Howdy! I just finished my bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University, and I am spending three weeks in Europe. I began this article in Florence, Italy, and I am finishing it in Athens, Greece. It’s important for me to live in the present moment, so the blog posts will follow behind my travels. 🙂
My first week abroad, I solo-travelled to Florence, Siena, Assisi, and Rome. Here are my highlights from Florence!
1. Renaissance art
Renaissance mosaics, paintings, and sculptures seem to overflow in Florence, thanks to the wealthy Medici family in the 15th century. My mom has a great appreciation for classical music and art, and I wanted to take advantage of being around so many masterpieces- I even saw a fresco painted on an ceiling through an apartment window and in a local Italian bookstore. In Florence, I visited the Academia Galleria, Uffizi Gallery, and just about any church with open doors. The most famous art pieces I saw are the statue of David by Michelangelo and the Birth of Venus by Botticelli. I could have soaked in the frescos of the churches for hours, especially the largest fresco in the world, the Last Judgement in the Duomo (the Italian word for Cathedral). If you can, click on and zoom into the bottom right image of Brunelleschi’s dome. The climb to the top of the dome to see the fresco was well worth the 463 steps. (Giovanni’s Bell Tower, just next door, was a mere 414 steps, and not as strenuous as the dome.)
2. Running a 10k
Before I travel, I like to research concerts, local events, or cultural holidays that the city may celebrate. Last year, my friends and I happened to visit Bari, Italy, during the Festa di San Nicola- one of the largest celebrations in southern Italy. As I researched Florence, I read about a 10k race on May 21st. I signed up because I figured I was in good-enough shape to experience Florence in this interesting way. This was the largest race I’ve run: there were at least three times the number of runners than the half marathon I ran in November. The route took us across the Arno River, past the Piazzale Michelangelo, around the Boboli Gardens, back across another bridge, and ended at the Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore. My average pace was 10:11- better than I expected for not training!
3. Meeting up with Britney
On my last night in Florence, I met up with a high school friend who happened to be in Florence as well! Britney was on a two-week study abroad with Texas Tech University, and we planned for a fancy rooftop dinner with incredible sunset views of the Duomo and the Piazza della Repubblica. It was so nice to catch up with an old friend from home! The bill for our meal was… not as nice. I’m excited to start working for a steady paycheck!
4. Churches
When I could, I spent at least five minutes in every open church I passed. It was the abundance of free time, beautiful art, and the presence of our Lord in the Eucharist that drew me to spend time with Jesus in every church. After a while, I stopped taking photos of every church because I realized the photos all look the same, haha. Below are my favorites. When I could (and on Sunday), I attended Mass, in Italian of course!
5. Food
Nothings beats freshly baked bread, hand-rolled pasta, an hot cappuccino, or creamy gelato in Italy! Although Florence was the most expensive place I’ve visited as a solo traveler, I think the price of the meal reflected the quality of the food. I did snag a 14 euro lunch deal that included table service (similar to a waiter’s tip), a plate of tomato penne pasta, bread and water for my table of one, and a quarter liter of house wine. It was delicious, especially for my first meal after the 10k!
Next, I’ll write articles for my time in Siena, Assisi, and Rome, stay tuned!
kira vesta 