Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis and St. Clare, was high on our list of towns to visit in Italy. Being Catholic, we treated this as a "pilgrimage" in many ways. We traveled from Rome to Assisi on a regional train. Train travels are NOT a big deal in Italy, or Europe, for that matter. … Continue reading ASSISI
"When one looks at it, all else seems little: the edifice is so vast, that one can not hold the image of it in one's soul; in memory we think it smaller, and then return to it again to find it every time greater than before." J. W. Goethe, Italian Journey (Reflecting on the scale … Continue reading ROMA!
Buongiorno! This last weekend, our program went to Napoli (Naples), and although we did not see much of the city itself, we had the opportunity to explore smaller towns and ruins in the area. It was a welcome change of pace and scenery, and I'm excited to share my experiences there with you! On Thursday, … Continue reading Days 16-18: Napoli
Ciao again! I'm slowly (but surely) catching up on my blog posts. I have a lot to write for these days - site visits, the 4th of July, the Villa Borghese... The Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo is one of the simpler churches of Rome, significantly less ornate than the others. There is, however, charm … Continue reading Days 12-15: Independence Day & More
Hello again! Still catching up, and there is so much to say about my time in Venice. Here goes! We took a speed train from Rome on Friday afternoon, and when we arrived and exited the station, the view was breathtaking (our professor even said her favorite moment of our trip so far … Continue reading Days 9-11: Venice
Ciao everyone! I'm sorry it's been so long since I last posted - this last week and a half has been a whirlwind of different activities and site visits. It does not seem that I have nearly enough time to see even a fraction of Rome. The most memorable site we went to in these two … Continue reading Days 7-8: Santa Maria Maggiore
Ciao! It's hard to believe that it has almost been a week since I arrived here in Rome. Over the last few days, I have learned a lot about this place, its history, and its ability to move people. Friday, like every other day in Rome, was beautiful - the weather presenting the … Continue reading Days 4-6: Getting Lost
Hello again! These past few days have been jam-packed with events, orientations, classes, and explorations of Rome - it's hard to believe it's only been two days! While these "happenings" have been fun, they have also helped me in the daunting task of getting more situated within and comfortable with the city. Not so fortunately, … Continue reading Days 2 and 3: A Photo Blog
Hi all! It's Carmen. I've just gotten settled in my Trastevere apartment, and thought I'd take this opportunity to post. It is currently around 3 in the afternoon, and 86° F (aka warmer than Seattle). It has certainly been a hectic and tiring past 24+ hours for me, travelling from one place to another, … Continue reading Day 1: Departure and Arrival
Ever since our (Michael and Ning's) first trip to Italy in 2013, 2017 has been sort of on our family calendar for a family trip to Italy. The rationale was that both of our older kids would be in college and the younger two would be old enough to really appreciate a trip to … Continue reading Countdown to 2017 Italy Trip
Grisaffi Family Adventures 