Spring break in Italy

Traveling Solo

After seeing many social media creators vlog their solo travels, I was convinced that I could as well. As someone who is a hardcore museum goer, traveling solo was lucrative to me because of the flexibility it offers. After spending a week plus traveling on my own, I would definitely recommend it for anyone who wants to spend hours upon hours in museums without having to worry about their travel partners. To stay safe during my trip, I sent my itinerary to my friends abroad and my parents, including the locations of the hostels I was staying in and when I was there.

Hostels

Although they can seem a little scary at first, hostels are an amazing way to travel for cheap. I would also recommend them to anyone interested in meeting people from around the world. I mostly chose my hostels based on location, my priority was places that were close to the train station so I didn't have to tote my luggage too far. I also only booked female-only dorms, which was a little more expensive but worth it in my opinion. If you want to stay in hostels, don’t forget a pair of flip-flops for the shower and a lock for your luggage. You’ll also want to check if the hostel provides towels or if you need to bring your own.

Taking the Train

If you have the time and patience for train travel, I would definitely recommend it. Northern Italy is an absolutely gorgeous place and the train is a great way to see all its natural beauty. My favorite route was from Munich to Verona through the alps, but any route is going to be graced with cute mountain towns and amazing views. Tren Italia is the cheaper company to book through and you can easily transfer your bookings as your plans change. Don’t forget to validate your ticket or check-in online before you board the train, though. Italo is the high speed train line through Italy, you’ll spend a bit more money on these tickets but I found that the trains were more spacious and reliable.

Verona

Verona is the perfect place to visit if you’re looking for a relaxing, visually stunning weekend trip. It still caters to tourists, but isn’t as busy as other Italian cities. I spent about 48 hours here total and it was the perfect amount of time. My highlights here are the Archeological Museum at the Roman Theater and the Castel Vecchio museum. Both were historical locations with fantastic renovations to house their large collections. For a quick, cheap meal, I recommend La Figaccia a to-go sandwich place with one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever eaten. Additionally, most attractions offer a ‘young person’ or ‘student’ ticket price, I never paid more than 3 Euros for entry. Most places in Verona didn’t need identification to get the student ticket price, but in Rome or Florence they either only allow it for EU citizens or require proof that you’re studying in the EU.

Florence

I would recommend a trip to Florence for anyone interested in Renaissance art and architecture, however there’s not much to see there other than that. Waiting in lines is a common thing in Florence, and as it gets closer to summer they are only going to get worse. The one must-see if you’re going to visit Florence is the Uffizi gallery which is full of stunning Renaissance art such as Boticelli’s Birth of Venus. If you’re planning on going to the Uffizi it’s critical to book tickets in advance to avoid the line that starts forming before the gallery even opens. I would also recommend a trip up to the Piazzale Michelangelo with drinks or pizza to go for a beautiful sunset. However, plan on arriving 45 minutes to an hour before the sunset because it gets busy quickly!

Rome

You can never run out of things to see in Rome. Like Florence, lines are going to be a common sight here, so book tickets in advance as much as possible. If you’re unable to book colosseum tickets in advance, it is possible to get them the day of, just make sure you get to the ticket office early. My favorite spot was the Roman Forum and Palatine hill, which is a massive outdoor museum filled with Roman ruins from various eras of the empire. Entrance to the Forum is included with most colosseum tickets, so take advantage of it! Near here was my favorite restaurant, Fuorinorma, which has unique (and cheap!) paninis. To get away from the hustle of the city, I took a 30 minute bus-ride to Tivoli for a gorgeous hike and views of ancient villas.