Throughout the years, my family has taken numerous vacations, from the Dominican Republic to Gulf Shores. The vacations have been fun, but none have been better than this past year. Visiting Croatia, Greece, Italy, and Vatican City in two weeks led to a hassle around Southeastern Europe. 

Starting off in Venice, the most substantial thing we did was ride around in a gondola. With the city having no streets or cars, this was the fastest mode of transportation. Other small activities we did there were glassblowing and eating at local pizzerias to grab the finest Italian food. After a short time in Venice we took a train to the port city of Ravenna and hopped on a cruise around the Adriatic Sea. First stop was Split, Croatia, where we rode around in a Croatian-styled golf cart called a Tuk-tuk. This took us on a tour of the city and, going in with little to no expectations, we realized we enjoyed Split the best. We then spent the next two days at sea to arrive at Athens, Greece. Athens had some of the best views I had ever seen, but the streets were crowded and dirty, which made it personally disliked. Within the city, we rode around on bikes and went to some of the most famous landmarks in the country. The very next day we anchored in Santorini, which was the most beautiful island ever. Once again it was overcrowded with people which made getting off and back onto the boat very inconvenient. There, we went on a tour around every part of the island, which was a very enjoyable time. Our final port sent us back to Croatia in the very popular town of Dubrovnik. There, we walked the walls of an ancient battlefield and even saw where most of Game of Thrones was filmed. Croatia was the best place we went to by far, as it had a clean feel along with great views. 

After this, we sailed back to Ravenna and got on a bullet train to Rome. On the first day of Rome we visited the Trinity Fountain and met up with my aunt and cousin for dinner. We then took a 4 hour bus ride to Pompeii and toured it. The next day we went to the Colosseum and finally Vatican City. All these places had an ancient yet valuable feel to them, which is why we appreciated these the most. Looking back on our vacation, not everything was smooth sailing. Our first flight got delayed, so we missed our connecting flight. My dad tore a ligament in his foot halfway through the trip. Along with this, my dad and I also got sick at different points during the trip, not to mention having to wake up early countless times. I, sounding like a spoiled brat, envision a normal vacation as waking up late, going to the beach then going to dinner, so this trip was different in that aspect. Regardless, the trip holds a very special place in my heart and within the hearts of my family members, as it’s the first time our family has been to Europe. In fact, this was the first time our lineage had been in Europe since our ancestors came across the Atlantic over 300 years ago. On top of that, this vacation taught me many things about European culture and lifestyle. For one, they walk everywhere which is why a majority of Europe is in great condition, but they also smoke cigarettes more prevalent than in the US. If we were to go back to Europe, I think I would want to go to England, France, Germany, and other famous countries like that. I believe these would be most fun, as they have a variety of activities to keep people busy. 

Overall, my favorite vacation has been this past year, because it encompassed much sightseeing and we went to some of the most beautiful places on the planet. This trip also made me realize how important exercise is when it comes to staying healthy. The family time spent on this trip is also something to cherish for lifetimes to come.