First Timers in Italy!

Where to even begin! First- thank you for being here. After Dylan and I got back from our trip to Italy last fall, I got a ton of questions from friends and family about our itinerary, what we liked/didn't like, where to stay, and what we'd do again, so here I am writing it all down to share (and so I won't forget, HA). I plan to update this blog with all of our past trips and upcoming trips. I can't wait to share everything we've learned with you! :)

Rome:

Starting off in Roma!! We stayed at the Pantheon Iconic Rome Hotel. This hotel was nothing short of amazing. It was centrally located to the center of Rome and all of its landmarks. You can throw a rock and hit the Pantheon, and it's a close walk to the Trevi Fountain! It also has a stunning rooftop with a great aperitivo and amazing views.

Day 1: When we touched down in Rome it was 10 a.m. their time ( 3 a.m. our time). We did get private transfers to and from the airports and train stations to our hotels throughout the trip, which I highly recommend doing. We were exhausted when we got to the hotel, but everyone told us to buck up and keep going until it was time for bed that night to get adapted to the new time zone, so we did (mainly because our room wasn't ready for check in yet, LOL)! We walked around to get familiarized with everything and made our way to the Spanish Steps! The Spanish Steps are a staircase made of 135 steps in Rome's Piazza Di Spagna. At the top of the steps is the church of Trinita de monti and a beautiful view overlooking the plaza below. You'll probably need a rest after hiking up the 135 steps, but don't take a seat!! There are security guards all around and they will make you to get up! Sitting on the steps was banned in 2016 when they underwent a major cleaning and restoration project in 2016.

After leaving the Spanish steps, we made our way to the Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain). This was arguably my favorite part of the ENTIRE trip. The artwork of this fountain is nothing short of breath taking. Since it was such a short walk from our hotel, I made Dylan come every night after dinner (which was around 11p.m.) Dinners are late in Italy!! This actually ended up being the best time to sit and admire the beauty of the Trevi, because it wasn't as crowded as it is during the day. During peak hours you can hardly get around the crowd to get a view. We also met the sweetest couple on their honeymoon on one of these late nights and they took one of the best pictures of us we got the whole trip! When you visit, make sure to toss a coin with your right hand over your left shoulder to ensure your return to Rome. :)

Day 2: We started with a tour of the Colosseum! I am still in shock that this just exists in the middle of a town where people live and work so casually every day. I can't imagine being in the presence of the Colosseum and Trevi Fountain every day! This was a guided tour, which included the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. We liked being guided through these areas and being told about the history of each of these places (we realized neither of us paid much attention in history class). If we would have tried to tackle these places on our own, we definitely would have missed out on key areas and not even known it! By having a guided tour, you also get to skip the line to get in the Colosseum which is extremelyyyyy long, so it's worth it just for that alone! Our guide also took us in a back way to view the Colosseum in an area that other guests weren't allowed in!

Tour info: https://www.viator.com/tours/Rome/Super-VIP-Gladiator-entrance-Arena-Guided-TOUR/d511-171690P8?pid=P00166496&uid=U00482233&mcid=58086&currency=USD

Day 3: On day 3 of our trip in Rome, we ventured to Vatican City, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica!

Tour info: https://www.viator.com/tours/Rome/Skip-the-Line-Vatican-Museums-and-Sistine-Chapel-Guided-Tour/d511-3731VATICAN?pid=P00166496&uid=U00482233&mcid=58086&currency=USD

We did a guided tour on this as well, which I honestly don't think was necessary. It took us 2 1/2 hours to get through the Vatican, and we were shoulder to shoulder with people the entire time. We did this tour on a Wednesday, which is when the Pope addresses the public, so St. Peter's Basilica was closed off, which meant more people trying to cram in to the Vatican. I do think this is something you need to see while you're in Rome, but don't go on Wednesday, and ladies- WEAR SOMETHING THAT COVERS YOUR SHOULDERS AND KNEES!!! I had a jacket on the whole time we were inside, but I took it off when we were outside because it was 90 degrees! We were outside, about to enter in the Basilica, I had my cardigan draped over my shoulders, and the guards said that was not good enough, it had to be on. Two girls in our tour group did not have their knees covered and they were not allowed to enter the Basilica! While I don't regret doing the tour of these areas, since it was our first time in Rome, I think we'll skip it next time!

Day 4: On our last day in Rome we walked around the city exploring and did a food tour that night. We both wish we would have done the food tour on our first night in town so we could get recommendations from the tour guide! The one we did was the Hidden Rome Food Tour in Trastevere with Dinner and Wine. Trastevere is a little town right across the Ponte Sisto bridge that is known for its trattorias and fabulous night life!

Food tour info: https://www.viator.com/tours/Rome/Trastevere-Evening-Food-Tour-in-Rome/d511-24338P3?pid=P00166496&uid=U00482233&mcid=58086&currency=USD

Restaurants/Aperitivo//Bars: Rome

My favorite restaurant of the entire trip was in Rome! I'm going to list some of our favorite spots below. :)

Il Falchetto- Il Falchetto was my favorite restaurant of the entire trip! We got artichokes done the Roman way, which were absolutely amazing. They have fresh fish displayed in the restaurant, so that's what I got! It was the best fish I've ever had! Dylan got a pasta of course and he loved it as well. This is a MUST GO in Rome! Vecchia Roma-

Loved it here. It's a little trattoria that has amazing pizza and great pasta! I got the truffle pizza and it was amazing! Salotto 42- Cute little bar close to the Trevi Fountain and Pantheon

Pantheon Iconic Rome Hotel Rooftop- This was the rooftop bar and restaurant at our hotel. Great views and great aperitivo!

Oro Bistro- This was the best rooftop we went to in Rome! We got lucky to get in because we didn't have reservations! It is located on top of the NH Collection Roma Fori Imperiali Hotel and has the most stunning views of the city! (Photo was taken here) Limone- Best lemon gelato ever, sweet and sour

Florence:

Our next stop was Florence! We stayed at the Grand Hotel Minerva here. This was probably the best hotel of our entire trip. It's centrally located in the center of Florence in the historic Piazza Santa Maria Novella square. The rooftop here is stunning with amazing views all around. We walked everywhere from here. 10/10 recommend this hotel for your trip to Florence. :)

Getting There:

Getting to Florence from Rome was a quick hour and a half train ride away. We both suggest taking the trains whenever you can when traveling across Europe because it's cost effective and the views are stunning. Something we wish we would have known before about the train stations is that they do NOT operate like airports! You do not need to get to the train station an hour early- 20 minutes before you leave is plenty enough time because the dock number for your train will not even pop up on the screen until 5-10 minutes before your train is set to leave (which really stressed Dylan out, HA). Once we got off the train we had a private transfer waiting for us to take us to the hotel!

Day 1: After we checked in the hotel we walked around to get familiarized with the area and then headed to our first tour in Florence which was a guided walking tour around the city with skip the line tickets to see Michelangelo's famous David. We definitely recommend doing this guided tour as the tour guide was very knowledgeable and it didn't take too much time away from our day! Seeing Michelangelo's David in person was truly unimaginable. It's such a great work of art and I can't even imagine the patience that man had, because I couldn't have even begun a project so extensive!

Tour info: https://www.viator.com/tours/Florence/Skip-The-Line-Best-of-Florence-Walking-Tour-including-Accademia-Gallery-and-Duomo/d519-3731BESTFLR?pid=P00166496&uid=U00482233&mcid=58086&currency=USD

Day 2: Day 2 in Florence was one of the best days we had the entire time we were in Italy! We ventured out to Tuscany for a day full of wine tours and made a stop in the quaint town of San Gimigano where the gelato at Gelateria Dondoli won the MAM award in 2016! We visited 2 of the most special family owned wineries and farms which we are still having wine shipped home from today! The first winery we visited was Corbucci which was our favorite by a mile. The owner of this winery is so passionate about his job that he could have convinced me to buy anything he was pouring in my glass (which we pretty much did). The second winery we visited was on a family owned farm called Fattoria Poggio Alloro where we had an amazing lunch and wine pairings. When we finished we headed back to town with our new Canadian friends we met and went on our search for the infamous wine windows! Wine windows were originally opened in Florence in the 1600s when the Bubonic Plague took over the city, killing 12% of the population. Wine windows were a safe way for shopkeepers to sell wine and food with minimal contact to the outside world. At this time in history wine was believed to have medicinal qualities! Most of these wine windows have been closed for years, but the outbreak of Covid in 2020 caused more shopkeepers to reopen- now you can find them all over the city of Florence and enjoy a spritz or a glass of Chianti :)

Day 3: On day 3 we walked around and did a little shopping. I was determined to get a hand made leather bag while we were in Florence because this is something the city is well known for. We headed over to the leather school there (Schuola del Cuoio) and watched the students create beautiful handmade pieces. We left with a few snakeskin bracelets for my Mom and sister's souvenirs and ventured out to find more leather shops. After walking around all day we stumbled upon a little store called Parri's where the owner took us upstairs and unveiled the most beautiful collection of hand made bags! I obviously left with one and it's one of my favorite bags I own now!

Fun fact: Florence is home to the oldest pharmacy in the world- it was right down the street from our hotel, so we made our way there! I suggest getting up and going here early at opening. Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella is known for it's perfumes, lotions and potions, liqueur, floral exhibit, and much more. This pharmacy is a must visit when you're in Firenze! On to the night-

We did a food tour of course:

https://www.viator.com/tours/Florence/Florence-Sunset-Food-Tour/d519-88117P1?pid=P00166496&uid=U00482233&mcid=58086&currency=USD

We both highly recommend this food tour. We liked it much better than the one in Rome. We visited some great places and were taught about the history of the food in this region of the country. We even bought some truffle cheese that we brought home to the states on this tour! Our tour guide was amazing and very knowledgeable! On day 4 we got up and packed and were ready to head to the train station to get to Sorrento. The train ride from Florence to Sorrento is about 3 hours but it's filled with stunning views.

Restaurants/Aperitivo//Bars: Florence

Dylan's favorite restaurant of the entire trip was in Florence! All of our favorite spots listed below. :)

Case Del Vin Santo- Loved this place. Very close to everything. The waiters were extremely nice and all of the steaks are dry aged. You definitely should get the burrata, truffle, and sun dried tomato appetizer. It was amazingggg.

Pino's Sandwiches- Just go, you won't regret it.

La Schiacciateria- I loved this even more than Pino's! It is a tiny little sandwich and wine shop we stumbled upon and it did not dissapoint.

Parione- This may be an unpopular opinion, but we didn't love it here! We'll skip it next time.

Il Profetta- WINNER!!! This was the best restaurant in Florence and Dylan's favorite on the trip! The owner is extremely nice and we had the best pasta and olive oil we had in Italy! Get the John Travolta pasta if you go!

Grand Hotel Minerva Rooftop- Amazing drinks and views

Amalfi Coast:

The last stop of our trip (and my favorite part) was the Amalfi Coast. We stayed in Sorrento at the Grand Hotel Royal Sorrento which is in a great location in the town of Sorrento and has absolutely breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea. While we absolutely loved this hotel and the town of Sorrento, next time we would stay 3 nights in Positano and 2 nights in Capri. We fell in love with both of those little towns. Sorrento is more budget friendly and there are ferries that can take you to and from the different towns along the coast line.

Day 1: On day 1 in Sorrento we got picked up from the train station and headed to our hotel. It's about an hour drive from Naples to Sorrento, so by the time we arrived it was about 3 p.m. We just walked around the rest of the day and got dinner somewhere we found on google.

Day 2: Day 2 we got up and booked a ferry ride and headed to Amalfi. Amalfi is a beautiful town but it is completely PACKED. In our opinion this town is a tourist trap, but it's worth it to go to say you've been. While we were there we got a taxi and rode up to the town of Ravello. Ravello is a quick drive up the mountain and the town is much smaller and way more quiet. If you are planning to stay in "Amalfi" I recommend staying in Ravello instead. Your blood pressure will stay much lower. While your there you have to visit the Villa Cimbrone Gardens! If you stay in Amalfi/Positano/Ravello you'll see men at the bottom of the mountain asking if you want them to carry your luggage to your rooms for you. I think it was around $30 for each bag-this will be 10000% worth the investment. These areas have a million stairs to get to the top which is where your accommodations will be.

When in Amalfi you MUST get lemon gelato in a lemon!

Day 3: Day 3 and 4 are tied for my favorite days of our 2 week trip in Italy! It was finally time for us to set out on our adventure to the famous island of Capri! Capri is known for it's beautiful landscapes and luxury shopping experiences. We booked a semi private boat tour that included us and 4 other couples, which we loved because we both love to talk! Ha! On the tour we got to ride around the island and even got a chance to experience going into the Blue Grotto. The Blue Grotto is a seacave where sunlight from the outside is able to peep in allowing the creation of the most bright and beautiful blue hues you'll ever see. If you have the chance to experience the Blue Grotto, don't turn it down. We got extremely lucky because just a week prior to us being there, the tide was too high and no one was able to enter in the caves. The caves are also growing down, so in years from now the Blue Grottos may not even exist! After we left there we swung by the Faraglioni rocks, where it's said that if you go through it while kissing your lover, you will have good luck! Next stop was Capri. We docked on the island and got to explore for a few hours. We walked around the island and did some shopping. When you're in Capri a must do is getting hand made sandals! We walked in to a local shoe store where the owner measured my feet and made me a pair of beautiful sandals that fit perfectly! We then headed to the chair lift in Anacapri. A must do in our opinion! This chair lift takes you up and down the mountain and offers breathtaking views!

Tour info: https://www.viator.com/tours/Sorrento/Capri-and-Blue-Grotto-small-group-tour-from-Sorrento/d947-46337P6?pid=P00166496&uid=U00482233&mcid=58086&currency=USD

Day 4: Our last day in Italy... We really shouldn't have saved the best for last, because after a day in Positano, neither of us were ready to come home to the 'Sip! We took the ferry again (next time we'll do a private transfer-the ferry is soooo crowded and it's a 2 hour ride). We explored and shopped all day. When in Positano you have to visit CB Positano- they have the cutest bags and accessories- a few items were shoved in my suitcase home. After we finished our day of exploring the town, we met a photographer I found on Instagram- Amalfi Coast photographer (amalfitana_photographer), Paulina took the most stunning pictures and I 10/10 recommend using them for your trip. I wish I could have them photograph us everywhere we go!

We had lunch and the cutest spot on top of the mountain-I'll post details below- and dinner looking up at the stunning lights from a beach club below. It was truly the perfect ending to the most perfect trip. We both decided that when we go back, we'd stay in Positano for 3 nights and Capri for 2 nights instead of staying in Sorrento! Sorrento is the more cost effective option, but we feel that we didn't get enough time to explore these towns since we were staying so far away!

Restaurants/Aperitivo//Bars: Amalfi Coast

Da Bob Cook Fish- This restaurant was in Sorrento and it was my favorite on the coast. It's off the beaten path but definitely worth the visit. I got the parmesan fish!

O'Parrucchiano- This restaurant in Sorrento is famous only for the vibes the lemon trees scattered throughout give because the food was a 3/10.

Casa e Bottega- This is the cutest little lunch/brunch spot in Positano! The food was so fresh and so good. It also has an amazing view. 10/10!

Rada Beach Restaurant- This was the restaurant that belongs to the beach club where our photos were taken. We luckily were able to walk in and the food was amazing. Eating gnocchi while looking at the beautiful city of Positano was the perfect ending to our trip!

*** Extra notes***

-Espresso is good everywhere. Italians drink espresso standing up- it isn't a drink to enjoy in the afternoons. You can get a latte in the morning but after 10 it's all espresso shots!

-We stayed in each place 4 nights and only stayed in one hotel in each city. I do recommend doing this your first time instead of hopping around, although I think we could have stayed 3 nights in Rome and 5 on the coast.

-We went the last week of September/First week of October and the weather was perfect! Everyone says that's the best time to go!