A quick summary.

I’m back in Rome once again, have finished all of my midterms, and am finally going to update about my fall break! In general, fall break was a really great experience; I enjoyed each of the places we visited for very different reasons. We started off by flying to Krakow, then traveling to Vienna, Salzburg, and Prague before flying back to Rome.

To sum up the trip, I decided to write an “awards show” version of everything because it would be both quicker and more fun!

So, here we go:

Best train ride: Vienna to Salzburg – comfy train, absolutely beautiful scenery, and just the right length.

Other memorable train experiences: riding the night train for the first time (not bad at all) and riding in compartments like in the Harry Potter books on the way to Prague!

Best hot dog ever: At the Plac Nowy in Krakow. I ate two. Sooo good.

Best hostel: it’s a tie between the Balloon Hostel in Krakow (super cheap, really homey feeling, and fun people) and the YoHo Youth Hostel in Salzburg (fun people again, lots of Sound of Music greatness, and it basically had everything you’d ever want right there including a restaurant/bar).

Place that felt most like Disneyland: Prague. Between the Castle and the Clock, it just felt a like bit magical.

Best public transportation: Vienna, hands down. Clean, so frequent and reliable, and the trams were designed by Porsche!

Classiest moment: Going to the Opera at the Opera House in Vienna. Yeah, I wore jeans and paid 4 Euro for a standing room ticket, but I still felt really classy.

Favorite square: Krakow’s Old Town Square. So fun! And so huge!

Cheesiest experience: Going on The Sound of Music tour and taking pictures in the Mirabella gardens (where they filmed most of “Do Re Mi”) in Salzburg.

Best dessert: Apple strudel with vanilla sauce during the Sound of Music tour.

Fantastic surprise: our train to Prague from Salzburg went through Germany! So, I have now officially set foot on German soil (we had to switch trains at one point).

Most memorable (?) experience: visiting the concentration camps at Auschwitz. There are no words for the kind of horror and tragedy of seeing that with your own eyes.

Best weather: The first day of the trip, unfortunately enough. The rain started the next day, followed by more rain, snow, much colder weather, and wind.

Favorite castle: the one in Prague (I forget the name…).

Best airline: Wizz Air. Besides the name, the plane was also pink and purple. Need I say more?

Favorite country: Austria.

Minor disappointment: I technically went to four different countries, yet didn’t get a single new stamp in my passport!

There's so much more to say, but it's so hard to sum up a week in a quick and concise format, so for now this will have to do.