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Writer's pictureDawson Santangelo

Malta, Amalfi and The Best Weekend of my Life

Intro: By this point of the semester, I had almost become fully adapted to traveling every week. I had a set schedule that I followed for the few days I was in Florence each week before venturing off to another country. The difficult part wasn't choosing where I was heading next, but deciding which places were going to have to wait. Earlier in the semester, my friends took a trip to Morocco. From hiking in the mountains to riding ATVs and Camels in the desert, it looked like the trip of a lifetime. It would have been incredible to say I visited Africa. The thought of it still gives me goosebumps, but I had to pick and choose all semester, sacrificing some places I would have loved to visit. I've said it before and I'll say it again, but while traveling on a budget, you want to be certain that 1.) it makes sense, and 2.) you'll be able to get the most out of it. Something I wished I had thought about before my trip to Dublin, but you live and you learn. There were a few reasons I wasn't able to make it to Morocco that weekend. The first being the flight took off at 11am, and I had a scheduled class till 11:45. Although the school schedule in Europe is easy, the attendance policy is tough and firm with each class allowing only 1 unexcused absence. I had already scheduled a trip later in the semester that would require me to miss that class, so the 11am flight was out of the equation. The only other flight to Morocco from Florence that day would have gotten me to Marrakech at 1am Friday morning. My friends were coming back Sunday morning, so that would have only allowed me 36 hours not just in a country I've never been to, but an entire continent I had yet to explore. When thinking of these things, I realized that it didn't make sense, and I wouldn't have been able to get the most out of the trip. That was the weekend I stayed in Italy and travelled to Cinque Terre. A beautiful place I would have never gotten to experience if it weren't for me staying behind, showing me that everything in life happens for a reason.

It was the final weekend in March and the weather was finally turning. Walks to class in the morning began changing from winter coats and pants to sweatshirts and shorts. The mornings remained chilled, but the old stone scattered throughout Florence began to warm throughout the days. I had my fair share of trips to colder climates, and I wasn't finished, but it was time to start heading to some warmer climates as well. Besides Greece, I didn't know many islands or tropical places to go in Europe. Even after experiencing it all, I still don't know if I'd consider any place in Europe "tropical," but there's definitely some hidden gems along the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea and deep into the Mediterranean. The first 2 weeks of this next 3 week adventure would provide me with some much needed sun before heading back into the mountains. Without further ado, lets head to Malta and the Amalfi Coast before switching back to the mountain vibe to see Meduza and Don Diablo in the Austrian Alps.


Malta: Let me start by saying Malta was incredible. Before departing to Europe, I had no idea what Malta was. To be fair, I didn't even know it was a country, but I couldn't have been more excited to cross it off my traveling list. Situated in between Italy and Africa in the middle of the Mediterranean, Malta provided an experience like no other. Being the middle of April, the climate was warm, but not hot. This made it easy to explore the varying cities and enjoy the beautiful blue water and beaches. Malta is comprised of 5 different islands, with the majority of the population living on the main island. When we first arrived, I wondered why high stone walls and guard towers circled the capital of Valletta. Little did I know at the time that Malta played a vital strategic role during World War II as a base for the allied powers. It was heavily bombarded by Italian and German aircrafts, and was devastated by the end of the war. Since then, Malta gained its independence from Great Britain and was declared a republic shortly after. We spent our first day in Malta on a catamaran ride exploring the different islands scattered throughout the sea taking pit stops at each to cliff jump and swim. We journeyed to Santa Marija Bay before making our way to the famous Blue Lagoon. Clear blue skies and 70 degree weather provided the perfect sailing conditions. The next few days were spent visiting St. Paul's Bay and St. Julians, the other two towns on the main island. St Julians was an interesting town to say the least. A mix of old, run down buildings, and skyscrapers offering penthouse views of the entire island. It was a weird dynamic that I'm still trying to understand to this day. Maybe it's just a popular spot to vacation and own a property, but still confusing as to where all the money comes from. I saw more McLaren's and Ferrari's in 3 days than I did during the rest of the semester and in all the other countries combined. The culture in Malta was also unlike anything I had experienced prior to the trip. The natives seemed to be a mix of Muslim and Indian, with most of the street signs written in Arabic. Maybe this is because of the close distance to nearby African countries Tunisia and Libya. For anyone looking to travel to Malta, I think it is important to know the beach scene and what to expect. Malta isn't known for their white sand beaches, rather most of them are filled with jagged rocks and pebbles. Besides Blue Lagoon, I don't think there's a sandy beach on the island. Expect to be tanning out on the rocks, but just remember you're still in the Mediterranean. Overall, Malta was incredible. Delicious food, beautiful sights, lots of history, and a very diverse culture. If you're looking to travel in the Mediterranean, make sure Malta's a destination at the top of your list.

Restaurant Recommendations: Fifteen37, Rosini, NAAR RestoBar, Pasta and Co

Attraction Recommendations: Catamaran ride, Valletta City Center, St. Julian's, St. Paul's Bay

Nightlife Recommendations: Corks Karaoke Bar, Sky Club Malta



Amalfi Coast: Easter Weekend in Amalfi. Wow. After months of straight rain, we caught the perfect weekend to travel to the Amalfi Coast. After a quick hour and a half train ride from Florence to Rome, a 15 minute transfer takes your an hour further south to Naples where you'll have the option to train or ferry to Amalfi. Since were were staying on the North side of the island in Sorrento, we finished our travel day with a quick 45 minute ferry offering 360 degree views of the Tyrrhenian Sea and Mt. Vesuvius, the volcano that crippled Pompeii nearly 2,000 years ago in 79 AD. Once we arrived to Sorrento, we enjoyed our first night of Easter weekend with a seafood dinner and stunning sunset views. The next day was spent exploring the town and city center of Sorrento. Packed with souvenir shops, clothing stores and gelato shops, Amalfi is an avid shoppers dream. The streets were lined with bright yellow, orange and pink buildings that warmed up the town. It ended up raining most of that afternoon, so my time was spent inside watching the Masters tournament. Easter 2023 will be a day I always remember. Starting bright and early, we travelled to Massa Lubrense where we hoped on a boat to explore the rest of Amalfi and Capri. After exploring the outskirts of Capri and journeying through the Grottos spread around the island, we docked for lunch and had time to explore the heart of the island. I was finally able to try my first Neapolitan pizza, and it definitely lived up to the hype. Some of the best pizza I've had in my life. We took a topless taxi to the base of Monte Solaro where we switched from car to chairlift to finish our quest to the top. From the chairlift, you could see Naples, Mt. Vesuvius, the rest of Amalfi, and the entire island of Capri. Playing my favorite tune, the chairlift ride allowed me to pause for a few seconds and reflect on the incredible semester it had already been. At the top, I enjoyed one of the many Limoncello Spritz's consumed during the weekend, a drink Amalfi is very well known for. Lemon farms are scattered all over the region, providing the best lemon drinks in the world. I was disappointed that I didn't have the time to make it to Positano or the town of Amalfi, but they're on my list for the next time I find my way back. Overall, the Amalfi Coast was on of my favorite trips during this action packed semester, and definitely the most beautiful. It was very similar to Cinque Terre, but a little more special in my opinion. The perfect weekend before a heading back into the mountains.

Restaurant Recommendation's: Mi Ami Trattoria Pizzeria, Bellevue Syrene, Il Monazzero di Teresina, Frankie’s Bar Pizzeria, Syrenuse, Ristorante Augusto (Capri)

Attraction Recommendations: Visit Sorrento, Amalfi and Positano, Capri boat ride, Chairlift up Monte Solaro

Nightlife Recommendations: Syrenuse, Chaplin’s Pub


Electric Mountain Festival - Sölden, Austria: I never knew I could have withdrawals from a trip. This was Epic. I simply don’t know where to begin. This was the one trip I had planned before departing to Europe. I knew I would be traveling all the time, but most of the plans would be made on the fly. I booked this trip in October leading up to my January departure, and it paid off. We stayed at the Herman Arnold Haus and our room provided a balcony with surrounding views of the Austrian Alps. From the moment we got there everyone knew that this was going to be a trip for the books. We were in a small mountain town called Sölden, which is 45 minutes south of Innsbruck near the Italian border. The town had one road going in and one road going out soon beginning to fill with ski bums and festival goers. We got up early on day 1 and got to the slopes right away. The skiing on the festival side of the mountain was great. When renting gear, the workers told us the snow wouldn’t be good, but man were they wrong. Fresh powder and tracks all day long. Unseen conditions for mid April in Austria. As much as it kills me to say it, the skiing gave Colorado's a run for its money. Not to mention, skiing in Europe is so much cheaper and efficient than skiing in the United States. $80 to rent all the gear you need, and $90 for a two day ski pass. That’s a month's salary back home for a weekend of skiing. After a quick turnaround at the hotel, we made our way back up the mountain for the festival. The stage sat at mid mountain offering a backdrop of the snowy Austrian Alps. It continued to snow throughout the day and into the night which made the festival that much more of an experience. Day one was headlined by Don Diablo with supporting acts from Hugel and Oliver Heldens. I was truly at an all time high. A little tired and hungover on day 2, we woke up in disbelief realizing we got to do it all over again. This time we stayed near our hotel for skiing and explored the other side of the mountain. I’m glad we skied both sides, but day 2 made me wish we skied that side both days. No lines and more powder than the day before. We took a gondola through the clouds which dropped us off at the summit of the mountain where we were greeted by a futuristic, all glass building that was used to shoot scenes from James Bond's movie “Spectre”. You had to pay to go inside and the skiing was too good that day to waste time, but if I ever make it back to Sölden, it will definitely be something I do. The rundown from the top was incredible. A 30 minute run above tree line that overlooked the entire valley. I know I’ve said it a million times, but it was truly unreal. Nothing I say will ever truly give this trip the credit it deserves. The festival on day 2 was headlined by Meduza. By the time the first opener had finished, the snow had stopped, sun came out, and the views were better than ever before. The pictures don’t do it justice. You had to be there, present, to fully experience and take it all in. I’ve been ranting so I’m going to cut it off here, but EMF Austria, thank you for the best weekend of my life. It may not be soon, but I’ll be back.

Restaurant Recommendations: Gusto Pizza, Falcon Marktrestaurant, Chris and Co Irish Pub

Attraction Recommendations: Ski Giggijochbahn, Ski Gaislachkogel, James Bond 007 Elements

Nightlife Recommendation: Alpenbeatz




Conclusion: By the end of this 3 week period, my time is Europe was getting shorter and shorter. This was the first time during the semester that I began realizing my time was slowly coming to a close, but not quite yet. Originally when I started this blog, it was for a class assignment where I was tasked with posting every weekend for a 4 week period. This post makes the 4th week, but I've decided that I can't stop mid semester. I will continue posting every Thursday until we have been through each adventure and will figure out where to go after that. This is definitely something I want to continue doing. I have began posting the finalized photos, details, and recommendations for each place under my portfolio section. So far, Florence, Cinque Terre, Greece and Electric Mountain Festival have been completed with more on the way. Next week we're staying chilly and cool in Switzerland before my final group trip to the Greek islands of Santorini and Mykonos, my favorite place in the world.

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