In 2014, Michael and I took our first Europe trip together and the third country we visited was Italy. It was great because it was the first time I had been back since studying abroad in Florence the year prior. It was now my turn to play tour guide. If you don’t want to read all of the details, I made a shortened list of what we did with our time in Italy.
Lake Como
Day 1
After visiting Switzerland we took a train to Lake Como and stayed in Menaggio. There are many towns around Lake Como that you can stay in and you can take a quick ferry in between all of the towns. To get to Menaggio we took the train from Florence and then the bus to Menaggio. It is a gorgeous ride, but if you get carsick I would suggest you are prepared for this curvy bus ride through the hills around the lake. The Airbnb host met us at the bus station and drove us to the apartment. This first day really was all travel since it took a good amount of time to make this journey so we just relaxed that evening.
View from the Airbnb
Day 2
The ferry around Lake Como runs frequently and connects all of the small cities that are around the lake. After taking some time to rest and relax we took the ferry to Varenna to explore the small town. Varenna is romantic and peaceful with brightly colored homes and small sidewalks in between the buildings. Stop here to relax at a cafe with an espresso and pastry.
Day 3
After visiting Varenna we decided to explore Bellagio, which is known to be one of the most beautiful towns in Europe with gorgeous panoramic views of Lake Como.
After visiting Bellagio we went to Villa Balbianello, which is a villa in Lenno overlooking Lake Como. The villa started off as a monastery and then has a diverse history of different owners. There are two towers from the original building that are still standing. This Villa was in James Bond Casino Royale where James Bond recovered after a fight scene. It was a nice hike up to the Villa and once you made it there the views were amazing.
Day 4
Cinque Terre
After Lake Como we were off to explore Cinque Terre! We used Levanto as our home base. Levanto is located a very short distance north of Monterosso and was the perfect place to stay for the hike through Cinque Terre. It was not crowded at all and there were very few other tourists. There is a nice walkway along the seaside and a bike path that goes along an old railway. Our Airbnb had bikes that we could use so we were able to explore the coastline. There is also a long and beautiful beach that you can relax on with restaurants right near by.
When we got to Levanto there was a storm coming in so after exploring the town we went back to our Airbnb to take shelter from the storm.
Day 5
We were lucky to wake up the next day to clear skys. We went to a small market that was downtown and walked along the main street. We spent the afternoon relaxing at our Airbnb since the storm start to roll in, but was nice to relax for a bit.
We found a dinner spot that we fell in love with. We ordered the bruschetta and it was some of the best bruschetta we have ever had. I cant remember the name of the restaurant but it was very close to the water.
Day 6
After another long and stormy night we woke up and there were clear skies which was great because this was the day we were going to hike through the towns of Cinque Terre.
Due to the recent storms some of the trails between the cities were closed so we took the train from Levanto to Corniglia. Our plan for the hike was to go from Corniglia to Vernazza and then Vernazza to Monterosso al Mare which takes about 3 1/2 hours.
Since there was a recent storm the trails were completely empty which was amazing and we were able to almost have a private hike. The hike was absolutely gorgeous and not very difficult. We stopped in Vernazza to take a break and explore the town. You can stop here for lunch and the area where the boats come in is fun to hang out in. Michael and I were here too early for lunch so continued on.
Finally in the afternoon when we were approaching Monterosso Al Mare we noticed a lot of signs that said the trail was closed and we had to turn back. We had just hike about 3 1/2 hours and did not want to turn back. We found out that the officials had closed the hiking trail right behind us since the trail was not safe from the recent storm. We got very lucky that we were able to get on the trail before it was closed.
Once we made it down onto the beach we stopped for some lunch at a restaurant that was right on the water. We got great local seafood and relaxed after a long day.
After lunch we went down to the beach and took a well deserved swim in the ocean. The beach at Monterooso al Mare is very large and was also very crowded. There are restaurants and ice cream shops along the water. You can rent an umbrella or just bring your own towel and lay on the beach. After relaxing on the beach we took the train back to Levanto and went back to our favorite dinner spot to get the bruschetta one last time.
Day 7
Florence
The next morning we woke up and took the bus/ train to Florence. I was really looking forward to visiting Florence since I studied abroad there and had so many great memories. Michael and I stayed at an Airbnb located on Via dell’ Agnolo near the Piazza di Santa Croce. This is one of the main plazas in the center of the city and takes the name from the Basilica of Santa Croce that overlooks the square. Florence is a walking city so you can get to most attractions by walking. After the long train ride we were starving so I brought Michael to the BEST panini place in Florence, All’Antico Vinaio. The line is always very long but the panini there are amazing and if you ask the shop owner to make recommendations on what to get he will make you the best panini ever.
Day 8
The next morning we woke up and I took Michael to all of the places I went when I studied abroad. I lived near the San Lorenzo Market and would walk through town to school on the other side of the river everyday. Michael and I started our tour at my old apartment near San Lorenzo Market which is open everyday 9am-12am. Here you can find fruits, vegetables, pasta, meats, cheese, wine and they are known for their leather bags, jackets and wallets. After walking through the market we stopped and had some espresso at the cafe near my apartment.
Door to my apartment while studying abroad
We then walked through town on my route to school. On this route you walk by the Duomo, many famous piazzas and over the Ponte Vecchio bridge. The Ponte Vecchio is the famous bridge in Florence that is lined with shops along the entire bridge. The shops used to be owned by butchers but now the present tenants are jewelers, art dealers and souvenir sellers. It is fun to look at all of the jewelry along the bridge.
Once over the bridge, we went to my school which was located in the Piazza Santo Spirito. Once you are on the other side of the river away from the Duomo it is a little less touristy. There is a great market in Santo Spirito everyday during the day that has great fruits, vegetables and mostly locals go here.
Entrance to my school in Florence
In the Santa Spirito is one of the best pizza places in Florence called Gusta Pizza. They serve their pizza with a very thin crust and cook it in a pizza oven right in front of you. Their pizzas are amazing and I recommend getting the simple margarita pizza.
After touring around Florence we went back to our Airbnb to relax a bit. Before dinner we walked up to Piazzale Michelangelo which is a beautiful piazza located on one of the hills in Florence with an amazing view over the city. There are a couple ways to get up to the top of the hill, you can take a bus, taxi or walk. Our choice was to walk up the picturesque stone steps that lead you up to the piazza. You pass through the entrance of a beautiful rose garden on your way up if you want to take a stroll through the gardens. Once at the top you have a gorgeous view over Florence and it is absolutely breath taking no matter the time of day you go. We brought some Coronas up to the top to cheers and enjoy the view. You can drink anywhere you want in Europe and there are no laws (at least in Italy) about drinking in public.
After enjoying our Corona’s we went to Trattoria Zaza for dinner located near San Lorenzo market because this is a restaurant that I went to a lot while studying abroad. It is somewhat touristy but has a lot of options and is relatively inexpensive. For dessert we went to the best gelato place in Italy in my option, Santa Trinita Gelato. Here they have fresh homemade gelato that will melt in your mouth. My favorite flavor is cookies.
Day 9
The next day we woke up and started our day off with an espresso and a visit to the market for breakfast. After breakfast we headed off for a half day trip to Fiesole. Fiesole is a scenic town that is part of the Metropolitan City of Florence in the Tuscany region only 10 km outside of Florence. You can take a car, bus of bike there but we decided to take the bus which was very easy. The city is quite small but there is still a lot of historical things to see like, remains of roman baths, green hilltop where Leonardo da Vinci first experiments with flight, the roman amphitheater and a cute small city center. We walked around the city and it was a nice escape from the bustling city of Florence for a little.
When we got back to Florence we went to lunch at Trattoria Mario which is a hole in the wall mom and pop restaurant with authentic Italian cuisine. You need to arrive by noon to get a spot at one of the communal tables where you can meet other travelers and locals. We ordered the roasted chicken, Spanish omelet, risotto and salad and it was great! You get to talk with the people at your table which was really fun to see where everyone else came from.
After lunch we walked around town some more and then took another hike up to Piazzale di Michelangelo. It is such an amazing view that you should definitely go at different times of the day to experience it is all of its glory.
One of the most fun food experiences in Italy is definitely aperitivo. It consists of a pre dinner drink and some food to accompany it. Generally the locals will have aperitivo before they are heading out to dinner but when I was studying abroad we would make it our dinner. All you have to do is buy a drink and then the restaurant will usually have a large spread of food options set out to accompany your drink. Some spots have a full on dinner buffet for just the cost of the drink. The food can include pizza, pasta, salad, panini and even desserts. Michael and I enjoyed aperitivo at Kitsch, which was great and they have so much food to choose from. Most restaurants offer this so I would definitely recommend to do aperitivo when you are visiting Florence and make sure you go to one that offers a nice spread with your drink.
Day 10
Rome
After Florence we took the train to Rome as our last stop in Italy. We did not have a long time so we stayed in an Airbnb next to the train station, which was a huge mistake. When booking the place I thought it would be convenient to stay near the train station but found out that generally the places next to the train station are the worst. Michael and I loved the history and the sights to see in Rome but were a little turned off from where we stayed.
We first started with the Colosseum which is absolutely amazing and you can purchase an audio tour which guides you around. The Colosseum is the oval amphitheater in the center of the city of Rome that was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions and dramas on mythology. This is a must when visiting Rome.
After the Colosseum we walked through the Roman Forum, which is the ancient plaza surround by the ruins of many important ancient government buildings at the center of the city in Rome. Romans used to use this space as a market place and it is amazing to feel like you are walking in the footsteps of the ancient Romans.
Sitting on the Spanish Steps
After the Roman Forum we went to the Spanish Steps to sit and relax and people watch. It was extremely busy but fun to watch people. Finally by the end of the day we were exhausted and headed home for bed and to rest up because the next day we were off to Ireland which I’ll cover in my Ireland posting.
Shortened List of Things To Do
Lake Como
- Stay in Mennagio, Bellagio or Varenna
- Take the ferry between the little towns
- Visit Villa Balbianello: James Bond Villa
Cinque Terre
- Stay in Levanto: Slightly north of Cinque Terre and away from all of the tourists
- Hike through the towns of Cinque Terre, start at Corniglia then to Vernazza then to Monterosso al Mare
- Stop for lunch in Vernazza
- Swim at the beach at Monterosso al Mare
Florence
- Stay in the city center so you can walk to most attractions, restaurants and cafes.
- Visit the San Lorenzo Market
- Walk across Ponte Vecchio Bridge
- Walk up the stairs to Piazzale Michelangelo, bring some wine to drink at the top
- Eat a panini at All’Antico Vinaio, best panini!
- Eat a pizza at Gust Pizza
- Eat gelato at Santa Trinita Gelato
- Eat at Trattoira Mario, for a authentic meal. You need to show up early for a seat.
- Get aperitivo (pre-dinner drink with food) at any bar/ restaurant
- If you like museums, visit the Uffizi Gallery for art or the Accademia for the famous sculpture of David.
- Take a half day trip to Fiesole, only if you have time
Rome
- Don’t stay near the train station, we made that mistake
- Visit the Colosseum
- Visit the Roman Forum
- People watch and sit on the Spanish Steps
Journeys of a Foodie 