’t seem to be an issue with people sitting on
fountain edges, stairs or just the ground in general. There were plenty of public spaces to hang
out and relax you just need to be willing to sit on the ground and get a little
dirty sometimes!
Chilling out next to an awesome fountain trying to stay cool
Sleeping on the stairs of a church in the heat...channeling my inner hobo...
Life saving water fountain
Dunking my head in a fountain in Naples
We managed to take a day trip one day down to
Naples. The birthplace of PIZZA! Honestly it was not what I expected. I think the outskirts of the city are
beautiful and a vacation destination, also you can get to Pompeii very quickly,
but Naples itself was filthy and a little scary. I would never go back. Outside of Hong Kong Naples is the biggest
port city so many cruise ships dock there.
If you do ever find yourself there take some time to wander the
waterfront. It was beautiful and there
is an awesome free castle to tour around.
Don’t bother with the castle you have to pay for its not worth it. Have pizza for lunch! It was without a doubt the best pizza I have
ever had and believe me I have done extensive research!
View of Naples waterfront from the castle
Castle selfies (or as we like to call them Usies)
Mt Vesuvius being clouded over from the approaching storm...Which never really reached us.
Cooling down in The Mediterranean
Something I did not like about Rome was that
everything was overpriced. I get it’s a tourist
town but having to pay 50 euros to get into the Vatican is pretty insane. Not to mention having to pay at least 10-12
euros each for every other site we wanted to see. The food and drinks were expensive too. Why exactly am I being charged 5 euros for a
cup of tea?
And on the subject of tea and coffee there are no
Starbucks in Italy. I repeat NO
STARBUCKS! So I get that Italians are
very proud of their coffee culture and that's cool. The coffee tasted great however I found most café
attendants to be very condescending towards us when we ordered Americanos. Trust me the coffee is not too strong I just
want to sit and drink a coffee, sometimes (most often) just a shot of espresso
is not what I am looking for. I want to
sit and chat and drink a cup of coffee.
They kept saying “Oh you want American coffee” with a little smirk. The coffee would come super watery and not at
all what an Americano tastes like. Very frustrating. Oh and a cappuccino is not what you
expect. You have been warned!
Then of course there are the street vendors. Rome was the worst for these. Now I don’t care if you want to sell your
garbage on the side of the road but do not walk up to me countless times and harass
me to buy your shit, do not ever touch me and do not threaten to hit us with
your selfie stick that we do not want to buy because you are standing above us
blocking our view of the site we are here to see and we ask you to move! Also be aware that there are about a million
people standing around each tourist attraction trying to convince you that you
are going the wrong way, the museums are closed or that you have to be a part
of a tour group to get in. They are just
trying to get your money.
Lastly I did not appreciate the body shaming at
the Cathedrals (Cathedrals which are filled with nude paintings and statues as well as the most brutal and bloody art I have ever seen). Shame on the Catholic church
for making people feel like their bodies are something to be shamed into
covering up. I fully appreciate that
walking into a church we should be respectful regardless of our own personal
beliefs so leave your “shorts” with bum cheeks hanging out at home however I do
not agree with the policy of having our knees covered. We were turned away from churches (I’m sorry I
thought we were all welcome at church?) or told that we had to purchase their
Cloak of Shame to be able to enter.
Basically I had to wear a paper – completely see through – cloak which
would cover my sinful shoulders and knees so as not to offend anyone. So even though it is 41 degrees outside be
prepared to be fully covered to enter.
Oh and don’t worry they sell them at all the sites so you can always buy
a new one if you forget your at home.
Keep those filthy knees covered people!
Moving on…
Rome was gorgeous and so full of interesting
history and information. I loved the
churches. The art and decor here were so
different than Spain, there was so much colour used and it made it seem more welcoming. Now don’t get me wrong I love
the darkness and simplicity of old cathedrals but there is something about huge
colourful murals all over the walls and ceilings that is quite appealing.
After an amazing week in Rome we caught a train
to Venice. A word of caution to those of
you looking for any information or help at the train stations. Lots of people will offer help and as they do
will pick your pockets, steal your tickets or ask for money for their services.
Some of them will even wear clothes to make themselves appear to be the people
you need to talk to, they do not work for the company they are thieves and
liars. Beware. Hold on to your purses and NEVER leave your
stuff unattended.
Lovely church we stumbled across
A Roman Piazza
Gorgeous ornate churches
Last sunset in Rome
The train ride into Venice was lovely. Ridding through the Italian countryside and
feeling totally relaxed and super excited for what treasures Venice would hold! My advice to anyone travelling to Venice is
to stay on the actual island. Although
hotel prices are high and it is tempting to stay on the mainland or even on
Lido Island, I personally do not think you will get the full Venice
experience. I am so happy we chose to
stay on the Island. We got a hotel right
close to the train which was really convenient and not too expensive. It wasn’t fancy but I mean we were not there
to hang out in our room so it didn’t matter.
I do not honestly know how I could put into words
what Venice is like. It was
overwhelmingly beautiful and unlike anything I have ever seen in my life. I truly feel that Venice is one of the only
places I have ever been that I felt completely wowed at every turn and felt it
was exactly what I had hoped (The Grand Canyon is the other one). I get my expectations pretty high about
places I travel and Venice delivered completely! If you only ever get to go to one foreign
place in your life make it here!
The Grand Canal
Nothing but streets lined with great food, shops full
of Venetian Masks and of course the canals!
So for anyone who doesn’t know there is no driving in Venice. The streets are basically walkways next to
the water. I do not think you are even
allowed to ride bikes, not that you would want to, there are way too many
people and every 5 mins you are crossing another bridge or running into a dead
end!
Be sure to take a tourist map but be prepared to
get lost over and over again anyway. Venice
is made up of 117 small islands all connected by these bridges. We were told the water in the smaller canals
is around 2 meters at any given time but has been known to rise to 3 meters. Everything is delivered on boats or by people
walking around with dollies. It was the
coolest place I have ever been.
Bat Mask!
Venetian Mask
Touring around Venice
We took a Gondola ride at sunset one evening and
it couldn’t have been more perfect. It
was romantic and gorgeous. Our Gondolier
(the guy who steers the gondola) showed us where Casanova lived and the oldest
building in Venice. It was 80 euros for
a half hour and worth every penny. This
is not a city to try and be frugal just enjoy it. (On that note be prepared to
spend an extra 2 euros whenever you stop for coffee or a meal. Most restaurants charge a service fee just to
dine there)
Our Gondola ride
Us and our Gondolier
Everything about this city is romantic. We stopped for Veggie Burgers at McDonalds
(we got addicted these don’t exist everywhere – Thank you Italy!!) and even
sitting eating fries felt romantic and lovely.
Its just the air in the city.
Venice stole what Amsterdam had left of my heart.
One of our days we caught a boat out to Lido
Island. This is a pretty big island just
off of Venice which has an 11 km long beach!
This island is also the site of the Venice film festivals. Very touristy but in a totally different way than
Venice itself. There were cars and
actual roads here. The beach was great
and such a relief to be in the water after so many long days and nights
sweating in the heat. The only downfall
were the jellyfish! There was a swarm of
them just off the shore so whenever you were entering or exiting the water you
were likely going to be stung. They were
tiny though so the pain wasn’t too intense (no peeing on legs required) but
this also meant you had no chance of seeing them. It was funny watching people jumping around
in pain or crying until we were the ones getting stung. Ross got a whooping 6 stings, I managed to
make it out with only 2.
Outside the Da Vinci exhibit
Gondola rides
My handsome
Dinning next to the canals
To end our amazing vacation we took the train
from Venice to Florence. We have heard nothing
but amazing things about Florence so we knew it was a place we had to visit
while in Italy. Again we found hotels to
be pricey but were lucky enough to find one not too far from the center for a more
reasonable price. It is possible to stay
in cheaper places you just have to be willing to search and search and
search! You must be willing to stay somewhere
you have never heard of and do not always trust the reviews! Remember most people who have a good
experience do not go online after to talk about it. It will only be the people who had a bad
experience that say anything. We have
stayed in plenty of hotels that did not have amazing reviews and they were
totally fine.
Florence is a gorgeous city with plenty to keep
you entertained. We were exhausted from
all of our travels by the time we got there but we still did our best to see as
much as we could and have a great last few days of vacation. Again it isn’t a cheap city, you have to pay
to see everything and do not forget your cloak of shame like I did because you
will have to purchase a scarf from a street peddler or not be allowed into the cathedrals.
Florence
We basically ran around the city
trying to see everything we could and managed to get a lot in. We climbed Giotto's Bell Tower – 414 steps
through very tight passageways. Not good
for claustrophobic people. It gave a wonderful view of the city and allowed us
to see how truly stunning the area was.
Surrounded by mountains and lush greenery it is easy to understand why
people speak so highly of Florence and the region of Tuscany.
The Duomo, Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral of Florence
The line to get into the Cathedral
Giotto tower
View from the tower
Florence from the top of the tower
We found the David, well his replica,
in the piazza outside the museum which holds the actual David. We wanted to pay to go into the museum but
since we only had one actual full day in the city and we wanted to see so many
things we knew we didn’t have time to wait in lines and spend hours in
museums. There is more than enough free
beauty to experience. One thing we did
notice about the David was that his thumb is crazy big. Seriously if you ever see him take a look at
that giant hand!
David
Piazza Vecchio sculptures
Piazza Vecchio sculptures
There are amazing sculptures, magnificent
architecture and a wealth of gelato to enjoy as you sit and people watch on the
streets. It would have been nice to have
an extra day to go into the museums but again at this point in our trip we were
so exhausted it was kind of nice to be heading home the next day (don’t get me
wrong I would travel forever but there is only so much 40 degree heat I can
take – I'm from Canada I need some cold air once in a while).
Ponte Vecchio
Streets of Florence
Italy is over run with cats...I love each and every one!
The morning we left Italy was
tough. We were both sad that our trip
was ending. It is so exciting to be in
new and different places. We both love
to travel and explore, eat new foods, learn about other cultures and experience
life in places other than those we are comfortable in. Change is good, adventure is good, living
life as a traveller is good. This world
is huge and I still feel like even with all the travel I have been doing I have
seen none of it. I am so grateful that
Italy is a country I had the time to truly explore and enjoy.
My love and I in Venice
...And in Naples
