Lake Garda: A Castle Wedding, Hugo Spritzes, and a Town That Felt Like a Fairy Tale
The entire reason we went on this three-week European trip was a wedding — my friend Hannah, who I met on the Disney College Program in 2010, was getting married in a castle on Lake Garda. I showed up. What followed was one of the most beautiful stops of the trip: a bilingual ceremony on a cliff with the Dolomites behind it, a bride and groom arriving by boat, the best lasagna I ate in all of Italy, and a drink called the Hugo spritz that I have been ordering ever since.
Verona: Wine, Castle Views, and Why This Was One of My Favorite Stops in Italy
Verona was a logistical stop — the closest train connection to where we needed to be for a wedding at Lake Garda. It turned into one of my favorite destinations of the entire three-week trip. A river bar with a castle view for 35 euros, a wine tour in the Valpolicella region, and an Amarone risotto I am still thinking about. Here is what two days in Verona actually looked like.
Two Days in Venice: A Private Island, Three Islands, and the Best Dessert of the Entire Trip
Venice was not a city I was desperate to visit — it was more of a "I should probably go before it's underwater" situation. I went in with neutral expectations and came out liking it more than I thought I would. A private island hotel, three outer islands, a 86-year-old lacemaker, and a dessert at Harry's Bar that I am still thinking about. Here is what two days in Venice actually looked like.