melissa grace kreider

                I experienced a huge perk of traveling through Study Abroad Italy this past weekend: All-Inclusive Trips! I was lucky enough to travel to Verona (yeah-the city where Romeo and Juliet took place), Lake Garda and Mantova with my roommates and other students in my program! Included was transportation EVERYWHERE and a huge breakfast, included dinner and “pointers-in-the-right-direction” for drinks and light lunches.  We were all also VERY lucky to have an unbelievably gorgeous weekend weather-wise. It made everything that much sweeter.

                Our first stop was Verona, which I seriously underestimated. Verona, to me at least, is a very soft and sweet city. It might be the charming marble walkways, adorable Piazzas, or

 JULIET’S BALCONY; but just being Verona made me feel like I was being romanced. I might have fallen in love with everything I looked at.  There are love notes in the cracks and locks with messages written on them locked to the gate near Juliet’s house, and the wall leading up to the balcony are covered in scribbles proclaiming everlasting love. The walls are adorned with wads of gum: people will write notes and fasten them there with their gum. Later on, the notes are taken down by “the city” and the gum is left.  It is literally like a movie there.

Our next stop was Lake Garda: the largest lake in Italy. My roommate, Saya, is from the University of Tampa and she said it compared to Florida: palm trees and all. The beautiful day didn’t hurt either!  Here I had the best glass of wine I’ve ever had in my life…so far!

I was exhausted when we traveled to Mantova on Sunday. It was a lovely city; but what really stood out to me was the fact that Ed Westwick was there, filming the new Romeo and Juliet movie. He’s been cast as Tybalt. I didn’t have the pleasure of seeing him; but I saw the set!!

All-inclusive trips are a huge plus side to traveling abroad. This might have been one of the Best Weekends Ever.