Part II is here! The following are my top ten favorite places I visited during my Rome Semester. Enjoy!
#10 - Sacre Coeur, Paris
This was a Heaven-on-earth experience. I think what made it special was that we were staying in the church’s guest house which was connected to the church itself. This meant that even after the church closed down for the night after 10pm Mass, all of the people in the guest house could come and go into the church via hall at any time for all-night adoration in the massive, darkened church lit by only candles and a spotlight on the monstrance. The experience was unparalleled! I could have stayed in that peaceful church all night long, despite my exhaustion. In the mornings, the nuns chanted the liturgy of the hours which was just beautiful. All of the prayers were solely in French (including the Mass), but that added to the excitement of visiting a foreign country. The church itself was beautiful on the inside and somewhat reminded me of Notre Dame (though less intricate), and the architecture on the outside was very unique, unlike anything I’d ever seen in Europe. The grounds were brilliant and even better was the view from the church’s steps from its place on the top of a very high hill, overlooking the skyline of Paris. I still think back on the peacefulness of half-living in the church at night and the profound connection I had with Christ, even in my darkest hours of anxiety and worry. He always made things better.
#9 - Delphi, Greece
Getting to Delphi was a nauseating ride through the mountains, but once we actually arrived there and headed on a hike to visit the archeological site of the Pythia, the entire class was enamored by the landscape of green mountains and valleys spread before us, all of which changed into fiery colors during the sunset and outlined in silver at night by the light of the full moon. During the day though, we hiked up part of the way of Mount Parnassus to visit the temple of Apollo where the Pythia herself would sit, inhale the vapors coming out of the ground (those weren’t there anymore), and give the oracle of the god Apollo. The size of the temples surprised me as I was not expecting them to be so huge. I think that Delphi’s archaeological site was the perfect compilation of all the types of architecture in the ancient Greek world. Delphi had a perfect small-town feel and felt very laid back. It’s a place I’d want to visit again.
#8 - The Vatican/St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City
No church in the world could possibly be as breathtaking as St. Peter’s Basilica. I was pretty much slack-jawed from the first moment of walking through the great portals. So many relics in one place was just overpowering! And everywhere you turned, a Mass was in session, so we couldn’t really turn anywhere without genuflecting. Everything was so grand and beautiful, I could almost hear the very heartbeat of the bride of Christ. We even encountered some Swiss guards, who allowed us to photograph them. What an amazing experience of being right at the core of the Catholic Church, where everything we believe in is summed up into one grand city.
From afar, these cliffs looked like a magical mass of smoothed gray rocks standing high above the rest of the green world. They became even more astonishing as we drove closer and once we were upon them, I could hardly believe the reality before me. You’ve never, and I mean NEVER, seen cliffs like these. They are perfectly smoothed over as if they had been eroded by water for thousands of years. Nestled safely and peacefully atop these cliffs were at least four or five Eastern Orthodox monasteries and convents, none of which were ever touched during barbarian invasions because there was no way to get up there except by a very long rope ladder which was lowered from the monastery. How these monasteries were built, I may never know. Nevertheless, it was so peaceful there and the sound of the wind in the cliffs was unlike any wind I’d ever heard. I think most of us left that place thinking, “I want to be a monk/nun.”
#6 - Assisi, Italy
Ah, the peaceful and tranquil town of Assisi. All chaos disappears in this beautiful, well-preserved town of the medieval ages. At night, the peace and quiet is more intense so that you can practically hear a kicked pebble click on the street from a block away. It was a place where I felt very comfortable walking around alone at any time of the day or night. It was also a place that inspired prayer, silence, meditation and contemplation. The hermitage at the top of the mountain overlooking Assisi was the height of all this peace (no pun intended). The views from the mountain and even from some of the high piazzas in Assisi were splendid, overlooking miles upon miles of the Italian countryside. It was like being on a retreat where time ceased to exist, but day and night still existed. God’s presence could be felt everywhere I went. The saddest part was that we only spent 24 hours there. I could have spent at least a week there! I could have lived here too, but I can only hope to go back someday.
#5 - Venice, Italy
Forget Paris. If you’re looking for a romantic city, Venice is where it’s at. Not that I care about romance in the first place, but this would be a definite consideration for a honeymoon. No cars, just boats, wide and narrow streets, and lots of bridges. Venice felt like another world all its own because of the lack of motor vehicles and it inspired the writer and artist inside me. Well, what place have I mentioned that couldn‘t be written about or painted? Anyway, the Island of Morano is a nice plus to the Venice area with its many glass blowing shops. Venice itself is filled with shop after shop of masks and glass. All of this and more can be found in high numbers at the famous Rialto bridge. Saint Mark’s Square is the other center of all the action and is a convenient place to head over to if you get lost in the knotted streets, which is guaranteed if you don’t have a map of some sort. I can only dream of living here.
#4 - Napflion, Greece
Okay, from here on out, everything is going to be next to water. I have to admit, it’s always been a love of mine which has only grown over the course of this incredible semester. Napflion was a fairly small yet enchanting seaside town. The best part, of course, was strolling leisurely on the walking paths along the sea-cliffs, very near to the water but high enough to hear the constant crashing of the waves against the rocks. These crashing waves were particularly beautiful up close as they would rise nearly 30 feet high when they crashed against the rocks with a deep thunder that shook every disk in the spine. But my! The magic of being perched on a high rock, close enough to the crashing waves yet far enough so as not to be drenched was unbelievable. At times, I could even stretch out my arm and let the crashing waves leap into the air and touch my hand, or possibly be caught in the spray of a particularly excited wave. Spending hours just sitting by the water’s edge like this or sorting through the many amazing rocks and shells on the beach made me appreciate the natural wonders of the world.
#3 - Sorrento, Italy
Campania literally stole my heart. This entire region of Italy is a gem to behold. Sorrento is among the hottest tourist spots in Campania. At pretty much all times of the year, it is buzzing with tourist activity. In fact, its economy relies almost entirely on tourism. I don’t doubt it. Despite it’s small size, Sorrento is a grand mix of beaches, parks and charming streets. During the day, the best place is on the marina, watching the boats come and go, on the clear-watered beaches, or somewhere along the tops of the cliffs, enjoying the overall scope of the bay. It was here that I officially decided that I wanted to own and/or live on a boat. In the evening, the streets come alive with talented performers, lit up shops, and bustling tourists. It was everything I expected an ideal seaside town to have. Even though I came at the height of the tourist season, the experience was incredibly pleasant. It had a kind of magic about it, so much so that I actually (don’t laugh) found myself looking out for the mermaids in the water. It was a dreamy town that I’ll never forget.
#2 - Cliffs of Moher, Doolin, Ireland
Maybe I should have said that all of Ireland was #2 on my list, but the Cliffs of Moher visit in the seaside town of Doolin was definitely the highlight of the trip. No camera could capture the magnificence of these cliffs. It was like something out of a dream. In fact, I felt certain that I had once, as a child, dreamt of diving off cliffs of similar appearance and height, sprouting wings, and before hitting the water, swooping up in a graceful arc, admiring the beauty of the cliffs. Of course, I couldn’t live that out here on these cliffs where many people have fallen to their death, either by accident or (sadly) by suicide. There is literally no wall or gate between you and the edge. It’s just you and the world at your feet with the long grass as velvet and the ocean thunderously crashing up a hundred feet high against the cliffs as if to make them bow. But these majestic cliffs will stand tall and proud, admired by all until the end of time.
#1 - Island of Capri, Campania, Italy
I think you knew this was coming since you’d gone all the way up the list and still hadn’t seen Capri make an appearance. But yes, this place was paradisal! I was on cloud nine every second of the trip (until I missed my group’s ferry back to Sorrento). I still find moments where I fall into Capri-sickness and find myself pining to go back. More than once during my Rome semester I had the crazy idea of maybe catching a train to Sorrento and take a ferry just to be on Capri again. Even if I had to stay in Sorrento, at least I’d be closer to that island of dreams. Now I know it might sound fairytale-esque, but Capri literally felt like another land on its own. I had to remind myself that it was part of Italy. As in Sorrento, I even had moments of gazing into the water, searching for mermaids. There was a certain kind of mysterious magic about the island that cannot be put into words. Maybe it was the brilliant blue water, the craggy rocks and cliffs, the charming town and harbor, the boats that came and went, or the sea-glass beach. Whatever it was, it captured my heart and made me fall deeply in love. Now, if I ever wish to momentarily revisit Capri, I take out the sea glass pieces I collected from there and inhale their salty sweetness. *sigh* I don’t think the nostalgia will ever desist.
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