Summer time is a time for a drive to the beach, soaking up the sunshine, and eating your body weight in watermelon, however, this Summer I had the absolute pleasure of doing all of this in the beautiful island of Sardinia, Italy. A few weeks ago I packed up my bags and shipped off to Europe to begin our Italian summer vacation!
First stop...Roma! After 3 chick flick movies, an airplane dinner and snacks (surprisingly yummy now), and some power naps, we finally touched down in Rome, Italy for the first time. The second we stepped off that plane it was nothing but beauty. Although Rome is known for its landmarks, the other half of Rome's beauty comes from the people, the food, and the atmosphere. A chaotic city flooded by history, it was bound to be an eventful few days. On the first day, we walked endlessly around Rome and stumbled across some pretty amazing landmarks including the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and the Campitelli. To say the least, these places live up to their grandeur!
On our second day, we decided to undertake the "Rome in a day" tour, which allowed us time in Vatican City and the Colosseum. First of all...the Vatican was absolutely, without a doubt, incredible. The architecture, history, and beauty resonate in every way, shape, and form and you feel transported to another time. Despite the large crowds and overwhelming heat, it was an unforgettable morning. In the afternoon, we travelled to the Colosseum for the other half of our tour. Now, you make look at pictures of the Colosseum and think "wow, it's huge" but let me tell you something...huge is an understatement. I am still perplexed as to how they built such an amazing structure in that time and to such perfection, it was incredible.
FUN FACT: The Colosseum once was a huge personal swimming pool...who knew! After a full 8 hours of walking and listening to the tour guide say "...and then we are done" about a hundred times, I finally tried my first ever Italian pizza and it did not disappoint. Safe to say...I crashed off of pure exhaustion, gelato, and pizza that night! Haha!
We spent the next week and a half on the beautiful Italian island of Sardinia, soaking up the European sun, eating our body weight in Gelato and pizza (so yummy), and enjoying living like locals. If you are to take a trip to this Mediterranean paradise, be sure to rent a villa and a car and explore as much as possible. We rented a villa in a small beachside town known as Cannigione, and travelled via our Nissan Quasqai!
The island was incredible at every corner and definitely worth the time spent exploring every avenue. In particular, we travelled across various parts of the island exploring Santa Teresa Gallura, San Teodoro, Stintino, and Porto Cervo; popular tourist destinations and world-renowned beaches. Its safe to say...these were views that you couldn't even dream of. We also took an unforgettable sailboating tour to La Maddelena Island and surrounding beaches that were only accessible by boat. That was one day I wish I could relive over and over again.
All in all, this was a trip of a lifetime and one I wish to relive again and again. I will definitely return to the Italy to continue to explore all it's historical wonders, and of course back to Sardinia to enjoy the salty and iridescent waters that I enjoyed so much. The time spent with my family was one of those priceless moments that I will always remember and cherish with me. As I begin my journey this week as a practicing therapist (with supervision for now of course), I will hold these memories with me and use them as reflections when going through a rough day or needing a little escape from reality. I wish I could express how amazing this experience was in words, but it simply cannot be done to the perfection that my eyes have seen.
Until next time Italia...
Nicole
xoxo
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