Picture Post

Here are a few more photos from the duration of my trip that previously did not make it onto the blog, enjoy! 

Easter mass at the Vatican - swarms of umbrellas 

Our group on Easter after dinner at the Spalluto's relative's house:

Caroline, Me, Caitlin, Mr. Spalluto, Mrs. Spalluto, Carolyn

Caitlin and Me at the amphitheater in Taormina 

The whole gang in front of a cave in Siracusa:

Mr. Spalluto, Mrs. Spalluto, Caitlin, Me, Carolyn

My cappuccino my last day in Italy - symbolic that the barrista wrote "Love" on it! 

Frolicking in Florence

On Sunday, Nicole and I woke up in Florence, where we would be spending the day.  It was so nice after having done so much traveling to be able to stay where we were, and create our own schedule as the day went along.  There were no trains/buses etc. to catch so we truly were able to explore as we saw fit, and we loved having that freedom.  

First stop was the Basilica Santa Maria Novella. We grabbed breakfast from a stand nearby and enjoyed the view. 

Santa Maria Novella Cathedral 

Afterwards, we headed towards Il Duomo.  This is one of, if not the most, spectacular buildings I have seen all year.  You walk around the corner and are completely taken aback but its massive size, incredible color, and how remarkably well it has held up over the years.  We walked around the exterior and then got tickets to climb up to the top of the dome inside the cathedral. 

Il Duomo

View from one of the windows during the climb up

The line moved through the cathedral up to the top of the dome on the interior giving you a spectacular view of the intricate design painted on the dome on the inside of the church.  Then you continued to climb higher, with narrower and steeper stairs, until you reach the very top of the church.  This was such an incredible view of the city, not only because it was so high up, but also because it had a 360 degree view of the city of Florence. 

View from the top

It was VERY windy at the top so my hair is all over the place 

After the Duomo we grabbed lunch nearby, and then went back to the apartment to put some warmer clothes on.  We then walked to the river to see the Ponte Vecchio and the Piazza Michaelangelo before dinner. 

View from the Ponte Vecchio of the other bridges

Palazzo Vecchio - The Town Hall 

We passed this square along the way 

Piazza Michaelangelo 

Nicole and Me at the top of Florence 

Statue of David in the Piazza

We then had dinner at a local pizza joint that is highly celebrated by the locals, and then headed back to pack up for our flight the next day.

View of the river at night 

Venturing to Venice

I'm back in Ireland!! I had the most amazing trip these past few weeks, and I am grateful to Katie for helping me keep the blog up, and I am excited to fill you in with some more. 

On Saturday, Nicole and I took a day trip from Florence to Venice.  It is only a two hour train ride away, and this is a city that I have been wanting to see for years. We had booked our train tickets online in advance to ensure seats on the train, but it also meant that we were able to find some good deals so on the way to Venice we were in first class! Train travel in Italy is already very nice, but the seats were extra comfortable and spacious, it was so luxurious! 

The weather was nice when we arrived, but overcast, so we wanted to walk around the whole city and see as much as we could before it started to rain. There are so many waterways, and narrow streets that it is incredibly easy to get lost, but we just followed the crowd and were able to make our way around with only minimal confusion. 

Venice

The boats moving in the water reminds me so much of The Italian Job! 

Doge's Palace

Piazza San Marco

After this we stopped and grabbed lunch at a spot nearby.  I had a pizza, which ended up being one of the best pizza's I ate during my whole trip!

(Grandpa I know you have missed the pictures of my food - so here you go!)

By the time we had finished lunch it had started raining so we continued to explore the streets, with frequent stops inside shops.  For Easter, my grandparents had given me a little extra spending money and told me to find something fun, and luckily I remembered this as I was shopping. I picked out for myself a beautiful wallet, and small purse, both made in Italy with their beautiful leather. I have already used them both countless times, and am in love with these purchases!

We grabbed the train back at 7:30 and made it back to Florence before 10pm.  After a long day we made it back to Nicole's friend's apartment where we were staying, quickly showered, and crashed.

Moving on to Manarola

Last Friday was another long travel day - but I can't even say I mind it all that much because it means there are even more beautiful places to see.  Caitlin and I spent the morning traveling from Mykonos to Athens, where we then parted ways and I continued onto Rome where I met up with Nicole!  We stayed overnight in Rome with Nicole's friend, and woke up bright and early Saturday morning to continue our travels.  After a quick stop in Florence, to drop off our bags at another one of  Nicole's friend's apartment, we made our way to Manarola - one of the towns in Cinque Terre.  We spent the day walking around, taking in the picturesque sights and marveling at the colorful and unique coastline.  It was another long day in the books, but an unforgettable one at that!  We finished off the night traveling back to Florence where we crashed for the night.