Italy
Day 8, We’re back on the road for a very long drive through the Dolomites to our most anticipated country, Italy, baby!! Up first, Venice. What an extraordinary place. The ingenuity to create a city surrounded by water; it's incredible these buildings still exist, which makes sense why the city implemented a tourist tax to discourage so much tourism. We wandered through the tiny alleyways, learning about the history, topography, and culture with a local guide. We explored St. Mark’s Square and most of us opted to experience a gondola ride (after all, it’s what you do when you’re in Venice).
My daughter was on the hunt for a Carnival mask, so we explored multiple beautiful mask shops until she found the perfect one. She was very happy!
*TIP Pack your daybag with everything you’ll need for your Venice stop and leave your carry-on on the bus. This will make it much easier getting on/off the vaporetto and trekking through the city to/from the hotel
Day 10, After a short visit to Venice, we set off for our next destination, Florence, the artistic powerhouse. We were instore for some amazing art since the Accademia Gallery and Uffizi Gallery were part of the tour! Our local guide took us on a walking tour through the historic city center, teaching us about its history and the Renaissance art movement.
After a short visit at the Accademia, we enjoyed an Italian family-style feast then took an evening stroll.
The next day, we opted for a down day. We found a nearby laundromat that luckily had staff onsight to help us with the machines. We strolled through historic Florence admiring the Renaissance architecture. But the view from our hotel room window was just as nice; it made you feel like you were really in Italy:
Day 12, We're on our way to my most anticipated stop, the Eternal City, Rome! At first glance, Rome is more hectic and dirtier than I imagined, with a lot of graffiti and cars whizzing by. But beyond the loud hectic city, the history and architecture shined through telling an amazing story. As soon as we arrived, the group headed straight to ancient Rome. We saw the exterior of the legendary Colosseum and were given a guided tour of the Roman Forum and the Pantheon.
The next morning, we visited St. Peter's Basilica for some impressive marble artwork-talk about opulence! Then we were free to explore the Eternal City on our own.
Our final stop in Italy is the stunning Mediterranean Sea. Did someone say beach day? Yes, please!
Day 14, We made our way through Tuscany and down windy hillsides to the Monterosso perched on the rocky coast of the beautiful deep blue Mediterranean water. Hilde effortlessly maneuvered hairpin turns on mountain roads while we watched with bated breath.
That evening the group had a seafood feast together then some of us celebrated Italy's football win with the locals..Italian fans really get into their football! GOOOL!!
Alright, who's ready for a vacation from their vacation? Me!! Sunday was definitely a day of rest for us. Like most of the group, we rented 2 chairs and an umbrella and relaxed on the beach. Awww, I can get used to this!
Italy
Click on the forward and back arrows to see my gallery