First stop, Rome. We stayed at a gorgeous little hotel called Hotel Campo de Fiori. It is a boutique hotel with a gorgeous roof top view of Rome. There is a multi-level terrace where you can sit and enjoy a class of wine while watching the sun set. It is within walking distance from the Piazza Navona, Pantheon, Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and the Vatican City.
We spent our days adventuring around and being the typical tourists. One of the absolute must see things in Rome is the Piazza Navona. It is a city square built on the site of the Stadium of Domitian, where the Romans came to watch the "games". It features the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, or the Fountain of Four Rivers. This gorgeous fountain is located in the center of the city square. The Piazza has great shopping and places to grab a glass of wine. Also great for people watching. This is the center for tourist attractions. Ample amounts of people dressed as statues, selling of knock off Louis Vuitton purses, and portrait paintings. A must see for sure!
A true trip to Rome is not complete without throwing a coin in the Trevi Fountain and making a wish. It is the largest Baroque fountain in the city and one of the most famous fountains in the world. The fountain is featured in numerous films, such as La Dolce Vita. It is always packed with people throwing coins and taking pictures, but it is so gorgeous, that you do not need to miss it!
About half a mile away from the Trevi Fountain are the Spanish Steps. They are a steep slope between the Piazza di Spagna and Piazza Trinita dei Monti. It is the widest staircase in Europe, consisting of 135 steps. Talk about a workout! The movie Roman Holiday starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck made it famous to the American audience. Very crowded, but worth seeing and capturing a few pictures.
The typical transportation in Rome is either walking, tour guided buses, or mopeds. And take my word for it, you better watch out for the moped drivers. They are worse than cab drivers in New York City.
While walking around Rome, we took in the sites. We passed the Pantheon and the Roman Capitol Building. And of course, we couldn't pass up the chance to take a few pictures with the very attractive Roman police officers. Hey, when in Rome!
There are ancient ruins all over Rome. Everywhere you go you will see them. Do not pass up the chance to see them. They are unbelievable. I find it so amazing that you can stand there and see buildings that were there thousands of years ago. My favorite ruin to visit was the Colosseum. It is the largest amphitheater of the Roman Empire and is absolutely breathtaking. A great photo opportunity as well. It is considered one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and engineering.
Let's talk food. Rome has everything! But when in Rome (no pun intended), you will drink gallons of wine, eat dozens on loaves of bread, and feast on mountains of pasta. Better bring you fat pants people! One of my favorite places was Harry's Bar on Via Veneto. It gained popularity in the film La Dolce Vita. Harry's attracts upscale Roman and international crowd. They are known for their amazing desserts and coffees.
You absolutely cannot leave Rome without going to see the Galleria Borghese. It is a gorgeous art gallery housed in the former Villa Borghese Pinciana. There are gardens, fountains, arts, sculptures, and amazing sites. The gallery holds sculptures such as Pauline Bonaparte by Antonio Canova and the Rape of Proserpina by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The gallery is filled with hundreds of famous paintings by Bellini, Titan, Raphael, and Caravaggio. Do not leave the Galleria Borghese without walking around the marvelous gardens. They views are breathtaking.
A day spent at the Vatican is also a must. The visit is not complete without going to the Sistine Chapel. It is marvelous. I cannot even tell you how gorgeous it is. The Sistine Chapel is a large and renowned chapel of the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope in the Vatican City. Paintings done by Botticelli, Tucci, and Perugino drape the southern wall. The Michelangelo's frescoes are on the vault, or ceiling, of the chapel. My favorite is The Creation of Adam. Walking in ad being able to see these amazing works of art is life changing. A trip to Italy is not complete without going.
We stayed in Rome for about four days and then made our trek to lovely and lush Tuscany, where we had rented a villa for the rest of the vacation. We stayed in a villa called Malafiore in Pienza, a small town in southern Tuscany. The villa was unlike any place I had ever stayed. It has a pool that overlooked the scenic Tuscany. I spent many hours reading and sunbathing by that pool. It was like being in a completely different world.
We would walk to the small neighboring town of Monticchiello and eat at the local restaurants. I found that the smaller the restaurant, the better it seemed to be. La Porta was our regular place to eat. A hole in the wall little eatery. Pasta, pasta, and more pasta! A view most people are familiar with in Tuscany are the winding roads with trees bordering. After dinner we would almost always go get gelato from Farica's. So refreshing!
During the day we would venture to Montepulciano. It ended up being my favorite place on the whole vacation. So gorgeous. The views, the architecture, and you can't forget the gelato. There is a gelato creamery on almost every corner. It is a medieval and Renaissance hill town in the province of Siena in southern Tuscany. It sits on a high limestone ridge about eight miles from Pienza, where our villa was. Montepulciano is a major producer of food and drink. And that is what we did. We drank and we ate. Boy did we eat. Montepulciano is known for its cheese and honey. Delicioso!
Oh and for those fans of the Twilight series, the second movie, Breaking Dawn was filmed there.
About 45 miles southeast is Siena. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions. Siena is famous for its cuisine, art, museums, and medieval cityscapes. A trip to Siena is not a trip to Siena without visiting a wine cellar. We tasted wines and cheeses. Such an unforgettable experience. In June, they have a flag throwing festival. We were lucky enough to be there during the festival. They have the Corteo Storico, which is a historical costume parade in Siena. It takes place before the famous horse race each year.
Driving from Pienza to Cortona was probably one of my favorite things. It is about an hour drive. While driving through Tuscany, you cannot help but notice all the sunflowers. Mile and miles of sunflowers. Cortona was incredibly hot, but very historical. It is very cultural and artistic. Cortona is in the province of Arezzo. Restaurants and shops line the streets of Cortona. A very lively little town. Various scenes from the film Under the Tuscan Sun were filmed there as well.
Although we were in Italy for a month, we did not get to experience it all. I dream to one day go back and do the things I was not able to do. Italy is an amazing, exotic place. You will have the time of your life and never want to leave. I know I certainly did not want to leave.
Until next time, Ciao!
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