The symbol of Rome, the Colosseum

My European adventure actually began as a plan to visit Italy . I even bought language CDs to study Italian. I didn't consider adding more countries to the itinerary until a couple of months before booking the trip. Like many of my tour buddies, Italy was the part of the trip I looked forward to the most.

My excitement began to build as we headed for Venice, and I was not disappointed. Since my return, many people have asked "What place did you like the most?" For me, it's impossible to name a favorite because I liked them all so much and for different reasons. But I can say that Venice was definitely the most memorable.

After two nights in Venice, we moved on to Florence, the whirlwind stop. We arrived in Florence at lunch time and quickly toured the major highlights. At dusk, we left Florence for our agriturismo (farmhouse) in the Tuscan countryside. This was the perfect spot to retire after a long day of touring. The next day was spent in San Gimignano, another Tuscan hill town. We said goodbye to our driver, Mathieu, and left for Rome the next morning. Our last stop on the tour would be filled with bittersweet memories. I loved Rome and how every corner seemed to be filled with another testament to its great history. However, I also knew our trip would be ending much too quickly. I was ready to go home but not ready to say goodbye...