Some of the best experiences on this trip have been things that I was not sure what to expect before arriving. Most of the time, the things that I thought would not impact me at all are the things I remember most now.

Upon arriving to Italy, if someone would have asked me what the Medici Chapel was, I would have looked at them with a dumbfounded expression. Even throughout the week in Florence, I had a view of the chapel outside my window and barely knew what it was or what to expect from the inside. The inside is beautiful, to say the very least. My favorite part had to be the tomb that Michelangelo created for the Medici family. The room was filled with lightness in the darkest of places. Normally a tomb would have a negative atmosphere, but not this room. Every piece was sculpted in the perfect colors and style to bring the best out of the room. The ceiling was a replica of the Pantheon, mixing the idea of the circle and square – the mix of the spiritual and material world, creating the perfect harmony. The more I was in this room, the easier it was to forget that I was surrounded by death.
Off in the back of this room, there was also a wall of sketches made by Michelangelo and his workers. Through these, I felt as if I had a glimpse into Michelangelo’s mind and could understand the passion he had for his work. Like everything else he created, everything in that room reminded me of how intelligent this man was.

Climb the stairs, all 463 stairs. Small, dimly light, tight spiral staircases. Breathe. Don’t think about the space and you’ll be fine. Walking up the stairs of the Duomo seemed like a challenge compared to no other at times. It was less of a struggle to climb the stairs than to not panic over the lack of surrounding space. Like other things, I did not know what to expect when climbing the stairs and reaching the top. Sometimes it was difficult to walk and focus on something other than space, and the best times to get distracted were the holes cut out with a glimpse of Florence. Tops of buildings make these steps worth it. As we climbed higher, we were able to see the separation of the two domes. I was in awe of these layers because this was Brunelleschi’s solution to building a dome as large as the Pantheon. A solution that could only take a genius to create.

450-some steps in and I can’t help but question when we are going to get to the top. I’m anxious to leave these tight spaces and even more anxious to see the view of Florence, the city that has 100% captured my heart. 460.. 461… 462.. “Oh my God,” I hear the person in front of me say. I peer around her to see the most magnificent view I have ever seen in my life. Red roofs, hills, clouds – so many views that words cannot even explain. I walk around the Duomo, feeling even more at a loss for words than before. The more I see this view, I more I realize that Florence is my city of choice.

I have been inspired many times on this trip so far, but I have to say that being able to see the Medici Chapel and the view of Florence and Brunelleschi’s revolutionary construction of the Duomo in one day took my breath away. Looking far into the distance of beauty allowed me to see more than what meets the eye and made me realize that it is so easy to walk through life only looking at things on the surface. Once you take a step back and look at the larger picture, there is always something more beautiful than what you originally thought possible.