Today marks two weeks of being in Milan and I am already overwhelmed by the beauty I have been able to experience. Luckily I am rooming with 5 guys who want to travel as much as I do and we all happen to get along very well. So we are taking advantage of our free weekends as much as possible!
Our first weekend in Italy; Lake Como. After a 3 hour train ride and a 20 minute bus ride. We got lost. We got off at the wrong bus stop on the coast of the lake and had to wait an hour before the next bus came. We were planning on going to a boat rental shop but ended up in a little town just off the water. After exploring our unknown location while we waited for the bus, we eventually made it to the boat rental place and saw views of the lake that cannot be replicated in words. The houses and villas surrounding the lake create a 360 degree view of incredible Italian architecture combined with the natural beauty of Lake Como and the Italian Alps. Driving around in a boat allowed us to see every bit of the lake that can't be enjoyed from the coast. We even stopped by George Clooney's villa (just to say we saw George Clooney's villa). Saturday night, my roommates and I ate at a Pizzeria overlooking the lake with the lights from Sala Comacina as our backdrop. As we left late Sunday morning we were lucky enough to catch a rainbow over Lake Como as a result of early morning rain. Overall it was an incredible 2 day trip with beautiful scenery and an amazing boat ride.
Our second weekend in Italy; Nice, France. My roommates and I took the 5 hour bus ride to Southern France on Friday afternoon to check out the beaches and hopefully enjoy some French pastries. Saturday, we spend most of the day on the beach in Old Nice where we were surprised by the rocky coast but impressed by the incredible view. The water was amazing and despite the rocky beach, it was a very relaxing day on the coast. Sunday after checking out of our Airbnb, my roommates and I hiked up to Fort du Mont Alban, an ancient castle that overlooks Rade de Villefranche. The bay that the castle overlooks was breathtaking. Our view was taken up by beautiful homes, massive yachts, and an incredible coastline. Following Fort du Mont Alban, we grabbed some French pastries for breakfast (critically necessary) and went to an art museum that displayed famous art painted in Nice. The museum was a great ending to a great trip. Nice was the most beautiful place I have ever seen (so far) and I will never forget the sights I was lucky enough to experience in the South of France.
Enjoy the photo gallery I added of my trips to Lake Como and Nice!
Matthew Sill
<p>I am a collegiate rugby player for Claremont McKenna College and I enjoy the outdoors and physical activities. I like to spend most of my free time playing sports or exploring the outdoors but aside of athletics I like to woodwork and craft objects like jewelry boxes, wooden puzzles and other small projects.</p>
