Paris, France

This was one of my favorite stops in Europe. I loved the culture, the food, and the entire vibe the city gives off. I even got to practice my very small French speaking skills. Foodwise, we did not have a disappointing meal in our entire week’s stay. The cafes were amazing and the food quality was unlike anything we’ve had before. I could have lived off of their bread, cheese plates, and wine alone. 

Continue reading “Paris, France”

San Gimignano, Italy

Following our Mediterranean cruise, we visited San Gimignano with some other family members for a few days. This is a gorgeous, historic castle town in Tuscany. We loved the old-timey feel with its cobblestone streets and medieval towers. It was like traveling back in time. We do not recommend driving your own car much through here as the streets are tiny and full of pedestrians. We learned this the hard way. However, this was an unforgettable adventure and one of our favorite spots that we have visited throughout our travels.

Continue reading “San Gimignano, Italy”

Mediterranean

Following Rome, we took a train via Trenitalia transport to Venice. (This is a good way to see the Italian countryside and is much less stressful than flying.) From Venice, we were taking a Mediterranean cruise with family. It was planned for five stops, but we were unable to make our fifth and final stop (Dubrovnik, Croatia) due to weather. We were looking forward to a Game of Thrones excursion here so were disappointed and now have to return! However, the places we did see were gorgeous and, like other parts of Europe, very historical. Throughout the journey, I found it quite difficult to comprehend just how extensive these towns’ and villages’ pasts are.

Tidbit: Cruises are a great way to cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time, especially if it is your first time visiting. However, if you are looking to spend more time in certain areas, cruises may not be the way to go. They do allow you to explore many places and perhaps help you find ones you wish to return to for a longer trip in the future.

Continue reading “Mediterranean”

Rome, Italy

Rome, Italy

In 2018, two days after I left my job in California, Brian and I packed up for a four week trip to Europe. We had planned a Mediterranean Cruise with family, leaving from Venice, so decided to make our first stop in Italy, specifically Rome. I was still exhausted from finishing up at school, on top of the jet lag, that it took a few days for me to get acclimated, but once I rested up, we were able to do a lot of sightseeing. Throughout our week, I was awestruck by the history. I often found myself staring at a random building and pondering what life would have been like here centuries ago. Everywhere you look there is something with a historical background. Right across the street from our hotel was what archaeologists had recently discovered to be the actual site of Julius Caesar’s stabbing. It is an archaeological site that used to be a theater.

Continue reading “Rome, Italy”