No journey in Italy would be complete without visiting Rome, and so in November I did so, along with all the Arcadia Students. We got up early in the morning and boarded a bus, and after quite a drive found ourselves entering through one of the old city walls. We stopped briefly at the hotel and then quickly made our way to the Vatican. When you stand in front of it, you know even without entering that this is quite a lavish building.

From there, we went to the Vatican museum. Within a few minutes of entering I found myself in a courtyard with original neoclassical sculptures such as Perseus with the Head of Medusa by Canova — sculptures that I had learned about in an art history class and never dreamt I would see in person. It was also nice to see that the collection included religious art beyond the classical sphere. I remember specifically a painting of the crucifixion painted in what I would describe as an art deco style (I’m not sure if that’s entirely correct). It was a novel, powerful way to depict a scene that I have seen in artwork hundreds of times before. The museum also included works by several notable artists, such as Dalí. However, the art on the walls was not the only kind to be found. The building itself was a work of art, with countless frescoes and mosaic floors with immaculately complex patterns and images.

Finally, I reached the high point, the Sistine Chapel. One cannot help but be struck by a sense of wonder when standing within that chapel. The amount of time it must have taken and the attention to detail are incomprehensible. However, I once again felt as though the place had been robbed of some of its beauty as I did during my stay in Venice. The constrained space, constant movement of people, and shouts of “no foto!” became very distracting at times. And yet how can a problem such as this be solved? Everyone should be allowed a chance to see such a beautiful place, so you cannot limit the entrance, and trying to pace visitors’ entrance into the museum would create extremely long queues. It seems that with increasing international travel, this sort of thing will simply become inherent to the experience.

Following the Vatican Museum, a few friends and I went to the Trevi Fountain. The beautiful sculptures seem to break free from the rock and water to take form. The way the figures seem to be in constant motion parallels the water that is constantly running over them. While we were there we also made our way down to the bottom and each threw a coin over our shoulder and made a wish.

After walking back to the hotel and taking in the city along the way, I was certainly hungry. For dinner that night, we went to a typical pizzeria in the area — the sort of place families and friends would go to have dinner. Once again, the food was delicious, although it wasn’t quite as good as the pizza I had in Sorrento (I’m unsure if I’ll ever find one as good). Some like it hot, and I definitely do, which is why I ordered a pizza with a spicy salame.

The following morning, my friends and I decided to go out on our own so we could see things at our own pace. We took a quick ride on the metro and then went to the Colosseum. The scale of the thing is immense, not just for its own time, but also in ours. I can only imagine how loud the roar of the crowd must have been when it was in use. In some sense it was eerie to stand in such a silent place where countless men must have met their end. Nevertheless it was interesting to learn about the different uses of the structure over time. During one period, they would flood the arena and use it for naval exercises.

We visited the nearby Palatine Hill as well. This hill is believed to be where one of the first imperial palaces was, and according to Roman Mythology, where Romulus and Remus were found by a wolf. Standing next to the massive structures and peering out over huge courtyards, you get a feel for how grandiose these rulers wanted their palace to be. The courtyards and gardens are beautiful today, but they must have been much more so when they were in use. From there we walked to the Roman Forum. This area was central to the ancient Roman civilization. As I passed through I saw remains of countless temples and basilicas, as well as other more common structures. The forum must have been an incredibly busy place during its time.

We continued on and saw many more landmarks, such as the Spanish Steps. However, as the day came to a close it seemed like no matter how many places we had visited within Rome, there was always more to see. It is a truly immense and fascinating city, and it takes more than two days to see everything. Although it was crowded in parts, there were still some interesting people to be found here and there. Near the Roman Forum, there were a couple of well-dressed gents, each with his own style. Also, near the Pantheon there was what I can only describe as a bright-red gypsy lady (although I’m not sure she was a gypsy). Rome is a one of a kind city, and no matter where you go there is always something new to discover and interesting people to meet.

In late October (yes, I know I’m behind…) I had the privilege of my family becoming part of my experience in Italy. My parents, grandparents, aunt & uncle, and little brother all came to visit me in Florence. I met them on the steps of the Duomo and shortly thereafter we went to 4 Leoni, where all the Arcadia students had eaten our first night in Florence (more about this restaurant in coming posts). Some of my family ordered the pasta with pears that I had previously, while others tried different items, but everyone enjoyed their meal. I had pasta with an eggplant pesto, which was delicious — I tried creating something similar at home, but it did not turn out well. Perhaps I will figure it out and then share with you!

The following day, we spent time at many of the major sights in Florence, including the Accademia Gallery and the Uffizi. It was surreal to stand underneath Michelangelo’s David. Replicas simply cannot capture the details and poise that are so apparent in the original. The Uffizi was quite overwhelming as well — although it’s filled with remarkable paintings, I was perhaps more impressed with the countless sculptures that lined the halls. I have always thought that white marble is one of the most beautiful artistic media, but I do now more than ever. That evening we went out for dinner at Trattoria da Tito, which served some tasty dishes typical to Tuscany. I had a fresh pasta with rabbit ragù, which was wonderful and reminded me of a similar meal I had eaten in Siena.

The following day, my parents, little brother and I headed off to Venice for a long weekend. The Alta Velocità train made quick work out of what would otherwise have been a very long journey. We stepped out of the station and into what seemed like a sea of people, but quickly found our bearings and boarded a ferry for our hotel. After getting settled, we went back out into the city to find somewhere to eat. I had written down a restaurant suggested by Fred Plotkin, Vino Vino. Although I had the address as well as a map, we simply could not find it — we walked back and forth, searching for where it might be on Calle del Cafetier. Finally we gave up and decided to find somewhere else to eat. We walked in a different direction and suddenly found ourselves on a continuation of Calle del Cafetier, with Vino Vino just a few steps ahead! The food they served certainly did not disappoint. I had salmon with a red bell pepper sauce and it was delizioso! The sauce was pink and creamy with a little zing from the peppers, but it still allowed the flavorful salmon to shine through. After dinner we walked around for a while and visited Piazza San Marco, which was very beautiful at night. Before heading to bed, we stopped at a cafè by our hotel and had some warm drinks.

The following day, we ate a quick breakfast at the same cafè and then went to Piazza San Marco to see it once more in the daylight. It seemed as though the tower in the square was leaning, but we quickly noticed that this was not an uncommon sight in Venice. It was amazing to see the intricacy of the artisans’ work on the Basilica di San Marco’s elaborate facade. We then walked over to the Ponte di Rialto, another major Venetian landmark. Although the Ponte Vecchio in Florence may also have shops on it, the Rialto bridge has a much greater allure and more powerful presence. It is a beautiful example of Renaissance Architecture with it’s elegant arches, and it still uses the wooden supports it was originally built with. We continued exploring and seeing major interests points here and there, but mostly just taking in the city as a whole.

Later in the day, we reached a point where we weren’t sure what to do. We decided to split up, so my mom and brother went their way while my dad and I went to the Biennale, a giant biennial art international art show featured in Venice. We only had time to visit the Arsenal, but that turned out to be more than enough. There was warehouse after warehouse with installation pieces and handmade works of art ranging from ink and paper drawings to absurd, abstract collages made from found objects. It was highly engaging, almost to the point of being visually overstimulated.

After leaving the Biennial, we rejoined my mom and brother at Piazza San Marco and walked to a restaurant we had spotted earlier that day. Our waiter was a a gray-haired yet energetic gentleman who made some helpful suggestions and brought us a wonderful meal. Afterwards, we strolled just down the street to a nearby gelateria. My little brother had been asking for gelato all day as we saw countless gelato shops. I had to keep telling him to wait because the shops we saw were not good. How did I know? For a dead giveaway, always look at the pistachio (which is a standard flavor at almost any gelateria). If it is a bright yellow-green, this means that it has probably been made with food coloring and perhaps artificial flavoring. Artisanal, natural pistachio will be almost brown in color, with a light tinge of green — nothing extreme. The gelato at this location was a nice treat, despite the cool weather.

The following day I returned to Florence, while my family continued to Rome where they rejoined my grandparents, aunt, and uncle. As we left Venice, I thought of its unmistakeable beauty, yet it felt as though it was a different city than the one described to me. Later on, I overheard someone describe a common criticism of those living near Venice, and it seemed to put my feelings into words. I was told many citizens feel as though it is no longer actually Venice because it has become overrun by tourists and the true Venetians have moved out of the center. Even after the end of tourist season, I still sensed this. The streets already felt crowded by foreigners (such as myself), and I can only imagine what it must be like during the summer. I think this shows just how much the beauty of a place is intertwined with the people that live there — take them away, and the city becomes something else entirely.

My family returned to Florence in the middle of the week, and although I was unable to be with them during the daytime, I was still with them for dinners (the best part!). Their first night back, I showed them how I make red sauce and we ate it with pasta. The following night, I went all-out and made them a full Italian meal. We started with antipasti such as crostini, prosciutto, salame, and some Grana Padano cheese. For the primi, I cooked Penne con Ricotta e Noci, followed by Modenese Veal for the secondo with sauteed zucchini as a contorno. Finally, when they thought they could eat no more, I served pesche cotogne with wine as a dolce. And, of course, this was all served with some wonderful Tuscan wines.

On their last full day in Italy, my family and I went to Sant’Agata Bolognese to visit the Lamborghini factory. This was a treat for all of us, especially Paul and I. It was absolutely incredible to stand mere inches away from cars that are worth possibly more than I will ever earn in my lifetime. Lamborghini clearly had an innovative style and spirit at conception, and although they struggled during the ’90s, it is obvious that they still have it today. One of my favorite cars in the gallery was the Silhouette, which I had little knowledge of prior to visiting. Apparently only 54 are in existence, which is a shame because they are quite beautiful. We also got a tour through the factory, but unfortunately pictures were prohibited. Nevertheless, it was quite an experience to see the level of detail and care that goes into producing each car. The color combinations and options are individualized and nearly endless. Outside the factory were several unique models, including some racing versions. The weather as we left was less than inviting, but while waiting for the bus we were treated to a pleasant soundtrack as post-production cars were tested. It is a sound I can only describe as heaven’s choir.

The following day, I saw my family off to the airport as they returned to the US. I was sad to see them go, but glad that they, as well as my extended family, had been able to share in and become part of my experience abroad. It is certainly an adventure that I will never forget and I hope it has been the same for them.