Italy, the amazing destination you dream to visit more than once. For me this dream came true after months of planning and research, so when my mom and dad finally said ” it’s time, we are going on vacation” I was the happiest labrador ever.
Everybody loves Italy. That’s a fact.
Italy’s great food, beautiful countryside, fabulous wine, and long history make it an excellent country to visit. You fall in love with it every time you go. The vineyards in Tuscany, the history of Florence, the ancient streets in Rome, the laid back nature of Southern Italy, the gorgeous Cinque Terre, and the romantic canals in Venice, all make the country irresistible.
As you explore Italy, you’ll stand face-to-face with some of the world’s most iconic places: the Colosseum of Ancient Rome, the medieval Leaning Tower of Pisa, Michelangelo’s David and Botticelli’s Venus, the playful Baroque exuberance of the Trevi Fountain, and the elegant architecture of Venice.
Traditions still live within a country that is vibrant and fully modern. It’s impossible not to be excited when you taste the local wine, the home made pasta (Carbonara is the best) or a slice of pizza, and of course the famous italian gelato.
Impressions of Italy:
So much to see, so little time. How to choose? Of course, not everyone has jobs or lifestyles that allow a two-week trip, so make a plan, prioritizing according to your interests and tastes. If you’re passionate about Renaissance art, Florence is a must. Want to make some amazing pictures? Head to Amalfi Coast or Cinque Terre. You can check our pics and impressions here: https://travelwithpaco.com/2018/06/21/cinque-terre-the-magical-place-in-italy/
We decided to visit in a two-week trip the Northern part (as much as possible) and Rome, so this are the highlights:
Florence:
I think the perfect word to describe this magnificent city is Flamboyant.
Everything you will see during the visit is a work of art: every building, every square, every bridge has something stylish.
The city is alive,beautiful and if you didn”t know, the entire city center is a Unesco World Heritage site. Curios yet?
We had an amazing time, the streets, the food, the people, everything was just perfect.
Top sights in Florence:
- Galleria degli Uffizi : https://www.uffizi.it/
- Basilica di Santa Maria Novella : https://www.smn.it/en/
- Palazzo Vecchio : http://musefirenze.it/
- Duomo : https://www.ilgrandemuseodelduomo.it/
- Cupola del Brunelleschi : https://www.ilgrandemuseodelduomo.it/
We also visited Venice:
Venice is a city unlike any other. No matter how often you’ve seen it in photos and films, the real thing is more dreamlike than you could imagine. With canals where streets should be, water shimmers everywhere. The fabulous palaces and churches reflect centuries of history in what was a wealthy trading center between Europe and the Orient. Getting lost in the narrow alleyways is a quintessential part of exploring Venice, but at some point you’ll almost surely end up in Piazza San Marco, where tourists and locals congregate for a coffee or an aperitif.
Venice is amazing, it”s impossible not to love it. We traveled by car from Romania so near Padova we stayed at some friends. As we wanted to visit Venice, they recommended us to leave our beauty (Paco) at home, because the city is VERY crowded.
The energy, the small streets,the architecture of Venice are just perfect to recharge with good vibes. Also the very hot weather and thousands of people everywhere, made us not to put him under lots of stress. Sometimes there are situations when our priority is to make sure he is well and safe, so in the meantime he stayed home, with our friends Dana and Alex, relaxing and playing:) Later, we thanked them for their advice.
But since we didn’t bring our baby with us, we won’t insist with this destination.:)
Pisa:
Once a maritime power to rival Genoa and Venice, Pisa now draws its fame from an architectural project gone terribly wrong. But the world-famous Leaning Tower is just one of many noteworthy sights in this compelling city. Education has fueled the local economy since the 1400’s, and students from across Italy compete for places in its elite university. This endows the center of town with a vibrant cafe and bar scene, balancing an enviable portfolio of well-maintained Romanesque buildings.
Top sights in Pisa: Leaning Tower ,Duomo, Battistero, Piazza dei Miracoli, Palazzo Blu.
Verona:
Best known for its Shakespeare associations, Verona attracts a multinational gaggle of tourists to its pretty piazzas and knot of lanes, most in search of Romeo, Juliet and all that. But beyond the heart-shaped kitsch and Renaissance romance, Verona is a bustling center, its heart dominated by a mammoth, remarkably well-preserved 1st-century amphitheater, the venue for the city’s annual summer opera festival. Add to that countless churches, a couple of architecturally fascinating bridges over the Adige, regional wine and food from the Veneto hinterland and some impressive art, and Verona shapes up as one of northern Italy’s most attractive cities.
Top sights in Verona: Roman Arena, Giardino Giusti, Museo di Castelvecchio, Galleria d’Arte Moderna Achille Forti, Casa di Giulietta, Torre dei Lamberti.
After all this walking and visiting, it was time for a well-deserved rest, so we went to Punta Ala:
Punta Ala is a frazione of the town of Castiglione della Pescaia, in the province of Grosseto, Tuscany.
Punta Ala is not as visually striking as Cinque Terre, there are no vertiginous tumbles of wooded cliffs into aquamarine waters, studded with colorful walls and hanging flowers. Here, Tuscany’s ambling hills—some of which are topped with crumbling, centuries-old lookout houses—roll gradually into the sea, which is more of a bright blue, a bit like the ocean in Portugal. In the distance, Elba Island stands.
These pictures speak for themselves, so we will let you enjoy these shots with our beautiful lab, incredible clear seawater and sunny sky.
Punta Ala is on the Tyrrhenian Sea in the heart of Maremma in southwest Tuscany, about a two-hour drive north of Rome, two hours southwest of Florence and four hours south of Milan. We rented a beautiful house for 7 days, with a magnificent garden and it was simply amazing.
There are lots of beaches, restaurants and fun activities to do. Punta Ala has two main beaches to visit. The first is right at the end of the tourist port in the town and you can reach it walking towards the Balbo Villa. The water is calm, protected from the sea and the yachts by a stone bridge but it can get crowded in summer. You can also swim to the Sparviero Island from this beach.
In Punta Ala, there are both public beaches and well-equipped resorts. There is also a dog beach called Spiaggia di Casetta Civinini where you can have fun. Most of the resorts and public beaches are not allowing dogs, so it”s always fun when you can have fun with your best friend also.
You can also visit Elba, the isle where Napoleon was exiled. This place is truly beautiful and it makes you feel removed from the rest of the world.
5 Reasons to Visit Elba:
- Swim in Pristine Waters;
- Eat Excellent Fish Gastronomy;
- Diving;
- It Has Been Visited by Cool people like Napoleon and Alexandre Dumas;
- For its Ancient History.
The final stop of our journey, Rome:
Possibly more than anywhere else in the world, Rome is a true mix of old and new. It’s a city that proudly flaunts its ancient history while it continues to evolve. It’s a living and breathing city. Big, yet not crowded, ancient but still vibrant, this city is really special.
It”s one of my favorite for sure. Maybe because it”s also like a second home. Half of my family lives here, so you can imagine what it represents to me.
It was the first time Paco was visiting, so lots of emotions and joy were present. He totally loved it, the only inconvenience was the temperature. So part of my recommendation is not to visit in August when the summer heat is hard to bear.
Top sights in Rome:
- Vatican City and Vatican Museums;
- Roman Forum;
- St Peter’s Basilica;
- Palatino;
- Colosseum;
- Museo e Galleria Borghese;
- Pantheon;
- Piazza di Spagna;
- Trevi Fountain;
- Trastevere and Castel Sant’Angelo.
Things To Know Before Visiting Rome:
You pay for table service in Italy. If you’re visiting Italy for the first time, you may be surprised to learn that you will pay a coperto for sitting down at the table to eat. It’s just the way it is. The coperto rate is more in touristy areas, but the average is 1.50€ per person. If you want to avoid a coperto, stand at the counter to drink your café or grab a pizza to go.
Choose accommodations carefully. There is no shortage of accommodations in Rome. You will find hotels, apartments and hostels to suite all budgets. The biggest challenge is finding a property in a good location.
Pay to pee. While those who have traveled in other European countries are already aware of this fact. You must pay to use public restrooms. The fee is 1€ in Rome. Children are free. Or you can just head into one of the MANY MacDonald’s locations to save your change.
Wear comfortable shoes. While you may dream of strutting the streets in your stilettos, Rome isn’t the place for heels. The old cobblestone streets are no place to wear anything but flats.
You will fall in love immediately with the city’s little streets packed with restaurants, small bars or little boutiques where you can taste some amazing local gelato.
Italy’s great food, fabulous wine, and long history make it an excellent country to visit. We felt in love for sure, I suppose it”s impossible not to love Italy. We want to go back, visit Sicily,Sardegnia and Puglia, so the story will be continued:))))
We hope our stories are bringing some joy and happiness. It’s a journey also for us, we are still learning how to make the blog and the articles more fun and interesting. So a HUGE thank you for the positive thoughts and energy.
We want to thank you for all the support and don”t forget that: Life is good and beautiful. Be thankful.
Until next time don”t forget to follow us on Instagram: @travelwithpaco and also on Facebook: Paco The Lab.
Kisses dear friends!!!!
The #2 Cinque Terre hike is between Manarola and Corniglia. This one’s pretty similar to Via dell’Amore, although not paved. Initially is it flat, and gets steeper as Corniglia comes to sight.
The next one, Cinque Terre hike #3, runs from Corniglia to Vernazza. Since Corniglia is hill-top, to get anywhere else, you need to go down. Many people think it’s easier to walk down the slope. Well, it’s a myth. It is actually tougher to hold your grip while going down. Make sure you have the right hike gear with you, flip flops won’t be of much help.
The final Trail, Cinque Terre hike #4, runs from Vernazza to Monterosso Al Mare. This is undoubtedly the most difficult one, with a lost of ups and downs (ironically). There are countless cliff-side drop-offs. And some sections are so soul-terrifyingly narrow that you would actually stand there numb, wondering how can one possibly cross it!
Cinque Terre is amazing. So is Rome, Verona and Florence, but Cinque Terre is a different type of amazing and you need to experience it!!!
TravelWithPaco 