Submitted by Jordyn Levison on the 2014 spring semester study abroad program in London, England…
Last week was our spring break and a group of us organized a trip to Venice, Florence, and Barcelona. Our first stop in Venice was the renowned Venetian Carnevale, so we wore masquerade masks all day. After a couple of hours, we were caught in the middle of a torrential downpour! We had to seek shelter in a tiny gelato store where the five of us were crammed behind a freezer. Once the showers were over—and we bought some delicious gelato—we took a gondola ride through river-filled alleyways. It was absolutely breathtaking, but then it began to pour again! We were soaking wet and far from our hotel, so we had to go to dinner drenched. Although the weather in Venice was disappointing, it was nonetheless an incredible city.
Our second stop was in Florence. We ate pizza almost three times a day, especially at this one pizza joint called Gusta Pizza where they bake the pizza in the shape of a heart. My favorite was definitely the original Gusta, which had pesto, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, parmesan and arugula. I could have eaten it all day! We also tried some unbelievable gnocchi, caprese salad, paninis, and seafood…we basically ate our way through Italy. My favorite tourist destination in Florence was the Duomo of Florence, a cathedral that had incredible Gothic architecture with shades of pinks and greens on the outside.
Our last destination was Barcelona, where we were greeted with palm trees and beach weather. Barcelona was hands down my favorite city that I have visited thus far. We ate mouthwatering tapas and paella everyday. We walked along the beaches and visited the legendary Casa Batlló, a well-known house built by expressionist artist Antoni Gaudí. We even attended a three-day music festival called Abroadfest, which was held at three of Barcelona’s most popular clubs. All in all, we had a fabulous spring break!
