For my first international trip ever, I could not have picked a better place to visit than Italy. The history, culture, and of course the food is nothing short of amazing. Though I only had a short amount of time there (72 hours to be exact), I wanted to see and eat as much as possible. I went with my sister and we had the time of our lives.

The first few hours in Italy were spent in Milan. In the future, I would skip Milan because its super touristy, but it was still nice to explore the fashion capital. The first stop while in Milan was a brief visit to Duomo di Milano, the main cathedral of Milan and the Galleria. The Galleria is an outdoor shopping area with high-end designer storefronts and boutique restaurants. Though pricey, some of the restaurants are full of charm and are great for people-watching. For my first taste of Italian cuisine, I went to Restaurant San Carlo Borromeo. It was a cute place and the service was attentive. I ordered salmon, grilled vegetables and cheese risotto (I was trying to be good ya'll!). Since I'm used to strong, bold flavors in the States I felt that the dish lacked a little in flavor and a lot on salt. However, I had cheese ravioli and a blood orange spritzer that really I enjoyed.

Dinner from Restaurant San Carlo Borromeo.

Jet lag set in after dinner, so me, my aunt and sister headed to our Airbnb to prepare for the next day. The next morning, we went to a super cute café. It was everything you would think of an Italian café. I hate that I missed the name, since everything was in Italian, but they served pastries, fresh juices and coffee right in the heart of Milan. I ordered a "continental breakfast" which consisted of plain yogurt, a fruit salad, and a chocolate-hazelnut filled brioche (croissant). I also ordered a fresh juice. Everything was delicious! Much lighter than in the States. After breakfast, we headed to Duomo di Milano for an inside tour.

I think the most beautiful places in the world are best experienced in person. You can see pictures and hear descriptions, but you have to be there to really appreciate it. That said, I’ll try my best to describe the greatness of this Cathedral. The construction and detail of Duomo is breathtaking. Considering that it was constructed over 600 years ago and is made entirely of marble, it shows the greatness and strength that humans are capable of. Once inside, your surrounded by tombs, art, intricate architecture, history, and religion, all in one place! Since we were in Italy during the off-season and arrived to Duomo early we didn't encounter any crowds. I'd imagine it to be busier during peak travel periods like the summer.

After touring Duomo di Milano, my family and I headed to Lake Garda for the rest of the day. Lake Garda is about two hours east of Milan and is a beautiful lakeside community. Once there, my sister and I saw the Floating Castle at Sirmione, and ate authentic gelato. Let me tell you, I feel like eating gelato in Italy is the most Italian thing you can do. That was one for my bucket list for sure.

The last day of my 72 hour Italian adventure was spent in Venice which was by far my favorite day. When we got to Venice, we were whipped away on a water taxi. The next few hours were spent getting lost in the alleys, grabbing lunch, riding a gondola and snapping pictures of the beautiful St. Mark's Basilica. There are no photos allowed inside St. Mark's, but like Duomo, it is beautiful and grand. The cathedral is made up of marble and there are gold mosaics covering the ceilings, as well as intricate detail around every corner. It's one of those places where pictures don't do it justice.

Since it was my last full day in Italy, my aunt set up a wonderful wine tasting and farewell dinner for my sister and I. We went to an Italian vineyard that not only grows organic grapes for their wine, but their menu also featured mostly organic foods. We were in heaven! After a tour of the facilities, we were treated to an array of Italian wines and a five course dinner. It was by far my favorite part of the trip. But it didn't end there...

The journey home was another trip in itself. After leaving Italy we had an 18 hour layover in the U.K. and decided to take advantage of it. I researched a few vegetarian restaurants before hand and found this super cute place in Manchester called 1847. In all honesty, the food there was the best vegetarian food I've ever had. In total my sister and I ate three courses and each one was full of flavor, depth and a stunning presentation. I would highly recommend this restaurant if your a vegan, vegetarian or you would like to try something new.

Roasted eggplant with mustard and a Thai spice cocktail.

Dark chocolate bars with homemade chips, edible flowers and raspberry puree.

Have you ever made an impromptu trip to a different city or place? Where did you go? What made it memorable for you?