Today's post is a fun one because I'm going to be sharing all about my recent trip to Europe. Why I was there, where I travelled to, what I liked/didn't like. Everything. So sit down, maybe grab some popcorn and enjoy.
The reason I travelled to Europe was for work. Most of you know that I work in broadcasting for Tennessee Athletics, so I was there to video and take pictures of our Volleyball team while they travelled and played throughout Italy and France. While I was there for work, I also got to be a tourist in these cities and I will be forever grateful for being a part of such an amazing trip! Especially for my first time out of the country!
Italy
Our first stop was Milan. We spent three days sightseeing and playing matches against some of Italy's junior national teams. During the matches I would film the girls playing and try to capture a few pictures, that I would then edit in the evening. During the day I basically did the same thing. I would video the girls walking around and touring the city and then edit a video of what all they did that day. Milan was cool but definitely not my favorite place, or somewhere I'd like to visit in the future. We did have some dang good pizza and wine on the first night though, so can't complain too much ;)
One of our Milan days was actually spent in Lake Como. Sadly, we didn't have the best weather in Lake Como but it didnt take away just how beautiful that city really is. We saw amazing views of the city and water, ate my favorite meal of the entire trip, and I even enjoyed a delicious Aperol Spritz, which is one of the drinks Italy is known for. I've had one in Knoxville before and it doesn't even come close to Lake Como's. Oh, and the gelato!
Second stop in Italy was Genova. A city right on the water just a bus ride away from Milan. We were only here for one night so there wasn't much for us to see. We had a really good lunch at a restaurant down by the water where they served us fresh seafood and pizza with fries on top because we were Americans. LOL. It was a pretty cool little city that I wouldn't mind returning to one day because it isn't your typical tourist destination.
France
The main places we were in during our time in France were Nice, Paris and a day trip to Cannes. This was probably my favorite part of the trip. We didn't have any games while in Nice so the time there was spent exploring and eating really good seafood and more gelato! We stayed across the street from the beach and the views of the ocean from the hotel rooftop bar was insanely pretty. The Mediterranean is sooo blue and clear it was hard to take your eyes off it.
One of the days we took the train into Cannes. It's a very ritzy area with high-end shopping, yachts, expensive dining, and the Cannes Film Festival. We were able to see all the lights and red carpets for the celebrities attending the film festival but unfortunately, I didn't see any celebrities. This was probably one of my favorite areas because I loved seeing all the outdoor dining places right on the water with views of amazing boats. The beach there was also a little nicer than the beach in Nice, which is rocks and not sand. I also had really good pasta for lunch there and if you know me, then you know any kind of pasta is basically my favorite food.
Ah and the final destination, Paris. *Insert heart-eye emoji*. I loved Paris. Every bit of it. Seeing all of the architecture, art, history, it was breathtaking. I'm someone who enjoys being in a big city and Paris was just that and more. The shopping and food options were endless and the nightlife where we stayed was pretty fun! We stayed in the Bastille Area where it seemed like a lot of the younger crowd lived. One thing I loved about Paris were all the little bakeries and cafes around every corner. Beware, people in France like to people watch. It's a little weird but also pretty easy to tune out when you're looking around this beautiful city. If I could go back to any of the places we travelled to, Paris would be it!
If your ever get the chance to travel to Europe for work or for fun, DO IT! I had an amazing time working but also being a tourist and exploring. Hopefully I'll be back again some day :)
One of the days we took the train into Cannes. It's a very ritzy area with high-end shopping, yachts, expensive dining, and the Cannes Film Festival. We were able to see all the lights and red carpets for the celebrities attending the film festival but unfortunately, I didn't see any celebrities. This was probably one of my favorite areas because I loved seeing all the outdoor dining places right on the water with views of amazing boats. The beach there was also a little nicer than the beach in Nice, which is rocks and not sand. I also had really good pasta for lunch there and if you know me, then you know any kind of pasta is basically my favorite food.
Ah and the final destination, Paris. *Insert heart-eye emoji*. I loved Paris. Every bit of it. Seeing all of the architecture, art, history, it was breathtaking. I'm someone who enjoys being in a big city and Paris was just that and more. The shopping and food options were endless and the nightlife where we stayed was pretty fun! We stayed in the Bastille Area where it seemed like a lot of the younger crowd lived. One thing I loved about Paris were all the little bakeries and cafes around every corner. Beware, people in France like to people watch. It's a little weird but also pretty easy to tune out when you're looking around this beautiful city. If I could go back to any of the places we travelled to, Paris would be it!
If your ever get the chance to travel to Europe for work or for fun, DO IT! I had an amazing time working but also being a tourist and exploring. Hopefully I'll be back again some day :)
