An Italy Trip to Remember
Italy Trip – 2024
Here we go again! Do you like to return to locations you have visited before? We find that the people we see over time have become our friends, they remember us and we certainly remember them. The motivation to visit former places is not only the scenery, the towns, the shops, the cathedrals, but people. …. AND, friends that travel with us! This Italy trip WILL be one to remember!
Our 2024 trip is complete with a couple of friends from Hawaii who are going with us. We have traveled together before and truly enjoyed it. We will be acting as ‘tour guides’ because they think we know ALL ABOUT Rome, Venice, Tuscany, Florence, etc. Oh, do they have a surprise coming!
We encourage you to follow us as our plan is to post our experiences and pictures daily, depending on the internet. Our itinerary includes historic Rome for 3 days, rental car to Monticchiello in our beloved Tuscany for 3 nights, road trip across Tuscany to our Hilton Timeshare in Terricciola for 5 nights, then 2 nights in Florence and finally train to complete our trip with 3 nights in magical Venice with a day trip to Burano. While at the Hilton location we will spin off visits to Pisa, Siena and the pre Palio festivities, San Gimignano and Lucca.
WE LOVE ITALY and we hope you visit us daily.
Day One—A Flight to Roma
Meet Vernon and Jill, our dear friends and travel partners from Honolulu with whom we had planned this trip in 2020. You all know what happened that year, so finally our dreams are coming true with this trip.
Tonight we write from the heart of Rome, in an ancient neighborhood we have never visited before–Monti! We are staying at the Hilton DoubleTree Monti in Piazza Esquilino, just up from the Colosseum, next to the breathtaking Santa Maria Maggiore Cathedral.
This is following a 12-hour flight from San Francisco to Rome connecting from Portland. Needless to say, we are exhausted and ready to hit the hay. Be looking for an honest review of United’s new Economy Premium Plus seating, that we experienced.
After we checked in to our hotel, we relaxed for a few hours before heading to Amadeo, an authentic Italian restaurant near our hotel.
To my understanding Rome has three pastas it is especially known for, and of course these three were first on the pasta menu: Carbonara, Amatriciana, and Cacio e Pepe. I had the Amatriciana and savored every single bite.
Afterwards we found a fresh gelato spot and had several tastings before settling on Peach, Vanilla, Hazelnut, and Chocolate (We stick to the basics here.)
Rome is well-lit and feels safe at night to stroll, as long as you stay away from the crazy drivers. Tomorrow we rise early to see the sights of Rome before the heat and the crowds become a factor. More coming soon.
Day 2—Exploring Rome on Foot
Just a note: Today in Rome, it will be close to 100 degrees, so we decided to start early and are we ever glad we did! I must give a shout-out to the hotel breakfast here at the Double Tree Monti, a luscious spread of fresh fruits, cooked vegetables, pastries, waffles, eggs and bacon, undoubtedly one of the best hotel breakfasts we have ever had.
We took a taxi from our hotel to The Spanish Steps, a truly iconic and majestic collection of marble steps known to be a popular tourist attraction. Fortunately at 8:00 AM, we had lots of room to navigate and take pictures.
From there, it was a short walk to the most well-known fountain of them all—Fontana de Trevi, or The Trevi Fountain, made world famous due to the vintage 1954 movie, Three Coins in the Fountain. We threw coins in the fountain, to ensure we will once again return to Rome.
Then it was onward the short distance to the Pantheon, the only remaining intact building of ancient Rome with its roofless dome. Since today was the first Sunday of the month, entrance fees were waived. Again, being the early birds paid off because we walked right in, only to depart to finding long lines to enter!!.
After a siesta at the hotel, it’s time for another food tour, and what a food tour it was, wandering through the quaint and authentically Italian streets of Monti. Our guide Lisa from Show Me Italy made sure we appreciated not only the tastes of the Lazio region, but also the culture and history behind that food.
First up, a sampling of pastas, to include Amatriciana and Cacio e Pepe. Our guide shared her recipe for Cacio e Pepe (pasta with cheese and pepper) and stressed the importance of gently toasting the peppercorns before grinding them so as to insure that the unmistakable flavor of pepper penetrates the entire dish. Let’s not underplay the role the spectacular pecorino romano plays as well.
While walking we learned so many details about the area of Rome we were visiting, such as who “Cavour” was, as we ate outside along Via Cavour (Cavour Street). Cavour was a food enthusiast who, because he was passionate about healthy ingredients, insisted that Italians use no pesticides in their fruits and vegetables, as early as the 1800’s. He also helped to improve Italy’s train system to facilitate the movement of the hundred-pound rounds of cheese more easily from the North to the South.
A sobering moment was when Lisa pointed out gold engravings among the cobblestones of the streets of Monti.
This neighborhood, during World War II, was home to many Jews, who were removed from their homes and assassinated by the Nazis or removed to Death Camps. The names of those victims, including many children (even babies) are memorialized with these gold engravings, denoting their birth and a history of their fate–to be remembered forever.
Another stop was to a local vendor for tastes of pates, sausages, crackers and cheese. Then another stop to a pizza place for suppli (Rome’s version of rice balls), and pizza, and lastly for artisanal gelato, made every night in the laboratory in the back of a tiny shop. The result: superb taste without preservatives, artificial color or flavors.
I can only communicate with words what we ate, and who we met, but I cannot communicate the emotions attached to them. We actually greeted the restauranteurs, the vendors, the people by name, and heard their stories. By the end of the night we had an unmistakable connection to the culture, the people who served us, our guide, and the Monti neighborhood. Thank you Lisa and Monti, Roma.
Day 3–The Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica + Breakfast!
Everyone who visits Rome needs to see the Vatican, so why not enjoy breakfast as well? A full American breakfast was served to us in the beautiful Vatican courtyard, after we “skipped the line” and entered the Vatican with our guide.
Then it was off to examine the Vatican museums, with their many sculptures, paintings, maps and tapestries, all with the expert commentary of Nicoli.
Such a tour ends at the spectacular Sistine Chapel, which is the four-year work of a reluctant Michelangelo. So glad you completed it, Mike, so we can see the life of Jesus and the life of Moses portrayed so magnificently. Then it was off to St. Peter’s Basilica, which is for me, the world’s most beautiful church.
The real story was that by this time, all of us were dripping wet with sweat, and exhausted. (No, the museum itself is not air-conditioned.) We were ready to catch a taxi back to our hotel, but where were they? (In Italy, taxis are only available at official taxi stands, not on the side of the road.) With fearless “Ronaldo” as our leader, we finally found a taxi and returned to our hotel to shower and rest.
This evening, we have a tour booked to the Colosseum, but honestly, after a shower and a nap, we may just wander and eat dinner instead…..(which was exactly what we did!)
Day 4–A Drive to Tuscany
This morning, after another filling breakfast, it was off to the airport to pick up our car. Aaaa, driving once again in crazy Italy!! On the way, somehow Ron lost his International Driver’s License, but he was still able to rent the car with an Oregon Driver’s License. Now we just hope that we don’t have any run-ins with the police….
We have a Peugeot, which is lovely and very fancy, but also very complicated to run. The navigation system features “Kate” our British guide, but we had a very hard time trying to set it up for the first time.
Don’t laugh, but other problems we have had are intermittent windshield wipers which just turn on whenever they like, and an air-conditioner which has two settings that we have found: MAX and Hardly There.
When we finally figured out how to exit the airport, the rest of our journey to Tuscany went very smoothly.
At last, we arrived in teeny tiny Monticchiello to visit Francesco and La Casa di Adelina in the incomparable Val D’Orcia. Francesco greeted us warmly at the car with “Ciao! Welcome!”, hugs, handshakes, and even Italian kisses (Kissing air on one cheek and then the other).
This will be our third time here and we love its authenticity, its feeling of home, and most of all the charm and culinary skills of Francesco himself.
Our late afternoon and evening was spent wandering the streets of Pienza, another one of our favorite hill towns in Tuscany. We love it for the views, the level surface (unusual in hill towns), easy parking, and its shops.
We stumbled upon a little restaurant, Piccolomini Bistrot, in a garden courtyard, and promptly ordered more pasta and bruschetta. We just can’t get enough it seems.
Tomorrow, perhaps a picnic?
Day 5–Heart of Tuscany Drive
The day started with Francesco’s five-star breakfast, today featuring fresh fruit, homemade focaccia and bread, and pancakes stuffed with Nutella. Then we enjoyed scrambled eggs on toast and of course, fresh cappuccino. Always the best part of Casa di Adelina.
Then it was the comedy of errors as we drove around Tuscany, first to Bagno Vignoni, the spa town, then to the Casanova di Nero winery, ending up in Montalcino for lunch. The most fun was had in the laughs and the angst as we “misheard” or “disobeyed” Kate, our GPS navigator, or just tried to wing it on our own. BIG MISTAKE. It made for a stressful, but entertaining ride through the narrow roads of the Tuscan hillside and we arrived back at Casa di Adelina in time for a nap before dinner.
Tonight we stayed in Monticchiello for dinner (Thankfully) at La Porta Restaurant where Ron and I had Pappardelle pasta (flat, wide pasta) with Tuscan meat sauce–delicioso! and Vernon and Jill had Beef Cheeks with mashed potatoes. Yummy! The best part was the view of the Val D’Orcia with its charming tiled-roofed farmhouses and lines of cypress trees, from our terrace dining room.
What will tomorrow bring? Another breakfast for sure, then a trip to Montepulciano! Tomorrow we will listen more closely to Kate as she tries to guide these rebellious tourists.
Day 6–We complete the “Full Monti”
Don’t worry, it’s not what you may think. We call visiting Monticchiello, Montalcino, and Montepulciano the “Full Monti”.
Today we visited the touristy town of Montepulciano. We parked at the top and walked down the very steep street of the town, browsing in the shops as we went. Jill an I found a ceramics store with Val D’Orcia (the Valley of the Orcia River laden with cypress trees and ancient homesteads perched on the mountain tops) scenery hand painted on vases, tiles, and plaques, leather and linen shops, and many other Italian goodies.
Meanwhile Ron relocated the car to the bottom of the endless hill to pick us up and return us to our “home” in Monticchiello.
The treat tonight was our dinner in Monticchiello at Daria’s Restaurante, our favorite in Tuscany. We still cannot believe that our friend, Daria, is not with us, welcoming us at the door and serving Michelin quality meals.
We started with a complimentary Prosecco, then our bread, then an appetizer of tiny tomatoes set in pistachio cream (complimentary). Next we languished over our main courses: Crispy pig with roasted potato for Vern and Jill, Beef cheeks in a red wine sauce for me and Bolognese with wild boar for Ron. Then we had homemade gelato (Pistachio and Lime). Then complimentary Vin Santo. One of our best meals so far!!
We miss you, Daria, but your restaurant continues its high quality (Michelin) tradition.
Day 7–We Travel to our Condo in Terriciola
After a two-plus hour drive, mostly on windy roads through little villages and towns, we arrived at Borgo alla Vigne, our three-bedroom retreat. NOW we can relax, do laundry, and do what the locals do (Mostly that means eat!) We visited Da Carlo Ristorante for lunch and the volume level was LOUD! Why? Italian conversations surrounded us, as we were the only Americans there. Fresh fish was the specialty of the house. Our one waitress serviced the whole room and still was smiling. AHHH. Time again for homemade pasta.
A relaxing evening was ahead with wine and pizza at our own picnic table with a view of the small village of Peccioli in Tuscany, a little slice of heaven.
Day 8–A Leaning Tower on a Record-high Heat Day in Pisa
Yes, this is the hottest weekend on record for Italy, but we braved it (with umbrella to shade us and fans to cool us) to visit the iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa. 100 degrees plus. Whew! But the Tower did not melt and neither did we. This is really becoming a ‘hot’ Italy trip to remember!
We took all the usual pictures (holding the Tower on Vernon’s back and Jill holding up the Tower with her hands), and more, and then we ducked into an air-conditioned cafe’ for pizza and cool drinks.
Dinner was leftover pizza and all the cheese, salami and crackers we had gathered along our journey.
Tomorrow: San Gimignano and a Cooking Class!
Day 9: San Gimignano and a Cooking Class
Our condo sits in the middle of Tuscany, connecting the little hill towns by a series of winding roads, which Ron is great at maneuvering, but HATES driving. Soooo after an hour and a half of switchbacks and u-turns, and a route down a gravel pathway, we found our cooking class and Fulvio at a local farm (agriturismo)! On the sweltering hot day, we were hoping for air-conditioning, but in the ancient farmhouse we were greeted with fans (which were adequate) and a table set with cutting boards and mounds of semolina and all-purpose flour, harbingers of what was to come.
Our class started with a lively conversation with our authentic and likeable chef, Fulvio.
We began by making pici pasta, a local favorite, mixing the two types of flour and eventually forming little “snakes” of pasta, which we later cooked and ate.
Next: Two sauces, one tomato, and one with cannellini beans, both delicious. Both had strong garlic and oil bases, flavored with only salt, pepper, onion, lots of oregano, and a pinch of chili.
It was so interesting that a can of cannellini beans could be transformed into such a delicious sauce. The trick was to take the sauce on the top of the can when you open it, to use as a thickener, then rinse the beans, discarding the remainder of the bean liquid, before adding the beans to the sauce. We took turns cooking with Fluvio’s guidance, and were shocked at the flavors from such simple ingredients.
Next we rubbed fresh garlic onto slices of bread and prepared a fresh tomato bruschetta sauce (with oil, garlic, salt, pepper, tomatoes). We also prepared a sauce for thinly-sliced and baked zucchini with fresh parsley, salt, pepper, oregano, and extra-virgin olive oil. (Fulvio’s joke: How do you get “more virgin”, as in “extra virgin”?)
Our appetizer also included thinly sliced chicken with a clove of garlic, prosciutto, and olive oil rolled and fried. MMMMMM.
By now our pasta was finished, and we were ready to reap the benefits of all our hard work! What a fun day with a new friend, Fulvio, in the middle of Tuscany!
Our day continued with a trip to the beautiful town of San Gimignano,
and especially Dondoli Gelateria for the gelato that always wins “the best in the world” competition. We tasted vanilla, hazelnut, lemon, mango, among others. The line was long, but the results were worth the wait.
We ended the day with another harrowing car ride and dinner at Oro Restaurant near the condo for vegetarian pasta, with (again) pici, the local pasta, always homemade.
Day 10–Siena on the brink of the Palio and Another Food Tour
This morning it was off to Siena, the home of the largest piazza in Italy, Il Campo, on another windy mountain path. We arrived in Siena just in time for our food tour with Elio, our guide from Tuscan Wine School.
The table was set with salami, cheese, and a farro salad when we arrived. Elio, who was very informative and whose English was easy to understand, explained all the different wines that are grown in the region, the importance of the DOC (Wines with this label are subject to many government regulations including what grapes can be used and more), and DOCG labels (Wines with this label are subject to all the same regulations as the DOC wines plus additional rules to include a taste test), and that Chianti Classico is only authentic if they have the Black Rooster label. We later tried some “street food” pizza and also more gelato. Very informative!
Siena is composed of 17 neighborhoods, or contradas. A person born in Siena is a member of their contrada for life. They attend church there, they are baptized there, and their lives are centered there. Twice a year the contradas compete in a horse race in Il Campo, which is covered in clay for the event. For us, arriving shortly before the Palio this year, the most interesting part of the day was when we were able to see the “Snail” Contrada preparing for the Palio, just four short days ahead. The young men were practicing with their flags and drums, while others in the contrada prepared food for the massive gathering of all members of the neighborhood. Tables were set in the narrow streets and an electric vibe was in the air.
Did I mention Jill had great success in a leather shop called iPonti where she bought leather Christmas and birthday gifts?
The day wasn’t over yet, though, because Ron was done with the windy roads, and honestly, so were we. He insisted on catching the freeway toward Florence and then driving west towards Pisa, to then reach our condo. I have to admit this was a better route, though about an hour longer.
Did I mention we hated the Peugeot we rented? It was a tight squeeze for all of us to get in and get out, the air conditioning was temperamental, we only partially trusted the GPS system, and we never did fully comprehend the screen options. Of course, all the instructions provided were in Italian, so that didn’t help either. I have to say Ron did a great job of keeping us safe, navigating around tight corners and juggling for space with Italian drivers who often pass too tightly and take a little more than their share of the road.
Day 11–A Day of Rest
The final day at the Condo was spent resting, shopping, and having dinner in the nearby tiny hill town on Peccioli. We sat in the city square at a table with only Italians as the sun went down, church bells chimed, and we were served still more bolognese with ragu, and lasagna. A fond farewell to the area. Did we mention we love Tuscany?
Day 12–We Arrive in Florence (Firenze, in Italian)
We packed up the car and were on the road by 10AM to arrive in Florence (thankfully all freeway) two hours later. At the airport, we said “good-bye, arrivederci, good riddance” to our Peugeot! To our dismay, we found we had been double-charged and disputed the payment. After much back and forth, we were able to negotiate a little smaller charge, but not the promised rate. We will deal with Budget later, for sure.
We checked in to Hotel Pendini, which I highly recommend as a centrally-located, moderately-priced hotel in Florence. It is right in the center of Plaza de Republica, near the carousel and the world-famous Cafe Gilli, also not far from shopping, the Ponte Vecchio, and the Duomo. Another plus is that in the Plaza you will find the La Rinascente Department Store and its rooftop bar, with its superb view of the Duomo at night.
Keep in mind that the hotels in these ancient cities often, rightfully, have antique yet very elegant furnishings, with chandeliers and authentic wallpaper, for example. The breakfast at Hotel Pendini was superb as well.
Next was a tour to see the Duomo, exterior and interior, with our knowledgeable, but hard-to-understand guide. We met at the Museo Cafe across from the Duomo, where we had a little snack before starting. Bless Vernon and Jill’s hearts, they lasted the entire tour, while Ron and I found a sidewalk cafe in the shade for the last part. (We get ‘Museum-ed’ out!)
Then we searched for Jane’s favorite leather store, Via de Ginori 23r, to no avail. So off we went to Mercato Centrale (the Central Market) for pizza and arancini (the rice balls Italians love).
By this time, folks, honestly, we had sweat rolling down our backs, and were exhausted, so it was back to our Hotel for a siesta!
Day 13–Already?–Florence On Our Own and Our Favorite Restaurant
After breakfast, it was a walk across the Ponte Vecchio, the world-renowned bridge in Florence, while visiting shops and leather stalls along the way.
Ponte Vecchio – A bit of history: When the Nazis left Italy, Hitler ordered all of the bridges of Florence bombed, but the bombardier in charge refused to bomb the Ponte Vecchio, knowing its historical significance, so it stands today in its original glory. The Medici, the ruling class of Florence, had two stories built over the bridge so that they could easily cross the bridge upstairs without mixing with the local people. Today the passageway still exists while the first floor is lined with high-end jewelers, which makes for an interesting crossing always.
Dinner this night was a rare treat, with reservations made months in advance. Across the Ponte Vecchio and down an alley we found Trattoria 4 Leoni, where we were welcomed by Elio, our waiter, and his supervisor as well. Vernon and Jill were recommended this restaurant by their daughter Kim’s friend, and we had eaten here previously. Also Maddie, our granddaughter, and her friend Hayley, while visiting Florence last November, loved Trattoria 4 Leoni. We highly recommend that you visit this place if you come to Florence.
One specialty of the house is their pear pasta: little pouches of pasta, twisted together and containing a heavenly mixture of spices, pear, and a creamy sauce. The best! It quickly got very quiet as we savored our meals. Elio, our waiter, was animated and made the dinner even more memorable. He was so deserving of the rare tip we left with him (Remember in Italy tips at meals are not expected).
Day 14–We Journey to Venice by Train for Our Final (We thought) 3 Days.
A cab to the train station to meet our Frecciarossa (high-speed) train to Venice was the order of the day.
After two and a half hours, we arrived in Venice, the city with canals for roads, right on time. We quickly found a water-taxi to our hotel, Hotel Firenze.
Hotel Firenze is another centrally-located hotel just minutes from St. Mark’s Square. Again, it was moderately-priced, easily-accessible, and authentically appointed.
After a lunch in St. Mark’s Square and another siesta from the 100 degree heat, we walked to the Rialto Bridge to meet Alessandro, our guide for our cicchetti tour. Alessandro is highly-rated by Rick Steves for his lively, informative introduction to the strictly Venetian street food , cicchetti. Cicchetti are little bite-size snacks sold by the number of toothpicked specialties you choose. Peppered by Alessandro’s lively conversation, six of us wandered the back streets of Venice, sampling such specialties as calamari, rice balls, and toast with local salami. We also met Gus and Rachel, a newly-engaged couple from Michigan, who are moving to California to start his career as an ER doc.
Day 15–Venice on Our Own
Wandering through the streets of Venice, we found the Accademia Bridge and wandered across it. By this time, the heat was almost unbearable and the walk was exhaustive. To return to the St. Mark’s area and their tour of the Basilica,
Vern and Jill bravely took the Traghetto, a gondola ride across the canal, costing 2
Euros each. Ron and I waved goodbye and continued our trek, ending at the Gondola Workshop in Squero San Trevaso in the Zattere District. There we had lunch on the waterfront and caught the vaporetto (waterbus) back to our hotel as well. After much-needed showers and a rest from the heat, we headed out on a cooler evening to find pizza from Napoli (Naples) with the thick crust, contrasting with thin-crusted Roman pizza. Of course, all our treks are peppered with shopping, laughs, and our very rudimentary Italian. Ciao!
Day 16–Burano!–Our last day, or so we thought!
The vaporetto to Burano was to leave at 9:15, and we made it, barely at 9:13. It was a long ride but well worth it, to arrive at the colorful, quaint island of Burano, known for its handmade lace and even for a Hallmark movie, The Wedding Veil Unveiled (2022).
This was Jill’s happy place, where she dreamed of opening an optical shop with Vernon to sell exams, eyeglasses and cases, in retirement. It reminded her of her childhood in Cape Cod and her heart was at peace.
We were able to visit our little lace-making friend for the third time.
This lady sits all day demonstrating lace-making and has for 23 years. We showed her our pictures of her from 2015 and 2023, and she was thrilled. Jill was able to purchase a spectacular tablecloth for herself and handkerchiefs for the future weddings of her granddaughters.
Our trip to Italy was almost over, and a fitting end, was to visit El Gatto Nero (the black cat), a Michelin-recognized restaurant, to end our journey. Jill, Jane, and Vernon enjoyed Spaghetti ala Vongole (Spaghetti with Clams) and Ron had Frutti de Mare (Seafood Stew), and fresh sea bass, which he shared with all.
Then it was dancing in St. Mark’s Square, after our long waterbus ride, home to pack for our trip back to the states.
WAIT! We are not heading back home right away. ‘Venice to Newark’ – CANCELLED! Whoops! Vernon and Jill just got out via Frankfort, Germany, but Jane and I were too late, and we extended our stay 2 more days at Hilton Garden Inn where we have stayed before.
We tried. 140 euros on water taxi to the airport; standing in line for a couple of hours waiting with other ‘cancelled fliers’; finally talking with United and – NOTHING. So, taxi to Hilton and 2 days of just relaxing. Had to call United to get my ‘award’ ticked changed to $$$$ and we were set, Venice to Portland, via Newark.
However, even though the ending was a bit of a mess, we truly enjoyed our trip with the Shibata’s. Italy is our ‘2nd home’ and we will miss it. Looks like this is our last trip with Ron ‘going on 80’!
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