A Summer to Remember in Italy
Lauren at the Colosseum
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By Lauren Laufer
While most college students usually spend their summers doing their best to avoid anything school related, I decided to spend half of my summer totally engulfed in it. I did a study abroad program through my school where I went to Italy to study art and art history for a whole month.
To say I was excited about my trip would be a total understatement. When it was confirmed that I was able to go, I spent hours on the computer researching the little city of Urbino. Turns out this amazing renaissance city was the home of famous artist Raffaello Sanzio, more commonly referred to as just Raphael. The city was also home to one of the most beautifully preserved renaissance palaces known as the Ducal Palace.
After the 10 hour flight, I was in that state of mind where everything felt so surreal and the only line my group could say was “When in Rome!” I honestly couldn’t believe that I was on the other side of the world for the first time with a bunch of my friends. We all hurried to grab our bags and then to our bus where we took a four hour bus ride from Rome to Urbino.
Besides my normal school schedule we did get fun weekend trips to such places as Gubbio, Assisi, San Leo, San Marino, Florence, Venice, and Rome; each and every place was special and unique and had something amazing to offer us. Our first day trips were to Assisi and Gubbio. They were both really special: the Saint Francis Basilica, as well as many famous frescos done by the painter Giotto, is located in Assisi, while Gubbio offered us one the most beautiful views I have ever seen, especially on our way up to it. You see, we couldn’t walk up a path to the top of the mountain, instead we had to travel by gondola, but you had to stand! My friend who rode with me was scared, but I loved it and I thought it was exciting. Plus the view made it that much better.
“Italy has stolen my heart”
Lauren and her classmates in Urbino
Because I’ve never been out of the country, I headed to Venice with the mindset that I had to have a death grip on my purse. We did encounter a little beggar problem on the train but it was handled by the Italian police officer who happened to be in our cabin. I was more apprehensive to arrive there after that, but I am so glad that I went. I wouldn’t change being able to see Saint Mark’s Square (the big place with all the pigeons) and the Biennale (it’s an art festival that happens every two years and only in Venice), as well as being able to celebrate the end of the plague remembrance day with all the Italians with drinks and almost an hour of fireworks.
Our classes soon ended and we were down to our last week. We left our lovely little renaissance city for bigger and louder places: Florence and Rome. Florence, known for its leather and the David, was amazing. The very first day there we dropped our bags off and we hurried off to the Uffizi, home to Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus and La Primavera, after that we could hurried over to the Academia to go view “the perfect man.” And he was perfect and even more beautiful than pictures could ever show; I was truly in awe at Michelangelo’s work.
On top of Saint Mark's venice
After Florence, we headed over to our last stop on our trip, Rome. The first night was packed with everything we could fit in. We started with Saint Peter’s, then went off to the Spanish Steps, stopped off to have some of the best pizza I’ve ever had, and ended in front of the Trevi Fountain. Day two was packed as well, with a short bus tour of Rome where we got to spot out places we would like to squeeze in; then it was off to the Colosseum (with the Forum too), and ended with the Pantheon and some shopping. I think the trip ended perfectly, with a nice calm day of art and hanging out with my friends.
Overall the trip was amazing and I must say that Italy has stolen my heart. I hope it won’t be long till I am back in Italy to see what else it has to offer through its beauty and culture.
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A gondola ride in Venice
Lauren in Venice
Trevi Fountain, Rome