France - Aix en Provence

So the day after we came back from Siena, i flew to France to visit my friend Naomi is is doing her erasmus year there. It was a very quick turn around as i think i had a bout 9 hours to unpack, sleep and pack again before i had to leave! Aix was so pretty and typically southern France. However i had food poisoning which was such a shame as I spent two days of my trip in bed. But despite being ill i had a lovely time.

The park which we spent the majority of the time in, sunbathing 

Siena and Montalcino

So after Mel's visit to Rome she was going to Siena and somehow managed to persuade me and Liv to go as well. I was missing university at the end of the week anyway to visit France so i decided that i may as well take the whole week off - it was only the second week of term to. So Monday morning we left for Siena. We very nearly ended up in Florence however as we did not realise we had to change trains! We were lucky that a nice women told us otherwise it would have been another night in Florence. I suppose there are worst places to end up. When we arrived we found a cafe with Wifi and booked some accommodation. I loved Siena so much, it is small but it is a very relaxed city and obviously so beautiful as well.

Piazza del Campo

Piazza del Campo

Il Duomo 

Il Duomo

Il Duomo 

On the Tuesday we took a coach to Montalcino. The journey was about an hour although it should have been about 2 but the driver was going so fast! Poor Liv and Mel got travel sickness. But we arrived in one piece and the hotel we booked was so lovely. We walked up to this viewing point but the weather was so cold.

So we ended up having a free wine tasting! We were just wandering around and a man that owned the vineyard offered us a tour of his holiday house and the winery. He didn't speak English so it was great practise for our italian and the wine was the nicest I have tasted by far - so nice we bought 3 bottles.

Montalcino at night

Coffee with a view 

So then it was back to Siena. We managed to leave our bags at a restaurant which was great as it meant we could go and visit the rest of the city before we left. We went up to fort and again another beautiful sunset

La Fortezza at dusk 

Mel's visit to Rome - Rome and Tivoli

So two weeks ago my friend Mel, who i met last year in Corfu, was in Rome. It was lovely to have catchup and to be a tourist again. On the Friday we visited a little town outside of Rome called Tivoli which had the most stunning views!  There are two gardens to visit there but as it took us so long to find them (italian sign posts) we only managed to get into one.

Villa Gregoriana- this park was actually shut but Mel used her ' i'm australian and i'm going back tomorrow- so this is my last chance to see it' - and it worked! The man also gave us a guided tour. In Villa Gregoriana there is a huge waterfall which is the second largest in Italy - unfortunately my photos of the waterfall did not come out great.

A beautiful sunset 

On the Saturday we visited the Vatican. This time we did the Basilica and the tower. The Vatican is always so busy and we had a queue a very long time but the views from the top were worth it

Tourists at the Vatican 

View from the top 

Today, unfortunately the weather was horrendous and it was the one day that me and Liv planned to do something. Oh well, i think Rome in the rain makes beautiful photos. I went to Piazza del Popolo and then walked from there to Pincio which has a viewing point, and then on to Piazza di Spagna. 

Piazza del Popolo 

Piazza del Popolo

St Peter's Basilica 

Piazza del Popolo

During my exams, i escaped my apartment for an afternoon and went to Via Appia Antica which the oldest Roman road in Rome. I went with my friend Laura who drove us there because it is in the outskirts of Rome. It was nice to get some fresh air and see some countryside! 

Via Appia Antica 

Via Appia Antica 

Via Appia Antica 

One evening at Castel Sant Angelo

Florence! - Well what can i say, Florence is absolutely amazing - i think i liked it even more than Rome. I visited last weekend with my friend Gez and i already can't wait to go back. The weather was beautiful, around 20 degrees. We only had one full day there so we just wandered on Saturday. The weather was so lovely it would have been a shame to be inside a museum. We tried to visit the Boboli gardens but it was 10 euro for a ticket, a bit much.  We had lunch at the famous sandwich shop there but then the storm arrived and we got absolutely soaked! In Italy, storms give no warning. Saturday evening we had a nice meal and drank a lot of Chianti wine. 

One of many bridges 

Ponte Vecchio - this famous bridge is full of posh and very expensive shops. Watches for £30,000! 

The view from the balcony- the Duomo is in the middle of the picture

The Duomo- this building is the most impressive thing i have ever seen. I saw it for the first time in the evening when it was dark so it was lit up and it is so beautiful. The outside is so exquisite, it not does look real. Next time i visit, i would love to go inside. 

Next stop Bologna! I got the train Sunday evening to Bologna and met my friend Glesni who studies there. It was great as she was my personal tour guide. Again the weather was absolutely stunning. We walked through the city and stopped at a famous ice cream shop. That evening we cooked a meal and went to watch 12 years a slave (in English) which is an amazing film. The next day we went to a park nearby and took a picnic. We met Lucie, another girl from my university who studies in Bologna.

Me, Glesni and Lucie 

On Monday afternoon we walked up Tower Asinelli and because the weather was so beautiful the views were fantastic. 

View from Tower Asinelli 

University of Bologna 

Tower Asinelli 

On Tuesday, Glesni's boyfriend, Enrico, who is from Bologna took us up to the hills surrounding Bologna. We found some swings - perfect photo opportunity

Le colline