CIAO! That is how you say hello! in Italian and that is exactly the one word I knew before embarking on my nine day adventure to Milan and Bologna, and of course a few extra days in Venice!

I had been waiting for this trip basically since I found out I was studying abroad. It was my long study tour with my sustainable foods class and we were prepared for lots more food and lots of farms. Overall, the experience was fantastic! Yes, we ran around like chickens with our heads cut off here and there and at some points were so stressed that all we wanted to do was get back to Copenhagen (my friend and I actually cried when we landed because we love being in Copenhagen so much ) but I also had such incredible experiences that I would change for the world!

Here are some of the highlights!

1. Eating at the old farm house in Milan. This restaurant was so accommodating and went out of their way to make me dairy free food that was just as good as my friends meals. I also loved the social aspect of the farmhouse that sells locally made goods and acts as a meeting place, community garden, and place to stay.
2. Making our own lunch in Bologna. You can not go to Italy and not have pasts right? Well, I am very impressed with my class because we made the most incredible lunch together with a fantastic group of people who help run this social collective house on the outskirts of the city. I loved talking to them and getting to know them and of course learning about their culture and how it relates to food/ their mission and goals in life.
3. Modena /Persimmons! For one afternoon we went up to Modena and got to experience the home of balsamic vinegar. It was such a cute little city and my friends and I had the best persimmons from the huge market in the city center. I loved being able to explore on our own and we even walked to the top of the lookout tower for some of the most beautiful views I have even seen.
4. Parmesan Cheese and A Few Maseratis. We headed up to Hombre farm to look at a farm where they produce Parmesan cheese. We went into a room that have over 7 million dollars worth of cheese – it was crazy. They also happen to have the rarest Maserati collection in the world so the cars were pretty cool to check out as well.
5. BioKitchen and St. Stephaninos Gelateria in Bologna. You have to go to these two places. We ate a Michelin star restaurant but dare I say the food was better here. So many vegetables and just good wholesome food that I desperately needed after being fed lots of rich food on our tour that really left me feeling only sick. The gelato places has rice milk gelato that is to die for and the sorbets are some of the best I have had and this comes from someone who really is not a huge fan of anything sweet.
6. Venice in General. My friend and I decided to extend out trip and stayed for three days in Venice. While filled to the brim with tourists I still loved it. One morning we woke up and watched the sunrise over the sea and got to experience the city before everyone emerged from the woodwork. It was a little touristy for my own liking, but still 10/10 recommend checking it out, especially because it is sinking!

Traveling anywhere can leave one exhausted so I do recommend leaving yourself time to decompress from a long vacation where you are not in your normal routine. I know I certainly could have used a day or two to relax before diving back into school work. But, anyway I digress and have to admit Italy is a beautiful country that is full of tradition, food, and new ideas. I hope they continue to work towards a sustainable food system in order to both preserve their ideas and the planet.