This weekend was definitely my favorite of all the weekends we’ve had.
On Saturday, we visited Siena, which was very fun. We climbed all the way to the top of the second-highest point in all of Italy, and the views were unbelievable! The view from the top of the bell tower looked as if they were painted by Michelangelo. Coincidentally, we stayed at the top of the bell tower right as the bells rang, which was a very unique experience. For the rest of the day, we leisurely walked around the romantic city, enjoyed gelato, and visited a torture museum.
On Sunday, we visited Cinque Terre, which is the collective name of five towns. It was by far my favorite trip we’ve taken. We hiked through the mountains for about three and a half hours and passed through little towns, soaking in the culture. I was surrounded by bliss; to my right were vibrant green forests, with the occasional secret waterfall or brass door leading to nowhere but imagination, and to my left was the epitome of perfection; the water, the trees, and the flower beds were indescribable.
The water also was motivation to finish the strenuous climb. The second we got to the beach, we jumped into the crisp, refreshing ocean to cool off. The rest of the day we walked around the small boutique town of Monterosso, where we dined on pesto. We were strongly advised by the staff to have the pesto, because pesto was invented in Cinque Terre. The food was beyond delicious, and it fit perfectly with the “homey” vibe the town gives off to tourists from all over. I could not have asked for a better experience.
-Brittany