When my parents told us we would be spending a week in Italy over the summer, I was ecstatic. Of course my mind went straight to pizza, but Italy proved to be so much more than just copious amounts of carbs.

Ortisei, Italy

Our journey began in the small, beautiful ski town of Ortisei, in the Dolomite Mountain region of northern Italy. Family time in this incredible place consisted of hiking, white water rafting, and taking lots and lots of photos. One of my favorite memories of Italy was our thirteen mile, six hour hike up a mountain, of course with a half.way pit stop consisting of good food and better company. Our family huffed and puffed our way through one of the hardest hikes we will probably ever do, but it was worth every second. Our fabulous guide was super cooperative with our constant joking and selfies, which absolutely added to the experience.

When our time in Ortisei came to an end, we (fortunately) did not have to say goodbye to Italy just yet. Our crew was off to Venice! Upon arrival to the city of bridges, we could tell it was going to be a bit different than our time spent in the mountains. Our fabulous guide, Martina, taught us more in our three days in Venice than I learned in my four years of high school (not really, but she was incredibly bright).

Venice, Italy

Venice was a city full of history, bright colored buildings, and of course some of the best food we have ever eaten. I even got to spend my eighteenth birthday there (a birthday for the books)! We had the opportunity to ride a gondola through the canals of Venice, which was breathtaking. On our very last day in Italy, we took a boat ride over to the islands of Burano, known for its brightly colored buildings and lace, and Murano, known for its glass blowing.

So here's to Italy and time spent with family, and of course, eating the best pizza and pasta of my life.

~ All photos and copy by Miami of Ohio undergrad, Ellie Fitzgerald