Category: Europe

Submitted by Martina Esparza the 2024 Spring program in Prague, Czech Republic…

This past week I had two of my good friends visit Prague on UD’s spring break. Together the three of us explored all Prague’s major attractions.  Collectively we decided that the summer house and the Prague castle were the best two the city has to offer. The Summer House (also known as the Belvedere) is a 16th century building that once served as a recreational residence for Prague royalty. One of the largest ancient castles in the world, the Prague castle, a 9th century building with stunning architecture that once housed the bohemian king, holy roman emperors and czech presidents. After being away from home for three months, at a time where homesickness started to kick their visit came at the perfect timing. (Submitted on April 9,2024)

Submitted by Emma Smith the 2024 Spring program in London, England…

Week 11 Blog 

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to travel to Nice, France and Monte Carlo, Monaco. Nice, France was so beautiful because it is a beach town with bright blue water and mountains landscaping in the background. We walked all along the streets of Nice and sat on the beach. What was different to me though was that instead of sand at the beach, it was all rocks so it was a little uncomfortable to sit but we managed. There were many rooftop bars and restaurants where you could sit and enjoy the view while trying different French foods and drinks. The next day, we took a 20 minute train ride to Monte Carlo, Monaco. This was my absolute favorite place I have traveled to while studying abroad. Monte Carlo is a rich town filled with luxurious boats, hotels, and restaurants. The clear blue water and yachts were like looking at a picture. We walked around the famous Monte Carlo casino and explored its unique building filled with card tables and lottery machines. Monte Carlo is also famous for its Grand Prix in May. Obviously this was not happening while we were there, we still got to see the track and the outline of how the city is set up when the race takes place. Monte Carlo just felt straight out of a movie and I hope to return there to visit again one day. (Submitted on April 8,2024)

Submitted by Julia Scott the 2024 Spring program in Paris, France…

If I could recommend one activity in a country defined by its gastronomy, it would be to take a cooking class. At home, I love to cook – I get called at least once a week from home telling me that my mom misses how I make dinner every night. In fact, my dedication to good food decided where I would study abroad; when I had to decide between studying art history in Paris or graphic design in London, there was no question: Parisian food. While taking this cooking class, it made me appreciate the luxury of a culture that values food and has a high respect for taking time to do it right. My tour guide was a chef that retired from cooking in high-end Parisian restaurants, so he followed his passion for teaching in private schools where he makes a new dish every day. Since my mom booked this class, I had no idea what we would be getting into and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that we would be going to different types of food markets to create a menu on our own. In the end, we chose an appetizer of roasted leeks and cauliflower with Dover trout in a butter and caper sauce, a main course of wagyu prime rib with a side of bearnaise sauce and a side of potatoes etouffee, a cheese board with five varieties, and ending with a lemon-lavender macaron. The class ran for about five hours, and in that time I had a wonderful time and learned just how much the French love butter. Food is religion here, and it was incredibly gratifying to be let in on their rituals. If you love life, do a cooking class. (Submitted on April 8,2024)

Submitted by Emma Smith the 2024 Spring program in London, England…

This past weekend I had the opportunity to see the capital of the Czech Republic, Prague. Before I came to study in London I had no idea Prague even existed, but my friend told me everyone she knows absolutely loved it. So, we decided to go. Prague is separated from Old Prague and New Prague and there is a river crossing in between. We went on a boat tour and saw the whole city and its many unique bridges. We also saw the Prague Castle, went to the Prague Zoo, and walked around the many markets themed for Easter. At the zoo, we saw flamingoes, capybaras, elephants, giraffes, gorillas, and many many more animals from all over the world. At the markets we went to, we got to indulge in the different foods famous in the Czech Republic and had a variety of drinks to choose from. The markets were all decorated for Easter so this was nice to be around as it reminded us of home. I loved Prague because each building was so unique and it honestly made me feel like I was in a Disney movie. Also, another highlight of Prague was that everything was fairly cheap. Traveling on the weekends can be very expensive, but Prague was nice because mostly everything we bought and did, did not cost a lot of money. I would definitely recommend traveling here because it is so different from any city I have been to and it is very nice when you’re traveling on a budget. (Submitted on April 3,2024)

Submitted by Alexandra Evangelist the 2024 Spring program in Rome, Italy…

This weekend is Easter. My family came and we celebrated the holiday. The Pope is a big part of Easter in Roman culture as he delivers services in Vatican city. Friends of mine were able to touch his hand and hear his wise words. Along with learning about the importance of Easter for Roman culture, I was able to see first hand, in Sorrento, a procession on Good Friday. Generally, Italian Easter consists of attending church services either on Good Friday or Easter Sunday, processions, rituals, easter feast, and La Pasquetta, or little Easter, on Monday. The procession I witnessed was a large group of men in black cloaks marching down the street with crosses, statues of Christ, and torches. It was a great thing to witness, seeing a huge Roman tradition. I saw many churches on this trip. I took a drive along Amalfi coast and saw a beautiful church I have attached. (Submitted on April 2,2024)

Submitted by Alexandra Evangelist the 2024 Spring program in Rome, Italy…

This week I went to Pompeii. Our villa was in Sorrento. Sorrento has a beautiful view of Mount Vesuvius and the Mediterranean. I traveled through Naples and all the cities and saw the different cultures. There are many lemon and orange trees in Naples. The driving is even crazier than Rome. The differences between places you visit is crazy. Seeing the different ways of life is eye opening. In Naples, there’s narrow roads and cliffs, so I definitely recommend not driving yourself. Naples is known for their pizza, art, architecture, and so much more. We had a guide explain each place we had time to visit in Pompeii and on the drive. In Pompeii there’s 3 teatros. We saw many bakeries. We saw a temple and a great view of Vesuvio. We saw the museum and the ruins. Seeing it all is a very emotional experience as it is surreal to be in history but also sad seeing the bodies. Pompeii is a large area and we did not even see half of it. I definitely think it’s worth it to go and learn about the past. (Submitted on April 2,2024)

Submitted by Megan Zalinkanskas the 2024 Spring program in London, England…

For one of my classes this week, I set out with a few friends to explore Soho. This area is home to many of the most popular pubs as well as Carnaby Street, a well-known shopping street. I had been to Soho before, but for this assignment, I had to go on a scavenger hunt around the district. In our travels, my classmates and I discovered a new food market, a delicious pastry shop, and beautiful street art. I think one of the best parts about studying abroad is going on these excursions to discover new areas of the city while also getting class credit for our work. I wouldn’t have been able to find these parts of Soho without the direction of my professor. One of my favorite murals was the “Spirit of Soho” which depicts all the different areas of Soho under a woman’s skirt. The detail in the mural is so intricate that you could look at it for hours and not fully see everything. I’m glad I got to explore this area more and learn about the history of Soho. (Submitted on March 31,2024)

Submitted by Megan Zalinkanskas the 2024 Spring program in London, England…

These past few weeks, I’ve taken some time to explore the London museums. I recently explored the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Tate Modern. Both of these are fantastic museums that I would highly recommend to anyone visiting London. It’s a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon, especially when London graces us with her signature windy rain. The V&A offered a great fashion exhibit that showcased some of London’s most influential designers like Mary Quant, the inventor of the mini-skirt. I also really liked their selection of sculptures throughout the museum. It’s located right near the CEA CAPA center and a great place to study or take in some artwork after class. 

The Tate Modern has been on my list to see for a while; I finally took the time to explore it this weekend. If you are under 25 years old, you can get £5 tickets to exhibitions like Yoko Ono’s Music of the Mind. I spent about an hour taking in a range of Ono’s work from the 1950s to a few years ago. She is such an influential artist that I knew mostly for her influence on John Lennon, her late husband. But there is so much more to her long career that was very interesting to learn about. The rest of the museum was huge and I loved looking at the range of different artwork. I would highly encourage anyone to visit these great museums. (Submitted on March 31,2024)

Submitted by Julia Scott the 2024 Spring program in Paris, France…

As the trees come into bloom, temperatures rise, tourist season is among us. Until the past couple of weeks, Paris has been almost entirely Parisians and the occasional gaggle of study abroad students – I hear English everywhere I go now. Museums that used to be empty on a random Tuesday night now have lines out the door, the sidewalks are cluttered with confused foreigners on their phones desperately trying to understand the metro, and I have adopted a Parisian attitude by huffing past everyone as I try to make it to class on time. My family is in town for two weeks, and it has reminded me of the empathy I should have for those who are new to the city. They know no French, they have never used public transportation before, and they anxiously cling to me and ask questions like, “Do I look like a tourist? What kinds of coffees do Parisians drink? Is it rude to smile? How can I spot a pickpocket?” I remember feeling like that, and boy! It inspired me to give a few tips to first-time Parisians. First, you must say bonjour to everyone you come in contact with – not strangers on the street, but people like shopkeepers and security guards and waitresses should all be acknowledged. If the sun is set, say bonsoir. Bonjour, s’il vous plaît, merci, au revoir: four necessary phrases that show a surface-level respect for the culture. Secondly, dress for pickpockets. When in Paris, do as the Parisians do and dress in layers, and don’t keep important items somewhere that someone could potentially steal from you. Third, do the thing; the line might be around the block, you might not understand impressionist paintings, the food might seem weird to you, but do everything you can. Paris is a city saturated with rich history and culture, and you will look back on those pictures and ticket stubs one day with kinder eyes. The culture here is everywhere, everything is reasonably accessible, and the more you see of Paris, the more you will love it. (Submitted on March 29, 2024)

Submitted by Julia Diamond the 2024 Spring program in Athens, Greece…

Week 11 3/19-3/25

This weekend was another of the study abroad program’s excursions. This time we went to Nafplion, a city in the Peloponnese and Greece’s first capital. It was another beautiful day weather wise, and the city was on the water so it was really nice there. When we got there we walked up one of the city’s three fortresses, Akronauplia, and the view of the city from there was incredible. We then got to walk through the city with a guide and hear more about its history as we made our way towards the water. Then we got to have lunch with a ton of good food before having free time to walk around the city. It is a super cute place and I would definitely go back at some point and visit the other fortresses. Also, on our way back to Athens we drove by a herd of goats which was really cool and kind of funny, I’ve never seen anything like it back home. (Submitted on March 28, 2024)