ITALY

Prior to visiting Egypt in August 2021, I spent a week in Italy, a country I’d only visited once before for a few days. This time, I still stuck to some of the tried-and-true travel destinations in the country, but despite the intense heat and crowds, I loved every minute of it. I started in Rome before moving on to Naples, a city that tends to get overlooked but that I found to be beautiful, charming, and wonderfully authentic. While staying in Naples, I took day trips to the idyllic islands of Procida and Capri in the Bay of Naples. I then headed south to the Amalfi Coast by way of Pompeii, where I visited the towns of Amalfi and Positano, taking a day hike along the Path of the Gods. My takeaway from the trip is that Italy is popular for a reason, and I’ve found it almost unmatched in Europe when considering the combination of culture, food, and stunning natural locations.