463…four hundred and sixty-three steps were between me and partial death as my roommates and I ventured to Florence, Italy. There is no question that the city of Florence is beautiful and majestic, but afterwards I began to cringe at the sight of a staircase. We arrived in Florence in the early morning with our plans already in tact to explore museums, such as the Uffizi and the Accademia (where Michelangelo’s statue of David resides) and the incredible architecture. What we were not prepared for was the stairway to heaven (yes, on my way up I thought I saw the light)—that was the Duomo (Santa Maria del Fiore), which is one of the most famous cathedrals in the world. The cathedral allows you to walk all the way to the top of its humungous dome giving you the best view in the city. Although my lungs almost burst from pure exhaustion, it was well worth it.

414…four hundred and fourteen steps when my lungs felt aflame. Right after climbing the Duomo, we decided to get our money’s worth of the 10 euro ticket and climb the tower next to the cathedral. Even though the tower was about 50 steps less, the struggle was very real people. But there is no denying that the view was worth it as well, and by this time the sun had set providing us with a gorgeous night view of the city of Florence.

294…two hundred and ninety-four steps stood between us and much needed rest. The next day we ended up in Pisa, which is a small city located just a few kilometers outside of Florence and home to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The climb was a constant “lean wit it rock wit it” motion all the way to the top because of the position of the tower, but of course…it was worth it! The sight was astounding with the mountain background and the sun shining on the large marble cathedral located beside it. All of the leg cramps, occasional moments of near death exhaustion, and heart palpitations actually ended up putting a smile on my face. I was doing something with my life. I was experiencing things people only read about in those awful travel magazines, and it felt good to know that I’m not just existing but rather I’m living life.

1,171…one thousand one hundred and seventy-one steps later, and I’m really not complaining. The River Arno runs through Florence and the sight was definitely one to see. You always here about the Leaning Tower of Pisa and to actually be there pretending to knock it down is practically everyone’s dream. There are people around the globe trying to experience what are the stunning city of Florence and the small town of Pisa. Luckily, I had a multitude of near perfect bird’s-eye views throughout the weekend, and in all honesty, it was incredible and glorious and awe-inspiring. I’m still trying to rap my head around the fact that I was there and that I’m here in Italy. There was a moment on top of the Duomo when I had to stop taking photos and just take it all in. That was the part I enjoyed most. That was the part I will take with me. There is no doubt in my mind that I would climb all 1,171 steps again if I could…but 1,172 and I’m out.