Ever since I can remember, my main goal in life was to live in Italy. When I was just a young girl I would get butterflies in my stomach when I saw pictures of beautiful Italian cities and landscapes, I tried (and failed) to teach myself to speak Italian on multiple occasions, and I bought every Italian guide and cookbook I came across. When I was searching for colleges I almost focused more on what study abroad opportunities they had than what programs they offered. Thankfully, the university I chose had a great degree program and plenty of study abroad opportunities in Italy. As soon as I was able, I applied for an exchange program in Milan and set out to live my dream.

I was worried that travelling to the place I had always dreamed about would be a little bit like meeting your favorite celebrity - they look pretty in pictures but are a little disappointing irl - but Italy turned out to be just as magical as I’d always imagined.

I lived in Milan for four months and traveled as much as my school schedule (and my bank account) allowed. Everywhere I went in Italy was beautiful and special, each place in it’s own way. Everywhere has it’s own magic, but here are my top five places to visit in Italy:

1. MILAN

Ok, I might be a little biased towards Milan having lived there for four months, but it says a lot about a place if I lived there and can still put it on the top of my list! Before going to Milan, the main comment I heard was, “You know it’s like a big industrial city?” which I’m pretty sure was meant to scare me away but it sure didn’t. In fact, the Big City Feel was one of my favorite parts of Milan - the fantastic public transportation made it easy for someone with no car and no clue to navigate the city, there was always something happening and something new to discover, and it’s central-European location made travel to other places super easy and convenient (and cheap)! Plus, Milan is the fashion capitol of the world which meant even the daily trek to class felt like a fashion show (although I’ll still never understand why the Milanese all felt the need to wear down parkas over their leather jackets in 65 degree weather). I could go on about Milan forever, or you could just check out my guide to A Day in Milan here.

2. COMO

While Milan has my heart, Como has my everything. As soon as I caught my first glimpse of Lake Como I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life right there on the waterfront nestled in between glorious mountains. Como is about a 30 minute trip outside of Milan and while most people just go for the day, I want to go for the rest of my life. The best way to see all of the towns scattered around the lake’s shore is by taking one of the ferries. We stayed in the lovely Albergo Trattoria La Vignetta in Cernobbio and used the ferry to commute between the town of Como, where train station is, and the absolute must-see town of Bellaggio. If you have the time I recommend you stop off at little towns along the ferry line to see what each place has to offer, but if you’re in a hurry, Bellaggio is the place to go. Once you visit, you’ll understand why George Clooney resides there - and you’ll want to be his neighbor too!

3. CINQUE TERRE

Cinque Terre translates to “five lands” and that’s exactly what it is - five little town scattered along the Ligurian Coast in the Cinque Terre National Park. Take the train into La Spezia and purchase and Cinque Terre Card at the train station. The card lets you take the train through the towns and hop on and off at any of them as you please. Journey out onto the rocks in Riomaggiore and watch the colorful boats rock in the waves in front of the even more colorful town, climb the hill in Manarola and catch some glorious views over drinks and appetizers at Nessun Dorma, venture up the mountain to Corniglia and make sure to take the bus up to the town if you’re not a fan of a million stairs (I found out about the bus a little too late, but I got a good workout), Stop in Vernazza and have some local trofie pasta from Baia Saracena by the water, and enjoy the sunny beach views in Monterosso. Staying in Cinque Terre can be expensive so I recommend reserving one of the incredible AirBNBs in La Spezia and traveling to the towns during the day.

4. FLORENCE

This renaissance city is about as classically Italian as they come. Visit the incredible museums, stroll down the ancient streets, and admire the unbelievable architecture. Shop at the local markets for all your Italian leather good needs (I decided a leather bound notebook was just about all I could fit in my suitcase), grab lunch at La Cocotte Firenze, try rice gelato at Vivoli (it tastes way better than it sounds), and watch the sunset on the Arno with a view of the Ponte Vecchio or from above the city at Piazzale Michelangelo. Finish your night off with a visit to Jazz Club Firenze to hear jazz jam sessions every night of the week.

5. VENICE

Venice is like a theme park - except it’s a real place. I wish I could provide a plethora of specific recommendations of what to do and where to go in Venice, but my only advice is to just get lost. Leave the train station, take a bridge, follow a canal, and let your heart lead you through the streets of this floating city. Every twist and turn reveals beauty and I found myself even more in awe of Venice when I passed schools and supermarkets - things that seemed so out of place in this theme-park-city. Because it’s almost impossible to leave Venice accidentally, put your maps away and just roam (until it’s time to get back to the hotel or train station, of course). Buy some fresh fruit to snack on at the open markets and pick which restaurants to eat at just because the food looks tasty. Of course, following a schedule and map aren’t against the rules here, but getting utterly lost is the most genuine way to truly experience Venice - and when the day is done, take a seat on the edge of the city and watch the sun go down over the water.

Arrivederci and buon viaggio - I know you’ll love Italy as much as I do!