Think Italy, and Pizzas, Wine and collosal historical monuments come to mind. When we made a plan to visit Italy, we were having a really hard time making an itinerary. Italy has amazing landscapes throughout the country with varied places from South to North Italy. We started our trip from the Amalfi Coast, planning to visit Rome and then Florence later.
On the Amalfi Coast, the best place to stay in terms of budget and overall convenience is Sorrento. We booked an airbnb in Massa Lubrense, 2 kms from Sorrento. Thankfully, we had booked a car, otherwise it would have been an impossibly high drive up and down. It did have a spectacular view though.
We began early morning from Positano, the vertical town. Words fail to describe its beauty, especially before the rush of tourists come flocking in by 9 am. From here, we went to Amalfi via Conca Dei Marini (the Amalfi Duomo is beautiful, but otherwise the town is similar to Positano) and then Ravello.
Ravello was amazingly beautiful, but we spent a lot of time walking, especially upto Villa Cimbrone. The square of Ravello is good to relax in after all that walking, with some great cafes looking out into the cathedral.
Driving through the Amalfi Coast, the heart of Italy's coastal affair, is a superb experience. Especially when one crosses Amalfi and then onwards to Vietri Sul Mare, a quaint town on the edge of Salerno.
Day 2 was spent in Capri. Apparently the emerald blue of Capri is something which is visible only there. It's a beautiful boat ride to the island, with the town on the hilltop. Private boats and ferries are both available, but we managed to get a yacht for a decent price. Our sailor dropped us at a restaurant from where we walked into town (thus avoiding the pier fees, however, in turn having moderately expensive but amazing food in Capri). Capri is exquisitely beautiful, and my only regret was not spending more time there.
On our way back to Rome, we checked out the historic center and ruins of Pompeii, which is quite near to Sorrento.
In Rome, we stayed at the quaint neighbourhood of Trastevere, which comes alive at night. Our AirbnB, was fantastic and situated right in the heart of the neighbourhood with an owner who gave us a lot of insight into the city. In the day, roaming through history, we were awed by the remnants of the Roman Empire. From the majestic Colloseum, to the beautiful Trevi fountain, the grand Patheon and the immense Venezia Square. Rome, however, is filled with tourists. If we had more time, would have loved to see some of these sights during sunrise, before thousands of people fill these monuments.
We got up pretty early for our trip to the Vatican City. This was one of my personal highlights of the trip. Steeped in history, the Vatican needs a lot of time, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Even though we took a skip-the-line ticket, we spent almost half a day roaming through the hallowed halls of the Vatican museums and all the way to the top of St Peter's Basilica. (Around 350 steps if you take the elevator option). Evenings in Rome include good food and wine, especially near the Spanish steps or Trastavere.
From Rome, we took a train to Florence, and the Tuscany region is a sight to behold. Magnificent structures, including the historic Ponte Vechhio looking out on the Arno river. Home of the collosal Duomo and the Gates of Paradise. Add to that the charming countryside with wine tasting in Chianti, the Unesco Heritage site of San Gimignano, a town with 2000 people and award winning gelato, and the Field of Miracles (which has the leaning tower of Pisa). Florentine steak and wine is supposedly amongst the best in the world.
History and romance is woven into the town of Siena, as the home of 'Il Palio' greets its vistors with some beautiful remnants of the past. The romance of Italy, truly defined. Siena is near to San Gimignano, and very much integral to the fabric of Tuscany. Roaming through the town and the magnificent Siena Cathedral, it struck me how Italy has somehow managed to retain a sense of nostalgia throughout the country.
When we initially planned the trip, we had heard a lot of things about scams and generally rude behavior in Italy. Perhaps we were lucky, but everywhere we went, people were incredibly hospitable and nice. Just be ready for a lot of walking, uphill and downhill. Also, people are incredibly well dressed there! Be ready to up your style game.
With a heavy heart we headed back to Florence and onwards to India, all the while promising to be back to this beautiful country someday.
