Maddie

Churches

Traveling in Europe has allowed me to see some of the most beautiful and most historical churches. In Florence we visited the Duomo, San Lorenzo, San Marco, and Santa Croce. The Duomo is an iconic church and what I was most excited to see in Florence. Pictures do not accurately capture just how large and detailed the building is. It was incredible to learn about the architects of the Duomo, such as Brunelleschi, and actually see it in person. San Lorenzo was another church we toured that surprised me. From the outside, the church is nothing too elaborate, but the inside is incredible. It looked so modern on the inside, it was hard to believe it was from the Renaissance. Learning about the Renaissance and actually seeing these buildings in person is a different experience.

Some other churches I saw when traveling to different countries was St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague, Czech Republic and the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain. St. Vitus Cathedral is a huge gothic cathedral that dates back to the 9th century. It was unlike any cathedral I have seen before. The Sagrada Familia was by far my favorite cathedral I visited. The church is designed by Antoni Gaudi and is still being built today. The outside has gothic elements and looks as though it was built in the 1400s. However, the inside is completely different and stunning. It has colorful stained glass windows and tall ceilings with cement pillars that branch out like trees. Gaudi was inspired by nature and you can truly see that in his work. The Sagrada Familia is something everyone should see at least once in their lives. The last and most grand church I saw was St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. This church is truly amazing and detailed. It was an incredible experience to see where the Pope performs mass and I was lucky enough to attend the Pope’s Sunday address in the Vatican.

Day Trips

The first day trip we went on was to Fiesole. We hiked up a huge hill in the summer heat, but the view was completely worth it. Fiesole was an old Etruscan city, and it was amazing to be able to learn about it in class then go and physically see these places in person. We got to see ancient Roman baths, foundations of buildings, and a theater that was still intact. We also visited an Etruscan museum and saw sarcophagi and pottery found in tombs. It helped put into perspective the Etruscans and gives us a glimpse of what society was like.

Another day trip we went to was Siena and San Gimignano. In Siena, we saw the Basilica of San Domenico and saw a relic of her preserved head. In class we discussed the importance of relics and how they were thought to have a spiritual essence and keep the church holy. We also got to see the historic site of Piazza del Campo, where we learned that horse races are held in the square twice a year and the whole city gathers to watch. Next we went to San Gimignano, a small town with a lot of beauty. The town had beautiful buildings, great ceramic shops, and the world’s best gelato.

The last day trip we went on was to Orvieto, an Etruscan city on a steep hilltop. In class we learned how the Etruscan built their cities on hills to make it more difficult for enemies to attack, but little did I know how steep it actually was. I would not recommend attacking this city because you will be out of breath by the time you climb up. In Orvieto, I went to lunch with Rachael and Emma, and we went to this small family-owned sandwich shop. While there, the owner asked us what we were doing in Orvieto and we told him we were taking classes about the Renaissance and Etruscans. His face lit up when we said Etruscans and brought us artwork that he made out of bucchero. Etruscans made beautiful pottery out of this material and are known for their work with bucchero. He even showed us his ancient Etruscan pottery collection and some African artifacts. It was so nice to be able to interact with the locals and see how the Etruscans have impacted daily life in this city.

Weekend Adventures

One weekend Emma and I went to Amalfi Coast, Capri, and Pompeii. This was by far the best weekend. I cannot even begin to describe how beautiful the Amalfi Coast and Capri are. One of the most unforgettable experiences while in Capri was being able to see the Blue Grotto. Instead of describing how beautiful everything is, I'll post pictures just to give you an idea...

The next weekend Rachael, Emma and I went to Prague. Some of the highlights of the trip was seeing the Prague Castle and St. Vitus Basilica, trying beef goulash at the oldest restaurant in Prague, going to a beer garden that overlooks the whole city, and boating on the river by the Charles Bridge. The food in Prague was amazing and the views were even better.

My last weekend abroad was spent in Barcelona, Spain. Some of the highlights of this trip was being able to lay out on the (very crowded) beaches, trying tapas and sangria, touring the Sagrada Familia, trying seafood paella, and going to Park Güell.

Report abuse