My Dream Vacation

Who, what, where, why, when?

The majority of decisions that people make in life are largely based around their personal experiences. In regards to travel and tourism, people often compare the places they have been with the places they will travel to. From a personal perspective, I have never really travelled anywhere outside of Canada. Unfortunately, this trend is likely going to continue until after the completion of my undergraduate and graduate studies. Once finished, I plan on traveling to Italy with my girlfriend to experience the culture, art, historic architecture, and delicious cuisine. With her Italian heritage and my hopeless romantic attitude, this would be the perfect vacation for the two of us to share together.

Flying high

The beginning of my dream vacation will start on May 01, 2015 and end on May 10, 2015. This timeframe was specifically chosen for several reasons: I will have completed my university career, started my professional career, the temperature is mild, and the tourism as not yet peaked. The following information outlines an approximation of the flight details from Toronto to Rome (round trip):

Flight Company: Air Canada/British Airways

Class: Economy

Departure: Friday, May 01, 2015 @ 6:30pm from Toronto

Arrival: Saturday, May 02, 2015 @ 6:45am at London

Departure: Saturday, May 02, 2015 @ 9:10pm from London

Arrival: Saturday, May 02, 2015 @ 12:40pm Rome

Flight Company: British Airways/Air Canada

Class: Economy

Departure: Sunday, May 10, 2015 @ 11:45am from Rome

Arrival: Sunday, May 10, 2015 @ 1:30pm at London

Departure: Sunday, May 10, 2015 @ 6:00pm from London

Arrival: Sunday, May 10, 2015 @ 9:00pm Toronto

Cost (2 adults): $ 1719.32 CAD

Hittin’ the hay

For the remainder of my dream vacation, my girlfriend and I will be staying at the Hotel Mach 2. This hotel was selected because it is conveniently located a mere 2 kilometres from the Leonardo da Vinci Airport of Fiumicino. This hotel provides standard amenities such as 24 hour reception, telephone, satellite television, and radio. Also, they feature a non-smoking property, multilingual staff, garden, gym facility, as well as a restaurant and bar.

Hotel company: Hotel Mach 2 (4 star)

Room style: Double (2 persons)

Check in: Saturday, May 02, 2015

Check out: Sunday, May 10, 2015

Cost (2 adults): $1392.10 CAD

What to see, what to do?

There are an infinite number of places to visit in Rome. During our brief stay, there are a number of places that we will visit. As novice travellers, I have planned on simply outlining places to see instead of constructing a rigid itinerary. The reason: it is impossible to predict unforeseen circumstances that may affect our plans. Therefore, by giving ourselves plenty of time to view several specific attractions, disappointment can be averted. In the event that we see all of the outlined attractions, the rest of the time would be spent visiting the beaches, exploring the streets of Italy, or finding unique places aside from the mainstream attractions.

Attraction #1- Colosseum

The Colosseum is probably one of the most recognized tourist attractions of Rome. This amphitheatre held gladiator fights, animal fights, as well as executions. Over the course of history, it became a military fortress and finally a rock quarry. The motive for visiting this building is largely based on the historic value associated with it. It is remarkable to think that many of the modern sporting arenas are based off such a structure.

Attraction #2- Pantheon

The Pantheon was originally designed as a temple dedicated to the Gods of Rome. Later, it was deemed to be a Christian Church. The purpose for viewing this structure is to witness the magnitude of the architecture at this time. It is interesting to note that this structure was built from a material similar to modern day concrete.

Attraction #3 & #4- Piazza della Repubblica & Piazza Navona

The Piazza della Repubblica was originally known as the Piazza Esedra. When Rome was declared the new capital of Italy, efforts were made to construct a square that would impress people entering the city. The result was the Piazza della Repubblica with the Fontana delle Naiadi at its center. The Piazza Navona is a square that is renowned for its grand size and three fountains. The most notable of these fountains is the La Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi. The other two fountains are the Fontana del Moro and the Fontana di Nettuno. The desire to see these two places are because of the historic architecture and the artistic representation in each fountain.

Attraction #5- Sistine Chapel

The Sistine Chapel is a complex church within the Vatican Museums. It has become famous for its ceiling which was painted by Michelangelo over the course of three years. This artistic piece is one of the greatest representations of Renaissance art of all time. The intricate details of this painting are definitely a large influence on wanting to see this church. Not to mention, the history that is contained within its walls.

Attraction #6- Spanish Steps

The Spanish Steps are the widest and longest steps in all of Europe. They are located between the Piazza di Spagna and the Piazza Trinita de Monti. The Piazza di Spagna is also home to the Fontana della Barcaccia, one of the most visited fountains in all of Italy. The idea behind touring this attraction is simply the novelty of the area. It is also credited for having many charming restaurants in the area where we can enjoy some classic Italian food.

Attraction #7- Basilica di San Pietro

The Basilica di San Pietro or The Basilica of St. Peter is the largest church in Christianity. This structure contains the largest dome in the world, designed by Michelangelo himself. Michelangelo’s marble sculpture Pieta also resides here. There are many reasons for site-seeing this location: to see the largest Christian church in the world, take in the incredible architecture, and view the artwork of one of the most recognized artists in the world.

Attraction #8- Trevi Fountain

The Trevi Fountain is a fountain located near the Spanish Steps in the Piazza di Trevi. This fountain took nearly 30 years to build and is one of the most visited places in all of Rome. There is a saying that if you throw one coin into the fountain you will return to the Eternal city, two more coins promises to bring love and marriage with an Italian. With my girlfriend having an Italian heritage, I think I’ll pay the price to see what it is worth.

Buon Appetito!

The unstructured nature of this dream vacation is also reflected in the eating structure. Without an all inclusive resort providing meals, we will have to find places to eat each day. In Italy, there are a number of different places to buy food. Some of these places include a restorante (large restaurant), trattoria (small restaurant), osteria (neighbourhood restaurant), tavola calda (fast food restaurant), pizzeria, rosticceria, tavern, and bar (cafe). Throughout the day we will likely consume snacks or fast food, and in the evening we will eat at restorantes, trattorias, or osterias. With Italian food among my list of favourites, I’ll be sure to try new things and experience the full authenticity of Italian cuisine. Cost (2 adults): Approximately $1200 CAD

The total cost of air fare, hotel accommodations, and food (2 Adults): 4311.42 CAD

*This approximation does not include the amount spend on other transportation (taxi/train), leisure activities (attractions), and miscellaneous expenses (keepsakes). For these purposes, I would not plan to exceed $2700.00 CAD.

Concluding Remarks

The a fore mentioned sections outline my dream vacation in terms of how I will get there, who I will go with, where we will go, what we will see, when I will go and why I have made the decisions I did. Throughout the course of planning this vacation, my dream to visit Italy has been greatly enhanced. I have come to realize that my dream vacation is largely based around the person I am with, rather than the place that I am going. Essentially, I believe that the space is more important than the actual place. As long as I am accompanied by my girlfriend, any place could become a dream vacation.

References (Hyperlinked)

Flight information

https://www.flightnetwork.com/flights

When to travel information

http://www.destination360.com/europe/italy/rome/when-to-go

(Picture: Italy)

http://emotrance.com/images/flags/Italian%20flag.JPG

Hotel Mach 2 images and information

http://www.nycerome.com/accommodation/rome-hotels/hotel-mach-2/hotel-mach-2-homepage.html

Colosseum information

http://www.destination360.com/europe/italy/rome/colosseum