It was time to visit our last spot in Italy…Rome! Rome has so many amazing sights to see that the next 2 days were so busy! From looking at the ruins and churches Rome was truly special. I feel like I only brushed the surface of what Rome has to offer.

Our hotel in Rome was very similar to the one in Florence. Hotel Cicerone was very accomodating and was very close to the Vatican. We did not spend as much time at the hotel because there was so much to see in Rome, but this hotel was perfect for a large tour group.

Colosseum

The very first thing that we did in Rome was go visit the Colosseum. The shear size of this building was amazing to look at and it was crazy to think that there were gladiator fights going on in the building. Some of the building has fallen apart becasue of its age, but seeing the impact that this building has on modern day arenas was amazing. We had a guided tour that took us around the colosseum and explained to us the architecture structure and the culutre of this historical artifact.

The Roman Forum

The Roman Forum was very close to the Colosseum and covers a large mass of land. Our tour guide took us to see all of the ruins of churches and other government buildings. First you have to walk through the grounds where the King lived in Rome. There were spectatular gardens and some ruins of remaining buildings. From on top of this hill, you can see the whole Forum down below and all of the different buildings that once occupied that area. In the Forum, there is also the place where Julius Cesar was burned. While this was a little eerie to see, it was amazing to see all of the history that took place there.

“The Wedding Cake”

While you visit the Forum, you can see many large buildings on top of a hill. Once you walk up the hill, there is a spectatcular view of the city of Rome. With a cafe that serves snacks and drinks, this is the perfect spot to relax, unwind and take in the city of Rome. Right next door to this secret spot, there is a huge white palace where there are many statues surrounding it. It used to be where many kings were buried, but once Rome got rid of the monarchy system, they transformed this building into the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier after World War 2. Many call it the “Wedding Cake” becasuse it is all white. This building is definetley impressive and continues to remind us of the history of Rome.

The Pantheon

Walking through the streets of Rome before dinner, we went to the Pantheon. This huge structure is home to many of the gods as well and the dome is a sight to see. When you stand in the Pantheon, you look up and see a gaping hole at the top of the dome. Right below the hole is a drainage system on the floor to allow the rain to pour out! This architecture was amazing and it was so cool to see all of the histroical figures that were represented in this place. The square in front of the Pantheon was busy with many people taking photos of this structure. This was definitely a great sight to see before more delicious pizza!

The Vatican

No matter if you are religious or not, the Vatican is such a magnificant place to visit. When you go visit the Vatican museums, you first walk through hall after hall of beautiful tapestry, paintings and sculptures. Each hall has its own style and the ceilings are breathtaking. This leads up to the Sistine Chapel which is just a spectacular room to be in. This is the room where they decide the Pope! The walls and ceilings are covered in beautiful paintings and the color is amazing. This is also home to the famous Creation of Adam painting created by Michelangelo. The most beautiful church, St. Peter’s Basilica, is jaw dropping. All of the paintings, stonework and detail that went into constructing this masterpiece is mind blowing. When you walk through the church we had music playing and a procession of the many priests and nuns. The Vatican was definitely an experience and was just amazing to see all of the artwork that went into making this sacred place.

Trevi Fountain

Our last stop in Rome, after a delicious dinner of penne bolognese and lemon chicken,  was  to the Trevi Fountain. It was so amazing to see this fountain at night as it was all lit up and there were still so many people surrounding the fountain. You are supposed to throw 3 lucky pennies into the fountain over your right shoulder in hopes of coming back to Italy, marrying an Italian and doing both! The fountain was so large and an incredible piece of art to look at! It was amazing that it was built on the side of a building. This was definitely a great last stop to end the Italain vacation!

The next adventure that we began was in beautiful Sorrento. We saw some ruins and some coastal cities along the way. These next 2 days were definitley the less touristy of all of the cities that we went to. I loved visiting the southern coast of Italy and all that it had to offer!

The hotel that we stayed at while we were in Sorrento was breathtaking. The Grand Hotel Europa Palace was by far the best hotel that we stayed at in the whole vacation and is somewhere where I would stay again if I ever came back. The exterior of the hotel was spectacular as it was on the edge of a cliff overlooking the water. The trees lining the entryway were so inviting and you truly felt that it was a special place. The rooms were very large and we had our own private patio with a view as well. All of the decor was beautiful and really made the experience extra amazing!

Naples

We took the train from Florence to Naples and it was not as glamorous as I thought. The buildings began to lose their charm and once we arrived in Naples, there was a sense of dirtyness to the city. Graffiti covered the buildings and we were told countless times to keep our belongings extra close becasue pick pocketers were very prevelent there. We did not stay in Naples, but we had to drive from there to our hotel in Sorrento. Naples was not my favorite experience, but was definitely interesting to witness!

Pompeii

One of our first stops in Southern Italy was Pompeii. Pompeii is still considered a city, but it is mainly known for its ruins and museum for tourists to explore. We had a guide take us through Pompeii which helped me understand the history and what the ruins tell us about this place. He took us up and down the streets, through houses, restaurants and theaters as well. The setting is amazing as well since you can still see the active volcano in the background. The museum is very well done and it was so amazing to imagine a vibrant city taking place here many years ago.

Lemon Groves

To experince some of the local culture of Sorrento, we went to lemon groves where they are famous for making homemade jam and lemoncello. They also make their own olive oil as well and we got a tour of the warehouse and learned about how to make olive oil as well. One of my favorite parts of this experince was seeing how they make mozzerella (and trying it!). This was defintely the best mozzerella that I have had and it tasted so fresh. The views from this farm were also amazing and everything surrounding it had so much of a local flare. Learning about what Sorrento is known for was very interesting and was a great experince to have done while we were here.

Capri

Capri was one of my favorite spots on the entire vacation! You take a water taxi from Sorrento to Capri and as you approach, you see this beautiful island with boats lined up along the shore. Once we got onto Capri, we went on a private 2 hour boat tour around the island on Capri to give us a sense of the history of the island and all of its wonders. It was amazing to be on the water and feel like you really experienced the whole entire island. We then took a bus up to the main street of Capri where we enjoyed delicious mozzerella and salami sandwhich and lemon gelato. The best part about lunch was the amazing view! We then walked around the main street and poked into the many stores and shops along the way. It was so fun to just get lost in all of the alley ways and to  experince the island. You really felt like a local!

Downtown Sorrento and Tarantella Dancing

Our hotel was in a great location as it was a short walk away from the main street of Sorrento. Sorrento had some very quaint and charming shops, but also a more market style to its downtown as there were many vendors through the streets as well. This small town was definitely refreshing and it was amazing to wander around! For dinner we had bruschetta and pork with peas which was delicious. Later that night, we decided to take dance lessons! We learned how to dance the Tarantella which is a typical Italian dance. This was definitley a very comical experience as we were all horrible dancer, but it was neat to learn something that was so important to the culture.

The next stop on our Italain vacation was Florence, Italy. Florence has so much art history where many of the famous Renaissance artists settled and made an impact on Italian culture. From the city to the countrysides, Florence has so much to offer!

We stayed at the Grand Hotel Mediterreno which was in a great location right by the Ponte Vecchio. This modern hotel had great accomodations as well as daily breakfast that offered a variety of foods from different cuisines. While I did enjoy this hotel, I would not recomend staying here if you want to escape the tour groups.

Academia

We dropped our bags off at our hotel and ran (literally!) to the Academia. We didn’t want to miss our guided tour to this amazing museum. Running through Florence to the Acadmeia you see scooters and a lot more hustle and bustle. Once we grabbed a quick slice of pizza to go, we had arrived at the home of the David. We had a guided tour that not only took us through the Academia, but also toured us around some of the other famous sites in Florence for the afternoon. When you first walk into the museum you see paintings and other sculptures. Once you turn a corner, you see a long hallway and there he is standing at the end. The museum is definitely focused around the David and it is unbeliveable to see this work of art in person. There are many different versions of the David all over Florence, but there is nothing like the real one.

Duomo

The next part of our tour was to see the famous Duomo. This church was so enormous that I couldn’t even fit all of it into one photo. From the baptisery to the church itself, this definitely was a masterpiece. Looking at the complexity of this massive dome that dominates the city is breathtaking. Unfortunatly, we did not have time to go inside of the Duomo becuase there were so many crowds preparing for Palm Sunday. If I ever go back, I would love to see the detail and expertise inside of the church as well. If the outside looked this spectacular, I can only imagine what the inside looks like. There are churches and squares surrounding the city and around every corner. Each one has its own flare and stlye, but I think the Duomo takes the cake!

Tuscan Leather and Cuisine

To cap off the day in Florence, we spent some time at the Church of Sante Croce. All around the church is a square with some great stores and restaurants. We were able to visit Misuri which is a leather and gold store. Florence is famous for their leather and gold and this store showed us some of their key items that represent the culture in Florence. This is definitely a store to add to your list as they have beautiful leather jackets, handbags and gold jewelry galore!

Instead of going to a restaurant for dinner, we took a cooking class and made our own dinner. We visited Apicus (a cooking school) who taught us how to make classic Tuscan dishes that represent the region. We made a garden salad, meatloaf, tomato sause, homemade pasta and lemon muffins. This was quite a feast that had so many unique flavors that I will definitely try to replicate myself. It was amazing to not only taste the food but to learn the techniques that make these foods so treasured.

Piazzale Michelangelo

With all of this delicious eating, we also needed to balance it out with some walking! We took a morning walk to the Piazzale Michelangelo church that is at the very top of the hill that overlooks all of Florence. The view is amazing and is perfect for a panorama! You continue walking up the hill to where the church is and you climb a huge staircase to the top. Even though this is quite a hike, the view is worth it! We happened to be there during Palm Sunday where many people came to visit the church and give their palms. The arhcitecture inside of the church was amazing and had so many different stoneworks that were incredible. While you may think that you would get sick of seeing a lof of churhces, each one is so different and spectacular!

Ponte Vecchio

For the afternoon we walked down to the Ponte Vecchio and explored that great area. The bridge has so many stores on it that sell jewlrey and beautiful pieces. Most of these stores are pretty pricy, but they sell some amazing one of a kind pieces. If you look up to  the top of the bridge, you see a covered walkway on top of the shops. This was the walkway of the Mussolini family to transport them from their estate to the government buildings becasue they didn’t want to walk with the common people. All of these facts were so interesting to here and see the history for yourself!

Tuscan Farms

While Florence is known for the major historical city, it is also known for the Tuscan farms surrounding it. We were able to enjoy a delicious meal at one of these farms and take a tour of the property. Our lunch consisted of marinara with homemade penne, an assortment of cheese and meats, homemade bread, a fresh garden salad and chocolate mousse. The food was delicious and it was amazing to eat some things that they make right there on the farm. At this farm, they are known for making their own wine and olive oil. They have olive trees and over 200 acres of vineyards for their assorted wines. They also have a barn where they keep cows as well! I would definitely recommend going to a Tuscan farm as you escape the busy downtown of Florence and learn about the food and wine seen in Italy. It was such an amazing (and delicious) experience!

San Gimignano

Before heading back to Florence, we had a couple of hours to explore San Gimignano. This small midevil town is all made from stone and brick and has so many towers and lookout points. You truly feel like you are being transported back in time! There are some  cafes along the main drag and a couple of hotels to stay in. I don’t think that this place is a destaination to stay at, but it is definitely worth a day trip to go explore it. There are so many great scarf, handbag and sterling silver shops as well. You can tell that this little town has so much history and it was so neat to visit something that has been preserved for so many years!

 

I was very fortunate to go on an Italian vacation for Spring Break with students and chaperones from a local high school. We visited 4 cities in 8 days and saw so much on this whirlwind trip. I have documented some of my favorite things in each city in hope that others will be able to experince the same sights that I fell in love with.

Stepping off the plane at the Marco Polo airport, you get a wiff of Italian air…and the ocean. After a long day of travel, you are transported by water taxi to the beautiful city of Venice, Italy- the city on the water. With only having 2 short days in Venice, we hit the ground running and began our adventure!

To get a break from the hustle and bustle in Venice, we chose to stay at the Hotel Villa Mabapa in Lido which was only a quick walk to the main street and water taxi terminal. The hotel is so welcoming and so quaint with classic charm. The sprawling backyard and beatuiful front patio is so welcoming and perfect for the beautiful weather. The morning breakfast was delicious and the classics, but also brought an Italian twist as well by providing dleicious rolls, meats, cheeses and homemade jams. Hotel Mabapa made the experince in Venice so authentic!

Lido

While I only spent an afternoon in Lido, I did love the quiet and simple lifetyle that it portrayed. If you want to stay in a place that isn’t touristy and where you can really feel like a local, Lido is the place to stay. The main street has many delicious gelato shops, restaurants, hotels overlooking the water and boutiques all around. The pop up restaurnats around Lido are amazing as well and I would highly recomend the hamburger at Bellabigila. One of the dinners that we had was in Lido at an amazing restaurnat called Roxy. The alfredo was delicious and the restaurant had such great Italian style. Lido was the perfect place to escape and unwind.

St. Mark’s Square

Arriving in Venice from the water taxi was breathtaking. Seeing all of the gondalas lined up and the historical buildings is a sight I will never forget. The first stop in Venice was St. Mark’s Square. This famous square is home to so many hsitorical sights to see. The square itself is packed with people eating at the restaurants outside, in awe at the archtitecture that surrounds you or with people taking advantage of the perfect photo opportunity. The San Marco Campanile tower is a sight that can be seen from the water and is even more impressive when you get closer to it. Unfortunatly I did not have the time to climb to the top, but I here the view is breathtaking.

Doge’s Palace

One of the first things that we did in Venice was take a tour of the Doge’s Palace. I would highly recomend taking either a guided tour or having an audio tour becasue you really learn about the history so much more. As you step into the courtyard of the Doge’s Palace  you are surrounded by pure stone walls. While the palace was used as a government building, it also contained a prison as well. When you take a tour of the palace you see  the goregous golden ceilings, walls of artwork and vast rooms where the government of Venice once resided. Below this beauty, is the dark, dreary, cold cells where the prisoners were kept. Seeing how these very different ways of life can be portrayed in one building is surreal.

Basilica di San Marco

The basilica is located in St. Mark’s Square and is such a spectacular church to visit. It is a very private church that allows no photos but the interior is something I will never forget. The high celings and arch ways begin on the outisde of the chruch and continue on the inside. The detail in the stone is magnificant and you truly feel like this is a special place. While there are many people in a line walking through the basilica, you do feel an escape from the busy St. Mark’s Sqaure as people are so quiet and in awe of its beauty. While we were in the church, a choir was about to start singing as well and that added to the ambiance. The detail that goes into making a basilica like this is amazing. I definetly recomend making a stop here to appreciate this beautiful structure.

Waterways

One of my favorite things to do in Venice was to just walk around the small alley ways and admire the many bridges that Venice has to offer. One of the most famous bridges in Venice is the Rialto Bridge and has such an amazing view of the grand canal. Shops line the bridge and one side of the bridge is a charming market with street vendors selling bags, scarves and other trinkets. The restaurants as well are right on the water and is where I had my first margherita pizza in Venice…so delicious! For those that love the unique stores and less known places, I would recomend taking a stop at Libreria Acqua Alta where you will find cats roaming this bookstore and all of the books placed in bathtubs and gondalas in case some high tides roll in. However, the best way to truly see all of the buildings in Venice and appreciate that it is all built on water, a gondala ride is definitely a must. I really felt I got a better sense of the city by being on the water and loved seeing all of the houses and stops along the way. This was my favorite part of Venice!

Venice at Night

As the day was winding to a close, we got the unique opportunity to visit a glass museum in Venice. Venice is famous for their glassmaking and we got to see how a glass vase was made by someone who mastered the skill in 25 years. This was a highlight of Venice as you got a taste of what this city is known for. As the sun was setting, we made our last stop at T Fondaco dei Tedeschi by DFS which is a mall in San Marco. We did not go there for the shopping, but instead we went there for the amazing view on the roof. Overlooking the grand canal at sunset was spectacular (I would also have stayed for the shopping there too if I had time!). For our last dinner, we stopped at a restaurant by St. Mark’s Square and had delicious risotto, chicken and panna cotta in their loft space. The water taxi back to Lido was so amazing to look back and see all of the lights of Venice at night.