Italy – October 2021
Hotels: Holiday Inn Milan Garibaldi Station (Milan) | AC Hotel Venezia (Venice)
Mr & Mrs Smith Continentale (Florence) | Mr & Mrs Smith Villa Sassolini (Tuscany)
Hotel Indigo Rome St. George (Rome) | Positano Art Hotel Pasitea (Positano)
Holiday Inn Naples (Naples)
I’m very lucky to have been able to visit this beautiful country for a second time. My first visit about five years ago, we only stopped in Rome and Florence, with some day trips to other parts via tours or train. This time, I was visiting with my husband for our honeymoon, and we decided to rent a car, so we were able to explore everywhere from north to south!
We flew into Milan and drove across the country before heading home from Naples two weeks later.
Milan
For the first stop on our adventure, we arrived in Milan. Since we did have a car, we stayed a bit out of the city center, so we’d have no issues with parking. Newsflash: We still had issues with parking.
After we managed to squeeze into the smallest parking garage in — I’m pretty sure — the world, we unpacked, grabbed lunch, a quick nap, and headed to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II mall area for some shopping and sight-seeing. Sadly, I had forgotten to pack a purse, — *wink wink* — so this was 100% a necessity. A Prada… from Milan? I had to.
In this area, you’ll also find the Duomo di Milano, a breathtaking cathedral, and both Piazza della Scala, and Piazza Mercanti.
We spent the evening walking around the surrounding area, including Quadrilatero della moda, where you’ll find more designer shops that aren’t as busy as the ones found inside the iconic mall. I, of course, came home with a souvenir that day.
Tip: If you currently don’t reside in the EU, you can receive a tax refund on any single purchase over the amount of 154.95 EUR. You can visit any Global Blue location to start the process, or most stores with eligible purchases will start it and send you to a Global Blue to file. This can also be done at the airport you’ll be leaving the EU from, but either way, you’ll need to stop at the customs desk inside the airport to show your goods and finish the refund process. Some of our purchases were refunded immediately, others I received back on my credit card a month or so later.
Lake Como
Our second day in Italy, we headed about an hour north to the town of Bellagio on Lake Como. We had read this was the prettiest of towns in this area, and since we’d only be doing a day trip, we wanted to see the best! This charming lakeside town is filled with tons of cute shops and good food. Although it was cold since we visited in the fall, visiting Lake Como is still worth the drive for the beautiful scenery. Make sure to take a boat ride in the summer to be able to explore even more.
Venice
Day three, and Joe had probably had five pizzas by now. He made it his mission to try every single one until he found the best one. At first, I was upset because I didn’t want street pizza for every meal, but then I realized Joe was not eating these slices for meals, but merely snacks, and we would still be having sit-down dinners. All is right in the world again.
Anywho… I had visited Venice once before on a day trip from Florence, and I was aware there wasn’t much to do in this tiny town, so we were only staying one night. Because of the car, we stayed at a hotel right outside all the canals and walked across the bridge to start exploring.
After a few hours, Joe finally agreed I was right about only needing one day, since we were able to wander the canals, cross over Rialto Bridge and it’s store lined street, run into Joe’s dentist who was also visiting, and visit St. Mark’s Square before we even reached the afternoon.
Before nightfall, we made sure to take a gondola ride through the canals. The prices are the same throughout the city, only depending on the length of ride you’re looking to take, so no need to search for the best deal, but rather the best location. And make sure to have cash available, as it’s the only form of payment accepted.
Of course, we had to end our night with a couple aperol spritz — a cocktail native to Venice.
Florence
Since we were driving, arriving at our hotel that was located right at the end of Ponte Vecchio, was not an easy task. The GPS insisted we needed to drive down a one-way street the wrong way, no matter how many times we tried to get it to re-route. We ended up calling the hotel, an employee walked to our car, — we were only a quarter mile away, after all — and he got in to direct us back a whole lot of streets to come in from the other side of the bridge. Once we checked in, luckily we were in the perfect location to walk everywhere, so the car wouldn’t be needed. Until the day trip we’d be taking the following morning, but that’s a problem for another day.
Our first stop was one that was very important to Joe. His favorite tattoo artist happens to be from Florence, so we headed to see if he might have any open appointments. Unfortunately, the one time he did have, we would have already left for Cinque Terre for the day. I insisted Joe take the appointment, but he insisted he was fine and would rather explore. Even though a year later, I still have to hear about how he missed out.
We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the city; stopping by the beautiful Piazza del Duomo, Ponte Vecchio and all its gold shops, and Gallery of the Academy to see the famous David of Michelangelo. Great butt on the guy. 10/10.
Some other tourists spots around the city include Basilica of Santa Maria Novella to see its stunning architecture, Piazza della Signoria where you’ll find Neptune’s Fountain and a replica of Statue of David, and Piazzale Michelangelo with stunning panoramic views of the city.
Food recommendations:
SandwiChic – This is not the famous shop everyone will direct you to. That shop is very mediocre. SandwiChic we stumbled upon while wandering and noticing the long line. Far superior sandwiches, that we even returned a second time for.
Quattro Leoni – We didn’t visit during this trip, but a previous trip I had gone from a recommendation by my best friend to try the pear pasta. It was well-worth the visit! Plus, she’s Italian, so it only makes sense to do what she says.
Pisa
The next day, we headed out on a day trip towards Cinque Terre and stopped in Pisa along the way. Since it’s quite the drive from Florence, we left early morning arriving in Pisa before 9:00 a.m.
We were able to walk around and see the Leaning Tower, but surrounding businesses still weren’t open for the day, so we continued on our adventure after taking all the typical tourists pictures.
Tip: Beware that it’s located on a ZTL street, so even though GPS directs you to turn right, avoid it or you’ll be coming home to — or receiving a year later — a hefty ticket. Our first of 4… maybe 5 this trip.
Cinque Terre
The best option to reach Cinque Terre is from the La Spezia train station. Here you can buy the Cinque Terre train pass for about €19, which includes unlimited rides between all stops and free access to the public restrooms in the park.
We started at the farthest town, Monterosso, and made our way back slowly throughout the day.
In Vernazza, you’ll find a trail nestled between doorways and cobblestones that leads up the hill to the picturesque view of all the colorful buildings.
Since we visited at the end of the season, many shops were starting to close, and the weather wasn’t warm enough to enjoy the beautiful water, but we still were able to experience all of Cinque Terre’s charm.
Tuscany
We spent the next few days of our trip in the beautiful hills of Tuscany. Our hotel was tucked away in the tiniest little town, with only one restaurant and no shops, but had stunning views overlooking the property.
We started our visit strolling around the city of Siena, taking in the stunning architecture of the church and enjoying our 100th gelato so far. And — no exaggeration — Joe’s 14th slice of pizza in 6 days.
The next morning, we headed out to “The Mall,” a huge designer outlet shopping area with stores like Gucci and Prada and everything in between. Gucci seems to be the busiest, with a line outside even in the early morning, but inside you’ll be greeted with amazing deals that you won’t be able to pass up.
A bit further down the road, you’ll find Il Quartino winery — recommended by our CA at Gucci. Be sure to make a reservation ahead of time, as they were completely booked when we arrived. The winery has the most gorgeous views of the picturesque green rolling hills you would dream of seeing in Tuscany. Luckily, since it was our honeymoon, Joe was able to convince the host to let us enjoy a glass of wine on the empty bench set aside for smokers, which was the perfect relaxing afternoon we needed — until said smokers showed up.
Rome
After a slow few days, we were ready to return to the busy city. One of the best perks of driving your car — to be determined if it outweighs the excessive traffic tickets — is getting to stop places along the way. So, on our way to Rome, we detoured to a natural hot spring, Bagni San Filippo.
It started raining as soon as we arrived, and even though I was wearing all white outfit, we continued on the muddy hike to the water. The first open pool of water was being enjoyed by a small group of people, but if you continue down the path, you will find many open sections to enjoy privately. Since we didn’t have swimsuits, we found an alcove that we were able to enjoy in our underwear while the rain drizzled down. It ended up being one of our favorite moments of our honeymoon. 
Once in Rome, we started our exploring at The Vatican. We were here during COVID time, so we were very lucky to only have a short line to enter. However, it typically will be the length of the whole city by 8 a.m., so it’s highly suggested to book a tour where you’ll be able to skip the line.
With entry, you’ll also be able to visit St. Peter’s Basilica, but climbing to the top of the dome will require an additional ticket. To access the dome, you’ll have 551 steps, or you can pay extra to take the elevator and only have to endure the 320 steps in the spiraling tight staircase.
The next day was our first whole day in Rome. We spent the day exploring all the big tourist spots, starting at the Spanish steps, and then, of course, heading to the Trevi Fountain. They say throwing one coin in will guarantee your return to Rome, and since it was my second time visiting, it’s obviously true, so I made sure to throw another coin in this time for our next return. That is, if they let us back into Italy after ignoring all those parking tickets. The Trevi Fountain is usually packed with people, so to get a good view — and empty photo op — it’s best to head there first thing in the morning.
Afterwards, we headed towards the Colosseum. On the way there, you’ll be able to pass by the Pantheon. If you plan on stopping inside, be sure to bring appropriate clothing, since shoulders will need to be covered for entry.
As for the Colosseum, it’s recommended to book tickets in advance, and to see the underground, you’ll need to be escorted with a tour guide. Occasionally, you will be able to grab tickets from a tour guide selling them on the streets outside the gate, but availability is limited. We lucked out by finding an only Spanish speaking tour guide with spots open, and it was one of the many moments I’ve been thankful for Spanish being Joe’s first language. Ordering McDonald’s in a small Italian city late at night was another.
With another rainy day on the forecast for our final day in Rome, we had luckily pre-booked a cooking class for the morning. Located in Piazza Navona, we learned to make pasta, raviolis, and tiramisu in a local restaurant. My noodles were absolutely perfect and better than Joe’s, and since he doesn’t have a blog to dispute that, it’s the only narrative you’ll get, so take it as truth. We had so much fun at the class, and afterwards for lunch, you get to enjoy what you created paired with a glass of wine.
And before heading to the next city, we stopped by Wisdomless Tattoo to get matching tattoos of our wedding date… in Roman numerals…. in Rome, duh.
Food Recommendations:
Da Fortunata – Amazing good pasta, and they have it set up so you can see them making the noodles right out front in the window.
Amalfi Coast – Positano
Unfortunately, by the time we reached the Amalfi Coast, most restaurants and hotels had closed down for the end of the season — typically end of October. We were still able to find a hotel open for the winter season and knew we would be okay with relaxing nights in after spending the last 2 weeks driving over 20 hours across the country — including the same missed exit three times in a row.
The Amalfi Coast is divided into three coastal areas — Sorrento (the largest of the three), Amalfi, and Positano (where you’ll find all the spots you’ve seen in pictures across Instagram). We stayed in Positano, and, although a lot was closed down, there were still a good amount of restaurants open to dine at.
We spent the few days we had here walking the steep and zig-zagged streets, visiting the famous Spiaggia Grande beach, driving the coast to Amalfi to enjoy lemon sorbet, and wandering the streets of Sorrento shopping. Oh, and eating some of the best pizza of the whole trip. Slices 20-24 for Joe.
Naples
And that brings us to the end of our trip, Naples. I’ve heard mixed reviews of Naples, and I do have friends who absolutely loved it, but I also have friends with a similar experience to ours.
We headed into the city early that morning, and quickly found a parking garage tucked away in one of the alleys. We were given a claim ticket, and would need to leave the keys with the parking attendant. Flash forward — our car was not stolen, despite me being worried for the hour.
But what did happen that precedented our visit, was the attendant warning Joe to remove and hide his gold chains before stepping outside the garage. I’ve been plenty of places around the world that I’ve been warned of theft by people beforehand, and I always take them lightly, as I’ve never encountered any aside from a gypsy or two. It always seems a bit exaggerated coming from a place of unknown fear, rather than an actual concern, but for a local to heed this warning meant there must be a lot more truth behind it.
I, of course, immediately turned my wedding ring around, placed my new handbag under my coat, and had Joe yell at me for always making the world a fashion show. Hello, Joe. We’re in Italy, and this is my runway.
Luckily, the two pizza places we wanted to visit weren’t far, so we headed straight to the world famous Da Michele. We arrived before opening, and a line had already formed. They only serve two types of pizza — since those are the only authentic kinds. So, although there might be a wait, they serve their customers very quickly moving the line right along.
You can truly taste the difference in the ingredients, and was by far the best we had tried yet. But since, of course, we were headed to another pizza place after, we didn’t want to fill up.
Side note: There is now a location located in Hollywood that we tried soon after our trip. The taste was incredibly close to the original, but prepared slightly different than in Naples.
After finishing, we started walking to the second place Joe wanted to try, Sorbillo. It wasn’t a far walk, but things quickly changed.
As we approached the next alley to turn down, — They’re all alleys, btw — I had a weird feeling in my gut that stopped me in my tracks. I told Joe we needed to turn around, that we needed to go a different way. He didn’t understand why, but I just knew. When we turned around, we noticed we had been being followed by two guys who quickly tried to walk away as we saw them.
Based on stories from friends who have visited, I imagine their plan was to mug us if we kept going down that alley. Luckily, we were able to return to our car safely, and decided it’d be best to spend the remainder of the day at our hotel — where we door dashed multiple pizzas to be delivered instead.
After an amazing two weeks in Italy, we were bummed to have such an eventful last day. Even leaving the airport was filled with quite a few bumps, — Too scared to fill the rental car with gas at 4 a.m. in Naples. Couldn’t find the key drop box, so Joe left it with a random airport employee. Check in line so long that I made Joe upgrade our seats so we can skip the line. — but we made it home eventually, and, as always, thankful for such a wonderful adventure together again. And thankful we didn’t get charged the cost of the car, so the keys were, in fact, actually returned to Sixt.
• Everyday Davis • 