2,844 miles, 10 days, six cities, five countries and one life-changing fall break. Last week, I traveled from Florence to Berlin, Amsterdam, Bruges, Paris, Versailles and Barcelona. The best part about being in Europe with Florida State University International Programs (FSUIP) is that travel is just a bus ticket away.
FSUIP gives students a week off for fall break, the perfect time to travel. One tour guide company built for college students studying abroad is Bus2Alps. The company offers bus trips originating from different Italian cities to various popular locations all across Europe. The fall break trip was an affordable route that took the planning off our plate.
After a 15-hour overnight bus ride, we arrived in Berlin for a guided historical tour of the city, primarily centered around World War II. We saw where the book burnings took place, various palaces and government buildings and recent monuments dedicated to the victims of World War II. The next day, we visited the longest stretch of the Berlin Wall that is still standing, covered in murals by artists from all over the world. Our group also had traditional German meals like pork knuckles and Hofbräu beer.
Our two days in Berlin came to a close and we hopped back on the bus for Amsterdam, which was about 10 hours away. We had one full day in Amsterdam where my friends and I explored the Van Gogh Museum, Heineken Factory, Moco Museum and Red Light District. We even went on a boat tour that wove through the canals. At the Van Gogh Museum and Moco Museum, we saw famous works by Vincent Van Gogh, Keith Haring, Gustav Klimpt, Emile Bernard, THE KID, Banksy and more. The classic Holland architecture and bridges surrounded us as we got to see all of the sites Amsterdam is famous for.
We spent the next day in Bruges, Belgium which, even at the end of October and beginning of November, was covered in Christmas decor coupled with waffles, beer and chocolate. It was a quick afternoon as we had to get to Paris.
On the bus ride to Paris, the tour guides played Disney’s Ratatouille and Beauty and the Beast. Instantly upon driving in, Paris was magical, just as we had all expected. We enjoyed a Parisian dinner with French onion soup, duck, Croque Madame and rotisserie chicken. Then, we headed to bed to get ready for our packed day ahead.
My group and I woke up the next morning bright and early for another historic guided tour revolving around the French Revolution and French royalty. My roommate and I then went to Sainte Chappelle to marvel at the ostentatious stained glass in this historical place of worship before heading to the Louvre Museum. The Louvre, though sophisticated and intriguing, was never-ending. Even though we spent over three hours inside, we still could not finish all of the exhibits. It was fascinating, however, to see such memorable art pieces, like the Mona Lisa by Leonardo DaVinci, in person.
After the Louvre Museum, we hopped on rental scooters traveling with the multitude of other bikers along the Seine River to the Eiffel Tower. By the time we got there and got our group together, the Eiffel Tower was sparkling like it was out of a movie. I had to immediately FaceTime my mom because of how unbelievable it felt.
It was hard to top seeing the Eiffel Tower in real life, but the Palace of Versailles the next day came close to it. The Palace was elegant and full of jewels and treasures that were so amazing to see. From the gardens to the apartments, the Palace of Versailles was an incredible site to see.
We arrived in Barcelona in the early hours, where we slept for a few hours before heading out for another full day of exploring. For brunch, we enjoyed various tapas and quite a bit of chorizo, and then got Hop-On-Hop-Off bus tickets to get a full view of all Barcelona had to offer. We saw the Spanish Arc de Triomf, La Sagrada Familia, Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau, Mare de DĂ©u de la Bonanova and Casa BatllĂł. After sightseeing, we topped off the day with some sangria and enough paella to feed a small country.
Our second day in Barcelona, which was the last day of the fall break trip, would be described in one word as exhausting. There had been nine long days of bus rides and sightseeing leading up to this, so my friends and I got back on the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus and rode its other route to see some of the sights we had missed, like the old Olympic stadium from the 1992 summer games, Parc Guell, Porta d’Ă€vila al Poble Espanyol and Palau Victòria Eugènia.
As we made our way home overnight to Florence, Italy, the sun rose over the Monte Carlo coast, representing our burgeoning curiosity for exploration and travel. It was nice getting home to our beds after the 14-hour bus ride, but this trip will follow us for the rest of our lives.
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