I was looking at a map of Italy the other day and I'm now proud to say that I have traveled through the entire Italian Peninsula. Our ferry back from Greece docked in Bari, which is basically at the bottom of the Italian Peninsula (or very close). We got off in Bari and drove all the way to Pompeii. On the way to Pompeii, we got to drive through and see some of Naples, which I was not too impressed by, being that I saw it as Italy's version of Bremerton. Not so into the Navy towns. Pompeii was an interesting place, but would've been better if it wasn't down-pouring rain. We didn't even get to see the Vesuvius because it was so cloudy, but it was quite an interesting site to visit.
Afterward, we continued onto Rome, where we would spend the next three nights and see a few famous and beautiful things. Our first day in Rome, we had a guides tour with a professional tour guide who took us to the Early Christian sites of Rome, the Catacombs of Domitilla, and St. Paul's Basilica. In the afternoon, we went to visit the Colosseum and Roman Forum. After seeing all those pictures of the Colosseum, there I was standing in it. I even walked the whole perimeter of the inside, but sadly again, it was still raining. But we still managed to get to the Trevi Fountain to make a wish and to the Spanish Steps. At the end of the day I was soaking wet. Unfortunately, doesn't have a very good metro system like all the other major European cities do. The city of Rome only has two main metro lines. This is because there are so many ancient ruins underneath the city and having a huge and efficient metro line system would interfere with and damage these ruins, which makes perfect sense. But still, it makes transportation in Rome a thousand times worse than Seattle.
The next day in Rome, was our visit of the Vatican. At first we went and visited the Vatican Museum, which led us to the Sistine Chapel. Standing inside the Sistine Chapel was phenomenal! Realizing that I only learned about this renowned chapel nine years ago as a 11-year-old homeschooled student, I was actually looking up at the real painted frescoes of Michelangelo. They were all so much bigger than I was expecting them to be. I was in total awe the entire time I was in the Sistine Chapel and could have spent an hour in there.
We were fortunate enough to get a free day in Rome on our last day there. I got to go to several churches that I've been learning about in my art history class, such as Il Gesu, Santa Maria della Vittoria, and San Pietro in Vincoli, which holds Michelangelo's famous marble statue of Moses. It was nice not having to follow a tight schedule and to just go at our own pace. After looking at all the places we've been learning about, me and a few other girls I hung out with that day, ate the most delicious pizza, pastries, and gelato one could have in Italy. We were extremely full afterward and spent the rest of the afternoon shopping. On our way back to the metro, we stopped to visit the Pantheon and then to fabulous coffee bar that serves really good cappuccinos for only 1 euro. I was so grateful that the sun finally decided to reveal itself on our last day in Rome and give it some blue sky. I was able to go back to Trevi Fountain and make a second wish and get some better pictures and climb the Spanish Steps without slipping and then look over the beautiful city at the top.
We left Rome the next day, departing for Assisi. Assisi is cute little Italian town situated on a hill and is home to two famous saints: St. Francis and St. Clara. There we visited the Church of Santa Chiara (St. Clara) and St. Francis Basilica. The inside of St. Francis was very unique with some very interesting frescoes. It was a very nice town to visit and I believe that it was where I had the best pizza in all of Italy.
Our next stop was a three-night stay in Florence, which was my favorite place of the entire tour and now my favorite Italian city. Afterall, Florence did take the place of Rome as the capital of Italian art in the 15th Century. The Florence of Cathedral, which we have learned a great deal about in art history, was very fascinating. Not so much the interior of the building, but the exterior. In addition, the cathedral has a Baptistery with gilded bronze doors, which are referred to as the "Doors to Paradise" as well as a campanile (bell tower) designed by Giotto. Florence is also home to two famous art museums; the Uffizi Gallery, which displays Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus" and the Academia Gallery, which displays Michelangelo's beautiful statue of "David." Out of the number of art galleries I have visited within the past six months, I now rank the Uffizi my number one. That leaves the Musee D'Orsay as my second, Louvre my third, Museo del Prado in Madrid, and the Musee Marmotton (Monet) in Paris. I now find it hilarious when I think back to the 11-year-old girl I was who had no appreciation whatsoever for art. And now here I am studying art history, visiting many famous art museums, and minoring in Music. Funny how things turn out. Besides art galleries, Florence has many fascinating churches, such as the Medici Chapel San Lorenzo, Santa Maria dell Carmine, Santa Maria Novella, and Santa Croce, which we have also been studying in our art history course. Florence was so beautiful and your perfect average Italian city. After talking to my mom the other day, I also learned that I walked across the very bridge that my grandpa got into Florence by while serving in World War II as it was the only bridge still standing.
On March 7th, we headed to Padua, our final destination of our three-week-long spring tour. On the way to Padua, we stopped in the small town of Ravenna, which is home to the famous churches of San Vitale and Sant'Appolinare. San Vitale is well known for its mosaics, which we have studied a great deal in art history. They are very beautiful mosaics. Later that evening we arrived in Padua. Out hotel was far away from the city center so we didn't go visit the actual city until the next day. Padua was a nice little Itallian town, but many things were closed the day we were there due to it being Mardi Gras. There we visited the Capella Scovegni, which consists of many frescoes by Giotto, St. Anthony's Basillica, and the Gattamelata Sculture by Donatello. From Florence onwards, everything from our art textbook was coming to life. You have no idea how much more I've learned to appreciate art after visiting all these amazing museums, churches, and sites.
Now I'm back in Salzburg, with only 2 months left until I head back to America. I'm having so many mixed feeling about coming home, but all I should really do now is enjoy this beauty and culture that's in front of me this very moment.
Afterward, we continued onto Rome, where we would spend the next three nights and see a few famous and beautiful things. Our first day in Rome, we had a guides tour with a professional tour guide who took us to the Early Christian sites of Rome, the Catacombs of Domitilla, and St. Paul's Basilica. In the afternoon, we went to visit the Colosseum and Roman Forum. After seeing all those pictures of the Colosseum, there I was standing in it. I even walked the whole perimeter of the inside, but sadly again, it was still raining. But we still managed to get to the Trevi Fountain to make a wish and to the Spanish Steps. At the end of the day I was soaking wet. Unfortunately, doesn't have a very good metro system like all the other major European cities do. The city of Rome only has two main metro lines. This is because there are so many ancient ruins underneath the city and having a huge and efficient metro line system would interfere with and damage these ruins, which makes perfect sense. But still, it makes transportation in Rome a thousand times worse than Seattle.
The next day in Rome, was our visit of the Vatican. At first we went and visited the Vatican Museum, which led us to the Sistine Chapel. Standing inside the Sistine Chapel was phenomenal! Realizing that I only learned about this renowned chapel nine years ago as a 11-year-old homeschooled student, I was actually looking up at the real painted frescoes of Michelangelo. They were all so much bigger than I was expecting them to be. I was in total awe the entire time I was in the Sistine Chapel and could have spent an hour in there.
We were fortunate enough to get a free day in Rome on our last day there. I got to go to several churches that I've been learning about in my art history class, such as Il Gesu, Santa Maria della Vittoria, and San Pietro in Vincoli, which holds Michelangelo's famous marble statue of Moses. It was nice not having to follow a tight schedule and to just go at our own pace. After looking at all the places we've been learning about, me and a few other girls I hung out with that day, ate the most delicious pizza, pastries, and gelato one could have in Italy. We were extremely full afterward and spent the rest of the afternoon shopping. On our way back to the metro, we stopped to visit the Pantheon and then to fabulous coffee bar that serves really good cappuccinos for only 1 euro. I was so grateful that the sun finally decided to reveal itself on our last day in Rome and give it some blue sky. I was able to go back to Trevi Fountain and make a second wish and get some better pictures and climb the Spanish Steps without slipping and then look over the beautiful city at the top.
We left Rome the next day, departing for Assisi. Assisi is cute little Italian town situated on a hill and is home to two famous saints: St. Francis and St. Clara. There we visited the Church of Santa Chiara (St. Clara) and St. Francis Basilica. The inside of St. Francis was very unique with some very interesting frescoes. It was a very nice town to visit and I believe that it was where I had the best pizza in all of Italy.
Our next stop was a three-night stay in Florence, which was my favorite place of the entire tour and now my favorite Italian city. Afterall, Florence did take the place of Rome as the capital of Italian art in the 15th Century. The Florence of Cathedral, which we have learned a great deal about in art history, was very fascinating. Not so much the interior of the building, but the exterior. In addition, the cathedral has a Baptistery with gilded bronze doors, which are referred to as the "Doors to Paradise" as well as a campanile (bell tower) designed by Giotto. Florence is also home to two famous art museums; the Uffizi Gallery, which displays Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus" and the Academia Gallery, which displays Michelangelo's beautiful statue of "David." Out of the number of art galleries I have visited within the past six months, I now rank the Uffizi my number one. That leaves the Musee D'Orsay as my second, Louvre my third, Museo del Prado in Madrid, and the Musee Marmotton (Monet) in Paris. I now find it hilarious when I think back to the 11-year-old girl I was who had no appreciation whatsoever for art. And now here I am studying art history, visiting many famous art museums, and minoring in Music. Funny how things turn out. Besides art galleries, Florence has many fascinating churches, such as the Medici Chapel San Lorenzo, Santa Maria dell Carmine, Santa Maria Novella, and Santa Croce, which we have also been studying in our art history course. Florence was so beautiful and your perfect average Italian city. After talking to my mom the other day, I also learned that I walked across the very bridge that my grandpa got into Florence by while serving in World War II as it was the only bridge still standing.
On March 7th, we headed to Padua, our final destination of our three-week-long spring tour. On the way to Padua, we stopped in the small town of Ravenna, which is home to the famous churches of San Vitale and Sant'Appolinare. San Vitale is well known for its mosaics, which we have studied a great deal in art history. They are very beautiful mosaics. Later that evening we arrived in Padua. Out hotel was far away from the city center so we didn't go visit the actual city until the next day. Padua was a nice little Itallian town, but many things were closed the day we were there due to it being Mardi Gras. There we visited the Capella Scovegni, which consists of many frescoes by Giotto, St. Anthony's Basillica, and the Gattamelata Sculture by Donatello. From Florence onwards, everything from our art textbook was coming to life. You have no idea how much more I've learned to appreciate art after visiting all these amazing museums, churches, and sites.
Now I'm back in Salzburg, with only 2 months left until I head back to America. I'm having so many mixed feeling about coming home, but all I should really do now is enjoy this beauty and culture that's in front of me this very moment.
More neat adventures. I need to check my spelling. I messed up on the last comment. Enjoy your weekend.
ReplyDeleteLove and prayers,
Va.