ITALIA
By: Kristina, 12, IL (AKA Kristina0302)

Italy is an incredibly beautiful and interesting place. There is so much history, and it’s just a great place to visit! I was there for 2 weeks, and went to Florence, Venice, and Rome.

Florence was my favorite city. It’s so beautiful. I visited the Ponte Vecchio Bridge, which was so full of shops, you couldn’t tell that you were on a bridge! There was also awesome food and many places to shop. I saw the famous statue of David, and other works of art like The Birth of Venus in the museums there. Florence wasn’t very city-like, which was nice.

Venice was really cool too. The streets are so narrow and winding, they’re like alleys. They were only as wide as my arm span, and it’s very easy to get lost there. But, Venice is an island, so you can’t go too far! It was really cool seeing the canals as streets. Boats are their taxis! There was also very beautiful glass in Venice. I loved being there.

Rome is an amazing place. I was there for only 4 days and saw 15 sights! As you can tell, there are many things to see. But, one of the best places was the Vatican City. I went to the Vatican Museum and saw the Sistine Chapel. That was so breath taking. Your neck hurt from looking towards the ceiling! I also saw the Coliseum. That was just incredible beyond belief. I had learned about it at school, and heard about all the things that happened there, it was just, too amazing for words.

While in Italia, or Italy, I picked up some of the language. It was fun to have a conversation with a native Italian! Also, Italy won the world cup while I was there, and that was an incredible experience. It was so noisy that night!

As you can see, I loved my trip to Italy so much! I saw many things, and gained a lot of knowledge. It’s a big deal to go there, but it’s worth it!

LUCCA: A CITY WITHIN A CITY
By: Maia, 10, Canada (AKA ramonegirl)

This summer I visited Lucca. It’s an amazing place in Italy. On the outside it’s a normal city. Hotels, restaurants, shops and even a market place. As you walk closer to the city center you see a medieval fortress. Halfway across the field leading up to it you stumble upon a small creek. The remains of a once great moat. You walk into a room within and hold your nose. The smell of pee is unbearable. Next you come in and there you are standing inside a city. Shops fill the streets and houses adorn the tops of most buildings. You buy a pastry and sit down on a bench to enjoy it. . Various statues stand in the centers of small squares. Lucca is a great place to visit and have a taste of real Italian cuisine. I would recommend it to anyone as a short trip after visiting Venice. The cobblestone streets and colorful shops make Lucca a perfect vacation spot.