Italy

Capital: Rome ♦ Population: 61 million ♦ Currency: Euro (€) ♦ Language: Italian. The younger generations tend to speak quite good English, but in rural areas sometimes people can only speak Italian.

Blog posts

2019
Living in Milan (2014)
Videos

Highlights

Italy is the country that I  definitely saw the most of while I was in Europe.  I lived there for six months, so I’m probably a little bit biased, but also I think Italy just has SO much to offer as a country.

Rome: so much history! Although I agree that Rome is basically a must-see, it is definitely not my favourite Italian city. It is busy, dusty and OLD.

Milan: Italy’s fashion capital – and we all know the Italians do fashion well. It’s a place I feel lucky to have called home.

Venice: one of Europe’s most touristic cities, people tend to love it or hate it. It feels like an over blown theme park a lot of the time: busy, expensive, dirty. The canals really are something special though. My recommendation: get up early and beat the crowds.

Florence: brimming with culture, beauty and delicious food. A laid back and pleasant Italian city, but still with plenty happening.

Cinque Terre: literally, my favourite place in the ENTIRE world.

Did you know?

  • Approximately €3000 of change is thrown into the Trevi fountain every day. Every night it is collected and donated to charity.
  • The smallest country in the world (Vatican City) is housed within Rome.
  • Pizza was invented in Naples back in 1860.
  • Italy is the fourth most visited country in the world.

 

An ode to my travel buddy: Danielle Thorne, I cannot thank you enough. Starting right at the beginning, before we’d even left the country – thank you for helping me get organised, arranging for us to get our visas sorted, and providing me with packing tips (although I still failed). When we arrived – thanks for finding us somewhere to live, for agreeing to live with me (you had no idea what you were in for!), for essentially being my counselor, you could always make me laugh, and probably most importantly during that time – you accepted me for who I was. Throughout our time in Milan – my roommate, my best friend, my partner-in-crime and essentially, my other half. Milan would not have been the same without you. For your pleasure I will add that you introduced me to Liverpool; I’m now their #1 fan. I will also include that you were a good influence, and my attendance at university probably reached an all time high! Throughout our travels – through the good and the bad you were a rock, you were always there for me, so easy-going and eager to please. Thanks for being as cool as a cucumber in times of stress. They say great minds think alike, and when it came to travelling, this couldn’t have been more true. The memories we have created are endless; to think for so long we could count the days on one hand where we didn’t see each other – your memories are my memories, and I will cherish them forever. In life, it’s not necessarily about where we go, but who we go with – and your friendship over the last few months could have taken us to the moon and back. Thanks for everything girl – I’m honoured to have shared the best year of my life with you! PS. I was joking about the #1 fan bit.