Travel Guide: My Adventures in Italy
Okay queens, I know this blog post is long overdue but I am finally coming with all of the details from my Italy trip. Let me be very honest, as fun as this trip looked ( and it was) it was equally exhausting! We took a different approach to planning this trip, I wanted to see multiple places and have that European backpacking experience ( in the chicest way possible,lol). We took planes, trains, and boats to arrive at these locations and it was A LOT, but I’m really glad I had the experience. Below I am breaking things down my location and giving you the deets on where to eat, sleep, and have a good time. If you have any questions of course leave them below and I will answer!
ROME
We stayed in Rome for 2 nights and really focused on seeing the sights since it was our first time there, we knew we would have later in the trip to relax so we were up early each day to take in as much as we could!
Transportation: We took a plane from the Dulles airport in D.C to the Rome airport, it was a non stop flight and took around 8 hours to get there. While in Rome we walked most places and took taxis when needed. They do use Uber in Rome but most places are close enough to walk and the tourist areas are heavily populated with taxis.
Accommodations: We stayed at the Martius Private Suites, and it met all of my expectations. This small boutique hotel has around 10 rooms and they are all beautiful. Since we were only staying for 2 days we upgraded to the Deluxe Suite and that was around $800 total, breakfast was also included daily. This hotel was definitely an experience and the staff, ambiance, and location convenience made it worth the money.
Dining: Here are a few of my favorites, I came to eat and I have to say the food was not as amazing as I expected but it got the job done.
Gelateria Della Palma: The best gelato I have ever had!!!!!! Its the perfect after dinner treat ( we treated ourselves twice each day,lol) and they stay open until midnight. They have 150 flavors of gelato and the service is great, but be prepared for lines and chaos ( it’s everyone’s favorite).
Napoletano’s Pantheon: This is another late night spot with a view of the Pantheon, they have really tasty pasta and of course pizza. We dined outside so we could people watch and it was amazing. This area is packed even at night and there are a ton of restaurants and bars to choose from.
Royal Art Cafe Roma: This restaurant is super cute and right across from the Colosseum, they have a rooftop area for dining and the most delicious drinks! We had the carbonara and pizza here and they were both really tasty, this place does get busy for dinner so make a reservation if possible.
Benvenuti Alla Maddalena: Really cute restaurant near our hotel, we ate here twice. The service was fast and the food was really good, we had the fettucini bolognese and alfredo.
Sightseeing/Activities: Below are the places we visited during our two days in Rome, we also took photos at most of these places. In order to get the most out of each location and actually enjoy myself I took a few changes of clothes each day so that we could get a picture when we first arrived at each site and then we could enjoy our time there. If you want to take pictures at these locations I suggest getting to the Trevi Fountain first, it gets filled up the earliest and becomes impossible to get a photo. The Colosseum is great for the last photo of the day because you can find a spot outside ( see below) without many distractions.
Colosseum
Trevi Fountain
Pantheon
Roman Forum
Spanish Steps
CAPRI
We stayed in Capri for 5 nights and this was definitely my favorite location!! However no one talks about the millions of steps and hills, so come prepared with comfy shoes and strong legs,lol. Also make sure you book your hotel way in advance, I booked all three locations at the same time( about a month out) but there weren’t many options left in Capri. The overall vibe of Capri is full on luxury, there are designer shops everywhere and beautiful views at every turn.
Transportation: We took a train from Rome to Naples and a ferry from Naples to Capri. The only transportation on the island are convertible taxis, which you won’t really need unless you are coming or going to the port. Most places are walk-able and if you tried taking a taxi they can’t get you to your exact location and you would have to walk the rest of the way. Again lots of hills and stairs so comfy shoes are the only option!
Accommodations: We got lucky with our hotel stay at Hotel Della Piccola Marina ( since we booked last minute) but it was better than we expected. The hotel had free breakfast daily, which was really delicious and a great outdoor dining area to enjoy. We stayed here 5 nights in standard room and we paid $1,100 total.
Dining:
Capri Rooftop Lounge Bar: This was our favorite place, we went 3 times for the views and music. This place serves delicious drinks and the views are perfection, enjoy lunch or pre-dinner drinks here. They have live entertainment and/or a dj most of the day, great place for a girls night or a romantic date.
Rendez-Vous by the terrace inside the Grand Hotel Quisusana: Great food, excellent staff, and a full experience. Come around 7:30 and enjoy the sunset with your dinner. The 5 star hotel is super luxurious and near the best shopping ( Chanel is directly across from it)
Verginiello dal 1961: This is a great lunch spot, it overlooks the port so you can enjoy the view. The menu is robust, but keep in mind they only serve wine ( no liquor).
Le Camerelle: Only mentioning this place to warn you, DO NOT EAT HERE!!! The food was less than average and the service was poor. We also had the pleasure of paying an additional fee (copperto) to use the napkins and seat we sat in. This is a practice some restaurants use in Capri to add on to your bill, like a service fee.
Rosticceria: Saving the best for last, another gelato place that is pretty legendary. The line is usually down the block but it is worth the wait, we got treats here most days and twice one of those days ( don’t judge). They make the waffle cones on the spot and it is EVERYTHING!!!!!!!
Sightseeing: Capri is all about luxury shopping, eating, and that boat life. I recommend renting a boat/yacht depending on the amount of people you are traveling with and let the tour guide show you the sites. We rented a boat for a few hours and it costs us around $300, we were able to cruise around the island and learn about everything from our boat captain.
AMALFI COAST
We stayed in the Amalfi Coast for 1 night and it was the most underwhelming of the places we visited, we were also extremely tired by the time we arrived so that didn’t help. We stopped in Positano before arriving in Amalfi and I would recommend staying there instead.
Transportation: We took a one hour ferry from Capri to Amalfi, it’s worth noting that taking a ferry to multiple locations with all of your baggage is extremely strenuous and I definitely wouldn’t do it again. If I took this trip again I would only visit two locations instead of 3, or 3 locations that were inland and did not require ferry’s.
Accommodations: We stayed in an AirBnB for our one night in Amalfi, this was a great way to save at the end of our trip and our host was really helpful however the amount of stairs leading to the airbnb were unimaginable. We climbed at least 100 and so did our bags, again this is the part of Capri and Amalfi that I’ve never heard anyone talk about so just an fyi do your research before booking anything.
Dining: We kept it simple our last night and ate at a local pizzeria, after those steps we didn’t have the strength to go far,lol. No kidding, we spent most of the day walking around and trying to see as much as we could. since we had to travel early the following day we grabbed something convenient.
Sightseeing: We didn’t do much sightseeing, we walked through the town center (pictured below)and along the coast to watch the sunset, which was magical (check out my Instagram highlight for Italy to see)
Well those are all the details to my Italy adventure, again I will say that planning and executing this trip was A LOT! Also there were several things that didn’t go as planned like the online ferry bookings that were canceled the day of which in turn forced us to change our train booking to leave from a different city. I say all of that to say that if you are planning a trip similar to this do your research, be flexible, and go with the flow.
Thanks for stopping by, see ya!