Planning a Trip to Italy

Planning a trip to Italy? Unquestionably, it is our number one favorite place in Europe to visit, as there are many Hidden Gems all over the country. While we have visited just about every region of Italy, we find new Hidden Gems each time we visit. In fact, Italy has a few great places to visit which are truly off the beaten path. The picture of the Italian Flag was taken from the pool where we were staying in Monterosso al Mare, representative of the great beauty of Italy. The statues below are from the famous Tevi Fountain in Rome.

Planning a Trip to Italy – Rome

If you are planning a trip to Italy, chances are you will visit Rome even for a brief pass through. After all, it is the capital of Italy and it has some of the greatest art and classic architecture in the world. Besides being a great city to visit for all the Roman traditions, Rome also contains Vatican City, the smallest country in the world.

Castel Sant’Angelo

One of our favorite tourist attractions in Rome is the Castel Sant’Angelo. While we were not as familiar with the Castel as other sites, it quickly became one of our favorites. The views of the Castel Sant’Angelo and of the surrounding areas from the Castel are wonderful.

Piazza Navona or Fountain of the Four Rivers

The Piazza Navona is truly one of our favorite places to visit in all of Rome. The Fountain of the Four Rivers (or by its Italian name, the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi) is magnificent. The piazza is featured in Dan Brown’s 2000 thriller Angel’s and Demons in which the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi is listed as one of the Altars of Science. During June 2008, Ron Howard directed several scenes of the film Angels & Demons on the southern section of the piazza.

The space currently occupied by the Piazza Navona was originally the Stadium of Domitian, built by the Emperor in 80 AD. The Romans held many competitive games at this location. The stadium fell into ruin with the fall of the Roman Empire. We were fortunate to attend an opera presentation on the rooftop next to the Brazilian Embassy, overlooking the fountain to the left.

The Pantheon

The Pantheon is a must visit when in Rome. Also know as the Basilica of St. Mary and the Martyrs, the Pantheon was built in the second century AD. It is one of the best-preserved of all Ancient Roman buildings in large part because it has been in continuous use throughout its history. Since the 7th century, it has been a church informally known as “Santa Maria Rotonda”.

Harry’s Bar

Harry’s Bar Roma is a historic bar and restaurant located on the Via Veneto in Rome, Italy. It gained international fame when it was featured in La Dolce Vita, a film by Federico Fellini. During the “Dolce Vita” years (late 1950s to early 1960s), Harry’s Bar had its most successful period. Rome saw a period of economic boom.  Famous people who hung out here included Ava Gardner, Lana Turner, Sophia Loren, Audrey Hepburn and Marlon Brando. Most notably, it was Frank Sinatra who would play the piano at the bar. Here we have Cos enjoying himself at the bar.

Planning a Trip to The Vatican

Undoubtedly, one the most popular places in Rome to visit, the Vatican and the Vatican Museum are a must. Accordingly, here are some of our favorite memories from our tour. To learn more about the Vatican Museum please go to our Museums for All Post. The Pieta, by Michelangelo is our favorite statue, located inside the Basilica of St. Peter.

Planning a Trip to Italy – the North, Milan and the Lakes

If you are planning a trip to Italy and you plan on visiting Milan, you will realize that the Northern region is different from the rest of Italy. For starters, the food is lighter and the weather is cooler. In addition, since the North borders up against the Alps, it has more mountain and lake terrain than most of the rest of the country.

First Stop – Milan

We visited Milan in May 2019. Instead of the sophisticated city of high fashion we expected to see, we were surprised to find 500,000 other guests camped out all over the town. Specifically, the Alpini, Italy’s specialist Mountain Army Infantry, were holding their annual get together. It became a robust party; when the rains started they took over the famous Galleria Victorio Emanuel Shopping Arcade finding the shelter perfect for music and dancing. We doubt there was much shopping at Prada on this day.

However, a visit to Milan is not complete without a viewing of DaVinci’s Last Supper. We found it surprising that this famous painting was located in a huge room with other paintings as well. You can see the scale of the painting by the size of the people in front of it. In spite of sharing the viewing with other visitors, it still took our breath away.

Planning a Trip to Italy – Lake Como and Bellagio

There are many great places to visit in the Northern Region, starting with Lake Como and the famous city of Bellagio. We have met many people who have always wanted to visit Lake Como, if nothing else, to catch a glimpse of two of its famous residents, George and Amal Clooney. Although we missed seeing them, we loved the beautiful location and fantastic restaurants.

Lake Lugano

Lake Lugano sits at the border of Switzerland. In fact, the City of Lugano is actually in Switzerland. The lake and the City are in a valley surrounded by mountains. We love funiculas and this one to the top of the mountain was a classic wooden one. The ride was more than worth it, with a view of the town and the lake. We were charmed when some local school children tried out their Engish with us.

Stresa and Lake Maggiore

Lake Maggiore has outstanding islands that have beautiful buildings and gardens. Not knowing what to expect, we visited the smaller homes first and finally the large one. While the small home was gorgeous with gardens and an entire room decorated with shells, it pales in comparison to the large one. You get there from the city of Stresa by taking a small boat. More pictures are located in our Favorite Gardens Post. Along with those, here is a picture of one of the peacocks on the island, simply walking around and showing off its beautiful tail feathers.

Planning a Trip to Italy – Visit Verona and Valpolicella

After visiting Milan, we traveled east towards Venice. First, we visited Verona to see Romeo and Juliet and then we wandered over to the Valpolicella area to visit the Masi vineyard. They are famous for the Amarone type of wine, which starts by drying the grapes and then crushing and fermenting them. As a result, the wine is gorgeously rich in both color and taste.

Planning a Trip to Italy – Piedmont

The Piemonte, or Piedmont region, borders France in northwestern Italy. Piemonte is known for its wines and fall truffles, mountains with ski resorts in the west and north, and the city of Turin. We visited Piemonte when we first arrived in Milan in the early morning, driving over and back that day. Despite the short time we spent in Piemonte we visited some great places (Barolo and Novello in the South, and Gattinara on our way back to Lake Como in the North). We visited some great wineries and learned a lot about Barolo and the famous Travaglini Wine Bottle.

Planning a Trip to Italy – Florence and the Central Region

No trip to Italy is complete without a visit to Florence, the home of the Renaissance and the surrounding areas including Tuscany, Chianti, Siena, the Cinque Terre, Pisa, and Lucca.

Florence

Florence is the Art Capital of Italy, and perhaps all of Europe. Okay, the folks in Paris might disagree, but certainly Florence is a wonderful place to visit and enjoy all the Renaissance Art. What a treat to see the incredible art, particularly in the Uffizi. To learn more about the Uffizi Museum and the Accademia Galleria, please visit our Museums for All Post. The place to start enjoying Florence is the the Arno River.

Maintaining the Famous Art Sculptures

Not surprisingly, a major part of the Florentine economy is maintaining the incredible art, and in particular the sculptures that exist there. Here is a photo of one of the studios.

Basilica of Santa Maria Novella

One of our favorite Hidden Gems in Florence is the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella. The Basilica is located in the northwest part of the city. The artwork in the Basilica and in the connected gallery is outstanding. The church, the adjoining cloister, and chapter house contain a multiplicity of art treasures and funerary monuments. Especially famous are frescoes by masters of Gothic and early Renaissance. They were financed by the most important Florentine families, who ensured themselves funerary chapels on consecrated ground.

Planning a Trip to Italy – Tuscany

Just south of Florence is one of the great wine regions in the world. While Chianti is well known for some great wine, other areas of Tuscany also have great wine. The Brunello di Montalcino and the Vino di Montepulciano are two of the better varietals from the region. We took a semi-private wine tour with Get Your Guide, departing from Sienna. It included visits to three vinyards and we enjoyed a wonderful lunch in a home at one of the vinyards. Frankly, navigating the back roads could be challenging and, after enjoying our wine tastings, we were very happy to have the driver. Staying at a BnB is a great way to enjoy the region and use as a base for touring the area.

Chianti

Chianti is yet another great wine region in the world. The Antinori Winery makes a great wine, has outstanding architecture and is also a great place for a good Italian meal. The Podere Le Ripi Winery in Montalcino is also a wonderful wne and place to visit.

Planning a Trip to Italy – Panzano

As a result of a referral from our local Italian restaurant, we discovered this truly unique and outstanding restaurant/butcher shop. We would highly recommend a visit to Panzano in Chianti, another one of our favorite places in all of Italy. The Antica Macelleria Cecchini Butcher Shop and Restaurant in Panzano is a fabulous and unique place to eat. You have never seen such a spread, including many cuts of meat, delicious vegetables and bottles of Chianti on the shared tables. We had a great meal there and Robin got along well with the owner/chef. Upon our return, we saw Chef’s Table featuring Dario Cecchini and his conversion from a would-be veterinarian to a butcher of this fabulous place. See Our Favorite Restaurants at the bottom of the post for more information.

By the way, the Rooster is a symbol of this area as a result of a famous race for control of the rich lands between Siena and Florence in the 1200s. Suffice it to say, the black rooster is the symbol of why so much of the Chianti region belongs to Florence rather than Siena.

Siena

Siena is the second most famous city in the region after Florence. For many years, the two cities fought hard against each other. Siena is known for a famous horse race. The Palio di Siena, at its core, is a horse race but it’s so much more to the Sienese people: if you are in town when it takes place, their passion and commitment are palpable. The Palio also has a long and celebrated history dating back to the 12th century, which makes it an interesting event to follow for those with a penchant for the good, old Middle Ages. Rooted in the city’s heritage, it encapsulates the pride, identity, and spirit of Siena’s 17 neighborhoods or contrade  (but only 10 can participate in each race for safety reasons), known for being like small sovereign states, each with their own traditions, flag, and emblem.

We were not so lucky to be there, but hope to plan our next visit to watch this event.

Terme Di Saturnia

We have always been intrigued with natural springs so when we read about Saturnia’s, we simply had to visit. Terme Di Saturnia is southwest of Siena, but still in Tuscany. It is our number one Hidden Gem in all of Italy. The Terme Di Saturnia are natural thermal water pools. The pools are the most stunning hot springs in Italy and considered by many to have great healing properties. In fact, we both said that we were relaxed and felt wonderful after this visit.

Assisi

Assisi is a town and commune of Italy in the Province of Peruglia in the Umbria Region of Italy. It is the birthplace of Saint Francis, who founded the Franciscan Order in the town in 1208. The picture of Saint Francis shows how he treated and treasured birds and all animals and the environment. Cos was really enjoying himself in Assisi.

Cinque Terre

The Cinque Terre is a popular tourist destination; some would say a little too popular. Over the centuries, people have built terraces on the rugged, steep landscape right up to the cliffs that overlook the Ligurian Sea. Cinque Terre lies to the west of La Spezia. It is comprised of five villages: Monterosso al Mare (where we stayed), Vernazza (which is accessible from Monterosso by a very challenging hike from our hotel up and over the mountain), Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore (where Cos stayed on his first visit to Cinque Terre. Paths, trains, and boats connect the villages as cars can only reach them with great difficulty from the outside via narrow and precarious mountain roads. Each town has a unique ambiance and we enjoyed every one of them. Staying in Monterosso al Mare gave us a chance to visit more deeply and truly explore this beautiful place.

Pisa

Significantly, not exactly a Hidden Gem, the town of Pisa is worth visiting. Unfortunately, we were there on a hot, crowded, sweltering day. To solve that problem, we found an air conditioned restaurant rather than spending more time touring the grounds. We visited Pisa on a Celebrity cruise excursion. See our post on cruise tours or our post on cruises. You may also want to check out Cruise Critic regarding cruise alternatives. Also consult Viator or Get Your Guide for local tours.

Lucca

Surprisingly, we found the near-by town of Lucca to be much more interesting. We would suggest that this is somewhat of a Hidden Gem. Lucca has well preserved Renaissance-era city walls. Specifically, Lucca has a very well preserved historic city center, built around an old Roman theatre. It is now a beautiful piazza (Piazza dell’Anfiteatro). The piazza has many attractive restaurants and shops. Lucca is also home to a number of famous composers, including Puccini. We couldn’t leave this post on Italy without at least one church picture: San Michele in Foro.

Planning a Trip to Italy – Venice

Venice is one of the most visited places in the world. Unfortunately, that attractiveness has made it overcrowded, to the point that some speculate that Venice is sinking. However, experts estimate that Venice is only expected to be completely submerged by the year 2100. As a result of the heavy tourist travel, Venice has now banned large cruise ships and raised tourist taxes. Therefore, if you book a cruise to Venice, you may actually end up in a port like Ravenna, hours away. In any case, Venice is certainly worth a visit.

Not surprisingly, Saint Marks Cathedral is impressive. We were so lucky to have a private viewing of the evening light show at the Cathedral. This was possible as a special trip from Uniworld on our river cruise. Words and pictures can’t capture the beautiful ceiling and the picture of Christ over the Altar.

Burano, in the Venetian Lagoon

Burano is an Island in the Northern Area of the Venitian Lagoon. Clearly, the only way to reach the Island is by boat. There are small, brightly colored houses which attract visitors to the island. Shopping is excellent and so are the restaurants.

Chioggia, South of Venice, Also in the Lagoon

Chioggia is a wonderful little town just south of Venice and accessible by water as it is still in the Venetian Lagoon. The town is an important port for the region. It has a beautiful clock tower and fisherman’s church. We love to visit farmers markets and this one was a good one. We traveled to Chiogga on a Uniworld River Cruise Boat.

Visit Ravenna, Italy

Ravenna is about an hour south of Venice, well known for its well-preserved late Roman and Byzantine architecture. In addition, it has some of the best preserved Mosaics in the world. It was not a well visited tourist city like its more well-known northern cousin, Venice. However, because Venice is not allowing large cruise ships into its lagoon, Royal Caribbean Cruises and other cruise lines have chosen to use Ravenna as its Venice based cruise port. As a result, travellers are now discovering Ravenna, making it better known and appreciated.

Planning a Trip to the South of Italy – Naples and the Surrounding Areas

The South of Italy brings a very diffent way of life from other parts of the country. Life is much slower. Naples is a great jumping off point to get to know the region. Not only is Naples the home of pizza, but it is a very active port city with superior ferry services to other parts of the region.

Visit Pompeii

Pompeii is worth visiting for many reasons. It is a unique world heritage site and pretty astounding. You can see life from 2000 years ago, come here for the plaster casts, visit Pompeii for mind-blowing frescoes and Roman art, learn about ancient Roman cults, and see ancient Rome’s fast food centers. Visiting Pompeii is an immersive and awe-inspiring experience that allows you to connect with the past, marvel at ancient civilizations, and reflect on the fragile nature of human existence. Pompeii’s survival over two millennia makes it an incredible historical and archeological site. It is Italy’s second most-visited attraction.

We visited Pompeii in 2022 as part of a cruise excursion. We were amazed at the quality of the restoration; hard to believe how different life was then. What was amazing was how well preserved the streets, buildings and even the unfortunate people were. Everywhere we went in Naples, we saw the breathtaking poppies and Pompeii was no exception.

Visit Capri

Clearly Capri is very popular and not exactly a Hidden Gem, but because it takes some effort, we would suggest it deserves this title. Altogether, we have made two trips there, and we keep finding new fun places on each trip. Caution, visiting Capri can be a budget buster. But we can recommend at least one charming BnB that we were able to easily afford, the Villa Silia. Breakfasts are cooked and brought to your room or you can take in the gorgeous view from the rooftop. On one trip we decided to bring a bottle of wine to the roof and the proprietor insisted on giving us some cheese and bread to go with the wine. Nice!

Also, we must recognize one great restaurant with lemon trees for the roof. Check out our Restaurants post for more information.

The waters around the island of Capri are simply beautiful with some great sites. The famous Blue Lagoon, is a cave that has crystal clear blue waters. However, the day we were our on the water, the sea was too rough to enter. Sorry, no Blue Lagoon photos.

Make sure to see Anacapri

Capri has two main central areas, Capri and Anacapri. In Anacapri, we took the chairlift to the top of the mountain and hiked down…very fun. Accordingly, the entire island offers interesting hikes and magnificent views.

The tiled floor in the Church of St Michael (or Chiesa San Michele) is well worth a visit.

Visit the Amalfi Coast

Amalfi is a favorite of ours, a wonderful place to relax and enjoy the beautiful Mediteranean Sea. Most people who visit are quite scared of the bus ride, but the buses seem to be able to navigate quite expertly. The views are spectacular. Celebrated worldwide for its Mediteranean landscape and natural diversity, the Coast is named after the town of Amalfi. Other popular towns include Positano and Ravello. We tried to visit Positano during our visit to Amalfi, but the seas were too rough to make the trip. The Amalfi Coast is a very popular jet set destination, attracting international tourists from many walks of life annually. The Amalfi Coast was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

Visit Sicily – Savoca and Forza d’Agro

Surprisingly, these two towns, high in the mountains south of the city of Messina, represent the home of the Godfather films. In fact, the famous movie Goldfather One was shot in Savoca. We took an excursion tour from our Royal Caribbean cruise ship up the incredibly steep mountain to this village. We could see Mt. Etna in the distance. Unquestionably, we found this to be a wonderful way to spend the day up in the mountains. Although Corleone is an actual town near Palermo, the hometown and family name in the movie, the movie was not shot in Corleone, basically because the Mafia had a large presence in that area. So, the movie was filmed in Savoca and Forza d’Agro. Virtually all the residents played a part in the filming with local residents still enjoying their fame even today.

Our Favorite Restaurants

Here is a list of our recommended restaurants from our 2022 trip to Europe. However, if you wish to see which of these restaurants made our highly rated top-50 list, please go to Top 50 Restaurants.