Tag: Italy

Verona, Italy

by The Impatient Traveler, posted in Italy, Verona, Italy

Cons of staying in old, non-soundproof buildings in busy cities – 6 AM  garbage truck alarms. Earplugs are highly recommended! Thankfully, the adrenalin of heading to Verona kicked in (along with an ‘espresso) and we hopped in the bus.

Our comedian of a tour guide helped pass the time on the drive, as well as the beautiful scenery on both sides of the road. We arrived at the Arena di Verona, a smaller version of the coliseum, and walked down the colorful streets to arrive at Casa di Giulietta, from Romeo and Juliet! Not only was the entry to the balcony packed with people, but there was also a lock wall that granted luck in love for anyone who placed a lock. By complete coincidence, I had a luggage lock in my purse and was able to place it on the wall! It really solidified the romance of the bustling courtyard.

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Love locks at Casa di Giulietta Verona, Italy

The market in Verona, Italy

With all that walking, we were parched and hungry. I bought a water bottle to carry for the remainder of the trip, as water is expensive and not always easy to come by, and we filled our energy tank with some lasagna before we toured the coliseum. Unfortunately, the coliseum was a little underwhelming due to construction and a concert event stage, but it is still an incredible ruin to behold.

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After about thirty minutes it was time to meet the group at our rendezvous site to head to Venice, so we decided to run to the loo first. Fun fact – you have to pay to use the restroom in most places in Italy! Just a euro or two… but still! Being Americans, we were faux-outraged but some hilarity ensued as we ran out of coinage and some toilet patrol bribery ensued. Thankfully, the girls were able to flirt their way to the throne, but it was a close call!

Verona tips:

  • Bring earplugs
  • Invest in a small water bottle to carry with you throughout Italy
  • Always have spare change for a potty break
  • Bring a lock for Giulietta’s wall

Milan, Italy

by The Impatient Traveler, posted in Italy, Milan, Italy

Did you know that, in Italy, €6 buys not one slice, but an entire pizza? Neither did my tour group until four of us got peckish after lugging our luggage up four stories at our Milan home, Hotel Perugino. We found a quaint little pizza place up the block and all ordered our own pizzas – oops!

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We got to-go boxes for our pizzas but the mini-fridges in our hotel were only 4 inches deep so that didn’t work too well. Lesson learned – share your pizza.

After a quick pizza-induced nap, our big group started the trek to our welcome dinner. I got to know some more of the group as we walked through a park filled with sculptures and people on slack lines. We rode like the locals on a tram to arrive at the 5th biggest cathedral in the world – Duomo di Milano. There were hordes of pigeons looking to be fed outside of the Duomo and people that almost force food in your hand so they can charge you for a picture with the pigeons.

The Duomo itself was massive and, as my first Italian cathedral,  was one of the most impressive things I had ever seen. The caveranse expanse of the interior was just as impressive with beautiful painting’s and ancient art throughout.

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Milan Tips:

  • Share pizza
  • Watch out for people haggling you for money
  • Cover up legs and shoulders in the Duomo or you won’t be let in

Italy – The Beginning

by The Impatient Traveler, posted in Italy

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Italy had been on my list for decades – or more simply put – since I tasted pasta for the first time. Fun fact about me; I am an admitted pasta-holic. The opportunity to plan my first non-family, across the globe trip finally arose two years out of college and Italy was the destination.

Unfortunately (but ultimately fortunately), none of my friends were able to join on my trip, so I made the decision to book solo through EF College Break– a trip service for early 20-somethings with reasonably priced travel options that go all over the world. Something about a fully booked trip with excursions, language speaking tour guides, and transportation that didn’t include me driving on the Italian roads really stood out as a good booking choice! (I like easy).

I chose a two-week Tour of Italy, packed my suitcase, and flew solo from Dallas to Milan, Italy. Walking through the airport upon arrival was terrifying as I had no idea if the guide and my group were A) going to actually be at the meeting point and B) going to be full of people already paired off in groups that came together. Thankfully, I was not the only one at the meeting point and, after about two hours of people constantly trickling into our meeting area, a short, balding, early 30-something Italian named Dario strolled over and announced he would be our gallant tour guide. Dario informed the four guys in our group that they had a high likelihood of finding love in the air as the other 38 of us were all women, and that the women in the group were going to fight in the Colosseum to lay claim to the four guys. Needless to say, the trip was off to a hilariously, estrogen filled, pasta craving start