Tag Archives: AAA

Nov4

Last Day In Lake Como

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Last Day In Lake Como

Hi!! Our Italy adventure through AAA and Collette came to a close in glorious Lake Como and it was the most spectacular day. As you read, we spent some lackluster time in Venice and we were all ready to go home during our full day there. Then, we arrived at the lake the following morning and ate our words – we never wanted to leave! Our single day in Lake Como consisted of a ferry ride, a walking tour, and a delicious farewell dinner to celebrate the end of an amazing trip. It went from magical to literally painful when we had to depart from the Milan airport the next day – especially when we had a view like this from our room at the Hotel Barchetta Excelsior:

After a quick break in the hotel, we boarded a ferry that took us on a one hour ride around Lake Como. It was so relaxing to look at the water, feel the breeze, and take in the beautiful scenery. This was, easily, the most leisurely activity we did on this entire trip and I think we all really needed it. We had to rally for the bon voyage bash in the evening! During our ferry ride, I was delighted to be sitting by a couple from Paris and got to put my French to the test. We had an excellent conversation and they told me I spoke French very well which was such an awesome compliment! I didn’t think it was possible for our time on the lake to get any better but that chit chat really thrilled me and I am still on cloud nine about it. 😀

Once we returned from the ferry ride, a walking tour commenced and Johnny and I decided to fly solo. We wanted some time with just the two of us before it was back to Akron, Ohio! Johnny and I strolled through the streets, popped in different shops, and enjoyed a drink on the patio of a cafe. It was the most charming afternoon and it felt so good to be feeling so good after I hit my wall in Venice. I genuinely can’t believe I ever wanted to go home lol! While our little date was a joy, it was also bittersweet because all good things must come to an end. I’m just so thankful I got to share in all of this with my main squeeze! ❤

Our day concluded at the restaurant of the hotel for the farewell dinner and it was DIVINE. In fact, this was one of my favorite meals of our whole trip. My vegetarian option was a cheesy risotto, fried eggplant, and a berry crumble for dessert. And, of course, ALL the wine! The risotto was seriously the best and I ate two helpings – I just couldn’t help myself lol and by the time my eggplant arrived, I was regretfully stuffed. What I did have of it was impeccable with crisp, fried breading and juicy eggplant in the middle. And, although I was full to the brim, I had to make room for dessert! The berry crumble was buttery, airy, and packed with juicy berries with a scoop of gelato on top for good measure. They definitely don’t make food like this in the A-K-Rowdy:

When the meal ended, we said goodbye to all of our new friends that were on the tour group with us. Then, Johnny and I returned to our hotel room with the wine we didn’t finish and had a nightcap on our balcony. It was the perfect way to end a remarkable trip and this view will forever be in my heart:

This whirlwind tour of Italy was everything I could have hoped for and so much more. Some day, I will be back. Until then, Italy will never be far from my mind!

Where is your dream vacation destination? How often do you go on vacation? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov2

Visiting Venice

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Visiting Venice

Hi! We didn’t get off to a strong start in Venice and the full day that we spent there was just okay. The entire tour by AAA and Collette had been so fast paced and jam packed that I think we all hit the wall that day. In fact, I felt perfectly ready to go home at that point and changed my tune completely when we were in Lake Como the following day. That was much more like it! Our time in Venice was spent seeing a glass blowing demonstration, doing a walking tour, having some lunch, shopping, and returning to the hotel for an early night. As you can see, the scenery was gorgeous and I am happy to have seen Venice. This is a location that I wouldn’t visit again, though. Let’s discuss:

Our first stop for the day in Venice was at the Vetri Artistici where we enjoyed a glass blowing demonstration and browsing through the store. I could have done without being in the store altogether because holy expensive!! Everything was seriously one thousand dollars and up but were, indeed, very beautiful. The glass blowing demonstration was the best part but, unfortunately, only lasted for less than ten minutes. In that short period of time, however, one of the glass masters created a pitcher and a horse which were both stunning. He made the process look so easy and effortless and it was mesmerizing to watch him as he worked. I honestly could have stayed in the warmth of the workshop seeing the masterpieces made around me all day!

After we finished experiencing the Vetri Artistici, we visited a gold and leather store for a demonstration too. This was all nice and interesting but well out of the price range of every single person on the trip! By the time the drool was wiped from my chin over the remarkable gold jewelry, it was off to go on the walking tour to take in sights along the Castello district and end in St. Mark’s Square:

When the walking tour was complete, the remainder of the day was ours to explore the city on our own. As I mentioned before, this was the day where we hit our wall and Venice was incredibly overwhelming. The city was insanely crowded and it felt like a fight to take a few steps forward let alone get good pictures because everyone was there with the same idea. Crowds usually don’t bother me that much but in this case I was so worn out and the last place I wanted to be was in the thick of it. It was a welcome reprieve to have some lunch at Birreria Pedavena and just get away from it all!

Our meal at the restaurant was unremarkable. My quattro formaggi pizza was good but not great and was probably the least noteworthy dining experience outside of our dinner in Venice the previous day. I was thankful to have some leftover, though, because none of us felt like venturing back out in Venice in the evening so cold pizza was the move for dinner. It actually hit the spot more than it did in the restaurant when I had it later because I was so hungry!

Our time in Venice was our least favorite of the trip and that’s not to say it wasn’t nice. It was! I think we were all just too deep in our exhaustion and desire to go home to fully enjoy it!

Do you feel homesick when you travel? What has been your least favorite vacation destination during your travels? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov1

Finishing Up In Florence & Arriving In Venice

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Finishing Up In Florence & Arriving In Venice

Hello!! Florence was one of my favorite cities when we went on our Italy adventure through AAA and Collette and the remainder of our time there was so wonderful. We visited a winery in the Chianti region that was directly behind a scenic twelfth century castle. We explored the winery, enjoyed an excellent cooking class, and got to try our dishes during a lunch with a wine tasting. It was the most lovely day that, unfortunately, came to a bit of a screeching halt when we arrived in Venice. More on that later but let’s discuss the cooking class!

Our cooking class was led by Stefano and he taught us how to make pasta and two different sauces. One option was vegetarian with delicious crisp veggies and the other was a bolognese. We started the class with pasta prep and we got the most fabulous tutorial as Stefano stretched, kneaded, and folded the dough with expert ease. After we watched him for a while, it was our turn to try and we each had a go at either stretching or cutting the dough. Stefano carefully watched our efforts, shared tips, and before we knew it we had a ton of fresh made pasta ready for our lunch.

The main prep for the sauces was already done by Stefano but he talked us through the process, the ingredients used, and his tried and true methods. By the time the class concluded we were all famished and ready to sip on wine and do a taste test. We were led to a gorgeous dining hall in the winery and ate like kings which was a blessing as we would learn later. Our dinner at the hotel in Venice was terrible so we were thankful for a good and filling lunch:

With our bellies full, it was time to get back on the bus and make our way to Venice. I was very excited to get there because it’s such a famous location but the getting there was the problem lol. After our bus dropped us off, we had to get on a water taxi to make it to our hotel. In theory, this was no problem. In practice, it was a panic attack worthy affair. My family was in the back of the line to board our water taxi and the dock was not stable whatsoever. It rocked and swayed as people boarded and departed their boats and it was terrifying. I wasn’t scared for me, but my mom doesn’t have the best balance and it was a recipe for disaster.

When it was our turn to get on the water taxi, that was nerve wracking too because the steps to get on them are small and very steep. Once we were safely into the taxi, I was treated to a full blown panic attack. I couldn’t stop shaking and crying because it was just scary and unexpected and I was genuinely worried something terrible would happen. That moving dock was really no joke! It was such a relief to be on solid ground once we were at the hotel and it took me a while to calm down. I had to rally, though, because we were having a group dinner. The company was delightful but the food at the Hotel Carlton on the Grand Canal? Not so much:

The vegetarian meal at the hotel consisted of a sad salad, cold potato things, some type of falafel I think, and a veggie medley. I poked around at the salad for a bit, tasted the potatoes and said hard no, didn’t bother with the falafel, and had a few bites of the veggies. All of the food was lukewarm or downright cold, flavorless, and barely looked appetizing. Every single person on our tour had something bad to say about this meal and we all agreed that it was the worst of the trip, for sure. The food was so unappetizing that I didn’t even feel like trying the tiramisu and my one bite was lackluster AF. This was not a strong start in Venice, indeed, but the following day was much better!

We are nearing the end of my vacation blog recap with one more day in Venice and our final stop in Lake Como. Stay tuned and read all about it!

Do you have any holiday travel plans? Have you ever had a scary travel experience? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct31

Italy OOTDs

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Italy OOTDs

Yoohoo! Literally everything about our tour in Italy through AAA and Collette was fun and, yes, that includes packing for the trip too! As I’m sure you imagined, I was most excited to sport Lil Red looks in Italy and that took a fair bit of planning and self control lol. My suitcase isn’t huge and as much as I would have liked to over pack, I restrained myself to the outfits I dreamed up so I would still have room for souvenirs. I just barely did and I think I will definitely be purchasing a bigger suitcase for my next trip! Take a look at some of my Italy OOTDs and let’s discuss my packing process:

I would never say I am last minute about anything because it keeps my anxiety at bay. However, I did pack the day before leaving for Italy and it was in the name of practicality. I was going to create my outfits based on the activities and weather forecast for each day and wanted the results to be as accurate as possible, which meant leaving it till the last minute. I have to say, this method worked like a charm and it also eliminated the stress of figuring out what to wear every day in Italy! Thanks to my planning, I had a guide of exactly what to wear every day as well as alternate options should the weather call for it.

Prior to our trip, we received a booklet from the travel agency with a plethora of housekeeping information and a description of what we would be doing every day. For each day, I looked up the weather of the city we were in and wrote it down. This served as my North Star as I shopped through my wardrobe for outfits. When you’re traveling, the name of the OOTD game is classic pieces and sets that you can mix and match to create multiple different looks. This is exactly what I did by packing a few pairs of smart slacks, a couple of basic essential tops with a twist, two dresses, and some cool weather options like a jacket and cardigan in case I needed it. Although all of the pieces I packed weren’t a perfect match to each other, I could still use a majority of them together and I honestly think I packed light!

As important as it was to dress for the weather in Italy, it was also just as important to dress for the occasion. This is why I really appreciated the booklet we were mailed because it gave insights into how to dress for visiting a church, for example. At most churches in Italy, you must have a top with sleeves and a skirt down to your knees to enter. We visited several churches during our trip and I was not going to be the one waiting outside due to not knowing the dress code! Our booklet also gave excellent descriptions of the scenery in each city we visited so it was also fun to try and match outfits to that. IE: The orange/red flower patterned maxi dress looked stunning against the blue waters of Lake Como!

With some careful, albeit last minute, planning I created a travel wardrobe that kept me stress free and serving looks for my entire vacation!

Are you an early or last minute packer? What are some must haves in your suitcase? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct29

Fabulous Florence

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Fabulous Florence

Hello!! We spent about a day and a half in Florence during our Italy adventure through AAA and Collette and our full day there was a busy but amazing one!! We spent the entire day immersed in activities from a guided walking tour of the city to an after hours stop at a fourteenth century Certosa monastery and an excellent Tuscan feast to wrap up the night. Our meal was complete with opera singing and dancing and cutting a rug on the dance floor with my family was one of my favorite memories of the trip! Let’s discuss:

Our walking tour was a fascinating trip through Florence exploring all of the marvels that the city holds. We enjoyed sights of the Duomo, the Baptistery, the Palazzo Vecchio, and the Piazza della Signoria. The Piazza della Signoria was, easily, the best part of this tour for me and I could have stood there for hours taking the magnificent church in and it still wouldn’t have felt like enough. It was breathtaking! An ultra cool part of the tour was seeing “wine windows” which were used WAY back in the day and were brought back during the Covid pandemic. There was nothing better than getting a cool glass of wine directly through a window and sipping as we stepped through the city!

Once our tour was complete, we spent an hour or so shopping around and then went to the hotel to freshen up before an after hours tour of a monastery. Our guide for the tour was named Andrea and he took us through the monastery with such care and a delightful enthusiasm. We even got to go into one of the apartments that served as a home for the monks who lived there. It was awesome and I was overjoyed with the handful of picturesque shots I got:

Little did we know after our tour, that Andrea would be joining us at a restaurant a short drive away for the Tuscan feast. In fact, he was the star of the show! Throughout our multi course meal, Andrea treated all of us to the most beautiful opera music as he is a celebrated singer. And, in between courses, we got to join him on the dance floor to boogie to old and new favorites. Andrea was a hit with all of the ladies on the tour but especially my mom lol she totally had a crush and it was so funny! Heck, if we’re all being honest, I definitely had a crush too!! I’m not sure what the best part of this night was – the company or the food:

My vegetarian meal began with a spread of mushrooms and olives on Tuscan bread and a Caprese salad. I freaking loved the bread spread and actually had this several times during the trip. The mushroom spread was rich and creamy and the olive spread was bold, flavorful, and salty. So, so good! The next course was a dish of pasta and eggplant which was like heaven with every bite. The sauce was bursting with sweet tomato and the smokey eggplant pairing was sheer perfection. I wasn’t crazy about the following dish was an egg souffle thing but I was all about that dessert which tasted like Neapolitan ice cream in cake form. I think I could have had several more pieces of that!

After our Tuscan feast was complete, we took it to the dance floor for the rest of the evening before it was time to head back. A winery tour and arriving in Venice was next on our agenda and we all needed our beauty sleep!

What is your favorite Italian dish? What is your favorite travel activity? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct27

Italy Adventure: Cortona & Florence

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Italy Adventure: Cortona & Florence

Hello! After an afternoon in Assisi and an evening in Perugia, it was off to Cortona and Florence on our Italy Adventure. We enjoyed a scenic drive through Tuscany to reach Cortona and after our time there, we had the evening in Florence all to ourselves. It was one of my favorite nights of the entire trip because Johnny took me on a fabulous date night. We may not have been able to find the restaurant we originally had in mind but stumbled into a perfect Plan B and it was just the best. Compared to most of the days on our tour through AAA and Collette, this was one of the most leisurely ones and it was so lovely to amble and explore at a less extreme pace with no set plans but sightseeing. Here are some of the highlights of Cortona:

After our tour bus dropped us off in Cortona we had about two hours to take in the sights, pop into quaint little stores, and have a snack or coffee. We spent some time browsing with the rest of my family and then Johnny and I took it to the streets to take in the rest of the city. This was an especially pleasant jaunt as a musician was playing accordion music on the street and it felt like being in a movie! We went through Cortona with nothing in mind and it was so liberating to simply walk and do our own thing. Not to say that it wasn’t a joy being with our group, but it was nice to separate ourselves for a bit and fly solo. By the time it was time to get back on the bus, Johnny and I were able to see a lot of the city and then it was on to Florence.

Of course, before arriving at our hotel in Florence, we just had to stop and see the replica of David by Michelangelo. We didn’t have the opportunity to see the real thing as a group and that was okay! The replica is glorious too:

Post pit stop for the replica of David, it was off to our hotel and then the evening was all ours! I was beyond excited because Johnny proposed a date night and the rare free evening allowed us to do so. Johnny and I stepped into our night on the town with a restaurant in mind. However, it is really hard to get around a city you don’t know without cellular data! Johnny and I tried to follow a map and we couldn’t find this place to save our own lives. It was honestly really frustrating because I just wanted to eat and not walk for a while lol. Eventually, we realized our Plan A was a lost cause and went into the first restaurant that had plenty of vegetarian options listed on their outdoor menu.

As far as we were concerned, Plan A was for the birds and Plan B at Ristorante Pizzeria Trattoria was where it’s at! Johnny and I both ordered the Cacio e Pepe and we got a bottle of bubbly for the table. Our servers were wonderful, the food arrived quickly, and it was absolutely delicious! I am one of those people that has a hard time pivoting from plans and Johnny is super go with the flow. My original frustration of being lost melted away as we laughed and chatted at our table and it was a firm reminder that sometimes I need to lighten up to keep making the best of inconvenient situations. This was a prime example and I tried to employ Johnny’s laid back attitude for the rest of the trip. Especially when memories like these were made:

This chill time in Cortona and Florence was exactly what we needed before a jam packed day. Our full day in Florence that followed was incredibly busy but one of the best, as all of my family agreed. Stay tuned to read all about it!

Do you like to try a lot of new foods on vacation? What kind of restaurants do you like to visit when you are traveling? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct25

Perugia Purchases

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Perugia Purchases

Hi! As exciting as the premise of shopping in Italy was, it was quite difficult to find stores with prices that I was comfortable paying. You all know that I am a TJMaxx girl through and through so paying full price for anything is always a shock to the system! It was definitely fun to see the high end stores but it was even more fun to be in stores where I could afford something, like the ones in Perugia. Although there were stores there that sold clothing for the price of a used car, there were also several places that didn’t make me feel like I wanted to die when I swiped my credit card! Two of which were Studded and TipTap (The cutest name for a shoe store!) where I made my purchases from. Check it out:

Studded was a fabulous find in Perugia with Zara prices and a lot of one size fits all clothing in classic shapes, colors, and patterns. As soon as I looked at one of the price tags, I knew I could hang out there for a while and tried on a handful of different clothes. Some of them were pretty but not my style in the slightest. The only thing that really moved me was the button up that you see above. This one size fits all masterpiece was the first item I grabbed off the racks and was the one that came home with me. I just love that rich green and pale pink and it almost looks like watercolor flowers. The material is so soft but it’s thin and lightweight which will make it an ideal layering item under a cozy cardigan this fall.

After Studded, I found a glorious shoe store called TipTap that was right around the corner and, blessedly, their shoes featured what I would consider to be TJMaxx prices. Both of these boots were only thirty euros apiece! My shoe situation coming into Italy had dwindled because I literally had to throw some out after the wear and tear of all of the walking for the day. Little did I know that tossing those items made room for more shoes lol! My two new pairs of heeled boots were both on the markdown shelf and in my exact size. It was a positive sign to buy them both!

I absolutely love a “cuffed” boot like the first pair and actually saw something similar in a shop window that was WAY more expensive. These boots were the perfect substitute for a style I covet but have never had for myself. And, don’t even get me started on that zip up pair with the metal toes because holy WOW! Those pointed toes are everything and the metal embellishment adds such a unique and edgy pop. I have never seen a pair of boots like those before and would have deeply regretted not buying them. You already know that I am a self proclaimed “shoe whore” and I am beyond thrilled to have two new pairs fresh from Perugia!

I cannot wait to style fall OOTDs with these amazing new finds and also I am never going to be over the store name TipTap!

What do you like to buy for yourself on vacation? Which vacation location had the best shopping? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct24

Passing Time In Perugia

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Passing Time In Perugia

Hi there! After parting from Rome on our Italian vacation through AAA and Collette, the next cities we visited were Assisi and Perugia. It was a jam packed day of sightseeing and after we made our rounds in Assisi, we took a forty or so minute bus ride right to our hotel in Perugia. Our evening was ours to spend however we pleased and I think we were all looking forward to an individual night on the town. We spent our time in Perugia riding escalators in a medieval castle, shopping till we dropped (Peep my purchases tomorrow), and having a terrible meal at our hotel lol. Let’s discuss:

Our hotel was located on the outskirts of Perugia and there is only one way to get to the city center: The escalator castle! When our beloved tour guide, Savio, was describing the medieval castle with three or four escalators inside, it was genuinely hard to imagine. All of that technology in a location that has been around for centuries! In fact, it was still hard to believe even when we were climbing the escalators to be deposited in the city center. I must admit that the process to get to the heart of Perugia was a bit treacherous. The floors sloped at insane angles, the brick and cobblestone was uneven, and it kind of felt like a recipe for disaster. The name of the game was to tread carefully and while I enjoyed the experience, I was ready to get out into the open air!

Despite the semi scary mode of transport to get into the city center, I look back on my evening in Perugia most fondly. Any guesses why? The shopping, of course! As to be expected, high end stores in Italy are a dime a dozen. And, while Perugia did have some fancy stores, there were also plenty of reasonable ones to browse. I found a fabulous store called Studded that had Zara prices as well as a shoe store called TipTap where I walked away with two gorgeous new pairs of heeled boots. I was in heaven and can’t wait to show you my wearable souvenirs tomorrow! 😀

By the time we were through with our shopping, we were famished. We had plans for dinner at a restaurant in mind but couldn’t find it and opted for a meal at our hotel, instead. We returned the way we came, through escalator castle, and got back to the Sangallo Palace Hotel with bags in tow and ready to eat! All I can say is, I really wish we would have found the restaurant we originally planned on lol. This hotel meal was one of the worst I had on vacation. There was hair in the bread, my meal was freezing cold, and the waitstaff were all really rude. I was SO hungry that I finished my cold meal but felt like I needed a cup of coffee after to warm up. The glass of Prosecco only helped slightly smh.

Stop by tomorrow for my Perugia purchases! And just an FYI, I will be doing hotel reviews too so keep your eyes peeled!

Is it hard for you to find your way around in a new city? Have you had a restaurant meal recently that left a lot to be desired? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct23

Afternoon In Assisi

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Afternoon In Assisi

Ciao everyone and welcome to the next installment of my Italian adventure through AAA and Collette! After two amazing days in Rome, it was off to our next stops which was Assisi by day and Perugia by night. This was a bit of a hectic day to make the most of the two cities with the limited time that we had but it was actually one of my favorite parts of the entire trip. Assisi was absolutely gorgeous and I spent the night shopping till I dropped in Perugia. More on that later! For now, let’s chat about how we spent our Afternoon In Assisi:

As soon as we stepped foot in Assisi we were whisked off with a local tour guide to explore the Basilica of St. Francis. Although I am not religious, I was very excited for this tour as St. Francis is incredibly special to my family – my parents especially. I knew that this was an important stop for them and I was so happy to have been a part of it. The tour of the Basilica was just as beautiful as it was informative and the piece de resistance was visiting the tomb of St. Francis. Religious or no, I think everyone felt something when they entered the tomb. Your resident atheist and agnostic, me and Johnny, most certainly did and it was a remarkable experience. Photos aren’t allowed in many of the churches in Italy so you will just have to travel to Assisi to see the inside of the Basilica for yourself!

After our tour of the Basilica of St. Francis, we were famished for lunch and had a delightful meal at a quaint little restaurant called Wine Assisi. I, of course, had my mid afternoon libation – a glass of Prosecco and enjoyed a delicious “pizza sandwich” made with cheese and black truffles. It was DIVINE and the perfect option for lunch as it made me full without feeling stuffed. The cheese was so soft and melty and was unbelievable paired with the truffles. Take a look:

When our yummy lunch was done, we had an hour and a half or so to explore Assisi before we hopped back on the bus to head to Perugia. Johnny and I had such a lovely time ambling the streets with nowhere to go and popping in and out of shops as we pleased. Assisi was such a scenic little city and it felt like walking through history with each step. Even more so thanks to the knowledge we were armed with compliments of our local tour guide and tour manager. As we walked through Assisi, I also walked away with a few treats for myself. The stunning scarf from yesterday’s post as well as these charming salt and pepper shakers. I saw them in a shop window and they had to come home with me:

After our shopping and lots of walking, Johnny and I rewarded ourselves with a mid afternoon libation before it was time to head to Perugia. I also just had to snap this pic because hot dogs are Johnny’s fave lol – he has one tattooed which tells you all you need to know!

^^^ Lolololol I can’t!

I am so excited to talk about Perugia tomorrow so be sure to tune in. It was a MAJOR highlight of this tour!

What kind of souvenirs do you have from your travels? Will you be going on a vacation in the future? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct21

Guided Tour Of The Vatican Museums

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Guided Tour Of The Vatican Museums

Hello! My family enjoyed the trip of a lifetime to Italy compliments of the most excellent tour through AAA and Collette. Each day of the tour was jam packed with sight seeing, amazing food, fabulous company, and so much fun! While it was exhausting to be going nonstop for days on end, it was so worth it because there was so much to do and see. Our first full day in Rome started out with a bang as we went on a guided tour of the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica. As you all know, I am not religious in the slightest. However, I am very fond of religious art and this tour was one of my favorite highlights of the whole trip. Part of it was the sheer beauty of everything we saw but the other part was due to our wonderful tour guide, Julietta. Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

Going through the Vatican Museums was a whirlwind and, honestly, kind of overwhelming. As to be expected, it was incredibly crowded and we had to maneuver being in a large group, following Julietta, looking at everything as we quickly passed by, and still manage to listen to our guide as she gave us historical knowledge and hilarious stories. The Vatican Museums weren’t so much as a walk but a sprint as we navigated to the most well known artifacts while trying to avoid bottlenecks so we could stay within the time frame of the tour.

Because of how quickly we went through the impossibly huge Vatican Museums, the day was a bit of a blur. Everything from floor to ceiling was covered in art and I think you could spend an entire day there and still not manage to see and appreciate every single thing. Of course, one of the major highlights was seeing the Sistine Chapel and that was absolutely glorious. The Sistine Chapel is one of those landmarks that everyone knows and to be able to step inside it and see it with my own eyes is something I won’t soon forget. I also really loved staring up at all of the ceilings of the Vatican Museums which were completely adorned with paintings. They were all so detailed and elaborate and here I am proud that I can draw a stick figure!

After we visited the Vatican Museums, it was time for a well earned break for lunch and Johnny and I spent it tucked in a cozy little restaurant called Borgo Nuovo. He opted for the prosciutto pizza while I devoured a delicious pesto pasta. There is nothing like eating pasta in Italy and I savored every bite. I’m pleased to report that we were both members of the Clean Plate Club and this was one of my favorite meals because Johnny and I were together and it was like a little date. And, as delicious as the food was, it was just as delicious to sit down before a tour of St. Peter’s Basilica!

After our meal at Borgo Nuovo, it was back to the grind for St. Peter’s Basilica. Fun Fact: Our tour guide, Julietta, actually helped restore some of the marble columns in the Basilica as she is one of the leading experts in painted marble. How cool is that?! Here are some pics from the remainder of our tour:

Like the Vatican Museums, St. Peter’s Basilica featured a huge crowd but this time it felt way more manageable. Rather than a million rooms at the Vatican Museums to explore, there were only a handful in the Basilica which gave the opportunity to take it all in without feeling rushed. Despite lacking religion, it was very special to be in these famous and beautiful churches. Although it was cool to see the bodies of former popes in the Basilica, my favorite thing was a no brainer… I so loved seeing the Pieta by Michelangelo. My grandparents owned a funeral home and my grandma had the most glorious tabletop replica of the Pieta where calling hours were held. It was one of my favorite items from the funeral home and to see the real life statue was breathtaking. In fact, that was one of the best parts of the entire tour for me! ❤

Our sightseeing adventure didn’t end with our guided tour of the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica. It was just getting started because my family took a golf cart tour of Rome later that evening! Read all about it tomorrow!

What is your favorite work of art? Do you live near any cool museums? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah