Travel Log with Floral Prints and Common Sense

I am super excited to bring to you the fourth edition of a new travel series on the blog called Travel Log!  While I am in Italy traveling without a laptop, I have invited a few of my favorite blogging gals who also have been bitten by the wanderlust bug to share some of their favorite travel experiences with you guys!  So please welcome Rachel of Floral Prints and Common Sense, who will be sharing her beautiful trip to Italy with you guys!

Hi everyone! My name is Rachel and I'm excited to be guest posting on Hannah's blog! I'm an illustrator with a personal style blog. I'm super jealous that she's traipsing around Italy right now, I'm certain she's having a great time!

What is a favorite or most interesting trip that you've taken and when did you go?

I've only been out of the country once, last spring, and I went to Italy just like Hannah! My boyfriend's family was stationed there, so they kindly let us stay with them for a month. It's beautiful there.

What specific areas did you go to while there?

We visited Venice, Rome, Florence, and Milan, as well as some smaller towns like Verona, Bolzano, Asiago, and Vincenza. We saw Venice, Rome and Florence all in a sort of backpacking trip, with our friends one week; rode the train, stayed in hostels, the whole deal!

For someone else thinking about traveling here, what were your top 2-3 favorite things that you did while there? 

Venice was my favorite city. It's not called the most beautiful city on earth for nothing! We took a little boat tour of some surrounding islands and saw a beautiful church full of byzantine art, and watched the glass blowers in action. I also really enjoyed seeing the Vatican Museum.

What do you like to wear while traveling? Any tips for looking cute but still being comfortable and mobile for a day of exploring?  If you have a favorite outfit or two that you wore while there I'd love to see!

I tried to pack some of my most versatile things for my trip. I recommend comfy midi skirts and tennis shoes. I spent the entire month in my converse! Also a pair of sunglasses and an umbrella are important! I can definitely say that you should prepare for the unexpected while abroad. When we were backpacking, we had to buy tickets last minute, navigate the alleyways of Venice (thank God my boyfriend had wifi), and we had our key break in the door to our hostel, haha!

Discovering new foods is one of my favorite parts about traveling! What was the best thing you ate while there?  Is this something that the area is known for?

I ate pizza in Italy almost exclusively. We were on a budget and pasta dishes were a lot more expensive than the 5-6 euro pizzas every town had! But most of them were really delicious, and HUGE. But hands down, gelato is the best thing to eat in Italy. I stopped at least once a day! Frutti di bosco (fruits of the forest, aka berry) was my favorite flavor :)

7.  Lastly, What is your favorite memory from the trip?

The most beautiful sights I saw were actually on a drive from Vicenza to Asiago. We drove up a mountain and the whole time I was in awe. It was like the hills are alive with the sound of music out my window. I'll never forget that drive!

Thanks so much Rachel!  I absolutely loved seeing your beautiful photos from Italy and I'm excited to see how it compares to my own experience here!