venice, italy

venice is one of the most unique places i've ever been. i had low expectations going into it because people had talked it down to me. i am actually glad they did, because that made me go into it with an open mind and i loved it.

you'll definitely want to see piazza san marco. you won't miss it and will probably end up there by accident. the church there has almost a russian feel to it and is so beautiful.

make sure to go inside doge's palace. there are so many things to see inside, including many ancient venetian artifacts, lots of weapons, and my personal favorite - the prison. it was so different from anything else we'd seen and i really enjoyed it! the museum is open every day but the hours vary by season. the basic entrance ticket is 16 euros but there are additional tours that can be added on. to get information about these options and the hours, visit this site.

rialto bridge is a popular spot to visit as well. the view is beautiful and there is a wonderful market!

be sure to take a gondola ride. yes, they are pricey. but i promise they are absolutely worth it. i would also recommend splurging a little more to get a musician. it adds so much to the experience and makes it so authentic. this was easily one of my favorite things i did the whole time i was in italy.

there are other museums and churches to visit, but these are the only ones i went to. i've heard great things about the guggenheim and the murano glass factory, so i would probably go to those if i went back.

happy reading and happy travels! xoxo -k

pisa, italy

pisa to me is a lot like verona. a good thing to check off the bucket list, but honestly not worth the time.

getting to the leaning tower is a lot more effort than it is really worth and there is not much else to see there. the tower is a lot smaller than i expected and doesn't even stand out as much as pictures would make it seem.

however, if you decide to go, most people would recommend that you go to the top. we went at night so this was not an option for us. you will need to book a reservation about a month in advance and note that children under 8 are not allowed inside. the tower is open every day, but hours vary depending on the season. admission is 18 euros and tickets can be booked here.

the tower is located in piazza dei miracoli, along with the duomo. like most cities, the duomo is beautiful and a popular tourist attraction. this is open every day with varying hours depending on the season and admission is 5 euros. you can add additional monuments in the area at a discounted rate. these rates and hours can be found here.

as always, there are many other churches and museums to visit. we did not go to any of them, so i can't say much about them or if they are worth it.

i personally would not recommend pisa to people unless they are dying to see the leaning tower. there are some other things to do there, but i would not advise people to go out of their way to get there if that is their only reason for going.

happy reading and happy travels! xoxo -k

courmayeur, italy

courmayeur is a little town in the mountains located at the base of mont blanc and on the border of france and italy.

if you love mountains, go to courmayeur. during the winter season, you can ski and i'm sure it is fabulous. we went in the fall, though, so we were only able to go up the mountain and look out at the view. there is a series of cable cars you can ride up to the top of mont blanc and the view at the top is unlike anything i've ever seen. it is absolutely worth the money to go up there. the hours and prices vary depending on the season and can be found here.

from the three different cable car stations, you can hike different paths or just get out and enjoy the view. mountain biking is also an option, however, it is not as popular.

if you happen to go in the winter, skiing is a very popular thing to do. ski season generally goes from december to may and information about tickets, rentals, lessons, etc can be found here.

other than this, courmayeur is mainly little shops and restaurants. it is the perfect mountain escape in the middle of the alps and i would recommend it to anyone who loves mountains!

happy reading and happy travels! xoxo -k