I spent the Summer of 2022 in Rome using the entirety of my Travel Grant. I love to travel and explore new places, particularly those off the beaten path. Rome was an experience that was very much on the path, as it was a much larger city than I had realized and was filled with tourists during the summer peak season. Living in Rome put me out of my comfort zone, in a good way, and I gained a lot from the experience. The city had its perks. Being able to walk everywhere fed my desire to explore. There is amazing food on every corner and no matter where you walk, beautiful old buildings covered in vines and shutters surround you. There is history galore in Rome, and countless things to do. From the Colosseum to the Pantheon to the Trevi Fountain, Vatican City to, my favorite, Castel St. Angelo.

The best part of my experience was being able to explore other parts of Italy. I went to Rome with my freshman year roommate from Mines, and we filled every weekend with trips. Our itinerary was as follows:

Weekend One – The first stop on our trip was to the Amalfi Coast, known for its beautiful cliffs leading up to the ocean and is a fantastic place to grow lemons. We stayed in Salerno and took a train, then a bus, to Amalfi. Staying in Salerno was not only cheaper, but gave us a taste of what a more residential part of Italy was like. The coast lived up to the hype, including crowds. We missed the first bus from Amalfi to Positano, not because we
were late, but because the first bus filled up before we could get on. The bus ride brings about amazing views. Positano is definitely worth the trip. From Salerno you can take another bus to Pompeii. We climbed Mt. Vesuvius, which I would definitely recommend. It was not a very long or difficult hike and being able to see a volcano was awesome.

Weekend Two – The next stops on our adventure were Verona and Venice. Verona is a must see in Italy. The best way to describe it is a mini Rome with less people and less walking. We went into multiple churches, toured their amphitheater, and visited Juliet’s House and Balcony. In Venice we saw the canals, went into a handmade mask shop, and ate some yummy Salmon Gnocchi. Venice was busier than I anticipated and outside of Gondola rides, art museums, and shopping, there is not too much to explore. One day here is plenty of time.

Weekend Three – For this weekend we went to Florence. Florence had the best food of the trip and was one of the most magical weekends. One of my Mine’s friends’ family has a villa in the countryside of Florence, in Fiesole. We were lucky enough to be able to stay with them for the weekend. We took a walk/hike from the villa to an amazing coffee and pastry shop in the main town part of Fiesole. As pictured below, the trail was marked with these white and red arrows telling you where to go. Florence had one of my favorite art experiences. We visited the Uffizi Gallery where I saw a whole bunch of Botticelli’s paintings. We also climbed a clock tower to see the views of Florence, as well as exploring on foot to see the Duomo. We waited in line for 2 hours to see the David, piece of advice, make reservations to see him during the high season. The food and art of Florence were incredibly
memorable and I am so thankful for the generous hosting of my friend’s family.

Weekend Four – The last weekend was arguably my favorite weekend. I feel guilty saying it was my favorite since it was the most similar to my home, Colorado. This was the longest train ride as we went about as far north in Italy as you can. Calalzo and Cortina had serious mountain town vibes, which I adored. I could have stayed here forever, and just might live there in the future. The Dolomites are at the top of my must see in Italy and I hope to take a longer trip here in the future.

Being able to broaden my worldview was an incredibly valuable experience that I have so much gratitude for. The food, art, people, and landscape of Italy will stay with me for the rest of my life.