When my semester abroad in Barcelona came to an end, I wasn't quite ready to go home.
 

I had spent four incredible months living in Spain, but there were still places I had always dreamed of seeing. So before flying back to the United States, I planned one final adventure through Italy.
 

The best part?
 

I convinced my sister to fly over and meet me.
 

Some of my favorite memories from traveling have been solo, but getting to experience Italy together made the trip even more special. We laughed through missed trains, got lost more times than we could count, and somehow figured it all out together.
 

Our journey started in Milan, although we didn't actually stay there. Instead, we immediately headed toward Portofino.

Portofino was exactly how I imagined the Italian Riviera.
 

Colorful buildings lined the harbor, luxury boats floated in the crystal-clear water, and every corner looked like a postcard. Instead of taking transportation directly there, we walked from a nearby town along the coastline, and it ended up being one of my favorite walks of the entire trip. The views of the Mediterranean, the cliffs, and the little villages along the way were unforgettable.
 

Portofino was definitely a luxury destination. Everything was expensive, so we only stayed one night, but it was worth seeing at least once.

From there, we took the train to Florence.
 

Florence became our home for a few days, although one of those days was spent making the journey to Cinque Terre.
 

My sister had always wanted to visit, so we decided to make the trip. We only explored Riomaggiore, one of the five famous villages, and there is no denying that it was beautiful. The colorful houses stacked against the cliffs overlooking the sea looked exactly like the pictures.

But if I'm being honest...
 

It was probably the most crowded place I've ever been.
 

The train ride there was absolute chaos.

 

People were packed shoulder to shoulder. Everyone was pushing, squeezing, yelling, and trying to get on or off the train at the same time. My sister and I were laughing because we genuinely couldn't wait to get off. I don't think I've ever been so close to that many strangers in my life.

 

I'm really glad I went because it's such an iconic place, but I also left feeling like there are probably dozens of smaller coastal towns in Italy that are just as beautiful without the overwhelming crowds.
 

On our way back, we stopped in Pisa to see the Leaning Tower.

Unfortunately, our train schedule had other plans, so we were rushing. 
 

We realized we were almost going to miss our next train if we stopped even to get dinner, so we kept moving. Sometimes travel means accepting that you can't do everything.
 

One of my favorite memories from Florence was taking a cooking class.
 

We learned how to make fresh pasta, ravioli, and tiramisu from scratch. There is something so satisfying about making Italian food in Italy using fresh ingredients. It gave me an even greater appreciation for how much pride Italians take in their cooking.
 

The food throughout Italy was incredible.
 

Simple ingredients.

Fresh ingredients.
 

Food that didn't need to be overly complicated to be amazing.
 

The only downside of Florence was where we stayed.
 

To save money, we booked a hotel outside the city.
 

The area felt a little sketchy, especially at night, so we usually headed back before it got too late. We also struggled to find restaurants nearby that stayed open in the evenings. Two nights we ended up getting pizza that was probably the least authentic meal we ate in Italy.

Ironically, the worst pizza we had...was in Italy.
 

I think if we had stayed closer to the city center, our experience in Florence would've been completely different.
 

Our next stop completely surprised us.

 

Naples ended up being our favorite city of the entire trip.
 

I know so many people describe Naples as dirty or chaotic, but that wasn't my view at all.
 

It felt alive.
 

There was music, people talking outside, families gathering, scooters flying through the streets, and an energy that made you want to keep wandering without any destination in mind.
 

It felt real.
 

It didn't feel polished for tourists.
 

It felt like a city where people actually lived.
 

That was something I loved.
 

We found an incredible little pizza restaurant, walked through the busy streets, and soaked in every minute we had there.
 

From Naples, we took a day trip to the Amalfi Coast, visiting both Amalfi Town and Positano.
 

The coastline was breathtaking.
 

Towering cliffs, colorful houses cascading down toward the sea, boats floating through impossibly blue water—it truly is one of the most beautiful coastlines I've ever seen.
 

But once again, I found myself thinking the same thing I had in Cinque Terre.
 

It was beautiful...
 

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