Le Cinque Terre

I returned to Rome yesterday from an incredible weekend in Le Cinque Terre. Le Cinque Terre, in English, "The Five Lands" is comprised of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. My friends and I stayed in Monterosso, which is known for having the best bars, restaurants and nightlife out of the five towns. Here are some of my favorite photos taken in Monterosso from this weekend...

Some Pics from Along the Way

Since I am leaving tomorrow to head on my second trip away from Rome I thought it would be nice to post some of my favorite pictures from my first trip. Enjoy!

The Colosseum

On my first trip back to the Colosseum, my roommates and I fell into the trap of getting our pictures taken with one of the "gladiators". Bad decision. Although we now have some priceless photographs the wimpy guy posing as a gladiator tried to rip us off. My advice, which worked for us- simply walk away. Our gladiator tried to charge us 10 Euro! That is $15 USD! I wish we could have fed him to the lions!
After our run in with the rob-you-blind-gladiator we enjoyed some cold beers on the lawn in front of the Colosseum. I highly recommend doing this in the evening because the Colosseum is beautifully lit at night.
Tomorrow I am leaving for Cinque Terre, expect some incredible photographs early next week!

Ciao for now!

Insalata Ricca

This weekend, while suffering from carb-overload my roommates and I decided to stop at a restaurant known for their salads. If you are craving a salad while in Rome then Insalata Ricca, located on Largo dei Chiavari in Campo d. Fiore, does not disappoint. Their menu includes a large selection of fresh salads with your choice of meat, seafood or simply veggie. Insalata Ricca also has a long list of small plates as well as pasta and meat entrées. My roommates and I found Insalata Ricca to be a nice change of pace- perfect for lunch to break up an afternoon of shopping!

Assisi, Italy

My final stop on my first trip through Italy was Assisi. Assisi is the birthplace of St. Francis (San Francesco) and there are many statues, sculptures and churches erected in his honor throughout town.
Assisi is mostly built on a large hillside. Wear comfortable shoes for your visit because much of the walking is uphill. With that said, the views are to die for. I found myself entranced. Simply staring down an alleyway, that in most cities would be unsightly, held incredible views in Assisi.
At the bottom of the hillside is the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli. This church is where St. Francis of Assisi started the Franciscan movement. Encased within the larger basilica is a small chapel, The Porziuncola (Italian for "Little portion"). St. Francis was given The Poriziuncola from Benedictine monks in the 9th century. The Basilica was then built around this small church in honor of St. Francis.
Assisi can be explored in about 2-3 days and is definitely worth visiting if you are in the Umbria region. Assisi is known for their toy makers and embroidery. There are many shops that sell religious goods including rosaries, statues and wall-hangings.
Assisi is an incredibly photogenic place, so this post will be full of pictures. Do not leave home without your camera when visiting Assisi!

Ciao for now!

(Photographs taken by Brhea Lyke)

Pictured from top to bottom:

An alleyway in Assisi

Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli

The Virgin Mary statue located at the top point of the Basilica of Santa Maria
A sunset in Assisi

A toy of St. Francis at a shop in Assisi

Lago di Garda

During my travels through Northern Italy I visited Lago di Garda (Lake Garda). This trip was incredible for a variety of reasons. The area and towns surrounding Lake Garda are gorgeous. Picture crystal clear waters, with white rock beaches and alpine mountains for a backdrop!
Located about halfway between Venice and Milan, Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy. During my stay at Lake Garda I visited Sirmione, which is one of the more touristy areas on the lake.
Being the last weekend of Italian holiday, it was a bit crowded- but the water was perfect and the scenery was otherworldly. The beach that my roommates and I swam off of is where the Scaliger Castle is located (pictured above).
I found it particularly special to visit Lake Garda because my maternal ancestors are from the surrounding area. Salvagno, my maternal grandmother's maiden name is a popular last name in the region. I couldn't help but think, while swimming in the lake, that generations ago my ancestors probably spent many hot days swimming in the same waters.

Ciao for now!

Below is a video that I thought you all would enjoy of a little Italian boy dancing
(and falling) on the beach.

Verona, Italy

I just returned last night from my school's orientation which included about a week of travel through Northern Italy. The first stop on our trip was Verona. Verona is a beautiful city with great shops and restaurants within the city center. In the heart of the city is the Arena di Verona. I was lucky enough to get the chance to watch the closing-night performance of the opera "Aida" inside of the Arena.
The Arena di Verona was built in 30AD, and can best be imagined as a more intact version of the Roman Colosseum. The arena delivers incredible acoustics, it is hard to imagine that there are no microphones involved. The performance of "Aida" was breathtaking, at one point there were over 100 performers on stage including horses!
If you ever get the opportunity to attend a concert at the Arena di Verona be sure to bring something to sit on, although the venue is beautiful the seating is on original marble (imagine sitting for 3 hours on pavement). Also, ladies, do not even think about wearing heals. I know an opera sounds glamorous, and it is, but the marble is slippery and there is nothing stopping you from falling hundreds of feet to your death!
I took a few videos of the opera to share with all of you so that you can get a better idea of what I experienced. I will be adding more soon, but below is a short video posted from the first act of the opera... Enjoy!


Ciao for now!