As we sit in the Florence airport awaiting our flight to Germany (Germany to Philly to Miami), I find myself reminiscing about the last 2 weeks in Italia. it was certainly the PERFECT coming of age trip to a long awaited destination. Although my Italian grandmother (NanaTischio) never had the desire to come to the place of her mother's birth, I have always been curious to learn about the people, culture, and of course foods of my Italian heritage. My visits to all of the regions except the north of Italy has helped me do exactly that! I've had a wonderful time in each city and feel that we did a lot without over-extending or exhausting ourselves.
My top recommendations for each area are:
Rome: Sites-colosseum, pantheon, and capital hill including the forum, house of vestals, and Sistine Chapel, time at the various piazza's people watching. Things to avoid: taking a taxi if you're not sure where you are going, taking a crowded bus, and asking for directions. Best tip- ask for a fan on the first night and be prepared for some rude interactions. I'm just saying...
Sorrento: Sites- Ravello, Capri, Anacapri ...it's all beautiful. Pompeii is also a must see! Avoid: having a car, driving is crazy! Tip:take a tour with Paolo from Joe Bananas...some of the BEST money spent on our trip. All the food was fantastic, loved the bread and wine! Lots of fruits and salads there! AVOID driving to Naples at all costs!
Tuscany: favorites included San Gimignano, Voltera and Asissi. Food fabulous except for the bread...it is made with very little salt and fewer grains than in Rome and Sorento. Best experiences...it was all great, cooking class and biking were unique experiences. Might have gone to Sienna if we had time, but no regrets. Tip: you must have a car to get around, and if you have a car you MUST have a GPS! A local map of the region might be helpful for those times you are "recalculating".
Florence: loved everything! Use tours for the Duomo, Accademia, etc but take time just to enjoy the city. Last night, as we walked back to the hotel fro, dinner, there was a street performer and a huge crowd having a wonderful time. The city is vibrant and best experienced living in the thick of it!I would highly recommend Hotel Axial...we found the location perfect and Paul at the front desk so very kind and accommodating! Be prepared to hear the sounds of the city through your windows...it made us feel we were apart of the action.
Miscellaneous notes-
1. Physically train for this trip! Florideans: practice walking up steps and hills. Build up to 400 stair steps. I'm not kidding, many spectacular places had well over 150 steps, and that's not counting the inclines. If your biking, good luck on the hills!
2. Bring a metal or plastic water bottle ( thanks Elisa for the tip). Water is expensive but there are free fountains in most cities. Florence actually had a water station that you could pick flat or carbonated water "with gas"!
3. Travel lightly, it takes less time to pack and unpack! Also, some airlines are now weighing carry-on baggage (Lufthansa had us unweight our carry on, thank goodness for big purses.)
4. Eat gelato...even though I didn't always indulge, it is an experience and can be developed into an art form. Ask Tami for Gelato tips, she is an expert.
5. Drink wine- it is less expensive than other beverages and has important nutrients. In the middle ages wine was a main source of nutrients (according to our guide yesterday). Salud!
6. When possible, eat outside to enjoy the people and sites of Italy! There is never a dull moment...whether it is two people arguing loudly or two lovers holding hands, the people here are surely embracing life. This is the lure of the Italians...passionate, expressionate, and beautiful.
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