Hello everyone!

So as promised yesterday, here is Shivani’s first blog post! But first, a quick shout out to her! Shivani has been there for me in so many ways these past few years and I know college wouldn’t have been the same without her. Since her very first blog post, she graduated from Maryland (YOU GO GIRL!) and has been enjoying her summer, which you can clearly tell in the next few posts! Shivani, I’m super honored you think of me as an older sister, and am lucky to have you in my life!

Before I get too sappy, I must change the subject and talk about Italy!! I was going to post this later in the day because I’m in the car right now with my family, headed to these beautiful gardens that I’ve been pestering them to go to, but I couldn’t contain my excitement to share this post!

So this is her feature post on Italy, focusing on Florence, Venice, Vatican City, and Rome!

Also don’t miss her pun in the title 😉

Florence: A City at the Heart of the Renaissance

First night in Italy, and I was already wine drunk…let’s just say, this seemed to be a reoccurring theme during my time in Italy 😉 Specifically, it was pizza, wine, and gelato on repeat for a week. It was fine though, because my tour director really made sure we burned off those calories! We went on walking tours around Florence and got to see some of the highlights of the city (i.e. Ponte Vecchio, Duomo Cathedral, and Michelangelo’s David). We even hiked to the Piazzo de Michelangelo where we watched the sunset with a bottle of wine like the locals. One skill I learned on this trip was how to dress for a sunset hike but also going out. Most restaurants do not open until after the sunsets so its immediately time to hit the bars post dinner. And that is exactly what we did! Saluté!

Venice: You’re GONDA like it Here

Did you even go to Venice if you didn’t ride a gondola around the Grand Canal? But honestly, the gondola ride was probably one of the scariest yet most fun experience on my trip. You constantly feel as if you’re about to tip right over into the river, and it doesn’t help when you don’t know how to swim! But taking in the city through a gondola ride was the best way to do it. There’s no city in the world quite like Venice, there’s just something about the salty air from the Grand Canal, whir of boats and people roaming through the alleys. Seriously though, it feels like you’re in a maze trying to make your way through their alleys. I can’t lie, if there was any city I would like to get lost in, its Venice, hands down.

Vatican City: Home of the Pope

They take their dress code very seriously in the Vatican. It was 90 degrees, and I was forced to cover my entire body, but it was totally worth it. The Sistine Chapel and Basilica are some of those most beautiful places I’ve seen! Unfortunately, we didn’t get to meet the Pope though ☹

Rome: Where Dreams Are Made Of

Three days were spent living like Lizzie McGuire in the city of Rome! We visited the Spanish Steps, where Lizzie and Paolo signed autographs, Roman Colosseum, where the International Video Music Awards were held, and of course the famous Trevi Fountain, where Lizzie spots Paolo for the first time. There’s so much more to see in Rome and wherever you go, you will recognize the scenery from Hollywood movies (especially if you’re an avid movie watcher like myself).

Alright, confession time: every time I’m in a foreign country I hope that magically I’d pull a Lizzie McGuire … then I remember that I can’t sing, and to my knowledge have no lookalikes that are celebrity sensations, and I’m fall slowly back into reality

Tune in tomorrow for Shivani’s second blog post, where she visits the Greek Islands!

See all of Shivani’s guest blog posts here!

Until tomorrow 🙂

xo

Sandhya

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