All roads lead to Rome

This adventurous road trip consisted of stops in Terni, San Gemini, Cortona, Arezzo, Perugia, Chianti, Lucca, Pisa, and ended with a few days in Rome. Despite the miserable weather (I’m talking hail storms, lots of rain, heavy fog and unexpected cold temperatures); it was a beautiful countryside to drive through. It was much hillier than expected, and still had a full supply of radiant fall shades on the trees, with lots of castles scattered throughout. Cortona was a short stop, but it was lovely to wake up and take in the top of the mountain view (while enjoying a breakfast buffet). Tonino’s in Cortona for dinner was a delightful experience. It may have been the best meal in all of Italy so far, and they were very accommodating for Vegetarians! San Gemini was a charming medieval town, which I could see as a great tourist spot to visit in the summer. Pisa of course had the leaning tower, surrounded by many other essential historic buildings to visit such as the Cathedral, Baptistery and a couple Museums. We also happened to witness a perfect sunset with clear skies, which added a nice touch to the quick stop.

The last part of the trip included a weekend in Rome. Luckily we were there on the 1^st Sunday of the month, meaning that a long list of popular tourist attractions were all free! Though that does mean you will be spending lots of time in line ups. Our activities included The Vatican (beautiful, and the line actually moved much quicker than anticipated), The Coliseum (Yes, I did have to say “Are you not entertained?! while there), Castle Sant’ Angelo, Trevi Fountain (coins were definitely tossed into this magnificent fountain), The Pantheon, The Roman Forum and more.

As per my usual, we did participate in a free walking tour by http://www.newromefreetour.com/, and I must say it was not only educational, but our guide was quite humorous as well. A fun part, VIP access into an ancient church and the chocolate wall waterfall at Venchi.
I wish I could tell you that I ate the best pasta I’ve ever had, however nothing has topped the Spaghetti Parmigiano from Mangiare Rotterdam. (It was prepared in a cheese wheel after all). Check them out here: https://mangiarerotterdam.com/. If you can prove me wrong with any pasta suggestions let me know for when I return to Italy. There is still so much more to explore there.

Cheers,
Melissa

December 11, 2017 0

That London Feeling

I just recently spent a few days in Maidenhead and London, UK. This was a very quick visit, but still quite pleasant. London is filled with so many beautiful sites to see, that it was very difficult to fit everything into such a short amount of time.

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We did take a bus tour, for the first time, hoping this would offer the chance to view more of the city in the limited time we had. However traffic was not cooperative, due to closures from the marathon, so this took longer than anticipated. I felt like I was back in Toronto rush hour traffic again! I also noticed that the prices of tourist attractions seemed a bit higher then what I have seen throughout my travels thus far. The important lesson from this spontaneous trip is that planning, or purchasing tickets ahead of time, is definitely key. The most ideal way to travel is to have a firm idea of what attractions you would like to see, and to do your research ahead of time.

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That aside, London is gorgeous. It is a big city with a fine balance between old and new. The major sites are impressive and majestic. The double decker’s were exciting, the food was served in large portions, and the citizens were very helpful. You can feel the love of art and appreciation of Shakespeare throughout the city, which is something that any actress would enjoy. There are also some free attractions for tourists including the Science Center, the Natural Museum of History and the Victoria and Albert Museum.

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My personal favourite and most memorable moment cost nothing at all. Walking along the Thames River from the London Eye (Ferris wheel) to the Tower Bridge at sunset, on a Saturday night, is such a treat. It had all the sweets you could eat, drink options, tacos, the sounds of the nearby waves from the Thames, festive music, a live theatre rehearsal, artists sketching their lovers and the captivating orange sky.

Any suggestions on where to go next in Europe? What to eat? What to see? Let me know in the comments and stay tuned for the next adventure!

Cheers,
Melissa

August 13, 2017 4

Krakow, Poland

Krakow, Poland, was such a memorable experience! It’s a gorgeous place to visit, rich in history, food and activities. If you ever plan on visiting Krakow here are a few essential places to visit: St. Marys Basilica (which has a picturesque view of the town square from the top of the tower), Auschwitz, The Wieliczka Salt Mine, Wawel Cathedral (and don’t forget to check out the Dragons den underneath the castle grounds), Kościuszko Mound (for a panoramic view of the city), and old town square (where you can purchase as many souvenirs as possible at the old cloth hall).

One tip I have is to check out “Cracow Free Tours”. They offer tours daily (we signed up for 3 of them while visiting), and are very informative. The tours are led by locals whom really know the area and have personal insights that add an extra touch to your tour. Without these tours we would have missed out on so many unique pieces of history that Krakow has to offer. Check them out here: http://www.cracowfreetours.com/.

While in Krakow be sure to satisfy your taste buds with all the pierogies, sausage and pretzels that your heart desires. Then take a stroll through the Kazimierz district to snack on a traditional Zapiekanka (an open faced sandwich on half a baguette, topped with sauce, cheese and more), a trend that dates back to the 70’s and was mentioned by our tour lovely guide. Or stop at Alchemia Od Kuchni, one of the oldest and cutest pubs on the block that has a Narnia themed décor, including a wardrobe to walk through. Lastly, have a drink outside of the childhood home of Helena Rubinstein and be inspired by her life story. A cosmetics entrepreneur once deemed one of the world’s richest business women.

Souvenirs to purchase include dragon décor, a flower crown and pottery! Did I miss anything? Any suggestions on where I should travel next? Let me know in the comments!

Cheers,
Melissa

July 20, 2017 0

A Trip to Cologne, Germany!

I just recently spent a couple days in the beautiful Cologne, Germany!

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The weather was a picture perfect 31 degrees with not a cloud in the sky. There was so much to do, in such little time. From viewing churches, smelling the first ever eau de cologne, to climbing 533 steps in the Cologne Cathedral, tasting sweets at the chocolate museum (yum), the Wallraf-Richartz Museum, taking in the breathtaking view at Köln Triangle and looking at locks of love at Hohenzollern Bridge. I really recommend sampling the local beer Kölsch at a brauhaus, tasting the delicious pastries at the many bakeries and watching the sunset along the Rhine River, while cooling down with a refreshing beverage.

Any suggestions on where to travel next???

Since settling in for the past month I’ve gotten to see more and more of Amsterdam, and even went as far as Rotterdam. Though it was a very quick visit (and I’ll have to go back for sure), we had some time to sample some Trappist beer and enjoy some Spaghetti Parmigiano, that was prepared in a cheese wheel, what!?! It was so good, I’m still thinking about it. Thank you Mangiare Rotterdam.

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Stay tuned for further adventures! And keep your fingers crossed, as I have another audition this weekend!

Cheers,
Melissa

May 31, 2017 0