At this point in my study abroad, I’ve visited about 12 cities within 4 countries. Each city has its own culture and environment, and I’ve enjoyed experiencing each one. However, there are some places that I favored for various reasons, whether it be because of location, scenery, food, or shopping. I want to give a brief rundown of my favorite cities we’ve visited so far and discuss why I loved these cities.
To start, I’ll explain my favorite overnight stays. One of my favorite places to stay was in Zagreb, Croatia. We stayed in Hotel Dubrovnik, a very nice hotel in the heart of the city. Across from our hotel was an amazing bakery with delicious sandwiches and croissants. We were about a minute walk away from the city square, where we could easily board a tram on our way to class. Our stay in Zagreb was extremely convenient and accessible and was overall one of my favorites.
Another place I really enjoyed staying overnight was Lovran, Croatia. My roommate and I had a lovely room with a balcony overlooking the ocean. Every morning I could wake up and see the sun rising, with the rays reflecting across the water. While I did not enjoy waking up early for classes, the view from this hotel made it so much easier. Our hotel was also very close to one of my favorite restaurants of the trip, Restaurant Kvarner. My friends and I could walk along the seaside to grab some gelato or a bite to eat, and the food itself was always delicious.
In terms of scenery, some of my favorite places to visit on the study abroad were Dubrovnik, Croatia; Piran, Slovenia; and St. Moritz, Switzerland. We visited some of these places for only a day, but they were extremely beautiful and worth the experience. In Dubrovnik, I loved touring the walls and hiking up a mountain, where I watched the sun set with my friends. In Piran, we walked part of the perimeter of the city and explored the city’s streets. In St. Moritz, we walked around the city and took a train ride through the Swiss Alps. While each place brought something different, they are all experiences I will never forget.
Lastly, I want to touch on some of my favorite foods of the study abroad. The first thing I must talk about is the gelato. I had gelato in almost every city I visited, and it was amazing every single time. After a day of classes or exploring, there was nothing that brought me more joy than stopping for some gelato. My next favorite food was the chocolate croissants/donuts. In the morning, if my friends and I needed some breakfast before class, or if we came across a bakery throughout the day, we could stop by and grab a delicious chocolate croissant or donut. These sweet treats made an already great day just a little bit better. Now for meals, I already touched on Restaurant Kvarner as one of my favorites. Another restaurant that I could not recommend enough is Barzac Milan. Not only was the pasta some of the best food I have ever had, but the service was amazing. Our waiter was the owner of the store, and he personally went over his favorite menu items (which he created) and spoke with us about his life story and what brought him to Milan as a chef. His wife and son also worked in this restaurant, and they came outside and spoke with us too. It was all around a great experience, and I would love to go back if I’m ever in Milan again!
