GET INSPIRED TO TRAVEL:
A Dutch proverb goes “He who is outside his door has the hardest part of his journey behind him.” Planning a trip and being on the road is a lot easier than you think. It’s the decision to take that step out the door that is the hardest part. It requires the most change. You’re leaving your old life behind for a new one. I know what it is like because I made the same decision when I started.
Top Articles to Help You Get Inspired!
1- STOP WAITING FOR THE PERFECT TIME TO TRAVEL.
As the sun rises on a new year, we look out on the horizon and commit to being a better version of ourselves. And often one of those commitments is travel.
This year we will travel more, we say.
We think of the adventures we’ll go on and the people we’ll meet.
We begin to formulate plans, research trips, and save money.
But, as the year progresses, most will abandon those dreams, forever pushing them off as life throws them curveballs that derail their aspirations.
Chances are, you’ll find a reason why today just isn’t the right day.
“Tomorrow,” you’ll say. “Today isn’t perfect, and I just have too many things to do. Now is not the right time.”
The “right time” is usually when you have more money or more time off, or when things aren’t so “crazy.”
Then you’ll be able to travel. The stars need to align a little more, and things need to be a little less busy.
But here’s a secret: it’s never going to be the right time to travel.
The idea that the stars will align and you’ll find the perfect day to step out of your door and into the world is fantasy.
Today might not be the perfect day — but neither is tomorrow.
Tomorrow, you’ll find another excuse why you can’t go.
Tomorrow, there will still be more bills to pay.
Tomorrow, there still won’t be “enough” money.
Tomorrow, there will still be someone’s wedding or birthday party to attend.
Tomorrow, there will still be more planning to do.
Tomorrow, people you know will still sow the seeds of doubt in your head.
Tomorrow, you’ll still worry about all the bad stuff that might happen to you.
Tomorrow, you still won’t know if you’re making the right decision.
Tomorrow, you will still second-guess yourself.
Tomorrow, something else will come up and you’ll say to yourself, “Today isn’t the right day. Let’s try again tomorrow.”
Tomorrow will never be perfect.
Because there is no such thing as perfection.
I mean, doesn’t it feel like so much of adult life is saying, “Next week will just be a little better” — knowing full that next week is not going to be any less crazy than this week?
The hardest part of any journey is stepping out the door. And one of the key components to making that first step easier is to understand that the stars will never align and there will never be the right moment to travel.
You just have to go. You have to leap. You have to trust yourself that it will all work out.
If I had waited for the perfect day when my friend said he would join (he never did) or when I had just a bit more money, I’d still be home in my cubicle job.
Back then, I was constantly worried I hadn’t saved enough money. I was constantly worried I didn’t have the skills to survive on the road.
There was always a reason to put off my trip.
But sometimes, you just have to take the leap and go for it. Ships aren’t meant to stay in a harbor. You weren’t meant to stay at home and wonder “what if?”
Because one day, you’ll run out of tomorrows.
And you’ll be filled with nothing but sadness and regret.
Stop making excuses.
This is your year.
It doesn’t matter if you can only save a dollar per day. Just start. Action begets action.
Don’t worry too much about tomorrow. Everything will work out.
Your bills will disappear when you cancel the services that generate them.
You’ll make more friends on the road than you could ever imagine.
You can work overseas. And if it doesn’t work out, you can always come home. The world is full of possibilities. And you’re capable of doing great things. But only if you start today!
Take your first step from Italy
Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Italy
As the birthplace of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance, it's not surprising that Italy should be so rich in masterpieces of art and architecture, or that it should have more UNESCO World Heritage cultural sites than any other country in the world.
But Italy's top attractions for tourists are not all art and architecture; the country is blessed with lakes, mountains, and a dramatic coastline that give it outstanding natural attractions, as well. You could plan an entire itinerary inspired by a single interest, from Renaissance art to hiking, but most first-time visitors like to get a sampling of the best Italy offers in several different kinds of experiences.
The attractions that follow show off Italy's art, architecture, stunning landscapes, and history, and provide opportunities for active pursuits, as well. To be sure you find the best places to visit and things to do, plan your itinerary using this list of the top attractions in Italy.
1. Colosseum
This huge amphitheater, the largest of its kind ever built by the Roman Empire and the largest of their constructions to survive, remained a model for sports facilities right up to modern times. Built by Vespasian in 72 CE and enlarged by the addition of a fourth story by his son, Titus, it was a venue for public spectacles and shows - even mock sea battles.
A wooden floor that was 83 by 48 meters covered two additional underground stories with tunnels, rooms, cells, and passages that provided space for gladiators, workers, wild animals, and storage.
Today, the structure stands in stark contrast to the modern development that surrounds it and is a prominent reminder of ancient times and the extensive history of Rome. Accommodation: Where to Stay in Rome: Best Areas & Hotels
2. Florence Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore
Regarded as one of the finest cathedrals in the world, the Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore, or the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, dominates the Florence skyline. The cathedral was built between the 13th and 15th centuries, with the most famous piece being the extraordinary dome, completed by Filippo Brunelleschi in 1434.
The cathedral's bell tower stands close beside the cathedral in Piazza del Duomo, covered in the same patterned marble typical of Tuscan Romanesque architecture.
Designed by Giotto, the campanile stands 82 meters tall, and you can climb the 414 steps up to a viewing platform with fantastic views of the city and the dome.
Opposite the Duomo is a magnificent baptistery, famed for its bronze paneled doors by Lorenzo Ghiberti. To see the original, exquisitely crafted panels, which have been replaced by exact replicas to protect the originals from weathering, visit the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, the cathedral museum.
Accommodation: Where to Stay in Florence: Best Areas & Hotels
3. The Grand Canal in Venice
A gondola ride through the canals of Venice is a tradition that travelers have been enjoying for centuries. Venice is a city of islands, and the canals have long been the city's main streets, connected by a labyrinth of narrow passageways.
The Grand Canal is the largest and most famous of these waterways, cutting a wide S-shaped route through the city. Along its sides are the grandest of the palaces once owned by the wealthiest and most powerful families of the Venetian Republic. The best way to see many of the grand palaces, whose fronts face the water, is from a Vaporetto ride along the Grand Canal.
Be sure your gondola ride - and your sightseeing explorations on foot - include some of the more atmospheric smaller canals, lined by old buildings that have remained relatively unchanged for hundreds of years. Accommodation: Where to Stay in Venice: Best Areas & Hotels
4. Leaning Tower of Pisa
The Leaning Tower of Pisa (La Torre Pendente) is just one of many attractions in the city of Pisa, one whose world fame comes not from the considerable elegance of its design, but from a flaw. Work began on the tower in the 1100s, and the sinking, which led to the lean, began by the time the tower reached the third story.
Leaning more and more over the centuries, before restoration work in the 1990s, it was predicted to topple over by the year 2000. Today, visitors can climb up the stairs of the tower for a fabulous view over the city.
The Leaning Tower stands on the Piazza dei Miracoli, a setting it shares with the beautiful Romanesque Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and a round freestanding baptistery. Each of these features outstanding works of medieval stone carving. Accommodation: option 1: Where to Stay in Pisa
option 2: Where to stay in Pisa
5. Vatican City: Basilica of St. Peter, Sistine Chapel & Vatican Museums
The Vatican is home to some of the world's most priceless art and art collections. The centerpiece is the great Basilica of St. Peter, with the tomb of St. Peter and one of Michelangelo's most poignant works, the Pieta.
Outside is St. Peter's Square, where the Pope addresses followers. The walls and ceilings of the Sistine Chapel are covered with frescoes by Michelangelo, and in the Vatican Palace are works by Raphael and other major artists.
More art fills the Vatican Museums, a group of individual collections, including sacred art, Etruscan antiquities, sculptures, maps, papal carriages, even vintage cars. Accommodation: Where to Stay near the Vatican City
other options Vatican Garden Inn, Vatican Cipro Apartment, Hotel Trattoria La Rosa
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