With and Without IES

Lakeside

Funicular on the Mountain-side

Taking it in

Como Duomo

Votives

Neapolitan Coastline

Cloister Portico

Neapolitan Cuisine

Studying abroad in Rome has granted me the ability of easy travel throughout Italy. Now, after taking multiple weekend trips with fellow IES students on our own and two weekend trips with IES, I’ve really gotten to enjoy this country.

A couple weekends ago my friends and I made it up to Como, a cozy little city on the coast of Lake Como in northern Italy. There we had an enjoyable time taking in the scenic views of the lake and surrounding mountains from multiple angles. My favorite was the view from a lighthouse on top of one of the small mountains. Hiking up there was no picnic, but thankfully a funicular (rail-car) took us most of the way up. Walking along the streets of Como was quaint and offered us yet another flavor of Italy not yet tasted.

This past weekend I went along with a third of IES Roma to visit various hot-spots along the Amalfi Coast, just south of Rome. (The other two thirds decided to go with IES to Cinque Terre and Siena, respectively.) On the trip I chose, we traveled by bus to Naples, Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, Minori, and Pompei - all in only three days! We visited churches, ate authentic Neopolitan pizza, dipped our feet in the Mediterranean, made Amalfian paper, saw unbelievable city vistas, and toured multiple cities (including ancient Pompei). Everything was incredible.

Although taking field-trips with IES may not have allowed me to be as “free” as I am when I travel on my own, without IES, I would in no way have done all the things I did do last weekend. To experience both is indeed necessary to live the study abroad experience to the fullest.