Posts by Catalina
Gargoyles, Chimera, & Fantastic Views: Visiting Notre-Dame de Paris
“Great edifices, like great mountains, are the work of the ages.” ―Victor Hugo, The Hunchback of Notre Dame Notre-Dame de Paris, or “Our Lady of Paris,” is certainly one of the world’s “great edifices,” as Victor Hugo points out in his 1831 novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and last month I was fortunate enough to…
Read MoreA Perfect Weekend Getaway Discovering Tuscany’s Val d’Orcia
Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love living in Florence, however every once in a while I desperately crave some time outside of the tourist filled, busy city (with a serious lack of trees and nature I might add). This past week I finally had enough of the crowds and seemingly incessant winter rain, and realized…
Read More7 Signs It’s Tourist Season in Florence, Italy
Brace yourselves: the tourists are coming! In case you haven’t noticed, the weather is absolutely beautiful (finally!) and with the better weather comes something Florence is famous for…tourists. Each year, this bustling and historic city receives over 13 million visitors, particularly during the spring and summer months. For those who live in the city, come spring…
Read MoreSurprising Slovenia: Stunning Street Art in Ljubljana
I’ll admit, when I first arrived in Ljubljana, exhausted from a long week and a weekend of traveling around Croatia, I had relatively low expectations of Slovenia’s capital city. I was tired, a little crabby, and Slovenia wasn’t exactly on my list of “must see places” in Europe. However, within instants of arriving, my opinion…
Read MoreMy Pilgrimage to Bagno Vignoni: Tuscany’s 16th Century Thermal Bath
My weekend in Tuscany placed me in the heart of the beautiful Val d’Orcia region of Italy. The region is known for its rolling hills, cypress trees, quaint towns, and variety of local Italian products such as wine and cheeses from the area. After an incredible day spent relaxing in the small, personal, natural hot…
Read MoreTucked Away Tuscany: Bagni San Filippo’s Incredible Natural Hot Springs
This past weekend I had one of the coolest experiences of my life thus far in Italy. During my weekend Tuscan getaway I was finally able to cross something off of my Italy bucket list that I have been dying to do for ages-visit one of Italy’s natural hot springs. After ogling over pictures of Tuscany’s…
Read MoreVisiting Versailles: Tips For A Successful Day Trip
If you plan on spending several days in Paris, a trip to the incredible château de Versailles is an absolute must. History lovers, garden enthusiasts, and lovers of pretty things will be amazed at the beauty both within the palace and on its sprawling grounds. It is no small wonder that this former home to French…
Read More15 Things That Happen To Your Instagram When You Study Abroad
“If you didn’t post it on Instagram, did it really happen at all?” For all of you study abroad ‘grammers out there who have been making your friends jealous, I mean sharing your experiences, heres a list of 15 things that happen to your Instagram when you study abroad. #doitfortheinsta 1. Half of your photos…
Read MoreClimbing The Eiffel Tower: 674 Steps To The Top Of Paris
The Eiffel Tower, or Tour Eiffel is one of the most easily recognized landmarks in the world. The famous structure is the tallest building in Paris, standing at 1,063 feet, and receives over 6.98 million visitors per year. A lover of Paris, climbing the Eiffel Tower has been on my bucket list for quite some time, and…
Read MoreBloemenmarkt: Amsterdam’s Floating Flower Market
On a recent trip to Amsterdam, I squeezed in a stop at Amsterdam’s famous Bloemenmarkt, a floating flower market in the heart of the city. Unfortunately my trip did not coincide with tulip season, so I wasn’t able to visit the famous tulip fields to be found just outside the city. A quick stop at the…
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