Italy

Pasta, history, & la dolce vita

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Time Visited

5 times

Currency

Euro

Best Season

All

Budget Level

Moderate

My Italy Experience

Two weeks in China took me from avatar-like mountain pillars to ancient waterfall villages frozen in time. This country constantly challenges what you think you might know about traveling. From the scale of its landscapes, the dept of its history, and the speed of its modernity it all hit differently in person.

Below you’ll find everything from my trip – the Great Wall to modern city skylines, all the honest practical stuff nobody else tells you about traveling China as a foreigner.

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The Guide Every Study Abroad Student Needs for Italy

Studying abroad in Italy was the best decision I ever made. This guide covers everything from packing, to making friends, traveling on the weekends, and avoiding mistakes that cost me time and money in my first month.

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All Posts

Italy Blog Posts

Tips

Top 10 Tips for Traveling China

Everything I wish I knew before arriving.

7 min read

Tips

Navigating China Without Speaking Mandarin: An Honest Guide

Translation apps, picture menus, pointing strategies, and the handful of phrases that actually matter. It's harder than Southeast Asia but completely doable.

6 min read

Budget

China on a Budget: What I Actually Spent in 2 Weeks

Full daily breakdown - hostels, trains, food, attractions. China isn't as cheap as Southeast Asia, but it's way more affordable than people think.

9 min read

City Guide

4 Days in Beijing: Temples, Hutongs, and Hidden Tea Houses

Beyond the Forbidden City - the neighborhoods, street food, and local experiences that made Beijing my favorite.

9 min read

City Guide

Shanghai: Where Old Meets New

French Concession streets, rooftop bars, dumpling alleys, and the Bund at golden hour. The city that never bores you and never stops surprising.

7 min read

Guide

The Great Wall: Which Section to Visit and How to Avoid Crowds

Skip Badaling. Here's how to experience the Great Wall with barely another tourist in sight.

8 min read

City Guide

Zhangjiajie: Hiking the Avatar Mountains

The floating pillar mountains that inspired Avatar's Pandora - trail options, glass bridge, and how many days you need.

7 min read

Hidden Gem

Zhangjiajie to Furong Old Town: The Perfect Connection

A waterfall running through the center of town, stilted wooden houses clinging to cliffs, and night-time lanterns reflecting on the river. How to get there and why it's worth the detour.

8 min read

Tips

What to Download Before Entering China: The Complete App Guide

VPN apps, translation tools, maps that work offline, WeChat setup, Alipay for foreigners, and everything in between.

8 min read

By region

Italy China

Northern Italy

Milan, lake como, dolomites

Central Italy

florence, tuscany, rome

Southern Italy

Naples, sorrento, sicily

Before you go

Italy Travel Tips

📱

Download Everything First

Get your VPN, WeChat, maps, and translation apps BEFORE you arrive. Most app stores are blocked inside of China.

🚄

Take the Trains

China's high-speed rail is fast, clean, and affordable. Book on Trip.com and compare prices of flights to trains.

💳

Set of AliPay

Cash is nearly obsolete. AliPay works everywhere: street vendors to train stations. Link a foreign card before your trip.

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The Complete Italy Guide

From somebody who lived in Florence and returns back to Italy every chance I get.

✓ Day-by-day itineraries for 2 weeks
✓ Complete route with trains vs planes
✓ VPN and app setup walkthrough
✓ Google Maps with 50+ pinned spots
✓ Accomodation picks for every budget
✓ My ultimate travel tips and hacks for China
✓ How to plan the Great Wall of China and Zhangjiajie National Park

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