Travel Guide: Italy

Ciao! Italy, Italy, Italy. Man, oh, man. I LOVED Italy so much. Italy honestly caught me by surprise because at the time when I decided to go to Italy it was more so for my mother. Italy was on her bucket list and I decided to take her for her birthday. But when I tell you I fell in love with Italy, I really fell in love with Italy sooo much. Italy currently stands in my favorite top 3 of all the countries I been too, easily.

I went to Italy August 2018 with my mom and sister alongside my travel buddy Kim, her mom, two sisters, and another one of their family friend’s. We went to Rome, Venice (for a day) and Amalfi Coast. We were in Italy for 8 days. We stayed four days in Rome, three days in Amalfi Coast and did a day trip to Venice traveling from Rome.

This travel guide will be VERY VERY detailed. We did so much in Italy but the trip was truly unbelievable. There are probably a bunch of things we did not do that you may want to do. If you are planning to go to Italy adjust your itinerary as you see fit for your personal interest.

ROME.

Accommodations. While in Rome the first three days we stayed in an AirBnb. Our AirBnB was an apartment that was conveniently located about 10-15 minutes walking distance to Vatican Square. The AirBnB apartment was able to comfortably accommodate us all. Since we were a larger group it made sense to do an AirBnB so that we were together. The AirBnB was on an entire floor with about 4-5 other apartments in the entire building with the same layout. Depending on your size group I would definitely consider a good AirBnB option but if you are smaller group a hotel would probably work just as fine.

Our last night in Rome, when we returned back from Amalfi Coast we stayed in a hotel before returning back to the states. The hotel was Grand Royal Master Suites. This hotel is boutique style but modern and nice. The hotel is conveniently located near the Spanish Steps and near a lot of shopping as well.

Getting Around in Rome. You can flag down regular taxi in Italy of course but from what I remember their Uber equivalent was MyTaxi. This made it easier in some cases to get a MyTaxi rather than a cab or walking around the city.

Restaurants. A key take away for restaurants in Rome is to NOT eat at the restaurants that are the closest to the main tourist attractions. These restaurants will not be the best “Italian” experience. The restaurants close to the attractions are specifically for the tourist and are not the quality Italian food you’d expect or want. I learned that before we went from multiple people who had been before so we were prepared.

Casa Valadier Restaurant

Casa Valadier - The first night in Rome we had dinner at Casa Valadier. Casa Valadier is a fine dining experience which is located at the highest point Pincio area. Here you will absolutely get your monies worth for what a higher dining experience has to offer. Casa Valadier was an old castle back in its hay-day. The feel of the restaurant is still very reminisce of a castle feel. Here you will get a spectacular view of Rome and authentic high end Italian food. It is best to book a reservation before you leave for your trip because this is popular place in Rome. If finer dining is not your thing it maybe best to skip for another restaurant.

Al Grottino - As I said the best restaurants are not near the touristy areas. So this place is about 10-15 minutes cab ride outside of the main attractions but for the authenticity of the food it is worth it. We went here for lunch one day. This is a traditional pizza and pasta restaurant. The prices are definitely reasonable and the service was good. They are really known especially for their authentic Italian pizza.

Grazia e Graziella - This may have been one of the best restaurants we experienced on the trip and we went here our last night in Rome. It is located in Trastevere City. Trastevere City has some of the best and authentic restaurants in Rome. If you are able to, definitely frequent the area for the best food. Trastevere City is also good for nightlife as well.

Excursions/Exploring. I am going to keep this section brief as possible because Rome has so many places to experience, exploring really depends on personal interest. But here is what we did while in Rome.

Trevi Fountain - This is easily one of the most famous fountains in the world. I would suggest going here early as possible because it gets super super packed as it gets later in the day. This is an outdoor sightsee so it does not require any tickets.

Pantheon - This is a former Roman temple but now a Catholic church. It is known to be one of the best preserved buildings in Rome. We did not need a ticket for this either but the line was just a tad long in the middle of the afternoon. This is about a 5-10 minute walk from Trevi Fountain.

Colosseum - This is an obvious attraction to see while in Rome. I do suggest getting day tickets with a time slot to go to the Colosseum because it gets extremely packed which is expected. You can do a guided tour, which I am not a personal fan of because I do not like my time to be outside of my control and with a tour guided group. You can get tickets without a tour guide with a specific time slot which is what we did. I would suggest going to see the Colosseum at night too because it beautiful during the evening.

Saint Peter’s Basilica - Saint Peter’s Basilica is located in Vatican City and is the one of the largest churches in the world. and designed by some of the most famous artist in the world. Saint Peter’s Basilica is pure magic in terms of artwork and architecture. Even if you’re not of the Catholic faith or the religious type, I’d still suggest going to Saint Peter’s Basilica because it is truly stunning. In addition, you can go up to the dome at the top of the church and see an outside view of Vatican Square and Rome. I highly suggest getting tickets for a specific time slot for this as well because the line is very, very long all throughout the day.

Spanish Steps - Set of steps climbing a steep slope between the Piazza di Spagna at the base and Piazza Trinità dei Monti, dominated by the Trinità dei Monti church at the top. You can sit o the steps and have lunch or just hang out. In the nearby area there is also a lot of high end shopping.

Trastevere City - I mentioned this area of Rome in the food section. This is an area in Rome that has a little bit of everything for everyone. You will get funky, modern, bohemian, and the list goes. The area is still in touch with the Italian roots. This area has many authentic Italian restaurants, cafes, lounges, beer pubs, trattorias, and artisan shops. This is definitely an area to frequent for nightlife and food. The area is absolutely beautiful at night with a lot of people hanging out everywhere.

One thing I did not get to see while in Rome was the famous Sistine Chapel. That will be something I do when I return to Rome amongst other things.

DAY TRIP TO VENICE.

We took a train from Rome to Venice around 6am. The train ride is about 3 hours and the train ticket cost is about $75-80 USD. We left early to maximize the day in Venice. Once you get to Venice it is important that you understand there is NO other way to move throughout the city other than walking and via boat. It is important to wear comfy shoes when in Venice cause it is a lot of walking.

Excursions/Exploring. Pizzaz San Marco/Saint Mark’s Square - One of the most popular attractions in Venice. It is an open public square with restaurants, cafes, stores, live music, and plenty opportunity for photo-ops.

Doge Palace - A 5-8 minute walk from Saint Mark’s Square. Doge Palace is very popular attraction in Venice. This once housed the supreme authority of Venice back in the day. The palace is beautiful. The artwork and architecture is gorgeous. Doge Palace really amazed me because of the preservation done over the years with the palace. I do not think we needed a ticket to go here but be sure to double check before you go.

Saint Mark's Campanile - Is the bell tower in Saint Mark’s Square. This is all in the sam area of Doge Palace. This is the highest view that you can get in Venice. You do have to pay to go up into the tower but it was cheap from what I remember. To see Venice from this view is honestly worth it.

Grand Canal/Granola Ride - This is an obvious main attraction in Venice. The ride is dope for sure and it last about 25-30 minutes. I think the ride was around 70 USD during the day and at night I think it is a tad more.

Rialto Bridge - The most popular bridge in Venice. This bridge is a popular shot for photo-ops. Very close near by there is a lot of shopping near the bridge. The shops are local Italian spots where you can get souvenirs and also low, medium and high end shops where you can really go shopping if that is your thing.

Saint Mark's Basilica - This is the most popular church located in Saint Mark’s Square. We did not get a chance to go here it was on our list but the line was super long so we passed on going. I am sure the architecture is just as fabulous here as well.

The important thing to remember that you only can get around by boat. The only way to leave the city of Venice is by train. To get back to the train station you must take a boat. If you do a day trip to Venice and buy a roundtrip ticket ahead of time be sure to allot the time to get back to the train in time. We certainly missed out train back to Rome and had to buy another ticket for a later train.

AMALFI COAST.

Amalfi Coast was the more relaxing part of the trip. We took a train from Rome to Salerno, Italy. The train ride is about 3-4 hours depending on the train you get, some trains have more stops than others. We then took an hour ride to our AirBnB which was located in Praiano which is section of Salerno. Amalfi Coast is extremely hilly with a lot of highs and lows to look up and down at. Most of the ride to the AirBnB is on the side of a mountain. If you are afraid of heights like my mother this is something to consider. I do not know how she managed to push through the entire ride but she did so you can too.

Our Villa

Accommodations. As mentioned we stay in an AirBnB in Praiano. The name of our villa was Palazzo Rocco - Villa Sun Shining in Love. Honestly, I absolutely LOVED our villa. Most places located in Salerno or even the Amalfi Coast as a whole will be old or traditional in style. There are very few hotels and AirBnBs that give you that luxurious or modern feel. The hotels that are more modern or luxurious will be hard finds or really expensive. We had an amazing view of the water from our villa and the house was spacious enough for all of us. The location was pretty good too

Excursions/Exploring. The Furore Fiord - The Furore Fiord is a high arch bridge crossing that has a picturesque view of a local beach below. The beach cuts deep into the steep coast and forms a quiet place to relax and swim. This is often frequent by locals who live in the Salerno area so this is definitely less touristy. It is a gorgeous beach area tucked away nicely.

Chartered Boat Tour to Capri - This was one of my favorite parts of this entire trip. We got a private chartered boat for all of us. It departed at 10am and this was an all day excursion. The boat organized a light lunch for us to have throughout the day. We were able to go through Faraglioni which is one of the most famous sights on the way to Capri. Faraglioni is a natural arch that people sail through and make a wish as the locals tell it. We made a stop at Blue Grotto. The Blue Grotto is a famous cave where you can go into and swam and snorkel. It gives you deep deep clear blue water views. Then we went to Capri for most of the day. Here you can have lunch, explore, shop, or take a tour around the city. This by far was one of the best experiences I have probably had on a trip. Being able to see Amalfi Coast on the boat is literally breathtaking. Had many moments and feelings of gratitude. I highly suggest this if you are able to do it with a group or if you are with your partner, just do it!

Marina Grande Beach - This is probably one of the most popular attractions in Amalfi Coast. Marina Grande Beach is located in Positano and is the largest beach. Backed by the colorful houses of Positano, the Marina Grande beach of Positano is the perfect place to spend a few hours in the sun and enjoy a cool drink. Important to note that the beach is not white sandy beach. This is indeed the Mediterranean so you have a rocky beach but it is absolutely gorgeous. There is a bunch of places near to stop at to eat, drink, and relax. To get to Marina Grande Beach the best way is either by taxi or bus. We took a cab the furthest we could go. After a certain point, cars or buses cannot go because there are no roads that lead directly to the beach. You have to walk down to the beach and it is a long steep walk down to get to the beach but it much to see as you go down.

Music on the Rocks Nightclub - Popular nightclub in a blown out cave - on Marina Grande Beach area. The drinks here are expensive so I highly suggest pre-gaming if you can before you go here. They play mainly house/techno music with decent selection of a few popular tunes we know here. The club aesthetic is dope because it is indeed in a cave so it is different than anything we maybe used here in the states.

Restaurants.

Ristorante Franchino (Praiano)- One of the most popular restaurants on the coast. This restaurant is located right on the coast so you get amazing views while dining. The food includes Italian and Mediterranean dishes. We ordered a bunch of different things and everything was pretty good. The portions are generally smaller in Italy than in the U.S. so we always ordered extra not to be hungry later. Price wise, I would say it is a little more expensive than the local spots but it is still relatively reasonably priced. I love a dining experience and with everything you get here with the views, food, music, and service I definitely think it is worth a stop.

Casta Diva Restaurant

Casta Diva (Praiano) - This is a local restaurant in Praiano. I think we randomly came across this restaurant one night. It is small and quaint but traditional in Italian style. The restaurant is inside/outside with a garden feel with lemons throughout the restaurant. Lemons are a thing in the Amalfi Coast so you will see them everywhere. The restaurant is a seafood/Mediterranean with some traditional Italian pasta options as well. Definitely a nice gem to hit while there. There are a lot of similar options like this all throughout Praiano area.

Buonocore (In Capri) - This is a very popular gelato spot in Capri. Freshly made waffle cones as well as other famous Italian desserts. The line for this place can be long but it is worth it.

Overall, there is so much to do in Rome, Venice and Amalfi Coast that you have to be really thoughtful about what you want to do and how you want to do it. There is only so much time in a day so my suggestion is try to maximize the days without being totally exhausted by the end of each day. Italy is Europe so budgeting is important to do everything you want to do in a cost efficient way.

If you have any questions about Italy feel free to leave a comment or send me a message on Instagram.

Happy Traveling! :)