12 Days Training Through Italy

Fly into Rome. You're almost definitely coming off a red eye, and you will be feeling a bit like death. Take an Uber straight from the airport to your hotel. The airport is about 1 hour from the city, and you're tired. I recommend The Hoxton. Booking with me will help guarantee that your room is ready for an early check in to help you shake off that jet leg. Grab something to eat at the hotel's in house restaurant, The Elio. Spend the first night wandering around the neighborhood. World class museums (like the MAXXI) are very close or take an Uber to see the Colosseum at night all lit up. Rest up, there is a lot to see in Italy.

We spend 3 days in Rome, touring the Vatican, underground Colosseum tour and Palatine hill with the forum. These tours I strongly recommend booking months in advance and I 100% recommend skip the line tickets. The rest of our time in Rome was spent wandering around. Getting lost in the ally ways and streets. Watching the sun set on the Spanish Steps...don't plan too much. Give yourself time to enjoy where you are. There are many fine dining restaurants, but our favorites and what I recommend is to simply find a place that is relatively close to where you are, and Trip Advisor it. We aren't huge foodies and wanted to rest our feet without taking too much time. Some of our favorite places we ate were ordering pasta at the window and eating while we walked. Simply put, we did not have a bad meal the whole time we were in Italy. Make sure you stay out in the plazas till after sunset, the lights come on, the locals come out and it is magical.

Take an Uber to the Termini train station. This is the largest international train station in Rome. It is super nice and super user friendly. In Italy, you will be using the Trenitalia for basically everything. Download the app, and away you go. Buying your train tickets early ensures that you have them, and you have the best selection of seats. Buy refundable tickets or insurance as trains in Italy (in Europe) can go on strike at a moments notice. And if it's in your budget, always try and get 1st class tickets. This is typically only a few dollars more, but for a long ride, like 4 hours into Venice, it just makes it that much better. You'll arrive in Venice and walk out of the train station and have your breath taken away by how beautiful it is. Water taxis line the terminal to take you to your hotel. Again, take the taxi. I recommend staying at the beautiful H10 Palazzo. This is right on the grand canal and only a 3 minute walk from the Rialto Bridge. The hotel also has a roof top terrace, which is just the most wonderful thing. We happened to be there during Carnival, which did add to the crowds, but also to the ambiance and made our trip even better.

There are many cafes and restaurant spots to grab a quick bite as you head out for your day. There are water taxis and water busses all throughout the grand canal. We caught one and headed out to the small island of Murano to tour the glass blowing factory. After this, we went on to the other island of Burano, where they make lace. Both islands are tiny, charming, but Burano was my favorite. It is full of brightly colored homes, amazing gelato and has a leaning bell tower to see, also. The water taxis are also the local school bus routes. If you are interested in culture and the people, and not shy to talk to strangers, it was really great to talk to some kids about what it's like living on a tiny island off the coast of Venice. While your in Venice, make sure you visit St Mark's Square, and go up St. Mark's bell tower. Again, I highly recommend skip the line tickets, especially if you're going in the busy season. We closed our time here eating tomahawk steaks at Al Grill. An Italian take on American food, it was divine. If I only had one day in Venice, I would suggest not doing any tours but instead plan on wandering around Venice and getting lost in the streets. I would aim for at least 3 days in this unique city.

The train down to Florence is approximately 2 hours. Hotel Orto de'Medici is a lovely hotel, located a few blocks from Piazza del Duomo. You'll walk past the Accademia Gallery, which holds the David on your way to the Piazza. Florence is the perfect spot to stay for a day trip to Pisa. You can also rent vespas and ride into the Tuscan countryside for a day. While your in Florence, make your way up to Piazzale Michelangelo, this is either a scenic 50 min walk up hill, or you can take an Uber. But you don't want to miss it. The views are the best in the city. Allow yourself about 3-4 days to really see Florence. The shopping here is great. They are known for their leather bags sold on the street, and we had the best food here. Again, let yourself get lost here.

After Florence, take the train into Naples, the birth place of pizza. Naples has some beautiful areas, but also some areas that you may not want to spend as much time in. Leave your luggage locked up at the train station and walk 6 blocks or so to Insolito La Pizzeria Gourmet. There is no website for this restaurant. It is located in a small alley and no one speaks any English. However, this is without a doubt the best pizza you will have on the whole trip. It is worth the walk. Just make sure it is daylight when you go. From here, you are so close to the Amalfi Coast, it would be a shame to miss it. Train the rest of the way and stay in Sorrento. You'll go right through Pompeii, which you need to see as well. Again, buy a skip the line, I recommend a guided tour. There are audio guides, but they are hard to understand and quite confusing. Try and get a guided tour if it's in your budget. From Sorrento, you can catch a bus to Positano and then onto the Amalfi coast. There are tours you can take, but the bus is really convenient and an easy option. It is a twisty ride. Think about taking some Dramamine. I'd say 3 days in this area is good. The streets are lined with lemon and orange trees and all the homes sit cliffside. It is everything you want it to be.