I spent 2 months in Europe immersed in the life of the Mediterranean Occident.

(Warning some content contains depictions of nudity.)

The Occident—that’s what the Romans called the western Mediterranean, including Italia, Iberia, and Gaul. This region stood opposite to the Orient, what the Romans knew as the birthplace of (western) civilization in Greece, Egypt, and Mesopotamia.

I spent the last 2 months all over the Occident in Rome, Venice, Naples, Barcelona, Seville, Lisbon, Nîmes and Avignon, and many more Mediterranean destinations. If that wasn’t enough, I also started the trip in Budapest and ended it in Paris!

There’s too many stories from this trip to tell in a blog, or even a series of blogs. I inhaled all kinds of new food and drink, explored countless museums, snapped thousands of pretty pictures, and stumbled through dozens of Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and French survival phrases. (I’m embarrassed how little Spanish I remember from college.) And so I resign myself to giving you just a few highlights from my trip.

If you are more into perusing pictures than reading through my musings, I curated the trip’s photos by thematic category: Spectacular Sights, Masterpieces, European Food, Modern City Life, History, Nature, and AirB&B & Getting Around. (These may take time to load.) Or you can read below to check out my top 10 traveling moments!

Top 10 moments traveling in southern Europe (chronological order)

#1 Thermal baths in Budapest. Hungarians like to go to bathhouses to heal and cleanse their bodies and spirits. New friends from the United States and Italy joined me at the bathhouse, after they had convinced me to meet up at 8 AM to beat the crowd. And I didn’t regret rising early for a second! I had a lot of fun soaking in warm waters and taking a whirl around the outside pool’s circular stream.

#2 Arsenal museum in Venice. This museum has modern art in all kinds of mediums and from artists of all kinds of nationalities (top pictures). I especially liked the exhibits focused on artists in specific countries—it was in the same vein as the Epcot pavilions at Disney World. Be warned, though, this museum goes on for miles, and finding a bathroom can be tricky in such a labyrinth of hip, post-industrial exhibition halls. Plan your trip to get the most out of it!

Honorable mention goes to the scenery of Venice (bottom pictures).

#3 Pompeii ruins. Did you know that Pompeii existed for most of its history as a Greek city-state, rather than a Roman vassal? Or that Pompeii suffered both an earthquake and a volcanic eruption? I had a thrilling day trip at this lost city, nerding out on its history and artifacts (top pictures). Pompeii is a true must-see because no other ancient city has such a wealth of buildings and personal belongs, preserved in original form.

Honorable mention goes to the Ischia botanical gardens, with some of the most beautiful nature scenery I saw in Europe (bottom pictures). These gardens were hidden away on the rocky island, making them perfect for forest bathing and self-reflection. Another honorable mention goes to the Napoli cityscape (last picture).

#4 Park of the aqueduct & city wall in Rome. I enjoyed watching Roman locals and smelling eucalyptus trees in the park of the aqueduct (top pictures). That same night I also traversed much of the city wall. It was the perfect way to find some peace, and escape the crushing crowds of tourists in the city center.

Honorable mention goes to the tour at the Borghese Gallery (bottom pictures). There I experienced the brilliance and emotional power of Italy’s master artists—Caravaggio, Bellini, Michelangelo, and Raphael, to name a few.

#5 Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence (David) in Florence. This sculpture is by far the must-see attraction in Florence (top pictures). This larger-than-life sculpture shows off Michelangelo’s work at his best. To hand-carve something this big, this detailed, and this flawless on marble stone is nothing short of the mastery of a genius.

Honorable mention goes to the Medicis’ Uffizi and palace museums (bottom pictures). It was a treat to see portraits of feudal lords looking over statues of Roman gods and emperors. The beauty of Florence’s landscape must have inspired an appreciation of art among the Medicis.

#6 Flamenco in Barcelona. People came from as far as America and China to enjoy a night of Flamenco singing and dancing. The concert hall (Palau de la Música Catalana) was filled with ornate stain glass and decorations that paired well with the rhythmical, colorful, kinetic vibe of Flamenco. This tradition, strongly influenced by North African and Arabic music, gets at the essence of Spanish and Catalonian culture.

#7 La Familia Sangrada in Barcelona. This architectural wonder is one-of-a-kind. Gaudí designed the cathedral’s forest-looking structure, but, as of 2022, not all of the towers have been finished. Derailed by war and dictatorship, the story of this masterpiece’s halting creation is Don Quixote-esque, and quite fascinating.

#8 Alcazar in Seville. After the Spaniards conquered Seville, many Muslims remained in the city and served as architects and artisans, who were (often forcibly) put to work for Spanish royalty. These Muslim laborers, and their Spanish overseers, melded Moorish, Greco-Roman, and Gothic styles and geometric patterns to create the Real Alcazar, a 16th century palace-fortress-garden (top pictures). Few attractions in Spain show off the past prestige and grandeur of old Spain quite like this one.

Honorable mention goes to the Plaza de España (bottom pictures). This monument puts on display tiled murals that each depict the history of a city or region in Spain.

#9 Festival of Sardines in Lisbon. The Portuguese go crazy for sardines! This is the biggest festival in Portugal, and I saw practically all of Lisbon party in the streets until 5 AM during the festival’s first weekend in June (top pictures). I didn’t go that wild, but I did go to the festival’s parade and neighborhood park celebrations, where I consumed pork cheek sandwiches, platefuls of sardines, and plenty of alcohol. While I enjoyed my street food, I chatted with new friends—like a very amiable Filipina Londoner, with a thriving baking business (middle picture).

Honorable mention goes to the Sintra castles and regional park (bottom pictures). Medieval fantasy was just a 45 minute train ride away!

#10 Eiffel Tower in Paris. It may seem cliche to say, but the Eiffel Tower was indeed a modern marvel of its time. I found the views spectacular, and it blew my mind that something so tall, and so enduring, was built at a time when virtually no one had electricity or indoor plumbing. And seeing the Tower dominate the Paris skyline will long be seared in my memory.