Day 1: Roma
We began our time in Roma by being greeted by our driver, Amor, at the airport. He was such a gentleman and a wealth of information. We took the afternoon to get settled in our apartment - which was located in an old palace (Palazzo Odescalchi designed by Bernini)! It was huge and beautiful. Once settled, we had our first taste of wine at our new hangout across the street, Bibo Ristorante. We had an interesting spectacle that evening when several large Carabinieri (national police) trucks pull up outside the café and proceeded to block the street for an oncoming protest. We found ourselves surrounded by no less than 20, handsome, Italian military men in full riot gear, enjoying an espresso before going to work. As we were several bottles in, you can imagine how our group of women reacted. (thanks for your patience, David!)
We had a light dinner at Bibo and went back to the apartment and played Bourré until some ungodly hour of the morning. So much for taking it easy. :)
Day 2: Roma
The next morning we met our guide, Giulio, and Amor for a tour of Rome. They were the so kind and informative. We started at the Colosseum, but the lines were horrendous due to increased security and we decided to come back later in the day. The great thing about private guides is that you have flexibility to change your itinerary due to weather or special interests. We continued on to the Circus Maximus, Aventine Hill and had a special, unexpected view of Pope Francis addressing the crowds in St. Peter's Square. Giulio suggested a local restaurant and we had an incredible lunch at Pinsa & Buoi Dei that I highly recommend.
Day 3: Roma
On day two, Giulio and Amor picked us up for an early morning tour of the Vatican, where we had what felt like private access to the Vatican Museums, followed by tours of the Sistine Chapel and Basilica before the general public were allowed to enter. What a special treat! (didn't bring my camera for this tour...wanted to experience it without looking through a lens)
That evening, we attended a private cooking school, Trustevertastes, where we were instructed on preparation of a typical, Southern Italian three course meal (including homemade pasta!) Paola Sansalone has created a beautiful, homey space that makes you feel like you are in her private kitchen. Her sous chef, Lilli, was so talented and helped us with our cutting skills. We followed up dinner with our own, homemade panna cotta with a clementine orange sauce. It was a wonderful and tasty evening!
Day 4: Roma
The following day, we took a day off, slept late and strolled the area around our apartment for some shopping and relaxation. We ended our day atop the National Monument to Victor Emmanuel II (referred to as the “Wedding Cake” for its over-the-top architecture), viewing a stunning sunset and view of the city. It was a perfect way to end our stay in Rome.
Day 5: Toscana & Siena en route to Firenze
On day 5, we met our new guide and driver, Giuliano, who took us on a tour through Tuscany on our way to Florence. We stopped in the amazing, mountaintop town of Montepulciano., where we had a tour of the Frattoria Della Talosa, where they produce Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano, followed by a wine tasting (can’t wait for the cases to come in!) Christian Pepi was our guide and really brought the wine and history to life. The cellars are deep in the mountain and the caves contain an ancient Etruscan tomb and early Christian church. Absolutely incredible!
Drawing on the wall of the tomb and stairs leading down.
61 Steps down to the cellar...
Recognize this doorway? (hint: in a vampire movie)
We then continued on to a remote farm, Podere Il Casale, atop another hill in Pienza (Siena). The beautiful, self-sustaining farm was such a treat. The owners, a Swiss couple, have created an organic farm that produces olive oil, Pecorino cheese, honey, wine and more. We learned the process of making this exceptional cheese, toured the farm and had a delicious tasting. It’s hard to imagine a more beautiful place. From Pienza, we continued on to Florence, where we checked in to our next apartment.
Day 6: Firenze
Florence was really different from Rome…and a world away from Tuscany! The old town is confined in a very small area and it can be quite loud. Our apartment was beautiful the owner very accommodating. We took things easy on our first night there. The following morning, we were met by our guide, Giuliana, for a walking tour of the city. We began at the incredible Sant'Ambrogio market. I can’t describe the colors and sights, so I’ll let the photos do the talking.
From there, we walked around the town and visited the Duomo (Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore). What a sight…shining white and pink marble in the center of a square with soaring domes and statues. We continued on to the Ponte Vecchio Bridge and had some of the most delicious hot chocolate from the famous Rivoire. From there, we went to the Accadamia to view the statue of David and some of the collections. I could have easily spent hours in this museum. Giuliana was incredibly knowledgeable about the art and architecture of the city (she is trained in art restoration) and really took time to explain different ideas and concepts behind Michelangelo’s works. We said goodbye to Giuliana after the tour and headed back to the Duomo for lunch in the square. I kept pinching myself that I was sitting outside, viewing the spectacular cathedral while eating.
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| Unfinished Michelangelo sculpture. He believed each piece of marble had a soul and told him when it was time to stop How incredible and ahead of his time. |
After lunch, David, Sandy, Artie and I went to the Pitti Palace to tour the Boboli Gardens. It was late in the afternoon and we only had time to tour a part of the gardens. Talk about a workout...my FitBit calculated that we walked 4.5 miles and 27 floors (and we only saw 1/3!) Definitely bring your tennis shoes and a picnic lunch if you go. It is incredible. Plan at least a day there to tour the museums and gardens...absolutely incredible.
Day 7: Venezia
The next morning, we took a cab to the train station and had high-speed rail to Venice. Why can’t we have this option in the U.S.?? It was so relaxing and quick (2 hours), and you got to see great views of the countryside. Upon arrival in Venice, we were met by a representative from Access Italy, who took us via water cab to our new apartment. Talk about incredible?! This place was like a home away from home. Warm and cozy, with plenty of room, in the heart of the city. And so quiet after Rome and Florence!! We took the afternoon to get acquainted with the area (actually to get lost...but this is the best city in the world to do so). We visited the Rialto Bridge and had an early night.
Day 8: Venezia
Our new guide, Christiana, picked us up the next morning for a walking tour of Venice and San Marco's Square. Be began at Venice's most famous staircase, the Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo (the snail) and continued on to learn about the Doge's and the political history of Venice (which is quite fascinating). We continued to San Marco Square where we visited St. Mark's Basicila (who is actually buried there) and learned the history of how he came to be there.
St. Mark's was my favorite church so far. Every surface is covered with tiny, glass tiles to create impressive mosaics. Many of the tiles are gold...which makes the entire church glow. It's hard to describe, so I highly recommend you see it in person.
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| Close-up of the mosaic tiles (each one is about the size of your pinky nail) |
Elena picked us up on our last morning for boat tour of Murano and Burano. The weather was cold and rainy, so we almost cancelled. So glad we didn't. The boats were covered and heated and we had umbrellas, so there wasn't a problem. We began the tour in Murano at the Massimiliano Schiavon Factory, where we got to see an master craftsman. It was a really cool demonstration and I'm still baffled by how a lump of melted sand can make such beautiful works of art.
From here, we headed to the island of Burano by boat. Burano is a typical fisherman's village known for it's brightly colored houses and intricate lace. We had lunch there and walked around the island. It was beautiful.
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| Yes, it's leaning. ALL bell towers in Venice lean! |
We ended our trip to Italy with a bang by having an incredible dinner at Ristorante Al Colombo. They treated us like VIPs with a multi-course meal that included: Seafood antipasti, Tagliatelli with shaved black truffle and Salted Sea Bass. Magnifico! Plus, they have the BEST bartender that we found in Italy- Francisco. What a wonderful way to end our trip.
Ciao!
Angie
