Hi Friends! I am here with Sarah for Hello Monday!
If you blogged today, grab our graphic above and link back up with us below!
My little fam is back from Italy- a true trip of a lifetime- the longest vacation I have taken in my entire life and so very much needed. Truth be told, it was not relaxing. It was a go, go, go vaca BUT so grateful for all of the walking and the touring and taking it all in. It was a great break for my brain and work/life stress....it is exactly what the doctor ordered...I am back feeling very grateful and at peace and ready to share the beautiful and funny details too!
I am going to preface this post and recap by sharing a couple of helpful gems of info. Our friends Tom and Laurel planned this trip for us. They had been to Italy twice before and are world travelers. Thank God for them- as I said several times, I would not have gone without them. They did not steer us wrong. They kept us on track and made sure we saw the best of the best! If you have friends like this, I suggest having them plan and lead your trip. If not, I suggest either a travel agent OR a cruise that stops at these various locations.
Secondly, there was TONS of walking. We easily hit 10,000 steps a day and most of the time were nearing 20,000. If you are planning to take the trip with folks whose walking is limited, you would have to consider more car services/cab rides. Rome is a very walkable city. Where we stayed in Sorrento was pretty walkable too. Our cab usage was minimal everywhere BUT you could do it with more rides if need be. Attractions like the Coloseum and Vatican, however, would be tough on those with walking issues though for sure- tons of steps and land to cover!
Anyway, I hope this helps and happy to answer any of your questions after!
Thursday the 3rd of August
We finished up our last minute packing details and home organization and got picked up at 11am. We got to Logan by 12noon so we were super early. We flew through security and then killed some time by having lunch and then meeting up with friends and chatting.
Friday the 4th of August
We landed in Rome around 8am their time. Italy is 6 hours ahead of us here on the East Coast of the U.S.
Buongiorno! Needed a pic in the airport with my champagne of course :)
This was the day we had to power through on very little sleep but as I learned from my travel expert friends- Tom and Laurel- the key is to take the red eye- power through and stay on schedule and so we did!
Rome was the first leg of our trip and we stayed at the Palazzo Navona hotel right near the Piazza Navona- great location and beautiful!
We dropped off our bags (rooms weren't ready yet since we were so early) and then walked around. We stopped for "brunch" at a cafe on the piazza. Everything there was beautiful- the architecture is ancient AND stunning everywhere...also there were fountains everywhere...couldn't get enough!
Ok so I know France probably has the best croissants but THIS ONE right here was the best croissant I ever had!
There were Gelaterias everywhere! The kids had gelato every night and we did indulge a few nights too of course :)
Then it was time to explore further. We walked to the Pantheon next!
Then we walked to Trevi Fountain!
Then it was time to hop in some cabs and head over to the Coloseum and Roman Ruins for our 2pm tour!
We were running on adrenaline for sure!
After that, we were hitting the wall so we cabbed it back towards our hotel and then stopped at a little restaurant we found along the way...it ended up being my favorite meal of the entire trip!
The staff was amazing- they were hysterical- gave us back massages at the table even- ha! Their recommendations for appetizers for the table were on point and our meals and wine were all incredible too!
My dish was a thick spaghetti with a white sauce and zucchini blossoms-my favorite! (Check out the portion sizes- exactly how we should be eating here right?!)
After dinner, there was one more stop- our first gelato!
Rob and I shared a banana flavored one- it was amazing :)
and you can probably guess what we did next? We checked in and CRASHED HARD!
Saturday the 5th of August
We were up early and headed downstairs for a little breakfast. Then we were off! We walked to the Vatican for our 9am tour. We would be touring The Vatican, The Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica- I was so excited for this!
The tour did not disappoint. The Basilica was my favorite- so so beautiful and ornate- rich with history and amazing corpses that have been preserved. Even St. Peter is buried here!
After our tour, we walked around and happened upon our first little pizza place so we went in for lunch- it did not disappoint! I was in my happy place- pizza and wine-my favorite meal and some of the best pizza I have ever had!
After lunch, the guys took the kids exploring and four of us ladies hit the shopping district for some special shopping. I could definitely see how Rome is one of the fashion capitals of the world- everyone looks like they have just walked off the runway!
That night, we got all decked out! The adults headed up to a rooftop bar at a nearby hotel "The Pantheon Hotel" for a cocktail and the staff put out these amazing little apps- we loved this touch!
BIG fan of the Aperol Spritz- one of Italy's Signature Cocktails!
After that, we walked down to get the kids and walked to our dinner- another amazing little Roman restaurant!
and may I introduce "Gata Sexy?" Yes...Sexy Cat as we have named him...he is the result of street merchants hounding us and can you believe we are halfway across the world, and we find Shania Twain? HA! I still can't stop laughing!
There was a stop for gelato on the way back to our hotel- need to mention that Europeans eat very late so most nights we did not get back to our hotel until close to 11pm.
Sunday the 6th of August
We were up bright and early and walked over to the piazza to grab breakfast in one of the pretty cafes.
We loved this day as it was "free" with no booked tours. We walked around at our leisure.
After breakfast, we walked to The Spanish Steps- another amazing landmark.
Then as we walked, Laurel found a cute little cafe so we stopped there for lunch and it ended up being my 2nd favorite meal in Italy- great pizza and a wonderful sparkling rose!
We walked downtown for another great dinner-this night our dinner was more "nouveau" than others
Happy Birthday Gary/Gerry/Giusseppe! ;)
Another stop for gelatto!
and a nightcap for the adults!
Monday The 7th of August
This was our last morning in Rome- we walked over to a little cafe for coffee and pastries- wanted to try the famous Maripoza but it was just ok- so glad we grabbed a sfogliatelle too because that was amazing!
Then it was time to check out of our hotel in room and hook up with our car service. We had two cars that would be taking us down to Sorrento for the rest of our stay!
We had a really special and fun pit stop however at Mount Vesuvius and the Winery/Vineyard "Cantina de Vesuvius". We enjoyed touring the vineyard, seeing how the wine was made and then a wonderful lunch and wine and vinegar tasting- it was unbelievable and the views were spectacular!
Then it was time to complete our trip to Sorrento....oh the views!
We stayed at the Hilton Sorrento Palace and it was just beautiful and so conveniently located right near the downtown area! The pools and views were spectacular!
Our welcome cookies :)
That night, we walked into town for dinner. I will say though we got great food throughout Sorrento and the islands, it was not nearly as wonderful as the food in Rome. That was interesting!
Tuesday the 8th of August
We started with breakfast at our hotel which was included in the price of our room and let me tell you...it was such a beautiful buffet every darn day..I took advantage of all of the fresh fruit AND figs!! One of my faves!
This is Eva's version of a healthy Italian breakfast- burrata and a doughnut- HA!
Then our day was spent on an amazing excursion to Amalfi and Positano.
We first took a bus down to the docks and then boarded our boat.
The views were breathtaking
Our first stop was Amalfi for about 3 hours. We decided to divide and conquer. We let the kids walk around on their own, the guys did their own exploring and lunch and the ladies did ours. We went into the cutest shops and had a great lunch of different kinds of grilled veggies, a caprese salad and of course the specialty of the area "Limoncello Spritzes"...there were lemons EVERYWHERE and they were the biggest I have ever seen!
Rob's Lemon Slushie
Next Stop was Positano!
and it was a DREAM!
We successfully found it after walking miles only to find out they didn't open for cocktails until 6pm- eek!
That's ok- we prevailed and found a cafe next door with beautiful views and delicious spritzes ;)
and then I am happy to say that I finally got in the ocean this season! Yes it had to be in Italy but I was SO happy and it was SO refreshing!
and then it was time to head back to Sorrento....
Wasn't his hat cute? I snagged it on Amazon -right after this pic, it blew off into the ocean-ha! It's ok, he snagged another cute one in Sorrento
"The Pidge"
We described the color of the water here as "sapphire"...it wasn't the aqua blue you find in the Caribbean but it was still so gorgeous and different!
Back at the hotel...
We got ready and headed upstairs to the Japanese Restaurant "J" which did not disappoint. It was great to be able to have an easy dinner right in the hotel after our long day.
Then the adults enjoyed a night cap in the outdoor restaurant while Pidge enjoyed some more gelato of course!
We were excited too, as Suzy, Rob and the boys arrived!
Wednesday the 9th of August
Check out Diana's shirt-cute right? :)
This day we experienced our favorite excursion and that was taking a van to a nearby family farm. We toured the farm and learned how this amazing family makes wine, vinegars, mozzarella and more.
Fig Trees....Olive Trees and Basil...the Fig Trees were my favorite!
Biggest Basil you have ever seen!
After the tour and demonstration, we got to make our own pizzas- it was so much fun and we had many laughs especially when the wife called Rob and me "disasters"...so funny!
I will tell you, however, it was some of the best pizza I have ever had an their homemade wine was incredible too!
They wrapped up the excursion by serving us charcuteries and limoncello shots...just perfect!
When we got back to Sorrento, the guys took the kids back to the hotel to swim for a bit. The ladies headed out shopping and snagged our first pairs of sandals :)
Then we headed back to our hotel and got ready for dinner...unbeknownst to me, it would be a surprise birthday dinner for me "under the lemon trees" which was my dream!
It was an amazing night!
Thursday the 10th of August
This was the day we were venturing to Capri- another dream! There were more lemons- more beautiful architecture- custom made sandals and more Limoncello Spritzers. Also, in case I haven't mentioned, the tomatoes in Italy taste SO MUCH better than home so during most meals there was one or two caprese salads making the rounds too!
I did love Capri but I loved Amalfi and Positano just as much :)
Then the girls decided to do the sky ride- Rob and I were too scared- ha!
That night, we enjoyed the most spectacular views at dinner at a nearby hotel- just beautiful!
But first....twinning...ha ha!!!
Suzy had been dying for cheesecake...she thought she finally got it...
But was quickly let down- ha~!
Pidge lost a tooth!
Friday The 11th of August
This was our last day in Italy! We took a train tour to Pompei. Though it wasn't my favorite excursion, it was interesting to learn about the history and see the ruins in this area.
That afternoon we relaxed by the pool- it was much needed and oh so luxurious!
and we stopped for one last gelato on our way back...and crashed hard!
Saturday the 12th of August
We were up bright and early, got packed and enjoyed one last breakfast at our hotel...we even sat outside for a bit before the birds and bees became too much!
Our driver picked us up and brought us to the airport. We flew back through Naples-will never do that again- the craziest and most unorganized airport I have ever been in.
Our layover in Paris made it worthwhile, however, as Laurel and I enjoyed recapping the trip and having the best champagne!
We then landed in Boston around 8:30pm. The lines in customs were long but they moved and our driver whisked us home in record time. We were so happy to sleep in our own beds and get Remi the following morning who had a rough week and stopped eating- my poor baby!
Anyway, this truly was the trip of a lifetime and I will be forever grateful...Italy will now always have a special place in my heart XO
14 comments:
Holly, you took such a wonderful trip to Italy with your family and friends. I enjoyed looking at all of the photos and so happy you all had a great time.
Oh my goodness! I loved seeing each picture and reading about your amazing days. You guys all looked fantastic and you packed SO MUCH into your stay. Great job by your travel planners! Rome is on my bucket list for sure. Happy Birthday to you! Glad to see you joined the 50+ club- of course you did it wonderfully and with much great panache!! Glad your travels were safe ones- it looks like the weather was really good, too?
I love Italy! I was at many of these spots last year (2022) I am going to pore over your photos one by one later, I love this post because there are so many great photos! <3 <3 <3
That all sounds so amazing and so incredible! The first part of your trip reminds me of blog posts I've been reading from Lyssy in the City and her recap to Rome. You both are making me want to get to Italy so much!
Wow! What an amazing trip!
@Maria Thank you! YES! I forgot to mention how the weather cooperated! We were seeing stories of it being over 100 degrees for weeks! We lucked out! Most days were in the 80's- a couple in the low 90's- though it was hot, we were good! Everything was safe too- we took extra precautions, especially in Rome, with anti-theft crossbodies, etc. We were aware of our surroundings and always stayed in groups. It was so much cleaner than I had read about and Rome was probably the biggest surprise of the whole trip for me- I truly fell in love with the city!
What an incredible trip! I loved all the pictures of the beautiful spots you enjoyed, the food, and your amazing dresses. I loved every single one of them, even the tutu skirt! I love this kind of recap- heavy on pictures and light on words. What a dream come true this was for you! I love that video where they all described you in a word- and your sweet girls and husband said you were inspiring, loving, and love. What a testament to the person you are, my friend! Beautiful on the outside, but even more importantly, you're beautiful on the inside with a heart of gold. Your "sh&% it's fresh" video had me almost spewing my coffee.
I loved this so much! I wish we could sit in person and chat more about it over coffee! Thank you for sharing with us, sweet friend. 🤍
Oh my goodness!! HOLLY!!!! That trip was truly amazing!! You did so much, saw so much, and looked like you were having the best time celebrating your birthday, family, and friends together. The pizza, the wine, the appetizers, the lemons, the cocktails, the gelato all looked so delicious! I’ve been to Rome, Florence, and Pisa, but your stops on the coast have me wanting to head back! I’m so glad you had such a great trip!! Welcome home!
Wow! What a wonderful trip. I'm off to look up the recipe for a limoncello spritz and figure out when I can book my trip to Italy :)
WOW! What an AMAZING trip!! I am so jealous!
What an amazing trip of a lifetime! All your pics look amazing. And the food.....Yum!!! I'm really glad you had such an amazing time with your family.
Beautiful blog
What an amazing trip! I loved reading every detail. The pic of you on the balcony in the green/white caftan/cover up--is profile pic worthy :) You all had so much fun with your friends, and it looks like the kids are the the perfect age to enjoy too! The birthday dinner under the lemon trees--too perfect! I love that you found the hotel from the book haha
I hope you've rested up from your trip by now. So fun to follow along!
Catching up on my blog reading from vacation, and oh my goodness! These photos are absolutely amazing! You should do a "guide to Italy" post on all the places you went. And I love your frayed skirt you wore with the black tank! Such an amazing trip, thanks for sharing so many photos!
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