If you love art and history, Florence is a must see! Known as the heart of the Italian Renaissance, Florence is a art and history lovers paradise. I’ve been to Florence twice, and each time there I stayed in an Airbnb. I visited Florence as a stop along an Italian trip, so I’ve always arrived there by train. Train tickets to and from Florence can easily be purchased on https://www.trenitalia.com. Know that when using this site (and other Italian sites) cities are referenced by their given Italian name and not English name. Hence, Florence is actually named Firenze. When you’re in Florence, majority of the city is walkable, and this is actually part of the joy of the city. Two of the main art galleries are the following: - Uffizi gallery (https://www.florence.net) - Galleria Dell’ Accademia (http://www.galleriaaccademiafirenze.beniculturali.it) I recommend purchasing tickets in advance for the galleries, as each holds world-renowned paintings an sculptures, like the statue of David. Along with the art galleries, the Florence Cathedral is a must see (https://www.ilgrandemuseodelduomo.it/monumenti/1-cattedrale). Entry inside the cathedral is free, but if you want to go up the bell tower, or the dome tickets are required. Also, the dome tickets can sellout a month in advice, so buy your tickets early! The cathedral is made of marble, and is such a beautiful site! To get a great view of the city, climb the hill to Pizzale di Michelangelo and Forte di Belvedere. Both of these sites provide great opportunities for photos of the city. If you’re into fashion, Florence is the birth place of Gucci. Visit the Gucci museum to gain insight on the luxury brand’s history. The Gucci museum resides in Piazza della Signoria which also houses Palazzo Vecchio, and a collection of statues and sculptures worth seeing. Florence does house a large college population, including numerous of foreign exchange students. If you visit during the school year, don’t be surprised to see a lot of college age students, and hear a lot of English being spoken. In the same way, Florence has a decent night life as well. There are multiple clubs and bars throughout the city. Overall, Florence is one of my favorite cities, and good place to get a true feel for Italian culture and history.

I went to Reykjavik for four days in December, and wish I could of stayed a week. If you love the outdoors visit Reykjavik. When you’re there, you’re not just visiting Reykjavik, you’re visiting Iceland the country. Majority of the sites to see in Iceland reside outside of Reykjavik. I highly recommend that you rent a car. This will allow you to visit the sites you want to, and not be restricted to the designated tours agenda. A rental car can be very valuable in the winter months, because daylight is limited. While I was there, the sun rose around 10/10:30 am and set around 4pm. Visiting Iceland can be expensive, especially for food and beverages. If you do decide to eat out, Iceland is a fish lovers paradise. You can easily find fresh fish anywhere! Also, Iceland has some of the best drinking water in the world. They’re tap water is natural spring water. I highly recommend that you look to book an Airbnb, allowing you to cook some of your meals to save money. A lot of the sites to see there are free entry if you drive yourself there. I was able to see the following sites for free: - Gullfoss waterfall - Geysir - Seljalandsfoss waterfall - Skogafoss waterfall - Solheimasandur Plane Wreck To note, if you plan on going to see the Solheimasandur Plane Wreck know that the walk to the plane is about 40min each way. So, plan your time accordingly if you plan on seeing it. I did get to visit the most popular site in Iceland, the Blue Lagoon (https://www.bluelagoon.com). To visit the lagoon is a bit expensive, but it is an experience you cannot pass up. Depending on which package you purchase, your entry comes with a bathrobe, towel, flip flops, facial mask, and a drink. You purchase your ticket against an allotted time, but once you’re in you can stay as long as you want. Nightlife in Reykjavik is limited to Friday and Saturday nights. Any other night of the week, the bars are pretty quiet. Overall, I had a great time in Iceland. It’s a great place to explore the outdoors, and see wonderful natural attractions. I cannot wait to go back!!!

If you like to travel, eventually you'll have to go to Rome, as it serves as the centerpiece of what's left of the Roman Empire. Traveling to Rome is fairly rather you're flying directly into FCO, or taking a train from somewhere else in Italy. If you're flying in and staying within Rome, take a bus from the airport to the Roma Termini train station. Tickets are about 8 euro one way, and will save you some money on cab or Uber fair. Roma Termini is the main train station in Rome, and you can easily walk, taxi/Uber, or metro to your lodging location. This is also the best place to depart from if you want to visit cities outside of Rome. Train tickets to and from Rome can easily be purchased on https://www.trenitalia.com/trenitalia.html. To save money, I stayed in a hostel while in Rome. The Generator Hostel (https://generatorhostels.com/destinations/rome?lang=en-GB) is a hostel franchise, and they have locations all across Europe. Since I was with friends, we rented out a six bed hostel room that came with two full bathrooms (shower only). The hostel was very clean, and provided all the necessities for our stay. It also included individual lockers for those who want an extra bit of security. Rome is a busy city year-round, and a melting pot. You will find people from all across the world who live in Rome for a variety of reasons. The mixture of cultures in Rome makes it a little easier to blend in as a black traveler. So many tourist come through Rome that color doesn’t stand out as much. If you are not comfortable with large crowds, do not visit Rome in the summer. Especially, during August. With it's ties to the Roman Empire, there is an abundance of historical sites to visit in Rome. Some of the most famous are the following: the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, and the Vatican City. Some of the sites require tickets like the Colosseum and Roman Forum, and some free like the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and Spanish Steps. I recommend purchasing “skip line” tickets if you know that you will visit during the main tourist season. If you start at the Colosseum you can easily walk and see all the major sites listed above except the Vatican City. The Vatican City will require it’s own designated time to visit, as there are multiple sites within the independent country. The Hop-on Hop-off tour is also a great way to see all the sites in Rome with transportation included. Be aware that there are street vendors everywhere you go in Rome trying to sell touristy items. A lot of people feel that the African vendors tend to be a bit more aggressive towards people of ethnic decent. This is true, however, majority of the African vendors do not mean any harm or trouble. Remember that most of them are just migrants trying to eat and provide for their families, and street vending is the only opportunity they have at the moment. If you love to eat or drink, Rome has plenty of bars and restaurants to offer. Just know, that a lot of the restaurants around the main sites are very touristy, and do not provide a great depiction of authentic Italian food. Move away from the tourist sites to find restaurants with a more authentic taste. At a decent restaurant main dishes will average between 9-16 euro depending on what you order. Overall, Rome is a great place to visit, and one of the must see cities of the world from a historical aspect.