Where to Next? Italy and Northern Europe

Intro: As spring break came to a close and I returned to Florence, my new school schedule would soon begin which would allow me more time to travel, enjoy weekend trips, and finally learn the hectic, yet efficient, European public transportation style. Over the course of this trip, planes and trains became the new norm. Besides a late night taxi or Uber, cars slowly became irrelevant. My new school schedule consisted of a single class Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday morning which allowed me to travel Thursday - Monday every week for the rest of the semester. Once the bell rang for class dismissal on Thursday, I was usually headed to the train station to start my new weekend adventure. Towards this part of the semester, I would soon begin sleeping more night in hotels, hostels and Airbnbs than my apartment in Florence. I had an itch to travel, and if I wasn't already in the process of it, I was thinking of where I was off to next.

This part of the semester also marked the start of my next 8 weekends in a row of traveling to different parts of Italy and Europe. The skills I developed during these experiences are long and extensive. Of course there's the soft skills which include the communication through the travel process, how to make conversation with the native people in the country being visited, and how to manage money while still having as much fun as possible. The hard skills taught me how to navigate signs I couldn't read, if a train was missed, what the next steps should be, and how to blend into the glorified cultures and traditions each country welcomed us to with open arms. I've said it once and I'll say it again, but school can't teach you these types of skills. These are the types of skills developed through practice, a willingness to learn, and most importantly, experience. I would be lying if I said I acted the same during my first trip in Amsterdam compared to my final trip with my parents through Vienna, Prague and Munich, but that's because of what I learned along the way through the process. At the start I was at an all time high, just excited to see someplace new. I probably looked like that silly American not knowing how to navigate a train station, or walking through the bike lane in Amsterdam thinking it was a sidewalk. To this day I still don't know how I didn't get hit. By the end of the trip, I realized I began to notice the small things in each adventure. You adapt and become more aware, because although lots of countries have similarities, they also have their fair share of differences. However, with these first few trips just beginning, I still hadn't learned much about traveling and these small differences, they all came in later down the road one way or another. With all that being said, lets hop into the next 3 weeks starting on the Italian coast with a visit to Cinque Terre before navigating up north to Copenhagen, Denmark and Dublin, Ireland.

Cinque Terre, Italy: I couldn't have envisioned a better way to ease myself into weekend trips then starting with a 2 night stay in Cinque Terre. Nestled tight into the hills of Italy's western coast, Cinque Terre was one of the most beautiful places I've seen in my life. A statement I can confirm is still true as I sit back home in the states writing this. Getting to Cinque Terre is easy, especially from Florence. You take a quick hour train ride to Pisa, switch to a regionale which will take you 30 more minutes northwest to La Spezia where you'll then make your final push 10 minutes to the first town of Riomaggiore. Cinque Terre is very unique in the sense that it's not just one place, but 5 small towns hidden along the Tyrrhenian Sea. After Riomaggiore comes Manarola followed by Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso al Mane. Each offering a different experience and beautiful views in a place where time seems to run a little slower. Cinque Terre isn't your average oceanside town. There's no beach clubs or loud music, instead it's filled with beachfront restaurants, hiking trains, and small souvenir shops on every corner. I also can't forget to mention the beautiful colors. Each building layered with a fresh, vibrant color which seemed to glow when the sun went down. I stayed in Manarola, so my first day was spent exploring the town and hiking trails that seemed to spread off in very direction. One thing I think Cinque Terre has the rest of the world beat on is sunsets. No matter where you are, each night greets you with a beautiful, sky coloring sunset over the sea. My second day was busy as I was determined to visit each town before heading back to Florence the next day. A bright and early wakeup was followed with a walk to the train station and a quick 3 minute ride to the next town up the coast, Corniglia. I didn't know where to fit this next part in, but here seems like a good place while we're on the subject of traveling through Cinque Terre, but always buy a day pass for the train. It's $14 and not worth the fine. I on the other hand didn't think it was necessary and didn't think I would be checked, but I was wrong. Getting hit with a $150 fine at 8am is not the best way to start your morning. Besides the morning altercation, the rest of the day was great. Beautiful weather and yummy foods in every town. After a quick visit to Corniglia, I hopped back on the train to Vernazza where I grabbed a quick beer before heading off on a 2.5 mile hike to the final town of Monterosso. I will admit, 2.5 miles isn't a far hike, but the incline on this hike will get you nearly 2 miles of directly uphill walking before your final descent into Monterosso. The trails do spread throughout all 5 towns so you could hike the entire thing, but the Vernazza to Monterosso is definitely the most popular stretch. Each night, I enjoyed delicious seafood meals while overlooking the sunset and the sea. Cinque Terre was exactly what I needed before the hectic air travel began.

Restaurant Recommendations: Marina Piccola (Manarola), Oscars (Monterosso al Mare), La Pia (Monterosso al Mare).

Attraction Recommendations: Manarola sunset walk, Vernazza lookout point, Vernazza to Monterosso hike, visit to all 5 towns.

My Rankings: 1.) Manarola, 2.) Vernazza, 3.) Monterosso al Mane, 4.) Riomaggiore, 5.) Cornilgia

Copenhagen, Denmark: A weekend in Copenhagen made me realize I would want to spend a month exploring Scandinavia. Copenhagen's lay out was very similar to Amsterdam, but a little more spread out and modern. Copenhagen was one of my favorite trips not only because it was St. Patricks Day weekend, but because of the experiences it provided. It was my first and only time staying in a hostel, but it made me wish I had done the same in a few other places. The people you meet and stories you hear will stick with you forever, and everyone is there for the same reason; meet new people and have a good time. Along with this, it was the only guys trip I had during my time in Europe. At this point of my trip, the two buddies I travelled with were friends and classmates, but I now consider them some of my best friends that'll share these special memories with me for the rest of our lives. The travel to Denmark was hectic to say the least. It began with a 10pm train ride departure from Florence to Milan which got us in around 2am. Our flight wasn't until 6am, so we were stuck sleeping overnight in the airport until our flight departed. Definitely some of the sacrifices you have to make while traveling cheap. Although we were tired, it was St Patricks Day which is much bigger than you'd expect in a country like Denmark. The streets were filled during the day which carried over into the night. One thing I noticed in Copenhagen was a sense of community that I didn't sense in any other place I visited. Everyone was friendly, welcomed you with open arms, and wanted to know more about you as opposed to talking about themselves. After St. Patricks Day, we began our exploring of the city itself. We visited Kongens Castle which is the country's oldest royal garden and was embellished in the Renaissance style by Christian IV shortly before the construction of the main castle. A beautiful, historic castle located on the outskirts of the downtown area. From the castle, we journeyed to Nyhavn which is a famous, picturesque street at the heart of the city. This area was filled with outdoor restaurants, tourists, and boats looking to depart on their next canal tour. The final day, we visited Freetown Christiania, which is a self-proclaimed autonomous community in Copenhagen. Built in the 1600's, Christiania is situated in former military barracks that were used by King Christian IV. Although it wasn't declared a free state until 1971, Christiania was one of the most interesting places I've ever visited. There's no police as the community is built on their own laws and justice system. The walls are covered from corner to corner with graffiti, artwork, and murals. And drugs, both hard and soft, are legal. In the center of the community, you have rows of stands selling hash, pre-rolls and flower. This seemed to be the busiest part of the town that attracted all of the tourist. The town is home to 850 - 1,000 residents, many of whom have lived there since birth. Copenhagen was a place like no other. Maybe Northern Europe really is different compared to the rest of the continent, but I won't have a definitive answer until I explore more. If I ever make it back to Copenhagen, I'll make sure Stockholm and Helsinki are in the travel itinerary too.

Restaurant Recommendations: Brew House Coffee Shop, Pho Hanoi, Burger Culture, Tivoli Food Hall

Attraction Recommendations: Tivoli Gardens, Kongens Castle, Nyhavn, Christiania

Nightlife Recommendations: The Old Irish Pub, The Dubliner, Proud Mary, Toerst Bar, La Boucherie, Heidi's Beir Bar, Hive

Dublin, Ireland: Now before I get into my Dublin experience, let me inform you that Ireland has been a bucket list trip for me ever since I was a child. I always wanted to explore the countryside, visit the cliffs, and golf some of the oldest links known to man, but this was sadly not the experience I had, and Ireland will remain a bucket list trip for me as I didn't feel I could mark it as complete. To start, the main issue was I had 48 hours for the trip. I flew out Friday, and came back Sunday morning which did not leave nearly enough time for a country as big as Ireland. I also give Ireland credit for instilling a new fear of flying in me. As I approached the runway, the plane hit a wind pocket and began to duck dive towards the ground. As I looked out the window from my aisle seat, I could see the sidewalk get closer and closer and the plane filled with panic. I truly thought the day had come and shortly after the news would be filled with headlines surrounding the Ryanair plane that had crashed during it's ascent to Dublin International. At what seemed like the last possible moment, the plane shot back up into the sky before circling the city and trying again. I don't think I spoke for 3o minutes after the plane had landed. I was just happy to be alive. Now that the beginning of the trip is out of the way lets hop into what Dublin really looked like. My friends and I stayed with a family friend in the Eastern part of Dublin. A scenic, posh neighborhood filled with old stone homes and trees beginning to bloom. We were greeted with rain showers each day which made exploring by foot hard. During our one full day, we took a bus through the city seeing St. Patricks Cathedral and Trinity College before departing in the heart of downtown. From there, I enjoyed my first authentic Irish Guinness beer at Temple Bar and sat back to enjoy the live music and thick Irish accents that filled the room. An Irish accent is like a New York accent, it's easy to pick out and will follow you wherever you go. My short time in Dublin was spent shuttling inside and out of bars to avoid the rain and walks through parks scattered around the city. Before I knew it, the next morning had come and and we were headed to the airport to return home. Luckily, we made it out without issues, but till this day anytime I feel turbulence, I think back to that day. Overall, a very disappointing experience for a country that has so much to offer. Ireland is a place I will definitely revisit, giving myself more time with a group of people that have the same intentions as me.

Restaurant Recommendations: Stella Diner, Mother Reilly’s, Elephant and Castle

Attraction Recommendations: St. Patricks Cathedral, Trinity College

Nightlife Recommendations: Temple Bar

Conclusion: Writing these blogs has been a highlight for me ever since returning to the States. I would be lying if I said it's been an easy transition, but these blogs put a smile on my face letting me relive the semester of a lifetime. I sit behind my computer chuckling at memories that reappear and stories that I have to tell, but don't have the words for yet. Each day, I find myself looking back through my camera roll looking at photos and watching olds videos wondering when I'll be back. The best part about that question though is that it's up to me. It inspires me to work hard in school and in life so that I give myself the opportunity to go back. Once again, if you've visited any of the 3 places mentioned above and have some recommendations, message me! I'd love to add them in. Next week we'll be switching to a warm and sunny climate before heading back into the mountains as we take an in-depth look at Malta, the Amalfi Coast, and the Austrian Alps for Electric Mountain Festival.