Split, Croatia

Croatia until recently remained a mystery to me. I had no idea what to expect from the now popular tourist destination. Croatia seemed to be an exotic concept, and I had little background knowledge. This past week has been an excellent education on the country of Croatia and a very relaxing break from all the stress of finals and packing up my apartment in Rome. 

Aly and I decided to brave Croatia on our own. We began our journey with a train to Ancona (a city on the other side of Italy) to an overnight ferry which took us directly to Split. The journey was a lot easier than we were anticipating and the night on the boat was made even more enjoyable from our champagne, chocolate, and Batman Begins film (we try to travel in style). 

Once we arrived in Split we headed straight for the beach. Split's beach was a surprise for us. The water is extremely shallow and only reaches your calf for the first hundred feet before gradually getting deeper. It was a crowded and lively beach filled with locals enjoying the day with their families. After our beach day we met up with friends for our first Croatian meal of fresh seafood along the harbor. (I may have developed a slight addiction to Croatian seabass). 

Croatia is lively at night with performances and street vendors making the evening festivities an entertaining affair.

The next day was even nicer weather and we celebrated by stopping by the local daily market for goods for a beach picnic. The farmers market is an excellent place for buying fresh bread, produce, cheeses, and all sorts of artisanal food products. We stocked up on some homemade bread, fresh strawberries, pears, and cheese. 

The third day was by far my favorite. We decided to do a boat tour of the islands of Croatia. We cruised for an hour before getting to the first island. The pebble beach wasn't the most comfortable for lying out but the views were stunning!

After a few hours of sunbathing we headed back on the boat for some lunch and our next stop. Our next island was a very different experience because we needed to dock the boat and swim there. Most of us jumped off the boat into the sea and swam. It was a crazy and unforgettable experience and one I probably won't repeat anytime soon, but I am glad I did it!

After a few more hours in the sun we headed back to Split for dinner and a night out. 

Over the next few days Aly and I explored the city of Split from the ruins to the harbor. Split is a small town but beautiful and worth seeing. 

Amalfi Coast: Capri, Positano, Sorrento, Pompeii

The Amalfi Coast has always been one of my dream travel destinations. It has been raved about from avid travelers as being one of the perfect getaway spots. The south of Italy is beautiful and composed of various islands all offering unique attractions. My friends and I planned this trip from day one and it was to be our last trip in Europe as the four of us. Therefore this experience was bittersweet, but one of the most memorable trips I will have.

We started out on the beautiful island of Capri. On our first day we headed to the port and boarded a private boat and set sail for the Blue Grotto. The Blue Grotto is one of Capri's biggest tourist attractions and luckily the tide was low enough for us to enter on rowboats. I have never seen water so blue and pure before. The water glowed an iridescent blue from the light of the sun at the entrance of the Grotto. 

After a boat tour seeing the sights around the coast of Capri, we docked and hiked up the island. We spent the rest of the day walking around town. After our (all uphill) hike, we stopped for lemon granitas, a slushy drink common in Capri. It was delicious and extremely refreshing! Capri is known for their lemons. They even grow super lemons about the size of a kickball, so when in Capri, try the granita's, limoncellos, and lemon flavored candies that the south of Italy is known for. 

The giant lemons

Another item that Capri is known for: SHOES. All throughout Amalfi, you'll find small sandle shops with handmade leather shoes. The nice difference between sandal shops here in Italy and back home is that they fit the sandals directly to you're feet and allow you to customize your sandal however you'd like. Our tour guide took us to a famous sandal shop in Capri where Jackie O used to get her sandals made. The selection was enormous and many of us left with a new pair of sandals in tow.

The shoemaker

My new snakeskin leather loafers

After some lunch and shopping we decided to check out the scenery in the best way possible: via chairlift to Mt. Solaro. The ride was so peaceful and was a gorgeous way to see the mountain and views. We ended the day with dinner in town and the night out at the beer garden.

The next day we went to Sorrento to the beautiful pebble beach. It was sunny and hot, a perfect day for the beach. We spent the day sun bathing, walking around town, and those of us who were brave enough went cliff jumping. The water was the clearest I have ever seen. It was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to! 

Our final day we journeyed to Pompeii to see the ruins from Mount Vesuvius. I was amazed by how much of the city was still intact. We took a guided tour which I highly recommend. And of course we had to try the Naples-style pizza!!

Tuscany & Florence

Last week my family joined me in Rome to visit me and explore Italy. It was an amazing experience being able to share my life abroad with my family. We spent the first three days in Rome where I showed them all my favorite restaurants, bars, and Trastevere hang out spots. Giolitti's, Tony's, the Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain later...we arrived in Tuscany. We stayed in Villa Cora, a beautifully renovated Villa, previously owned by Napoleon's third wife. It was definitely a welcome step up from the hostels I've been used to staying in!

The view from Villa Cora

Our Villa was only a 10 minute drive into the town of Florence so we often spent the days exploring around town, shopping in the leather market, and checking out the sights. 

The highlights of the trip for me was the Tuscan-cuisine cooking class and our 15 mile bike tour of Tuscany. 

The cooking class was a fun, easy way to learn how to make some intricate Italian dishes and then get to enjoy the fruits of your labor afterwards. Our chef was funny, helpful, and quickly got everyone involved in the process. We learned how to make pasta from scratch, an eggplant parm/caprese salad, stuffed chicken wrapped in phyllo dough, and creme brulee. 

Our homemade pasta

Fettuccine

Angel hair

Stuffed Chicken with Phyllo

Creme Brulee

We finished up our last day with a bike tour through Tuscany. The scenery was amazing and matched perfectly how I envisioned the country side of Tuscany to appear. While the green rolling hills are perfect scenery, they aren't the easiest to bike! Halfway through our journey we stopped at a winery for lunch where they showed us how they made their wine and cooked a beautiful homemade meal for us. 

The Villa at the Vineyard

Homemade Bruschetta

I loved Tuscany for the peaceful beauty that it contained. The greenery there is breathtaking and I am so happy to have seen it first hand. Thank you Mom, Dad, and Liza for making this a trip I will never forget!

Peanut Butter Banana "Frozen Yogurt"

One of my favorite snacks of all time no matter if its winter or summer, is frozen yogurt. Here in Italy, the focus is more on gelato than Pinkberry or 16 handles. As the weather warms, my cravings for fro-yo gets worse. I've decided to try out making my own "frozen yogurt" from a banana, having seen multiple attempts online. The result is a creamy, frozen treat that's both healthy and satisfying!

You'll need:
1 banana
1 teaspoon of peanut butter
A dash of cinnamon










How To:

Peel and break a banana into a small bowl or cup and then mash thouroughly. Make sure to rid the banana of clumps to ensure a better texture for your frozen yogurt.

Once thoroughly mashed, mix in the peanut butter and cinnamon and freeze. Some other possible ingredient options are cocoa powder for a nice chocolate-y flavor, walnuts, chocolate chips, or carob chips! Experiment with various toppings to find your new favorite summer treat!

Calorie count: 150 calories

*calories based on 1 small banana and reduced fat Skippy creamy peanut butter