Monday, May 19, 2014

Assisi & Tivoli

While in Rome, our group took two day trips to Assisi and Tivoli. Wow. The more that I see of Italy, the more I fall in love with it! It is unbelievable.


...these girls are amazing...














assisi::may 12th

...we took an afternoon and wandered the gardens of the Villa d'Este in Tivoli...










...i sure love this group of crazies...


tivoli::may 17th

Roma

CIAO ITALIA!

I have been waiting to get to Italy for almost a year now and I finally made it! I could not be more excited. Spending 2 weeks in Rome was absolutely unreal.

...even the little neighborhood around our hotel was amazing...

...our very first gelato stop...


...we visited the Roman Forum...






...the architectural details are stunning...








...i was able to throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain, which means one day i will make it back to beautiful Rome...


...we were a five minute walk from Vatican City...


...and inside the Vatican Wall lies the unbelievably huge St. Peter's Cathedral...








...we climbed to the top of the dome...






...the flowers lining the streets are so pretty...


...and i will never get over the grandeur of the Colosseum...












...the Pantheon...






...Piazza Navona was a blast also...


...sunday strolls through Borghese Park were my favorites...






I cannot describe my gratitude for the opportunity that I had to spend these last two weeks in Rome. I am with the greatest group of people, learning about the most incredible art and exploring such a rich city. I am seeing things that I will never forget. I learned so much about the art, the city, the people that lived here, and surprisingly, I learned a lot about myself, too.

rome::may 7th-19th

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Barcelona

phase two!

I am very much in love with Spain and all her diverse beauty! Our little hotel is between a shopping mall and the beach, so we have plenty to do!
Kels and I spent wandered the streets, getting lost, exploring, and enjoying every second...






...we went to the Gothic Quarter...









...and we found the cutest little candy store called Happy Pills. Of course, we went a little nuts...




...tried my first European ice cream (I couldn't wait until Italy)...


...taste-tested our way through the street markets...




 ...gawked at the graffiti wall across from our hotel that changed at least 4 times a day...


...visited the Sagrada Familia and all of its terrifying beauty...


...my personal favorite, the Park Guell Mosaic Park...








...and spent a day at the beach...




barcelona::may 4th-7th