Day 6: Free Day in Firenze!

May 16^th Day 6 Florence:

Kristina's FitBit Information: 10.37 Miles walked & 25,584 Steps

This is the girls’ accountings of our free day in Florence.

Beth: “This day was our free day! We got to choose what we wanted to do on this day, so a group of us went around nine in the morning to climb the Florence Duomo. It was about ten euros for a ticket, and we waited in line for maybe only thirty minutes before we got to the door of the church. We entered and began our journey to the top! Over four hundred steps through tight and dark spiral staircases, around a scaffolding of the church and up a few more almost completely vertical stairways, and we finally made it to the top! The uneasy climb was completely worth it, amazing views of the entire city of Florence, the mountains and the river were completely breathtaking, definitely a view of a lifetime. The marble, gold detailing and murals all over the building are simply inspiring. It really makes you ponder how much time it must have took to complete a building like this.”

Jennie: “We finally had a day to ourselves! We were still coming off of a major swollen ankles epidemic, but many of us decided to start the day by climbing to the top of the Duomo. The Cathedral di Santa Maria del Fiore is a magnificent structure. You walk around the fairly small piazza because the middle is occupied by this breathtaking-in-size-and-architecture building. We climbed the small, steep, castle-like stair cases to the top (which was an experience in itself) where the 360 degree view of the city is just remarkable.”

Kelly: “This is the day I truly fell in love with Florence. Rome was great for all of its historical value and amazing sights, but Florence is where I fell in love with Italy. Florence is less of a touristy city and I think that’s why I took to it so quickly. The people are so friendly, and everything is so close, but it still had a city vibe to it; there’s just something about Florence.

We went to the leather market and explored the Ponte Vecchio. It was also a bit rainy so we had some fun with the hotel umbrellas.  I went pretty hardcore shopping today, but if you give a girl a free day in a city full of leather you can only imagine the damage to her bank account.”

Magen: “Onto another favorite of mine was climbing the Duomo in Florence.  Now I knew that this

Cathedral had a lot of steps, but man! Did it have A LOT of steps! A few of the girls and I made it a plan to go early in the morning so we didn’t have to wait on a long line to climb the steps, and our strategy paid off.”

Taylor V.: “Being on top of what felt like the world and seeing mountains, the incredible Tuscan countryside, churches, ant-sized people, and a bird’s eye view of Florence, home is exactly what it

felt like. Nothing quite puts your miniscule problems into perspective like gazing down on an entire city and realizing how small you really are.”

Taylor M.: “At the very last part of the climb, the stairs were so steep it was like climbing a ladder! It was all worth it because the view from the top of the Duomo was like nothing I have ever experienced before! It was gorgeous and it is something I will never forget! Definitely one of my favorite experiences!

The rest of the day we spent eating and shopping all over Florence! I treated myself to a Gucci wallet that I am really nervous to use, but I think I can get over it quite easily! Melinda and I explored some underground ruins underneath a castle. It was really cool that there were literally between two periods of time, under us were ancient ruins and above us was a very old, but more modern building compared to what lies beneath it. We walked all over Florence and embraced all that the city had to offer! We then met up with the group at the hotel for some wine before dinner, which would become a tradition each night!”

This night we had our first happy hour or “wine:30” back at the hotel. For the remainder of the trip we kept this ritual going of meeting up between 5 and 6:30 to debrief, enjoy local wine, and plan a dinner location.

We all went out to another one of Luke’s recommendations for dinner! An authentic Tuscan restaurant right around the corner from our hotel called Cibreo.

http://www.edizioniteatrodelsalecibreofirenze.it/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=902&Itemid=130

The menu there was quite interesting to say the least, so fresh that the menu items were written in pencil to change or add items at the last minute. We continued our tradition of tasting each other’s food. Victoria and Kelly shared the chicken neck dish (which Kelly did not love), the tripe appetizer and the ox tail stew, which were both beyond appetizing. We were all very nervous about trying these new foods at first, but everything was prepared correctly with all of the freshest ingredients and it was all very good!

Day 5: First Day in Florence

May 15^th Day 5 Florence:

Kristina's FitBit Information: 11.47 Miles walked & 27,411 Steps

Just when I thought this trip could not get any better, we arrived in Florence!

Another early morning took us from the Hotel Atlantico to Termini Train Station. We made it to the train with bags in hand and suitcases rolling behind us. The struggle of fitting American sized suitcases onto Italian train luggage racks was a special kind of crazy. Making sure that everyone had all of their belongings secure made for a stressful train ride.

Taylor V. wrote: “We took the high-speed train to Florence and my big (aka Beth) got crushed in the automatic doors twice before we even fully boarded. We also didn't have anywhere to put our luggage, and the conductor yelled at us for taking up a whole seat with our bags. I thought this foreshadowed a rough day, but thankfully I was wrong.”

On the train, we met two lovely gentlemen, father and son, who were traveling around the world. They were very funny and very entertaining! It was amazing to hear the stories of the places they’d already been and the places they were heading after Italy.

The high speed train was a cool experience as well; it only took us two hours to get to Florence which is normally an almost four hour car ride.

We were greeted almost immediately by our rather handsome SAI agent Pietro. He led us out to the Mercedes vans that were waiting to take us to our home for the next few days, Hotel Arizona! It was a short ride during which Pietro explained to us that Tom Hanks and Ron Howard were in town filming Dante's Inferno. I was hoping to "run into" Mr. Hanks, but no such luck.

Let us tell you about this hotel. The brothers that own it were absolutely great to us during our stay. Their hospitality and friendliness really made this stay memorable, from remembering our room numbers to playing FIFA in the lobby to the complimentary snack and wine our second to last night to coming in extra early to put out breakfast for us the morning we left. Undeniably hospitable.

Once we arrived at the hotel, we found out that there was a leak and that some of us would have to room in quads for a few nights, which was perfectly fine (we had all grown very close since we left the States). While we were waiting for our rooms to be ready, the incredibly hospitable owner/operator, Elton, made us all cappuccinos.

Feeling recharged, we took a walk around the streets and the open air market near our hotel. The store windows had fresh pastries, loaves of bread, and meats all hanging on display. All of the fresh food and produce looked and smelled so good!

After we finally checked in to our rooms, we all walked to Piazza Santa Croce where we would meet our tour guide after a quick lunch.

We met Florinda at the church in Piazza Santa Croce. Florinda is a walking, talking Florentine

history textbook and has a huge personality to match. She took us through all the piazzas and around the sculptures and down winding roads. Taking us through Piazza Santa Croce, explaining all the meaning behind all of the statues and historical buildings, meaningful sites, through all the shopping, Ponte Vecchio, and the Arno rive. The tour was a great way to learn about the city on our first day, as well as an excellent way to become more acclimated with the city so we could go back and visit these sites by ourselves later on.

Kristina wrote: “We also saw the lucky pig and I rubbed its snout for good luck. I also put the coin in its mouth and it landed in the slot, which means I will travel back to Florence! I was one of the only people in our group that tried it, and got it in!”

Kelly said that “it was great to hear about Florence’s history which [she] admittedly knew nothing about before the tour, and [she] loved hearing about the Medici family and the Ponte Vecchio. And when [Florinda] said that Florence was ¼ the size of Rome, I loved Florence more right on the spot.”

When the tour was finished, some of the girls went back to the hotel and others found a wine bar where they got a bottle of Chianti until our welcome dinner.

After getting back to Hotel Arizona to freshen up a little bit, we all walked to the Duomo to meet Reagan, another one of our SAI representatives. She took us to the restaurant Coquinrius. http://www.coquinarius.it/#filter=.home We had fresh bread with oil and balsamic to start, along with an array of appetizers: pesto wraps, pate and jam, cubed polenta topped with cheese, filled zucchini bites, and cheese wrapped in mushroom, accompanied with a chilled prosecco. Our second appetizer was one that was my favorite of the whole trip, a smooth spread of goat cheese on a crostini bread, topped with apricot jam and a mint leaf! Perfectly salty, tangy, minty and sweet. For our main course, we got to try a serving of both a pasta stuffed with pear and parmesan on top, as well as a think spaghetti like pasta with chianina meat ragu. Finally, we finished off with the dinner with a delicious dessert of berry pie, cheese cake, or chocolate cake. What a perfect meal to end our first day in Florence.

Kristina said that her “favorite meal of the trip was this night where we had shareable dishes at first. Our dinner was meat and pasta and stuffed ravioli with pears filling. It was so delicious and unlike anything [she had] ever had before! At night some of us went to a few bars, which was very fun.”

Melinda thought that “the food was delicious, as to be expected. The highlight of the meal was definitely the bruschetta with goat cheese and fig jam and the pasta pocket with peaches and cheese. Both so simple and so delectable.”

Tamara said that the “cheese ravioli with pistachio pesto and the cheesecake was amazing, every bite!”

Victoria wrote that this “dinner was a great way to conclude our first night in Florence.”

Jennie had a funny, personal anecdote about this particular day. She wrote: “this was the day my sister got married: 5/15/15. It was just a small backyard wedding, since my sister really wanted the date. Had she been able to do a bigger wedding I would have been the maid of honor. So while we were in Italy I basically knew what day it was, but not the numerical date and I hadn’t realized it was the 15^th. I texted my dad that night to let him know all was good and he replied as usual. Then he sent a second text, “your sister is getting married in a few minutes.” Like oh by the way! MINUTES! Meanwhile I’m in a hotel room ready for bed on the other side of the world. It was comical, but I am happy for her!”

At the end of our first day in Florence, Taylor V. realized that “Rome was incredible, but [she] could’ve spent the rest of [her] life in Firenze.” 

Day 4: Last Day in Rome

May 14^th Day 4 Rome:

Kristina's FitBit Information: 9.68 Miles walked & 23,389 Steps

On this day, we woke up rather early to meet our tour guide in the lobby to go and visit the Ancient City of Rome and the Colosseum. After about fifteen minutes of walking, we got to the entrance, got our ticket scanned, and entered the ancient city! This was one of my favorite days; our tour guide was so friendly and so knowledgeable and passionate when it came to explaining all of the ancient artifacts, buildings, and locations.

Angela Processione’s tour of the entertainment facility, the Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill was unbelievable. Angela was one of the best guides we had on the trip, and she definitely made the tour much more interesting. She spoke with such enthusiasm that it made you excited to hear about the ruins and the history that lies within their walls. She was excited to teach us and we were excited to learn, which made for a fantastic day and fantastic conversation.

The structures in this part of Rome are made up of layers and layers of architecture that vary in style. Each type is from a different time period and they all have different meanings. The biggest building clearly had four different types of architecture: one from ancient Roman times, one from medieval times, all the way up to present day! It was amazing to see so much history in one building. After explaining that structure, Angela then pointed out the exact location where Julius Caesar was cremated. She also showed us a mini pictorial flip chart of how everything looked back then when all of the buildings and structures were intact; the before and after pictures really helped us to understand what we were looking at.

Being in a location so renowned that has such magnitude of history was quite extraordinary. One of the most fascinating facts that had our group thinking was about the Roman Forum and all of its pagan ruins. These ruins were once intentionally covered by the Christians and then built upon. Now much of them are uncovered, but you can still see the burial lines.

The buildings, the architecture, and the history that ties it all together made for an educational and exciting experience. We walked around statues and through archways that commemorated rulers’ victories from hundreds of thousands of years ago. Angela then guided us up a steep slope to Palatine Hill where we saw what is left of the houses of the ruling class of Rome. We even got to see the personal fighting pit that would entertain the upper echelon of Roman society.

After that we walked back down Palatine Hill onto the street to go over to the Coliseum itself. It’s hard to believe that the structure is real, even when it’s right in front of you. The Coliseum was the setting for the famous Roman gladiators and was the entertainment hub in ancient times. We walked around inside to see what it originally looked like, how people were seated, and how the trap doors worked to bring different animals into the arena. There is so much history and mystery within this one building alone. The circumstances and bouts that gladiators would be put through leaves a lot to the imagination, which is appropriate for a monument belonging to ancient times.

We all got some great pictures on this amazing tour and it was a fantastic beginning to our day. On our way back to the hotel, we stopped at a small deli where we all picked up a fresh prosciutto and arugula sandwich to eat before our next event.

After our quick bite to eat and wash-up at Hotel Atlantico, we got back onto the metro with Lisa to Spagna. We first stopped at Il Palazzetto, where the International Wine Academy of Rome is held, to have our sommelier-led wine tasting. Then we headed across the street to have a tour of the Hassler Hotel.

Fortunately, on this day we had the great pleasure of meeting the owner of both hotels, Roberto Wirth.  He was on property and was gracious enough to greet us and introduce himself. 

http://www.abilitymagazine.com/lemmon_wirth.html

What an incredible experience. Our sommelier was named Jovica Todorovic and he was truly passionate about

wines and their presence and uniqueness. His expert knowledge and skill really brought the wines to life. 

Our first wine that we tried was a Tuscany Chardonnay, a warm yellow in color, with a citrus and almost buttery flavor. The second was Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, a 2014 rose that had a taste similar to sweet cherries. Our third wine was Ceretto Nebbiolo D’alba, a 2012 deep red wine that had a berry yet oak-y flavor to it. Finally, our last wine we tasted was almost a Brunello, Alta Mora Etna Rosso, a robust almost spicy darker wine. Each of the wines was simply delicious in their own way.

Jovica explained to us his philosophies of wine; how each wine has a different sense in every single different moment of the day and with every single different dish. He compared wine to a book, how you would enjoy different wines at different times and in different places. He explained that some are more complicated, yet others are more light and simple. His attitude towards wine was that it plays together with food; food makes the wine experience better, and wine enhances the taste of food.

Jennie wrote that “hearing [this] information in Italy and saying ‘Yes, I’ve heard that before!’ really helps reinforce what we have learned [back home].”

Throughout the tasting, we were given small breads, cheeses, quiches, and sandwiches to have with the wines and everything was delicious.

Afterwards, we got to take a tour of Il Palazzetto, which is used for events and meeting spaces as well as the wine academy. They had a beautiful venue with a patio, elegant dining space, as well as a bar and lounge room. Upstairs was an elegant rooftop restaurant and bar that we walked through on our way to tour the Hassler Hotel.  http://www.hotelhasslerroma.com

The Hassler Hotel sits at the top of the Spanish Steps with a glorious panoramic view of Rome.

Tamara explained that we went to visit and explore “what a five star hotel looked like from every floor. This experience we may not have been able to get [on our own]. Just being in the Hassler it felt like I was going to be in debt.”

No pictures were allowed at this point. As we entered, the luxurious lobby was home to beautiful marble structuring, wooden accents and elegant furniture. We were escorted by our tour guide to the back of the hotel and out onto a patio that is the Palm Court Restaurant and Bar. It was beautifully set and decorated; there was even ivy and foliage growing along the back stone wall. To the right as we walked in was a spectacular neon blue bar with high bar seating and water features flowing down the sides. One of the bartenders came up to us and asked how we were and gave us some insight about this bar, the hotel itself, what he’s seen since he’s been working there, and what guest are looking for in a luxury property experience. We even got to take a look at the menu which was full of signature cocktails with fresh local ingredients. All of the associates there were respectful, friendly, knowledgeable, and professional.

Jennie said that “as a hospitality major, [she] always enjoys hotel tours. Tours introduce students to new aspects of the hotel industry and give insight that students could not otherwise get.”

Next we all went up an elevator to the 6th floor to see Imago, a panoramic Michelin starred restaurant with a spectacular view over the city. Such a beautiful restaurant! As we walked through, we noticed that all the tables were set perfectly and identically, not a wrinkle in sight or silverware out of place. It takes over six months to even get a reservation at this restaurant, imagine how memorable the experience must be!

Melinda wrote that "the Hassler and Palazzetto Hotels are beautiful and spotless. They show off the high fashion and elegance of Italian culture that we, as college students, don't get to see very often. Watching the waitors polish the silver before dinner service and seeing the plush stools for purses are just a few examples of the level of service provided at the Hassler's restaurant." 

Magen said that her favorite part “of the Hassler tour was the unexpected tour of the Hotel’s Michelin Star restaurant with views of the entire city of Rome. [She] knew the restaurant was top-notch when [she] saw that there was little ottoman-like furniture next to the tables so the women’s bags did not have to touch the floor… now that’s classy!”

After our hotel tour, we took a nice walk through the city and over the river to a scenic park with a beautiful overlook of Rome.

From here we went right to dinner at another spot near Via del Corso called Palatium. http://www.enotecapalatium.com/#_=_

This was another Luke Palladino recommended restaurant. 

Kelly said that “it was the first time [she] tried lamb, and [she] thought it was delicious. [She] was more open to trying some new things on the trip.”

We started out with some appetizers of fresh olives, cheeses, and meats on a wooden platter, with a fresh chilled bottle of a 2014 white, Satrico Casale del Giglio that had a crisp apple flavor.

The food was delicious and the wine was even more so. We laughed and talked and of course ate. We reminisced about the days that had passed since arriving in Italy and discussed what we were excited about for Florence. 

Taylor M. wrote that “[She] had delicious gnochhi and of course we had a fantastic wine selection. It was nice to eat all together for our last meal in Rome!”

Jennie said that “this [dinner] concluded possibly one of the most filled, action-packed days we had…and [it was her] favorite. J”

Day 3: Vatican City

May 13^th Day 3 Rome:

Kristina's FitBit Information: 10.9 Miles walked & 24,212 steps

Bright eyed and bushy tailed we were as we departed for Vatican City at 8 am and met Lisa again in the lobby of the hotel to get back on the metro and head for Vatican City! All of us got dressed up due to the dress code which we all took advantage of in our own way. What it came down to was most of us wearing maxi skirts and dresses.

When we arrived and on our journey walking toward the Vatican Museum, Lisa took us through a market place where vendors and local farmers and fisherman came to sell their products. The sights and smells were wonderful, fresh and bright. We all wished we could have come to shop there every day.

Our guide, Angela, took us through the vast Musei Vaticani. In a way we were lucky. Every Wednesday the Pope makes his address in St. Peter’s Square, which means less crowds in the museum. We were able to walk around through countless galleries and halls with ease.

The piece de resistance of the day was getting to see the Sistine Chapel.  Angela walked us through the panels and paintings before we went inside, but there aren’t enough words to capture the beauty that surrounds you in the small chapel. Each fresco is more beautiful than the next. DaVinci’s attention to detail is unmatched and the Sistine Chapel alone was worth the trip there.

Taylor M. wrote “She told us the stories behind the panels painted on the ceiling and the walls of the Sistine Chapel, which I found very interesting and it definitely made me appreciate it more when we got into the Chapel because I had a better understanding of what I was looking at. I also learned a lot about Leonardo di Vinci and the type of guy he was, which was fascinating! The Sistine Chapel was absolutely breathtaking! There is something to see in every corner of the room. Of course you have to remain silent when inside the Chapel and no pictures are permitted, but it's hard to stay quiet and control the restraint to capture the beauty that surrounds you when you are in such a sacred and beautiful place!

Jennie C. wrote “I would like to mention that all of our tour guides on this trip were enthusiastic, welcoming, and knew their facts. Also, as a side note, the guided tours were the best way to visit the attractions. Yes famous artifacts like the Coliseum and the David are magnificent, but it is much better to have a guide there every step of the way to explain the history and interesting facts that you would not have otherwise known. For instance, Angela told the tales of Michelangelo and I now have much respect for the brazenness of the artist during the Renaissance Period.”

Magen wrote “Since I have been there before and have studied Renaissance art for my Art History minor, I knew a lot of what the tour guide was talking about, but that did not stop me from being completely in awe of the art and the history that we saw.” 

Taylor V. wrote “We learned a lot about Michelangelo on this tour since the Sistine Chapel was a big part of it, and the more I learned the more fascinated by him I was. I bought a poster of the Last Judgment because Michelangelo put so many personal elements into it, and really made the painting his own. Speaking of the Sistine Chapel, it is very against the rules to take any pictures of it. It was just so beautiful and I was so Michelangelo obsessed, however, I thought about trying to sneak a picture anyway. That is, until a very scary guard was sneaking up on people taking pictures and screaming at them to get out. That deterred me a bit, and I decided to just study as much of the Chapel as I could so that I’d never forget it. Seeing something so incredibly beautiful up close and personal is very easy to remember. I would have loved to spend all day studying the artwork of the Vatican and falling in love with the armed guards of Vatican City, but unfortunately we had an itinerary to uphold.”

Taylor M. wrote “After we left the Chapel, we attempted to make our way to St. Peter's Square. On the way, I stopped at one of the jewelry counters and bought myself a gold St. Anthony medallion to wear on my necklace with my gold horn. I was very excited about this as it was a goal of mine to get it specifically from the Vatican on this trip! I immediately put it on my necklace and have not taken it off since! I also purchased a Pope bobble head after our museum tour right outside the walls of the city, he would then go all over Rome and Florence with me and I took pictures of him at every site to document his travels.”

Tamara wrote “This trip really showed that tourism will truly always survive”

We stepped out of the chapel and walked around to one of the entrances into St. Peter’s Square only to find that it was still closed after the Papal Address’ conclusion. We left to get lunch and then headed back to explore. A few of the gals ate at a small ristorante across the way from St. Peters Square called L’insalata Ricca, we ordered the best fresh bruschetta and tomatoes, fabulous avocado salad with fresh tomatoes, corn, mozzarella, and arugula with balsamic dressing.

Jennie wrote “We separated for lunch, where I had my first authentic Italian pizza. Remembering what I learned from my pizza presentation during the semester, I knew that Italians eat their pizza with a fork and knife. The wait staff was friendly and charming giving the restaurant an approachable atmosphere, as is with the majority of restaurants in Italy.”

We returned back to the open piazza and tried to take in everything that is St. Peter’s Square (as well as some Vitamin D). We tried to get into the basilica but the line was wrapped halfway around the square. It wasn’t meant to be this time around. But it does give us all a reason to come back to Rome!

We were back on metro and rode it to Barbarini where we met Lisa to go to the Rome Tourist Office for an overview of tourism from Rome’s perspective. Two of the ladies in that office gave us a lovely  presentation, they explained to us that the two main factors for tourism in Rome are cultural and religious: cultural of archaeology, history of art, and independent metropolitan culture, and religious as the capital of Christianity and home of the Pope. Other important sections of their tourism include wine and food tourism, educational tourism, and congress tourism, as well as sustainable and cinema tourism, shopping, and tourism adapted to the needs of the disabled. They promote Rome through national and international travel fairs, communication campaigns, online, and through social media. They mentioned as well that their top three arrivals to Rome are tourists from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany. The representatives in this office also explained to us the city tax, it consists of a per day per person tax applying only to the first 10 nights of stay, applied to guests of establishments providing accommodation in locations classified as tourism resorts or art cities. Three star hotels are four euros for the tax, four star hotels are six euros, and five star hotels are seven euros. Over all they gave us a thorough and interesting presentation, and even gave us small Rome info bags as we left to learn even more about the city.

The gals separated into groups for the evening. One group ended up back at the Piazza della Popola and then at an Italian supermarket. They decided to buy wine, cheese, and meat to share.

Melinda wrote “Sitting in the lobby, drinking wine and chatting with friends was definitely the perfect end to a tiring day in the sun.”

Day 2: Dubbed “Jet Lag Day” by Jennie

May 12^th Day 2 Rome:

Kristina's FitBit Information: 8.6 Miles walked & 21,300 Steps

Victoria wrote “Waking up is always a struggle for me, but on the first morning in Rome it was the easiest thing to do.”

Kristina wrote on day 2 “My feet were already starting to hurt from all of the walking!

 After eating breakfast in the hotel which had a wide variety of food from meats, cheeses, baked goods, and fruits, We made our way to the meeting room located in the Hotel Arizona. After we  had our fill of fresh cappuccinos and pastries, we all came together in a meeting room in Hotel Atlantico to learn about the Tourism Industry in Italy from Maria Picardi, a tourism marketing expert.

Maria’s knowledge and passion for her line of work was evident throughout her talk with us.

She explained to us that Italy was the 5^th country in the world for tourism, and 3^rd in international arrivals, and that the twenty different regions in Italy are like twenty separate countries. Italian hotels are moving from a traditional style to more of a unique bed and breakfast style that are cheaper and more cosmopolitan. Their tourism has benefited greatly this year from the Universal Milano Expo, from May 1^st to October 31^st, showcasing 140 countries about their ideas and philosophies of technology sufficient food for everyone with a nutritional focus. Maria then explained to us that Italy’s website for travel opportunities was verybello.IT, and Italy’s official tourism website is italia.IT. In the year 2011, Italy changed their tourism by assigning their different regions full legislation for their own autonomy in tourism. It is now up to them independently to find their own funding. Maria believes this is not efficient. There are separate regional boards, each with their own website for tourism. Also in 2011, a new city tax was enforced in Italy to be spent on transportation and heritage sites. This tax is prevalent in hotels, but it is different per hotel and their standards. This tax the guest has to pay may be on a separate bill, and may have to be in cash. This tax has even made some cities too expensive and has begun to defer tourists. It was interesting to learn how Italy is benefitting and adjusting to their incoming tourists, hopefully in the future they will be able to gain an even better understanding of how each region of Italy can make tourism work for them.

Some of the ladies went to this cute little restaurant around the corner from the hotel and Kelly wrote “it was like a scene from a movie, Italian wine, pasta, and the setting outside was something I never experienced anything like in America. It is the norm there to just be able to sit at a table off the sidewalk and basically in the street. And toward the end of the meal, a guy with an accordion came out and started playing music. Molto Belle!”

Another group said they found a cute little restaurant called la Pastorita. They wrote “We sat al fresco and watched the people bustling about during their afternoon breaks. Ours was definitely the best seat in the house as we got to watch the servers prepare all of the desserts.. From panna cotta to gelato to molten chocolate cakes, that scene was enough to make our mouths water.”

Back to the hotel we travelled to meet up with Lisa, the director of European programs for SAI. Lisa took us onto the subway for the first time (an experience that was both familiar and completely foreign).

Melinda wrote “The best part about Italian subways is that there are only two lines, which leads to a lot less confusion and need to switch trains. From the train we boarded a streetcar, which was mind boggling. It was hard for me to picture a city as ancient and urban as Rome with streetcars.”

We arrived at Parco della Musica, a magnificent auditorium for concerts, festivals, and music events. It was a beautiful space, multiple dome like theatres with thousands of seats, wooden ceilings, and an open amphitheatre. Our tour guide showed us all of the different rooms and described to us all of the different possibilities for events and how many people they could accommodate.

Taylor M. wrote “My favorite part of the visit to the site was getting to hear performers practice singing opera as we walked between the two halls. I just wanted to sit and listen for hours!”

 Afterwards, we all came together in a class room a learned a lot about how Parco della Musica is marketed, an average ticket price, and how they work with their budget every year when booking multiple events. It was truly an inspirational space, known for bringing people together from all over the world to celebrate music and the arts.

However, the timing of this lecture was less than ideal.  The effects of jet lag were in full force and it was difficult to keep from dozing off during the lecture. This was totally understandable just unfortunate. Some of the funny comments are below.

 “This is where things get interesting. This presentation ended up begin over an hour and was the first time we had all sat down and relaxed since we arrived in Rome. This ended with most of us falling asleep or continuously nodding off throughout the entire presentation. I was in the back of the room and you could tell those who had given in to the sleep and though who fought it due to the fact that they kept jerking awake. I was in the group that fought the sleep but in end lost the battle until I jerked awake so badly half the girls saw me. This may seem like a poor reflection on the presentation but I believe what it came down to was that we were all feeling the jet leg and the tour guide did not know her audience which led to a dragged out presentation.  In the end we all survived and made it out, hopefully without offending the guide to much.

Someone else wrote “We then went downstairs and filed into a classroom for an extensive lecture on the financials of the place, which after a long hot day in the sun was the perfect recipe for a nap. It was hard to fight off sleep during those two and a half hours if I’m being completely honest, although our guide was very knowledgeable (just a bit monotone).”

Later we all went out and explored Via del Corso, a shopping and dining center in Rome.   We headed back on the streetcar to la Piazza della Popola where we stayed to explore and search for the Pantheon.

Victoria wrote “Now I don’t mean to brag but I have a pretty good sense of direction but the streets in Rome are like a code you need cipher decode to find your final destination. Now I am not complaining getting lost in Rome is what makes the experience more memorable in my opinion. However doing it with thirteen girls makes this more difficult but as always we found our way, making it all worth it.

The Piazza itself is a huge open area where street performers and men selling selfie-sticks are abundant. We ended up visiting the Piazza della Popola multiple times during our stay in Rome, but every time we saw the same elderly couple sitting by the fountain, singing and playing the accordion. It was such a cute picture and just very endearing. As for the Pantheon, we walked and walked and then walked some more. We passed various high end shops, a building that looked like it was a foreign embassy, and a really cool old bookstore that was so full, and books seemed to be busting out from every opening of the building. After asking directions at a tourist info stand, we found the Pantheon. It is an amazing sight to turn a corner and BAM it feels like you’re thrown back into ancient times. The Pantheon inside and out, is a beautiful structure that is so peaceful. One step inside (and away from the men selling cheap camera tripods) and it really takes you back to an ancient time.

All of the buildings and historic structures in Rome are breathtaking; everything has so much meaning behind it, right down to the cobblestones!

For dinner, we ate at La Barrique, one of the restaurants that Luke Palladino recommended for us, also one that has been mentioned in the New York Times! This was a small farm to table restaurant located around the Cavour stop. For us this was in walking distance which was beyond amazing. While looking for the restaurant at one point we turned around and saw the Coliseum.

Victoria wrote “This was amazing to me because the people of the city take it for granted when I have learned about this historical structure throughout my education. I never once thought I would be walking around the streets of Rome and just casually see this buildings as if it were a just like a library.”

We started out or meal with zucchini pie and fresh buffalo mozzarella on a bed of arugula.

Almost all restaurants in Italy are small, so we split into four groups to sit at different tables. Italians tend to eat much later then Americans, thus the later restaurants we ate at in large groups we arrived early enough to get tables pushed together.

Jennie wrote “I stoked myself up to try sweetbreads, and much to my disappointment they ran out. I settled for the beef tartar, which was equally delicious as everything else we ordered that night.”

Some of our menu items that evening included  zucchini pie and fresh buffalo mozzarella on a bed of arugula  perfectly tender pork chop with fried potato slices and a sweet mustard, paired with a 2013 Poggio al Ginperi, lemon ravioli, meatballs, grilled octopus with chickpeas and sesame seeds and incredibly authentic and fresh tiramisu!

Victoria wrote “This dinner I sat with Jennie, Magen, and Morgan. This gave me a chance to get to know other students than the six I had originally went knowing.  We shared wine and talked about

ourselves and our lives back home and our shared joy with being on this once in a life time trip.

Beth wrote “Another unforgettable meal.”