For the past year we have been sharing Mia’s story as she learns Italian with our Platinum Italian lessons. Mia decided to learn the language in anticipation of her family’s spring time trip to Italy.
While on her trip, Mia took many photos and today she is sharing with us five of her favorite moments from the trip. Notice all the Italian words she has learned! Enjoy!
1. Wandering through the Uffizi Gallery
Being able to explore the Uffizi Gallery was one of the most incredible experiences I have had so far in my life. I saw many capolavori (“masterpieces”) that I had seen in my history textbooks, and experiencing them coming to life gave me a whole new level of appreciation. Normally wandering through musei (“museums”) isn’t mia favorita (“my favorite”) way to spend the day, but this time was different. When we got there it was insanely affollato (“crowded”) but luckily we booked our tour months in advance. It was a rainy day so it was the perfect opportunity to explore the indoors. There were so many pieces of art from so many famous artists that it made my head spin. If you get the opportunity to do one thing in Florence, make sure you tour the Uffizi.
2. Touring the Colosseum
After seeing the movie “Gladiator” I couldn’t wait to see the Colosseum. The Colosseum was the highlight of our trip to Rome and the thing that my family was most excited about. We spent orario (“hours”) there wandering around and I learned more there than on any other tour I went on. The architectural feats were so impressionante (“impressive”) and it was definitely something that I’ll always remember. My tour guide was very insightful and everyone there was really helpful.
3. Throwing a moneta (“coin”) into the Trevi Fountain
The legend of the Trevi Fountain states that if one throws a coin into the fountain, they are ensured good fortuna (“fortune”) and a fast return to Rome. That is if they toss the coin over their left shoulder with their back facing the fountain. The Trevi Fountain is a major turista (“tourist”) stop in Rome and during my stay there I discovered why. Not only is it a breathtaking piece of art, but it also gave me hope to someday return to this great city. I threw my coin in and it was a moment that I don’t think I’ll ever forget. The streets around the fountain are lively and exciting, my favorite gelato place is right across the street too! My family spent the entire afternoon just walking around in the little negozii (“shops”) surrounding and all in all it was a very relaxing giorno (“day”).
4. Shopping in the heart of Roma
You have never truly shopped until you have shopped in Rome. The streets are lined with the most sought after designer stores, and there is one cute boutique after the next. It is impossible to not overspend in Rome. I bought a lot of unique and beautiful outfits that I am looking forward to wearing. The best way to ensure that no one has the same outfit as you is to purchase it in another country! My family spent hours browsing through shops and it was unlike any other shopping experience I’ve ever had. In Italy, the pelle (“leather”) and gioielli (“jewelry”) stores are a must see. Italian leather and oro (“gold”) is unlike any other in the mondo (“world”). I don’t know if I’ll ever look at the mall in the same way.
5. Walking across the Ponte Vecchio Bridge in Firenze
The Ponte Vecchio Bridge in Florence is a wonder. Its beauty can be admired from a mile away and the views are fantastic. On the ponte (“bridge”), there are tons of shops and it is insanely crowded. I have never really minded a crowd, which is a good thing because every tourist attraction in Italy is packed. The bridge is famous for having great jewelry shops and there is shop after shop of them. I liked the fact that they built what seemed like a strade della città (“city street”) onto a bridge; I had never seen anything like it before.
We’ll be sharing another round of highlights from Mia’s trip next week. Stay tuned!