Words and photos by Makenna Kaminski (unless otherwise noted). Makenna is our Jetsetter Journalist studying abroad in Sorrento, Italy, during Spring semester 2023.

As much as I adore Sorrento, half the fun of studying abroad is when you get to travel from your host city. Thankfully, Europe's excellent public transportation makes traveling even easier, especially over short distances.

There are so many places to visit surrounding the country of Italy, but most of my favorites so far have been my "smaller" trips within Italy itself. There are dozens of cities and destinations that are all so close; there's Rome, Milan, Bologna, Florence, Puglia, Bari, Trento. You name it, and Italy has it, whether it's the mountains, seaside cliffs, busy cities, or relaxing beaches.

So far, I've been to quite a few of these wonderful destinations, but you can read about my top three favorites (all doable for a quick and easy weekend away) here below.

ROME

The city of Rome really does have it all! There's so much to do here that you really could never get bored. You can visit the city center for a busier, bustling atmosphere or skip over the river to Trastevere for a quieter, smaller-city feel. (Did you know: ASA has a Rome program too!)

By train: 1hr 10min, around €50 round-trip

How many days: I recommend staying in Rome for a long weekend. There's so much to do here that you could easily entertain yourself for ages, but you can also see all the main attractions in just a few days since it's all so close together.

Best place to stay: Near Piazza Navona or in Trastevere

Favorite Attractions:

• Colosseum

• The Vatican Tour / St. Peter's Basilica / Sistine Chapel

• Trastevere

• The Pantheon

• Spanish Steps (and the surrounding area)

Favorite Activities:

• Shopping: Check out Via del Corso and the area by the Spanish Steps

• The food!! Rome's Street food is to die for! Step right into any of the small shops lining

  the streets for a treat (my absolute favorite was the suppli)

• The rooftops: For restaurants, views, etc.

• Villa Borghese: A great park to walk through

• The street markets: Campo di Fiori in particular!

Favorite Areas:

• Piazza Navona

• Campo di Fiori

• Trastevere

• Little London

• Riverfront/bridge

LAKE COMO

Lake Como makes the perfect day trip from the busy city of Milan. I recommend staying a full weekend in Milan and then going to Lake Como from there since transportation from the city is the easiest. From there, you can spend the day on the ferry floating through the lake, visiting all the cute little towns! The ferry is very reasonable (about €12 / person each way) and this gives you the best views of the Alps, right from the center of the lake itself. The mountains are stunning, and the contrasting water makes the scenery even more picturesque.

By train: 5 Hours to Milan + 1 hour to Como , around €150

When to visit: I visited during the winter which allowed for a stress-free experience due to the lack of people, but I would highly recommend visiting in the summer for better scenery and weather.

How many days: Lake Como is definitely feasible as a day trip from Milan. The train from Milan is only one hour and it takes you directly to Como, so you can go early in the morning and return to Milan by evening. If you want some extra time there, one night in Lake Como can give you more of an experience.

Best Place to Visit: Lake Como is surrounded by a bunch of smaller towns, reachable by ferry. When I visited, I took the ferry to Bellagio which I would highly recommend. Bellagio is quaint, with shops, restaurants, and stunning village architecture and views.

Favorite Activities:

• The ferry from Como-Bellagio

• Bellagio: Walking around, exploring

• Shopping: There are so many quaint little shops lining the hidden side streets!

• Dining by the water: Waterfront in Bellagio!

TUSCANY

Tuscany immediately stole my heart from the start. Here, you can find gorgeous tree-lined mountains, home-grown, garden-to-table restaurants, and more wine than you could imagine. There are lines of vineyards and old family villas dotting the landscape. Tuscany offers a different way of life that is undoubtedly worth seeing.

Come to Tuscany for a relaxing weekend away from the busy weekday life. Here, you should expect to slow down, stroll through some of the most beautiful scenery, savor your food, and take everything in. I recommend exploring Tuscany as a natural experience rather than coming with a tightly-packed schedule. There are so many tiny gems hidden in the streets that you'll want to take your time to peek at them all. (If you want to spend more time in this area, ASA has a Florence program too!)

When to visit: Tuscany in the winter is somewhat of a ghost town, but it makes for a peaceful experience. I came in January, and there was barely a tourist in sight. I can only imagine how crazy it can get in the summer months, especially since the streets and shops are tiny. However, there was a lot closed this time of year.

My recommendation would be to visit in April. This is when most of the attractions are expected to fully open and the weather will improve. Yet, by coming in spring you'll miss most of the tourist masses. I honestly regret not visiting a bit later in the season because I'm sure that the beautiful scenery looks even better once everything is in bloom.

By train: Naples-Siena, about €75 round-trip
By bus: From Siena to the other local towns for about €5-10

How many days: If you wish to stay the entire weekend, I recommend doing either two or three nights in Siena and then taking day trips to the other local towns from there. Tuscany is easy to see in just three days, so unless you have specific plans in mind, you can easily tackle a full experience in an average weekend.

Where to go from Siena:

• Montepulciano: A beautiful, medieval town where Twilight and other famous movies were filmed

• Pienza

• San Gimignano

Favorite Activities:

• Wine tour with lunch - Pulcino (everything grown and produced on-site!)

• Walking around/the views! (Walk Via del Amore in Pienza)

• La Piazza Grande, Montepulciano (Where Twilight was filmed)

• The shops: Peek in the small shops in any of the towns to see amazing handmade goods

• The food: All handmade and homegrown

• Tempio di San Biagio, Montepulciano

• Temptation Island: A fun stop between Rome and Montepulciano if you pass through that area. Full of countless samples of Italian foods and treats!