When in Rome: Tips & Tricks of things to Do & See!

When In Rome...

(The typical title of a blog on Rome)

What do you do when you're in one of the most well-known cities in the world with two friends?... Plan ahead, well at least that's what I would do now if I could do it all over! Rome is an absolutely amazing city with so much to do and see that it's hard to fit it all into a couple of days if you don't plan ahead! Book your tickets online and print them off before you go! If you do not, you will be paying much more &/or waiting in long lines when you could be resting or exploring the rest of the city!

Looking for a place to stay?

Check out the PLUS Camping Roma campsite! It has everything you need and more for the most reasonable price you'll find! Schedule an airport pick up a week in advance and spend much less time and money than using public transport! Tired of exploring? Relax by the pool with a bar and sand volley ball court. Looking for food? They have their own supermarket and there's another one across the street! Need to do Laundry? They have washing machines! Choose between a house tent, bungalow, or your own camping device & you won't be let down! I stayed in the house tents which are tents they have there with a bunk bed and another bed! Perfect for 3 people to have a cheap place to sleep! Wifi all throughout the campgrounds! Definitely exceeds expectations of any campground I've been too!

Check out their website here!

How to start the trip?

1. The Vatican City! What better way to celebrate your first day in Rome than by leaving Rome & heading to another country? Sounds weird, but worth the trip! Plan ahead, buy tickets online & get your 3 hour tour of the vatican city early in the day so you have time to see the Sistine Chapel & St Peter's Basilica right when it opens! Without the tour, you will have no idea what you're looking at or the meaning behind it. I highly recommend taking a tour... it makes everything much more meaningful! When you're going through the hall of tapestries in the Vatican Museum, look at the tapestry of Jesus and watch it as you walk past! You will notice his eyes and bent leg follow you wherever you go! WHOA! If you're brilliant and pay attention to details you may notice that without a tour, however, for the rest of us: take a tour and make sure to note these things! (LADIES &GENTLEMEN: please wear appropriate clothing for this tour (i.e. appropriate length skirts, no shorts, and shoulders must be covered). You must wear appropriate clothing in order to be able to enter into the Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica or they will not let you in!)

Before the tour, you will see beautiful things like this: (see below)

And once inside you get to see statues upon statues of famous men & women who have no meaning without a tour... (see what I'm trying to convey here... hint hint)

Or beautiful wash bins..

and the beautiful colored ceilings, which are painted in a very unique way (find out on your tour)

Or, my favorite part, the ceilings that are painted to look like statues are coming out, even though it's just paint! (See example below)

Or the beautiful colored ceilings that amaze you beyond belief!

2. Visit St. Peter's Basilica! This beautiful basilica opens around 1pm everyday, so it's best to start your tour around 9am and head straight on inside afterwards without waiting in line! You can see statues of all the past popes everywhere you go!

Once inside prepare to be amazed at all of the beautiful and unique details in each and every place you look!

From the statues..

To the paintings...

To the main exhibit in the center...

To the famous funny looking guards outside...

To seeing it from the outside...

To standing in the middle of the street to getting a picture with it in the background... daredevils! haha! Every part of this trip is absolutely worth it!

3. GO TO THE COLOSSEUM! Some may say it's not that cool because it's just an old building... but that's awesome!!! This thing has stood through so many centuries!!! The history there is unbelievable and the site itself is incredible! They built this back before all of the crazy technology we have now a days!!!

Make sure to get your picture of you there for proof you didn't find the pictures online!

And the typical picture on the outside of the incredible building!

Wow! I still can't believe I actually went here!!!

4. Afterwards, take a walk through Rome towards the Trevi Fountain! You will see so many amazing things on the way! From the unbelievable street performers... (see below)

To the unbelievable roman ruins all throughout the town...

To the gorgeous city as a whole!

To the cops riding horses everywhere! This city has so much to offer just through a simple walk through town!!

5. Visit the Trevi Fountain & make a wish! This gorgeous fountain is known for all of the wishes people make by tosses a coin into the fountain. It is showed in many different films and is a site to see! However, it is also possibly the most crowded place in Rome so watch your bags and be ready for the crowd!

6. Finally, visit the Piazza di Spagna & Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti! It is a monumental square with sights scattered all around! Check out the fountain and the French Church and the Spanish steps! Don't miss out on this opportunity!

When in Rome.... Explore, Enjoy, & Take Photos!!! Don't forget to plan ahead!

-Lexi

Geneva, Switzerland

 Geneva, Switzerland

The land of the Rich (or those who enjoy paying 15 euros for a meal at McDonald's)

What should one do when they arrive in a city that is overwhelmingly expensive yet gorgeous beyond belief? BUY A GENEVA PASS! For 24, 48, or 72 hours you can enjoy 47 Geneva attractions with free entries, gifts, or special discounts including bus tours, train tours, hour cruises, museums, and much more! This little pass is definitely worth your money! We bought a 24 hour pass for 25 euros and the attractions we visited added up to a total of 100 euros a person if we wouldn't have had the pass! We saw so many things! I would highly recommend this to anyone who is going to Geneva! Buy it online before you go and save money!
Check it out here!

The first thing we did on this pass was take the little solar powered red train to see all of things along the lakeside! We learned valuable information about each thing we saw!

This train even took us by the famous flower clock (which was in Ashland University colors just for me I believe). This clock is amazing and a site that is not to be missed!

On one of the bus tours it took us to the beautiful park and past the university of Geneva! Such a gorgeous park to stroll around in for the day with your family! This wall below is inside of the park!

The park is very green and shaded. Perfect place for a picnic with the family or friends!

Close to the opera side of the park there is a restaurant with lifesize checker and chess boards for anyone to play on! Spend your day playing checkers or chess with the family!

Next, the geneva pass took us on a beautiful hour long cruise of the lake. We went up close to the "Jette d'eau" or the huge water fountain on the lake, passed houses, the world trade organization, the united nations, and so many other famous buildings.

After having been on a bus tour, we found things that we wanted to further explore throughout the town that our Geneva Passes got us into for free including the reformation museum, the cathedral, and many others! We now knew exactly where to head to find these things!

The view from the top of the tower of the cathedral is not to be missed and is included in the Geneva Pass! The hike to the top isn't terrible and you won't even remember how tired you are once you catch a glimpse of the view!

Finally, make sure you walk out to the Jette d'eau and be full prepared to be hit by the powerful water if you plan to walk all of the way out! From here you have a beautiful view of the city and the famous jette d'eau. This fountain was originally 30 meters high and was used to test the water pressure in the city. It now has a crazy amount of horsepower engine that makes it shoot over 50 meters high when there is no wind! Some days, the wind will be too strong and the fountain will not be running... hopefully you aren't that unlucky to be there on one of those days!

Overall, Geneva is a very expensive town where you should expect to pay no less than 30 euros at a sit down restaurant or 15 euros at McDonald's. However, this city is definitely doable with the Geneva pass and heading to the grocery store to provide food for yourself. Make sure to save up enough to go out to eat one night and try their famous fondue and other wonderful foods! Also, remember to pack nice clothes. The locals dress extremely nice with the men wearing a suit and tie almost everyday and the women looking like they just stepped out of a business fashion magazine. This is a town where you will almost never feel overdressed even if you're just touring around the city. Do NOT wear sweats and T-shirt around the city unless you want to be stand out as an American tourist! =]

Keep it Classy America!

-Lexi

10 Things to Do & See in Paris, The City of Love

Paris: The City of Love

10 Things to Do & See in Paris, France

Thinking of spending a weekend in Paris and are not sure what to prioritize? Let me help you with that! Paris is an amazing city with so many things to do and see! Make sure you don't miss a single thing in the city of love!

1. Where to Stay? As a young adult traveller, I highly suggest St. Christophe's Inn. This hostel costs around the same amount as any other Parisian hostel but gets you everything you can ever imagine and more. The hostel is extremely clean, quiet, safe, and has it's own bar! The staff are super friendly as well and can tell you all the best places to visit! Hop on one of the free walking tours or benefit from all of the discounts they provide and you won't be disappointed! 2 for 1 drinks most nights for guests along with a free shot when you walk in! The beds are the new pod design where you have a locker underneath for your belongings, plugs of all kinds on your headboard, a light on your bed, and even a curtain so you don't feel you are actually in a dorm with others! The atmosphere is extremely friendly and you are sure to make friends! Free Breakfast every morning consists of coffee, juices, croissants, sandwich meats and breads, and so much more! There's no need to upgrade to the 8 euro breakfast unless you want a little more everyday! There are two St Christophe's Inns in Paris including Gare Du Nord and Canal Street. I've stayed in both and recommend Gare Du Nord as it is newer and everything is one step above Canal Street. Also, Gare Du Nord is in a better location for accessing everything in Paris including the metros, RER's to the airport or versailles or Disneyland. Both locations are better than the other hostels I've stayed at in Paris, but Gare Du Nord is definitely the better choice!

Visit Their Website Here!

PS: The staff is extremely helpful, one of my friends booked for the wrong night and after contacting them and letting them know his situation, he was able to switch his reservations!

2. Arc De Triumph What better place to start than the beautiful arc de triumph? Students are able to climb to the top for free while others cost anywhere from 6-11 euros depending on your age. Typically, there is no line to climb to the top, however, there may be a short 5-10 minute line to buy your ticket. Beautiful view of all of Paris from the top. This is one of my favorite places in Paris! (PS: even students must stand in the ticket line to get a student ticket)

Beautiful view!

3. Champs Elysees- As soon as you climb back down the arc de triumph, walk straight from there towards the concords on the Champs Elysees. This is where you will find the most profitable McDonald's in the world, famous restaurants where you can buy the most expensive shot of expresso, and many different famous shops. Download Steve Rick's European tour app to listen to his commentary on the champs elysees while walking down the street!

4. The Louvre Museum- This world famous museum is an absolute must while traveling to Paris, even if it's just for a view of the outside. This museum holds the famous mona lisa (much smaller than most imagine), and many other famous art works. The museum is huge! If you're an art fan, you could spend an entire day here! However, if you're not into the art world as much you could take a quick 1-2 hour walk through the inside or even see the beautiful outside!

5. Take a stroll (or cruise) down the Seine River! Here you will find the pont neuf and many other beautiful famous bridges. There are many restaurants and shops along the way!

6. Visit Notre Dame! The famous cathedral is not to be missed! You can wait in line for an hour or two to enter the beautiful building, or just admire it from the outside! This building is in the Latin Corridor and is a great place to stop for food! Also, don't miss the spot on the ground in front of Notre Dame, Point Zero or Kilometre Zero, which is the point from which all distances in the city are measured!

7. THE EIFFEL TOWER OBVIOUSLY! Of course, a trip to Paris would not be complete without a trip to see the eiffel tower! This is perhaps the most well known monument in the world and definitely in France! Wait in line for 2+ hours to ride to the top, or, better yet, buy your ticket online in advance (about 3 months in advance). If neither of these options sounds appealing, you can walk to the first and second floors for a lower price and less waiting time. Right before sunset is a lovely time to go! Don't forget it sparkles on the hour every hour for five minutes after dark!

8. My absolute favorite: Visit Montmarte and the Sacre Coeur!! The Sacre Coeur Basilica, located in Montmarte, is the highest spot in Paris. You can see the entire city from the front of the basilica. If that's not enough, the basilica is a sight to see with no entrance fee. After walking through the basilica, walk to the right of the basilica to see the quaint town with the beautiful artwork. If you're looking to get a drawing of you and your significant other, this would be the place to go. Prices will be high, about 40 euros a person, but the artists are also known to haggle with the prices. If you don't have money, it is still a wonderful place to visit and watch the artists work their magic! The ice cream and cafes around here are all delicious with typical Parisian prices of about 10-20 euros a person. Watch out for the drinks! They won't mention the prices, but they are extremely expensive! I'd recommend asking for tap water to cut down costs!

9. Versailles & The Magical Gardens: Versailles is a place you could spend an entire day. Between the beautiful interior and history of the inside of the castle, to the enormous gardens, you will not be bored. Buy your tickets before hand to skip the 1-2 hour ticket line and jump directly into the line to get in (typically still another hour or two). Students are free and only need their student card &/or visa to get into the castle. However, everyone has to pay for the gardens. Download Rick Steve's European Tour App & Download the audio for the castle of versailles and the gardens before you go! (Bring your own headphones so you can hear better and so others around you aren't forced to listen along!) If you're not one for history, I'd suggest skipping the inside of the castle and heading straight to the gardens to cut costs. They are beautiful and definitely worth walking through. The castle and gardens together take about 3-7 hours with the lines, interior of the castle, and the enormous gardens! Definitely worth it though!

10. Have an Extra Day? Why not spend it at Disneyland Paris?! Although most Americans would not think of heading to Paris to go to Disneyland, it is a sight to see! Get the 2-park pass to be able to see both parks as they are right beside each other! Check out the best times to see your favorite characters & pick up the fast passes while you're waiting! If you stay at St Christophe's Inn, buy your tickets there at a discounted price! If you aren't staying there, still buy them and print them online before you go to skip the crazy long ticket lines!

Moral of the story (or blog): Paris is one of the most beautiful and romantic cities in the world & is definitely a "must visit" city in my book. However, with that being said, everyone knows Paris is wonderful & everyone wants to do the things mentioned above.... THEREFORE.... Buy as many tickets as possible online & way in advance before you go!!!! If you fail to buy them ahead of time, don't worry, everything is still do-able, you just have to be prepared to stand in long lines during the time you could be venturing out to see more of this wonderful city!

PS: yes the people in the city can be rude, but don't let that stop you! You will find just as many wonderful people as you would anywhere else in the world & will be seeing some of the most magnificent sights you can imagine!

Bon Voyage!

Au Revoir!

-Lexi

Bordeaux the Beautiful: 9 Things to See & Do in Bordeaux, France

Bordeaux the Beautiful

9 Things to See & Do in Bordeaux, France

By Lexi Grund

1. Go out exploring! The town of Bordeaux is absolutely gorgeous from the buildings along the riverside, to the churches throughout the town, to the park, to the atmosphere inside the town. Walking around and "getting lost" in the city is something you must do upon arrival! Below is the opera house that we saw in the main square when we first arrived! Every last detail in this town is breath taking!

Below: A passageway we found with an arch leading out to the riverside road!

2. Visit the Wonderful Churches! The churches throughout this town are not to be missed! These churches are beautiful on the inside and out. The three main ones are the Eglise Saint-Pierre, Basilique Saint-Michel, and Abbatiale Sainte-Croix. Each of these churches have such beautiful architecture.

3. Take a walk along the riverside! The buildings are beautiful! There is also a standing pool which alternates from looking like a pool 2 cm deep to a cloud of mist for people to run through under the warm summer sun! Also, a market takes place along this road during certain times of the week! Check it out for cheap clothes, fabrics, shoes, and the overall atmosphere!

4. Check out the arch into the city! This arch is along the riverside and is absolutely gorgeous!

Below: another view along the riverside leading into the beautiful city!

5. TAKE A WINE TASTING TOUR!!!!! This is probably the most important thing to do! These tours take you to different castles around Bordeaux to view the vineyards and taste the delicious wines. They range in price anywhere from 35 euros a person to 300 euros a person. Stop by the tourist office in the center of the city to decide which is right for you or better yet, look them up online! These fill up quickly and should be booked about a month in advance during the summer months! I did a half day tour that took us to 2 different castles for 35 euros and we were able to taste 4 different wines. It was absolutely perfect and worth every penny. I was able to learn and see how the wine was made. I learned about the different flavors of the different grapes and am now able to enjoy wine more thoroughly! Do NOT miss out on this adventure while being in Bordeaux!!!

They even drove us by at least 10 more castles along the way to see from the bus! They were gorgeous like the one below!

6. Take a Bus Tour! The bus tour costs about 9 euros per person and can give you insight on what sights you would like to visit next with more knowledge about each sight. This included some of the churches, the famous bell/clock tower shown below, the roman ruins, and much more! This is not the time to take pictures but rather a time to listen to the historical information and make note of where you would like to visit more!

7. Take a walk through the "Jardin Public" (Public Park)!! The atmosphere is amazing and the park is huge and breath taking! Devote at least an hour or two to this wonderful stroll through the park!

8. Enjoy the night life! Unfortunately, I was not able to do this but everyone says it is worthwhile to head to the different bars. There are jazz bars and so many others right on the river! Don't miss out on this wonderful opportunity!

9. Eat at L'Entrecot! This is a wonderful restaurant known for their steak sauce. For 19 euros everyone gets two thin pieces of steak with their sauce, unlimited fries, a salad, and tap water. You may wait up to an hour in line to get in but it is worth the wait! I found it is best to go late on any day except for Friday and Saturday in order to have the shortest line! Sit down, relax, and enjoy some amazing steak!

Make the most of the your time in this wonderful city! It's my absolute favorite place to visit in France!