Che Bello! Studying Abroad in the Country of Historical Art and Architecture

By Rebecka Jones, Staff Writer

Opportunity of a Lifetime

A magnificent country of ancient architecture and delicious pasta, Italy was a dream come true. This past summer, I was given the opportunity to study modern world history in Italy through the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) Global Studies program. This program allows students of community colleges, TCATs, and the workforce to experience international travel and learn more about other cultures, career readiness, and lifelong learning.

I remember seeing posters around Pellissippi State Community College advertising the program, but I never saw myself traveling out of the country to study because of financial issues and the fact that I would be far from home. However, when Pellissippi State held a fair advertising clubs and programs one day, I came across the TBR Global Studies booth.

The representatives at the booth showed me a list of classes I could take and the countries they would be going to. I had just finished taking early world history, so when I saw that they had a summer program going to Italy to study modern world history, my interest was piqued. Even though I was pretty set on not participating, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to take a look at the program.

Italy has been one of my dream countries to visit for many years. The extravagant cathedrals, captivating Renaissance art, and freshly-made pasta and bread made me wish to travel there. When I looked into the cities and excursions the Italy program would be going to, I completely changed my mind about not going and signed myself up. With the decision made, I finally got a chance to experience the beauty of Italy.

After I received the Pellissippi State Study Abroad scholarship and got accepted into the program, it wasn’t too soon after that I was on a flight to Italy.

Florence

The first city my group visited was Florence. This Italian wonderland had beautiful bridges for taking picturesque photos, churches with fascinating patterns painted onto their walls, and museums filled with years of history and art.

I walked along all the bridges because they led me to different areas of the city, and I wanted to explore as much of Florence as I could. Sometimes I would just stand on the bridge and take in the view of the brick walls and historical buildings.

The Ponte Vecchio bridge was the most interesting; it was as if a village was built alongside it. Yet instead of it housing people, these small buildings were jewelry and souvenir stores. This bridge was also the most crowded due to all the stores, but it was a nice experience to see the Italian jewelry and the way these buildings all fit onto a small bridge.

The most memorable bridge of Florence was the Ponte Alla Carraia bridge because, although it was not the most popular, it was where I spent most of my time with my classmates. We took pictures of the sunset from that bridge, and we had long conversations while sitting on the edge of the bridge and enjoying delicious gelato most nights.

Florence was big and full of places to visit, but it wasn’t overly crowded with tourists. That made exploring the city easy and enjoyable.

The roads were purely stone, making walking easier compared to Italy’s signature uneven cobblestone streets. At every turn, there were tightly packed buildings colored in various shades of browns, beiges, and yellows. Even when the buildings weren’t close together, there were tight alleyways between them, some containing beautiful graffiti and vibrant potted plants.

The piazzas of Florence were the most open spaces of the city, surrounded by shops, restaurants, and gelato places. Vendors selling items such as trinkets, leather, and Italian snacks were scattered across these piazzas. The piazza I visited the most, the Piazza del Duomo, houses the Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral. This church, or duomo, rests at the heart of Florence.

With its huge red dome and detailed patterns on its walls, the Santa Maria del Fiore was a site to behold. Although my class didn’t get the chance to go inside, we were still in awe of its architectural beauty and massiveness from the outside. Observing the shapes and patterns on the walls of the duomo made me wonder how much work it must’ve taken for the architects to mold and paint each shape so perfectly.

The duomos and bridges were wonderful to experience, but I found myself drawn to the leather markets. The Piazza del Mercato Centrale is a long street where vendors would sell leather items such as purses, wallets, and belts. There were also leather stores along the same street, and I ended up buying a purse with the colors of the Italian flag from one of the stores. The seller even engraved my initials onto the purse for free.

My class also explored many museums, but the most memorable one was the Uffizi Gallery. This art museum has two floors full of famous and historical pieces. Roman statues lined the halls on each floor, and every room contained art from a different time period—Byzantine, with its gold backgrounds and serious-faced characters, all the way to the Modern era, with artwork containing natural color palettes and expressive characters.

My favorite room of the museum was the Niobe Room because the artwork hanging on the walls wasn’t the only form of art in the room. The arched ceiling had tiles with golden shapes and patterns, and the pillars holding up each corner of the room looked similar to Corinthian pillars with their bronze and gold cornices. There were also Roman marble statues lined along the perimeter of the room. However, those features didn’t distract me from the large paintings.

There were golden-framed paintings displaying war and death that took up the walls of the Niobe Room. The color scheme was more neutral and plain, representing just how real and colorless death is once it drains the life out of a person. The bodies of the people were muscled and some naked, expressing humanity in its true form.

Another site we visited was the David statue in the Galleria dell’Accademia. The famous marble statue was more remarkable in person. He was taller than the photos made him look, and the detail was unfathomable; his hands had veins like a real human, and his curly locks were carved so intricately, it looked to be real, soft hair.

Another of Florence’s most notable sites, in my opinion, is its gelato shops. Instead of fluffy and creamy ice cream, Italians are fond of dense and silky gelato. As every tourist in Italy would, I got myself hooked on gelato and ate it almost every night. The flavor tasted richer and more natural compared to American ice cream.

La Carraia was the gelato shop my classmates and I went to most of the time, and it was the best one in Florence. The lines were always long, and the workers hardly spoke English, so you knew it would be delicious and authentic. One of the bridges was right next to the shop, so I would buy gelato, sit on the bridge, and enjoy the view of the beautiful city.

Towards the end of my stay in Florence, our professors took us on a short hike to Piazzale Michelangelo, where we had a view of the entire city. There were performers singing in the square and vendors selling trinkets, tapestries, and clothing. The environment was calm and refreshing from the bustling city.

We visited during sunset, so I captured the beautiful red-roofed buildings, historic towers, and breathtaking mountains below an orange and yellow sky. The view was so perfect, I thought I was looking at a painting I couldn’t take my eyes away from.

My time in Florence was delightful. I will miss taking pictures on the bridges at night and observing beautiful artwork in museums. I’m glad I experienced my first Italian city in Florence because there was so much to do and explore, yet it wasn’t as chaotic as the big cities such as Rome and Milan.

Before I knew it, I was on a train ride to our next adventure.

Siena

The city of Siena was an entirely different environment compared to Florence. While Florence was huge and loud with tourists, Siena was small and quiet. I was able to walk from one end of Siena to the next in fifteen minutes. There weren’t many tourists because this city isn’t a well-known place, so it was a relaxing break from Florence.

Despite its underrated status, Siena was beautiful at every turn and felt more like an Italian city compared to Florence.

The hotel we had in Siena was my favorite out of all the hotels on the trip. Not only did we have comfortable beds and a luxurious waterfall shower, but we also had the most gorgeous view. Our hotel had a balcony looking out at the city.

The way the houses were built side-by-side along the steep hills was astonishing. Some were made of stone while others were painted bright shades of yellow or red, and they had terracotta clay tiles as their roofs. The houses were so different compared to the ones we are used to here in America.

We could also see the Siena Cathedral from our hotel with its huge dome and striped bell tower. The bells would play every morning, getting us up for another wonderful day in Siena.

The inside of Siena Cathedral was even more beautiful than the outside. The pillars had black and white stripes like a zebra, and the arches had marble tiles with golden flower-shaped disks attached. The ceiling was high up with stars built into it, making it seem as if you were looking up into the night sky. Stained-glass murals were built all over the cathedral, but the most eye-catching one was a circular window above the altar that had the saints painted into it. It was huge and cast a colorful reflection onto the ground when the sun hit it right.

I mentioned before that Siena felt more like an Italian city compared to Florence, and that was because of Siena’s cobblestone roads and tightly packed alleyways and buildings built on the hills. Unlike Florence, Siena’s roads were made of uneven stones, and not many cars were seen driving on them. There were more people than cars using these roads to explore shops and restaurants since there were no sidewalks. The roads were super narrow because of how close together the buildings were, but it made it feel more like Italy!
Every day I explored the city, my classmates and I found ourselves at the Piazza del Campo, an open area surrounded by restaurants and the Gothic bell tower of Torre del Mangia. This public square was always filled with laughing children, kind Italian vendors, and curious tourists. Although there wasn’t much to do there besides eat, we would sit on the stones and enjoy the view and environment of the peaceful city.

We visited the Piazza almost every night. While our other classmates played games such as Sardines, I would relax with my roommates and stare up at the night sky while we talked about life. The city noises around us gave me a sense of peace, and I knew I would cherish that moment forever. I look back on it to this day.

I also cherish the memory of the night when my roommates and I were walking back to our hotel after spending another evening at the Piazza. We had a burst of energy from all the excitement of the day that we started running through the streets, laughing at our silliness and reveling in the freedom we felt at being able to enjoy Italy.

Another memory I recall from Siena was the Italian picnic I had with my roommates. We decided to go to the amazing Conad—the grocery store we went to in every city that always had amazing food—and buy bread, cheese, turkey, and pesto to make sandwiches. Then, we laid out some towels to sit on beside our hotel, made the sandwiches, and enjoyed the sunset over the Italian homes. We stayed out there talking and eating until the sky was dark and the city went to sleep.

The most expensive yet worthwhile purchase I made on this trip was a pasta-making class. I went with two of my classmates to this restaurant where an Italian chef showed us how to make pasta from scratch. We made the dough and rolled it, cut it into different shapes, and flattened it through a pasta machine. With the dough, the chef showed us how to make spaghetti, ravioli, and tortellini. He also showed us how to make tiramisu for dessert, and we enjoyed a lovely, homemade meal that night.

For one of our last nights in Siena, our program attended a mini Italian opera. I had never been to an opera before, so I had no idea what to expect and didn’t think I would enjoy it since opera isn’t my style of music. Regardless, I got to experience two wonderful actors sing their hearts out to powerfully moving songs about love, passion, despair, and death. Not only did they sing, but they acted with such emotion that I felt as though I were watching a movie. The opera was the best way to end our stay in Siena, my favorite city of the entire trip.

Civita di Bagnoregio

Our group took a charter bus to Rome, but we made a stop at the hilltop village of Civita di Bagnoregio. This village was built on a massive hill and was surrounded by deep canyons. The climb to the village was steep, but the view we got of the canyons was worth it, and we got the opportunity to explore this beautiful little village.

The Civita reminded me a lot of Siena, with its narrow cobblestone roads and stone buildings built descending the hills. There were a lot of potted plants and gardens by the houses, so I could tell the citizens here spent a lot of time taking care of their plants. 

Although I adored the views and walking through the little village, there was one thing this village had that made my entire trip: pistachio spaghetti. It might sound crazy that food, of all things, would be the takeaway of this beautiful place, but this spaghetti was the best I ever had in my life.

The restaurant, Taverna Bistrot, had spaghetti with pistachio pieces, pork, and a creamy white sauce that was like nothing I ever had before. I was surprised that the pistachio added to the rich flavor because I thought the nut only tasted good by itself or in ice cream. Even so, the spaghetti tasted fresh and mildly sweet. I can say, without a doubt, that the pistachio spaghetti was my favorite meal of this entire trip.

Rome

After spending part of our day at the Civita di Bagnoregio, we completed our bus ride to Rome. I was the most excited for Rome because it’s one of the most popular cities of Italy with its ancient ruins and Roman architecture. However, it was the most crowded city we visited out of the entire trip. There were tourists everywhere!

Even so, the visitors didn’t distract me from Rome’s beautiful sites. Just walking through the city was a breathtaking experience; the buildings were pastel colors such as pink, yellow, blue, and white. Stone tiles were placed in arcs around the doors and gave the buildings different textures. They were different from the homes in Florence and Siena, but they were just as gorgeous and unique.

Naturally, one of the best sites in Rome was the Colosseum. Our class got to walk through the first and second floors of the historical landmark, reading about its history and experiencing the beauty of the ruins. It wasn’t as big as the pictures made it, but it was still fascinating to see in-person, knowing that Roman soldiers and gladiators used to battle to the death in the same place.

One evening in Rome, my roommates and I decided to walk through one of the parks beside the Colosseum when we stumbled across a beautiful outlook of the landmark. We climbed up a small hill and took amazing photos in front of the Colosseum with the Italian sunset.

Our class got the opportunity to hear Pope Leo XIV give a sermon one morning. My roommates and I were next to the barricades, so we got to see the pope ride around his popemobile and cheered for him. This was the first of many times I visited Vatican City during the trip.

This small country has extraordinary pillars surrounding Piazza San Pietro with an obelisk in the center. The Basilica di San Pietro was the most beautiful cathedral I’ve ever seen. The dome and clock towers were built with beautiful designs and statues surrounding it. It was in front of this cathedral that we saw the pope speak.

The inside of San Pietro was even more gorgeous. The ceiling and the inside part of the arches looked like gold, with different shapes carved into the tiles. Above the arches and pillars, Latin words were written in huge letters. There were multiple domes inside the cathedral that had vibrant artwork of the angels and saints in heaven. I felt like I was glimpsing into the glory of heaven from how high up and bright it was.

In the center of the cathedral, there was an enormous canopy made of bronze. It had statues of angels and detailed plinths on its swirly pillars. The site was directly in front of the golden altar, brightening up the canopy and making it look glorious. Being in this cathedral made me feel so small with the high ceiling and massive statues.

The last site I took note of was the Vatican Museum. It was difficult to take note of all the artwork because it was one of the biggest museums we explored on this trip, but the most memorable part was the Gallery of Maps.

This hallway is filled with ancient maps of Italy and papal territories, showcasing the mountainous ranges and large bodies of water that were encased on these beautiful lands. The ceiling was just as remarkable, featuring hundreds of golden-framed artworks depicting religious moments in history. There were also marble statues of saints and angels carved into the ceiling. The entire hallway was covered in paintings and detailed designs. It felt as though I were walking through an art gallery, except most of the art was on the ceiling!

Arrivederci, Italia!

Every street, museum, and church in Italy was beautiful. Traveling to this country made me feel like I was stepping into a magical paradise. I’m grateful to TBR Global Studies for giving me the opportunity to study abroad in a gorgeous country and for the experience of a lifetime. All the places I visited, the friends I made, and the things I learned from class will stick with me forever. I will recall the fond memories I made while exploring a whole other world of culture for years to come.

I encourage the students who have a desire to explore other countries and grow in their careers and independence to give the study abroad program a try. Not only is it cheap compared to other programs and easy to get accepted into, but TBR Global Studies also offers students the experience of a lifetime by immersing them in a new culture and teaching students how to live independently for a couple of weeks.

Next time you see a poster in the hallway or a booth at a fair advertising the program, find the country you want to travel to and look at the classes offered. You don’t want to miss out on this opportunity because you will embark on one of the best adventures of your life, full of learning and fun!

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