Chocolate Paradise: A Trip to Perugia

If you’re an ardent chocolate fan like me, or just a really enthusiastic morning-person, maybe you wouldn’t mind leaving Rome at six in the morning for a three-hour car ride north.

Of course, this isn’t just some random road trip. This is a trip north to the capital of the Umbria region – also known as the “Green Heart of Italy” – Perugia. This hilltop city dates back to the Etruscan period and was once one of the main cities, but now the city stands as a well-known cultural and artistic center! The city has also grown famous for chocolate, particularly because of the company, Perugina, whose Baci (“kisses” in English) is widely exported and very popular in Italy.

Our real journey starts with a 9:30 am tour of one of the Perugina’s largest factories here in Italy. After getting a glimpse of how two chocolatiers make chocolate and a brief overview of the company’s history, we were guided along the many machines on the factory floor, watching thousands of freshly made chocolates stream forward to be wrapped up in silver and blue stars then boxed up for shipment. Then came one of the highlights of the day; chocolate tasting! Plates of Perugina products were laid out before our little group, ranging from their new darkest chocolate brand, ‘Nero’, to their traditional Baci to their new ruby chocolate Baci. And, fun fact, the ruby is actually pink in color! Now, while I am an admirer of dark chocolate and I can appreciate the natural berry undertones that’s somehow sour yet sweet in ruby chocolate (it’s something you have to try at least once if you’re in to chocolate), I have to admit that milk chocolate will always be my greatest weakness. So, my vote goes to the classic Baci with its creamy, crushed hazelnut-filled ganache center and the whole hazelnut placed on top that’s entirely encased by a soft, smooth chocolate shell. It’s absolutely delicious!

After all of that, maybe we’d be willing to call it a day if our stomachs aren’t feeling the best… But that was just the appetizer.

Now we move on to the main event – the EuroChocolate festival!

The festival, which has been going on only since 1993, is huge – one of the largest chocolate festivals in Europe, actually. Nearly one million tourists and Italian natives visit the nine-day-long event each year! Countless difference chocolate companies, including Perugina, Lindt, Caffarel and others, partake in the festival which offers all sorts of souvenirs, chocolate tasting, chocolate art displays, street performances and even chocolate sculpting! Apparently, in recent years, someone even made an igloo out of 3,600 kilograms of chocolate bricks. That’s 7,936 pounds of chocolate, which is pretty darn close to 4 tons! And you think that’s a lot? Well, get this then, in 2003, the world’s largest chocolate bar was also made during EuroChocolate. It measured to be more than 7 meters in length (almost 23 feet long), two meters high (6.5 feet tall) and was made out of 5,980 kilograms of dark chocolate and thousands of hazelnuts. Now that’s 13,183 pounds – or if you prefer, almost 6 tons – of chocolate… Talk about a stomach-ache…

While I might not have had the chance to try every chocolate available or to see any jaw-dropping chocolate sculptures, I did spend my two hours tasting as much chocolate as I could get my hands on and wandering around some of the city’s side streets. The city’s thin, meandering streets offer a good respite from the busy main roads. And when you don’t think and just let your feet carry you along under the crowded off-white and faded terracotta apartment buildings, I think those are moments where you can just relax and appreciate the moment and experience. Then, as I’m sure you can guess, when you find a high enough point, you can take a few long minutes to gawk at the ever-breathtaking Italian countryside full of rolling green hills and distant mountains. Without a doubt, the countryside is my favorite place to escape the hustle of Rome to.

All in all, whether you’re looking to eat your weight in chocolate or to just relax in a historical city, Perugia is definitely one beautiful place to check out!

Medieval Masterpiece: A Tale of Ravenna

Walking through quiet, empty streets in Trastevere at five o’clock on a Saturday morning was never something I desperately wanted to do, but now I can say that I’ve done it.

My friends, Hannah, Emmie and I meandered through the narrow streets toward Rome’s train station with no breakfast and very little sleep. Today adventure awaits. We had planned a quick daytrip to a small-town East of Bologna, called Ravenna. Nestled just an hour from the coast, in the province of Emilia-Romagna, this town of almost 160,000 people is best known for its art – namely its extensive mosaics – and its long history. The city was once the capital of the Western Roman Empire from 402 until its collapse in 476 AD. Today, Ravenna is a world heritage site for its famous early Christian monuments.

After our nearly four-hour train ride through the mountains and countryside from Rome to Ravenna, we finally made it! The moment you exit the train station in Ravenna, it’s easy to pick up on the quiet, small town feel of this city. It doesn’t feel crowded when compared to Rome which gives you a nice break from any hustle and bustle. As a bonus, the city is about a fifteen-minute car ride from the coast which is said to have excellent beaches and resorts. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to go there, on this trip. Instead, our group stopped at a friendly and cozy café for a light breakfast, then we headed off to the first attraction – the Basilica of San Vitale. Built in 547 CE, the Basilica is considered one of the most important examples of early Christian Byzantine art and architecture in Europe, and it is also one of the eight structures in Ravenna listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

When you first enter the building, you’re immediately swept up by the width and towering height of the space, the beautiful mosaics and the stunning baroque fresco on the dome overhead. But the most famous aspect of the Basilica is, without a doubt, the apse. Made from magnificent Byzantine mosaics of gold and green, the Twelve Apostles and two other saints – who are probably Gervasius and Protasius, sons of St. Vitalus – decorate the tall arch. Beyond that, the apse mosaic depicts Christ the Redeemer sitting on the sphere of the world, flanked by San Vitale who is being handed a martyr’s crown, two angels, and Bishop Ecclesius, who founded the church.

The Basilica of San Vitale is a site to behold and a must-see attraction when in Ravenna.

From there, we moved on to the Neonian Baptistery, one of the most ancient monuments in the city, which dates from the beginning of the 5th century. Smaller than San Vitale’s Basilica, the inside of this building is adorned with mosaics of Hellenic-Roman influence. At the center of the dome, a big medallion frames the Baptism of Christ, depicted as a young man immersed to the hips in the sheer waters of the river Jordan. This is one of the oldest mosaic scenes of the Baptism of Christ housed inside a monumental building. The images of the twelve Apostles, divided into two groups led by Saint Peter and Paul, revolve around the central medallion, standing out against a blue background.

After another stop for a delicious lunch of bruschetta, ravioli and wine at a tucked-away restaurant, we wandered the quiet streets of the city until we found the tomb of the legendary Italian poet, Dante Alighieri. Unfortunately, we arrived when the tomb was closed but, it is said that you can step inside the small, simple marble structure which holds Dante’s bones, and is one of Ravenna’s most treasured relics.

When you visit Ravenna, you could easily spend a good day or two walking through all of the Basilicas and Museums. Plus, that gives you plenty of time to take in the charming atmosphere that so many have easily fallen in love with. And if you find yourself with some extra time on your hands while you’re in the area, I’d recommend checking out the beaches, or taking a trip to the microstate of San Marino (about an hour’s drive to the South), or the resort town of Cesenatico (34 minutes Southeast of the city). No matter what you do around this medieval masterpiece of a city, it’ll be well worth it!

The Rolling Hills of Tuscany: Montalcino

At seven in the morning, I trudged, half-asleep, to the Piazza Trilussa to board a coach bus that would carry me through the Tuscan hills for the next few hours.

Normally, I would groan and wail in despair at the thought of doing anything before brunch, but I guess this was one of those few exceptions. But, seeing the famous, picturesque rolling hills of Tuscany seems like it would be worth it. And I was not disappointed. When I was on my way to a small medieval town tucked away in the hills, Rome has caught in a three-month drought (but don’t worry, it’s long since over now!) so not everything was as green as you see it in the movies. Nonetheless, it was still just as spectacular! As we drove down the highway, we were surrounded by tall hills and wide-open fields. Cypress trees stood tall and in lines between the fields, stretching up toward the clear light blue sky and lining the long dirt roads that led to quaint villas.

True to the pictures you see in travel books or in movies, they stand separate from one another, their privacy protected by more cypress trees, shrubs and little gardens. Some are made of a beautiful dark stone and others a charming terra-cotta orange and tan with small cracks and fading from age. I couldn’t help but to swoon – it’s like you’re standing in a postcard.

Taking a deep breath out in the countryside, is an inspirational moment on its own, as the air is so crisp and fresh. It has a way of putting you at ease and make you feel tranquil. Since this was the first time I had left Rome in a month, I became so accustomed to the noise and tight spots of the Eternal City. But out there, even the birds were quiet. All you could hear was the soft rustle of the trees when a breeze washed over you and you could find a sense of peace again.

Conceivably, some of my favorite parts of the trip were driving along the hill tops. You could look out over rolling hills and fields, which in late August are slowly fading from green to light brown, and they seemed to go on for miles before mountains interrupted them.

Words and pictures can’t do it justice….. it is something you must experience for yourself.

Our first stop was at Caparzo Srl Società Agricola, a winery tucked at the end of a long dirt road. There, I tried out the different wines they offered us, even thou I am not a drinker, and toured the vineyard. It was Italian wine in Tuscany after all. But the thing about Italian “wine tasting” is that you aren’t sampling a fingers-worth of wine, like in the States, instead, you’re drinking a whole glass of one wine and then a glass of another. Unfortunately, I could only bring myself to finish one glass. And it wasn’t even a full glass, it was hardly even half a glass. But, in my defense, it was a big wine glass to begin with, and I’m a terrible lightweight. Getting buzzed on my first trip to Tuscany was not in the itinerary. I still had a lot to see and do.

At the winery, the Vintner let us try their Vermentino IGT Doga delle Clavule (a white wine), Rosso di Montalcino D.O.C Caparzo (a red wine), Super Tuscan Caparzo (a darker red wine), and their Moscadello Vendemmia Tardiva (a dessert wine). And, because I’m me, all of those fancy, unnecessarily long names went into one ear and out the other. Why can’t they just call red wine as red wine and white wine as white wine? By the time they finished saying the name on the bottle, I was already buzzed. It’s ridiculous. But it was all very good. The first red wine they offered was bold in taste and I couldn’t finish it, and since I didn’t finish that glass, I never got to try the darker red. But others with me said it was even stronger than the first. So that was a no-go for me. The first white was good and, since it was lighter than the red, I had an easier time drinking it. Lastly, the dessert wine was thick but still smooth, and had a fruitier taste to it which I enjoyed more.

We were given a light lunch amidst the tastings. We enjoyed cold cuts of prosciutto and salami, a selection of cheeses, bread with olive oil and bruschetta, which was all excellent. Then for dessert we were served biscotti and moist bite-sized cakes, one with a blueberry jam on top and another with a honey-lemon jam.

Next, we travelled to the town of Montalcino. The tour guide we met upon arrival was fantastic; a middle-aged woman, who was very knowledgeable about the town and regions history. I mentally praised her for her talents. Until, she got to the story of Romulus and Remus… There was a little statue of the She-wolf and the infant twins in the center of the main piazza, and she briefly went through the story despite my vehement nods that we understood it, being classical majors. The tables turned on my opinion of her when she made a major slip-up. She stated that Romulus killed Remus because Remus “made fun” of the boundary Romulus had created around his soon-to-be city. That is incorrect! The boundary was a sacred boundary, a sort of promise to the gods and, in turn, a sort of blessing. Remus recklessly jumped over the sacred boundary to mock his brother and his action was, in a way, a slap to the face of the gods. Romulus didn’t want his brother to be punished by the gods, so he took it upon himself to kill his own brother, as a way to show mercy. After which, Romulus mourned as he gave his slain brother a proper burial.

I’m ready for my Ph.D. now….

Montalcino, a town built into the side of a hill, overlooking a valley and protected by walls, only has a population of about six thousand. It was a town of merchants and pilgrims that grew over the centuries. Now, it’s a quiet little place that specializes in wine (too much wine in one day for me) and cute little souvenirs for those passing through. Because some of the town slants down the side of the hill, the streets are very steep and narrow with stairs as alleyways connecting the streets together. Life-threatening to clumsy people like me, but charming all the same.

The town center consists of small shops, cafes and churches that surrounded a tall, brick clock tower. The streets and sidewalks were very clean, just like the orange, white, and tan stones and houses. After staying in Rome, I had nearly forgotten that not all buildings were required to have graffiti and street art on them. Another good thing about going from Rome to Montalcino was that, for once, I didn’t have to worry about the possibility of getting ran over. There were cars in Montalcino, but I never saw them move.

Another bonus was of course, the view. Practically everywhere you went in Montalcino, you could peer down streets and between buildings and see more fields and rolling hills stretching out under the blue sky. Which is one of the reasons why I highly recommend stopping by there, if you ever happen to be in that region. It may not be a large town with a million things to do and see, but if you wanted to take a break from traveling around, I would suggest taking some time in Montalcino, to get lunch or to pick up small gifts. And taking pictures is always a great idea!

So, all in all, this little Medieval town is definitely worth a day trip!

Swiss Guard: Friend or Foe

One thing people love to do among many when traveling to Rome is to visit the Vatican. And it’s understandable as to why. Whether you’re a religious person or not, everyone can appreciate the beauty of Saint Peter’s Basilica and the impressive collection of the Vatican Museum. And being able to see the Pope, in person, is surprisingly easy to do!

My roommate, Hannah, and I heard through the grapevine that going to the Papal Audience is free! You can get tickets for the Audience in advance or the day of. For large groups who want to have seats close to the front, you must make reservations and pick your tickets up in advance. Depending on the time frame you’re in Rome, I would highly recommend attending the Audience on a Wednesday rather than Sunday. I’ve passed by the Vatican on a Sunday and was astounded at how far the massive crowd stretched back.

If you’re like Hannah and I, and you decide to attend the Audience at the last minute, you should arrive a few hours early to pick up your tickets the day of, or else you’ll have to fight the crowds. And it is a BIG crowd on any day. When arriving early, you will be waiting a while for the Audience to begin, but if you can snag some seats then the wait is well worth it. If you’re in Rome during the warmer months, be sure to bring plenty of water, glasses and hats. There is no shade in St. Peter’s square.

Just be careful that you actually get a ticket…

Hannah and I did our research the night before arriving on where to get the tickets. Or so we thought. According to the websites for the Vatican and the Papal Audience, you can pick up your tickets from the Vatican Offices located at the Bronze Doors just past security. But did we do that? Nope. Don’t get me wrong, we wanted to be good, rule-abiding people and follow instructions, it just didn’t work out that way… Here’s the story;

We left our apartment at seven in the morning, wide awake and ready to go! We hurried through the twenty-minute walk to the city-state. As we made our way down the street – Via della Conciliazione – and toward Saint Peter’s Square, we came face-to-face with a short metal gate and three Vatican Guards. Naturally, I urged Hannah forward first as a sacrifice. After clearly showing how uncertain we were on where to find the mythical Bronze Doors, the Guard stepped aside and simply pointed toward the Square, letting us through with those very clear and precise directions. So, we continued on. As you walk ahead to the center of the Square, you find an uninscribed Egyptian obelisk, topped with a cross. (Caution: History Nerd Moment) The obelisk was originally made in Heliopolis, Egypt, by an unknown pharaoh, but Emperor Augustus had it moved to Alexandria where it stayed until 37 AD. Emperor Caligula then had it moved once more, to the center of the Circus of Nero in Rome where it stayed until being moved one final time in 1586 to Saint Peter’s Square. What a lot of people who visit the Vatican don’t known is that the Vatican obelisk is the only one in Rome that has not fallen since the ancient Roman times! But when you look past that, you find the 140 statues of Saints which stand atop the massive Tuscan colonnades, four columns deep, that embrace visitors in “the maternal arms of Mother Church”. And this is just the entrance.

Once Hannah and I had managed past the initial awe of everything and its ginormous size, we noticed a long line of people that disappeared around a corner. That had to be the line for tickets, right? Of course. We stood in line for maybe twenty-five or thirty minutes before we got to the front which was to a mini-airport security type checkpoint. Hannah and I exchanged a look. Okay, no problem, obviously the tickets were on the other side of the security.

Unfortunately, we still didn’t find the Bronze Doors even when we passed through security.

We had no tickets and the Swiss Guard patrolled back and forth through the Square amongst the excited tourists. Immediately, everything turned into a game of hide-n-seek. We knew that tickets were required to be in the sitting area of the Square which was also the closest to where Pope Francis would be, so wouldn’t the Guard kick us out if they realized we didn’t have tickets? We just had to make sure they didn’t notice our lack of tickets. Easy.

Already sitting in a few chairs, a tour group of older people gazed at their tour guide, listening and nodding along to the stories she told about the Vatican and the different things around them. They were a perfect disguise. Hannah and I slipped our way through the row of chairs and nestled ourselves next to three older women toward the back of the group, who, basically, welcomed us into their group without any questions. Not that we were complaining about it. Whenever a Swiss Guard in his bright yellow, blue and red uniform marched by, Hannah and I would turn in our seats to where the tour guided pointed and nod along in understanding, occasionally snapping a picture or two for the icing on the cake.

And just like that, we made it to the time for the Audience to start. Because of our vertically challenged stature, we couldn’t see Pope Francis when he first appeared, but we could definitely tell that he was somewhere since everyone started to cheer and whip out their phones and cameras. We stood on our tiptoes in our chairs to watch as he zoomed along in the Pope-mobile until he finally ascended the stairs to his chair in front of the Basilica.

Being in the Papal Audience was beyond what we could have ever expected. The process was long, but worth it. The Pope gave his speech and prayers, kissed babies and shook hands with the lucky audience members that were able to get close enough. Of course, his speech was in Italian, but have no fear of not understanding. The Pope’s entourage of Cardinals all took turns to translate the Pope’s speech in various languages.

As long as you can arrive early enough and don’t mind the long wait, attending the Papal Audience is something I, without a doubt, recommend adding to the bucket list. After all, how many of your family members and friends can say they’ve seen Pope Francis in person? Just make sure that you actually get a ticket.

Me, Myself & I

Have you ever heard someone say – or even thought this yourself – that a mistake turned out to be one of the best things that could have happened?

I, personally, had never really sat down and thought about this until recently. Toward the end of my junior year in high school, my mom and I were researching different colleges that I could possibly attend after graduation. Originally, I looked at schools in the New England area because I was scared to be far away from home. Baby steps first, right? I wasn’t ready for any big changes. At least, that’s what I had made myself believe.

When I first found it, I wasn’t sure what to think. An American university in the heart of Rome, Italy? Well, it sounded cool, like one big adventure, but it wasn’t for me. I had just found it by mistake. But my mom had a different opinion on the matter. She encouraged me to apply and, figuring that I wouldn’t get in, I also applied to four other colleges in New England. What were the chances that the school in Rome would be the first to get back to me with an acceptance letter? Of course, I thought this was either a joke or a dream, and so I wanted to wait for letters from the other colleges then consider my options. It was best to play it safe. Once again, mother knows best. She urged me to go and argued that it would be a great opportunity and that I would be a fool to pass it up. She wasn’t wrong.

Before I could catch my breath, it felt like the day to leave was already knocking at my door.

Armed with two suitcases and a plane ticket, I waved goodbye to my parents and little brother at the airport and was on the plane, flying across the ocean. This was insane. I was insane. I had only left the US a hand full of times, and with my parents by my side. This was way different. This time, I was alone. And, sure, there were group chats online for the new students, but I was too anxious to ever actually join the conversation. I did, however, find two people out of the masses that would become my best friends and roommates. We had talked via Facebook for weeks leading up to the start of the semester. But I had no clue where exactly they were at school or when I would find them – I was mostly drifting with the flow of things with my fingers crossed all the while.

After landing in Italy around noon with no sleep in my near future, I was greeted by the Orientation Leaders and herded onto a bus that would take me to my new home. And the school website didn’t lie, it really was in the heart of Rome. Nestled in the busy neighborhood of Trastevere, I was a five-minute stroll from the Tiber River and a twenty-minute walk from the Vatican. Little Fiats and Vespas hurried up and down the narrow cobblestone streets, people strolled here and there under the sun, and each building was so close to one another with the classic Italian orange and tan colors you see in pictures. It really did feel like I was dreaming.

That first night, everything seemed to sink in. I was technically an adult now and alone for the first time on the other side of the world, in a foreign country, surrounded by a language that I didn’t speak. Talk about taking a chance!

Despite it all, I realized that I was actually pretty damn excited. Terrified but excited. I was alone but that was only temporarily. I was scared but I would adjust… I was in a new city, and not just any city, the Eternal City. I had spent the last years of high school reading things on Ancient Rome, imagining what it would be like to taste real Italian food, and hugging pictures of the Roman Forum and the Trevi Fountain. But now? Why hug a picture of the Colosseum when I can hug the actual thing?

I knew that my life was about to change in a big way, and even though I was lost and confused, I was ready to see where this adventure would take me….