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Do you want to see as much of Italy as you can in 10 days? So did we! We did a whirlwind tour of Italy recently and wanted to see as much as possible in the little time that we had. It was only possible by renting a car and not spending much time in each place. Here is our itinerary, followed by more details of our travels…

Itinerary for 10 days in Italy

• Day 1: arrive in the morning on a red-eye flight; spend all day in Rome; overnight in Rome
• Day 2: half a day in Rome; drive to Venice; overnight in Venice
• Day 3: all day in Venice; another overnight in Venice
• Day 4: drive to Florence; all day in Florence; overnight in Tuscany
• Day 5: all day in various Tuscan towns of Siena, San Gimignano, Monteriggioni, and Certaldo Alto; another overnight in Tuscany
• Day 6: another all day in Florence; another overnight in Tuscany
• Day 7: all day in Lucca and Pisa; drive to La Spezia; overnight in La Spezia
• Day 8: most of the day in Cinque Terre; drive to Rome; overnight in Rome
• Day 9: all day in Pompeii; another overnight in Rome
• Day 10: drive to the airport for early departure

It was a very ambitious itinerary! Everyone told us to take the time and stay north or stay south, but we don’t back away from a challenge. I wish we had 2 more days (we would have spent them in Tuscany), but we did it and didn’t spend long days in the car doing it.

We decided that this trip would be about seeing the absolute musts and that we would plan to come back later to take our time in the areas we most enjoyed. That meant that we only walked around the coliseum, that we didn’t visit Palantine Hill in Rome, that we didn’t venture into every museum in Florence, and that we didn’t hike the entire Cinque Terre trail. However, we could live with the lack of intimacy so that we could see more of this beautiful country.

We would have loved to spend 2 days in Bologna, Positano, Genoa, and Puglia, but we now have an excuse to go back!

Planning a family trip to Italy

If you have kids under the age of 5, I would recommend doing a much less strenuous itinerary. Do Rome and Florence, or Rome and Naples. If your kids are good in the car and a little older, you can do a similar itinerary to ours. (Or the exact same one!)

How to plan a multi city trip to Italy

It can seem overwhelming to plan a multi city trip anywhere, but Italy is particularly hard because there are so many iconic spots.

We started by making a list of things we absolutely had to do, a second list of things we wanted to do if we had time and a list of how many days we needed in each place.  We then had enough to start to flesh out our timeline.

Our timeline is not the best for everyone, but it is a great guide if you want an easy to follow itinerary.

The best time of year to visit Italy

Spring and fall are generally considered the best times of year to visit Italy. The crowds are less, the weather is beautiful, and some entry prices are less. We loved the weather in April and would recommend it highly. It was a beautiful time to see Italy as there were flowers blooming and trees budding.

If you plan on summer in Italy, you will still have a great time! Just plan on more time to do things and dress for warm weather!

The Best things to do in Rome

The story of Rome is one steeped in the myths of early Romans. The brother’s Romulus and Remus (two demi gods and sons of the mighty god of war, Mars) fought over who would rule their new city and Romulus killed his brother Remus and named the city after himself.

Rome is one of the oldest cities in the Western World, and the antiquities that are scattered throughout the entire city make Rome a spectacular city. Rome has been inhabited since the 8th century B.C. There is history on every corner, modern stores are built into buildings that have stood in place for centuries, cobblestone streets are worn smooth by hundreds of years of foot traffic, roads are narrow lanes that modern cars can just barely squeeze through, Vespas dart in and out of traffic.

Driving in Rome

Driving in Rome is an experience not to be taken on lightly. The rules of the road seem to be used merely as a suggestion. Smaller roads parallel larger roads, and it is hard to figure out which is the right road to take. Vespas seem to have different rules than everyone else and zip though traffic wherever they happen to squeeze. On top of that parking is impossible. I tell you all of this to help you make better choices than we did! We decided to drive in and around Rome, and I wish we hadn’t. My husband did a great job with the actual driving, and it didn’t seem to phase him at all, but the parking proved to be a huge problem every day except Sunday!

Coliseum

This is the biggest attraction in Rome! The coliseum was built in AD 80 and is the largest amphitheater ever built. It could hold an audience of 80,000 people, which is comparable to the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Spectators came to watch gladiator battles, animal fights, and theatrical productions.

Today the Coliseum is visited by 4 million people every year and is one of the largest tourist draws in Rome. It is a big tourist hub with people offering to give your tours, get you in faster, and more. I recommend buying a skip the line pass here at least 3 weeks in advance. We looked 2 weeks before we went, and we didn’t have a great selection of times to visit.

Plan on 1-2 hours.

Vatican Museum

In reality, you could visit the Vatican Museum for weeks and weeks and not see all the treasures it holds. However, if you are like most of the thousand people ahead of you in line you have come to the Vatican to see the Sistine Chapel.

The Sistine Chapel was painted by the famous artist Michelangelo. It took him 4 years to complete the ceiling, which is considered one of history’s finest works of art. Each panel tells a story from the Bible, and surrounding the ceiling panels are prophets from the New and Old Testaments. We found this Khan academy lesson on the Sistine Chapel to be a great introduction for us and our kids. No photos are allowed in the Sistine Chapel itself so here is a stock image for your perusal.

Signs clearly mark the way to the Sistine Chapel, and as long as you follow the throngs of people you will end up in the right place. However, if you just make a beeline for the Sistine Chapel you will miss some pretty amazing exhibitions along the way. I recommend you visit the Egyptian mummies, the gallery of maps, and any of the courtyards!

This is a great post for a more in depth look at Visting the Vatican.

How to skip the line at the Vatican

This is one instance where a skip the line ticket is worth gold! The line to get in was two and a half hours long the day we were there, and it can swell to 4 or 5 hours in the middle of the summer. The skip the line entrance is not clearly marked, but it is the same entrance as the disability entrance. You show your skip the line ticket and are able to get in a shorter line that leads directly to the 2nd floor. There you will get in another short line where your ticket will actually be printed out. You can then head to the turnstile and enter.

We ended up being about 15 minutes late, but no one questioned the time on our ticket. I’m not sure that is always the case and maybe we just got lucky!

Plan on 2-5 hours depending on how deeply you want to delve into art or how long the line is.

Saint Peter’s Basilica

St. Peter’s is the largest church in the world and one of the most intimate as well. It is considered to be one of, if not the, holiest churches in Catholicism. According to Catholic legend the body of Saint Peter is buried under the altar in the church. Since that time countless popes have been buried there as well.

The current church was built between 1506 and 1626 and sits in Vatican City. One of the largest domes in the world (designed by Michelangelo himself) sits on top of St. Peter’s Basilica. The dome itself is intricately decorated on the interior as well as the exterior.

Famous artwork, tombs of historical significance, and sculptures all make the church worth the visit. My favorite sculpture is The Pietà, a sculpture of Mary holding the crucified Jesus. It is a moving piece.

Plan on 30 minutes to an hour.

Tips for the Vatican:

When exiting the Sistine Chapel, don’t go out the main door to the left, but try to blend in with a tour group in order to slip out the tour-group-only door in the right rear of the chapel. It will take you directly to the entrance of St. Peter’s allowing you to skip another long line and avoiding a 1 kilometer walk around the perimeter of the Vatican!

Trevi Fountain

Trevi Fountain was made famous in the movies Roman Holiday and La Dolce Vita. Legend says that if you throw a coin in the fountain over your left shoulder you will return to Rome again. I have done it myself and keep returning to Rome, so there must be something to it.

The fountain has been in place since 19 BC, but the facade we know today was created in the 1700’s. The sculpture surrounding the fountain is Triton taming the seahorse Hippocamps.

Plan on 10-15 minutes.

Tip:

• Trevi fountain is a very busy site, so if you want to get a good up-close look plan on visiting early in the morning, on a weekday, or after 8 at night.

The Pantheon

Pantheon means “temple to the gods” in Greek. It was built as a Roman temple in AD 126 making it one of the oldest buildings in Rome (and it looks great for its age!). The Pantheon has survived the fall of the Roman Empire, invasions, and fires and is still in one piece. Many credit the fact that it was converted to a Catholic Church in AD 609 and was therefore spared.

The Pantheon is of note because of the dome. The dome is held up by horizontal arches and the use of weight. Heavier bricks line the bottom of the dome and lighter weight bricks make up the top of the dome. The dome is the exact size of the room underneath, so it would make a perfect circle if there was a descending dome. The diameter of the dome is the same as the height of the room below.

It is fascinating that this building was built so exactly and so perfectly over 2000 years ago without the use of modern technology or building materials.

Plan on 30 minutes.

Tip:

• No tickets are required to visit The Pantheon, so don’t try to buy them from unscrupulous vendors.

Spanish Steps

The Spanish Steps are steps that run from the Piazza di Spagna to the Trinita del Monti church. There are 174 steps in total. The Spanish Steps were the result of an architecture contest in 1717 and were designed by Francesco de Sanctis.

The steps were made famous by the movie Roman Holiday (the same movie that made Trevi fountain a must see) and have become one of the biggest tourist attractions in Rome. Beautiful flowers line the steps, and visitors sit on the edges of the stairway and chat and rest. We were so tired of walking by the time we made it to the Spanish Steps that we didn’t even climb them!

Plan on 15 minutes.

Piazza Navona

I remember visiting the Piazza Navona as a child and thinking that it was the most beautiful place in the world. Every time I have returned I feel exactly the same way! This town square was originally a large oval stadium during the early Roman Empire, (hence the name “Navona,” which means big ship) but was eventually turned into a town square.

While in the piazza visit the Fountain of Four Rivers. You will be able to easily find it as it has a large obelisk in the center of a fountain. The sculptures surrounding the obelisk are the embodiment of the 4 great rivers: The Nile, The Danube, The Ganges, and The Rio de la Plata.

The other fountain of note is the Fountain of Neptune that depicts Neptune, god of the sea, seated amongst sea nymphs.

I recommend visiting the Piazza at nighttime. You will find artists, street performers and a general air of festivity.

Plan on 30 minutes to an hour.

Tips:

• Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, and the Pantheon are all in the same area of town. They are great to group together in one visit.
• Piazza Navona often features artists who will draw your children’s portraits. My parents have portraits of all of us that were drawn here.

 

Where to eat in Rome

Hosteria Trevi

This restaurant broke all of my usual good eats rules! It was near a tourist attraction (Trevi Fountain), it had pictures of their food in the window, and it looked like it had been decorated for tourists. We ended up eating there to wait out a torrential downpour. Thank goodness for bad weather!

The pasta was so good that we returned at the end of our trip to get it again. The cacio de pepe pasta (a roman specialty of black pepper and Parmesan) was among the best bites I have ever had. My husband and the kids loved the pesto (over gnocchi or pasta). The restaurant even served gluten free pasta for my favorite celiac child.

Tips on finding good restaurants in Italy:

I usually turn to Trip Advisor to look for good restaurants when we travel in Europe. But it is rare to find a restaurant that isn’t well rated in the big Italian cities. I’m not exactly sure why, but I know that it is hard to have a bad meal. So use it to your advantage. Check out Trip Advisor during lunch and dinner and you can often find 10-30% off deals when you make a reservation.

Where to stay in Rome with a family

There are so many neighborhoods in Rome it can feel overwhelming top pick a great place.

• The Trastevere neighborhood is a popular one for tourists as there is great night life and lots of restaurants. It is also an easy walk into many sights in Rome. For Trastevere hotels look here. 

 

• The Vatican neighborhood is a quieter and less touristy area to stay. You can often find good values with Airbnbs or hotels in the Vatican neighborhood because it is slightly farther away from night life. I recommend the Cosmopolita Hotel! It has family rooms that sleep 5 people (a rarity in Europe) and is in a quiet and nice neighborhood.

 

• Center City or Centro Storico is great for the tourist who wants to avoid public transportation when visiting Rome. The Pantheon, Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona are within a 5-10 minute walk and the area caters to tourists. You will find English spoken everywhere and stores with lots of souvenirs. I recommend The Pantheon Inn. Room for a family of 5, breakfast is included and you are close to so many beautiful attractions. Plus some of the rooms feature balconies!

 

• San Lorenzo is a neighborhood very near Termini Train Station (Rome’s train station). It is a great place to stay if you plan on a quick stop in Rome en route to other parts of Italy. While it is often referred to as the “student district” there are still fabulous restaurants and nice hotels. If you are looking for hostels and cheaper accommodations you will find them here as well. The Borromeo Hotel is large enough for a family of 5 to sleep and it offers a continental breakfast.

 

 

Venice

When I was young one of my favorite books was Dr. Suess’s “Come Over to My House.” There was a page about a kid who lived in Venice who had to row a boat instead of ride in a car. My imagination was captured by that picture (pink water and all!), and I knew I had to visit Venice one day. I went to Venice fort the first time over 30 years ago, and it was a magical place. I felt like I had been picked up and put in my dream of what the city was. When we went this time I was in awe at the hordes of people and the fact that I couldn’t see all of the sites because I couldn’t get close to them!

 

We were there during Holy Week, which may have contributed the crowds, but many shopkeepers told me that it was still the slow season! Cruise ships have contributed to the numbers that throng the streets, and the Internet has made certain places overcrowded. This is not to discourage you from going but to help you know what to expect.

Related: 2 day guide to Venice for couples.

Venice was still beautiful, and my kids thought it was magical. You can get lost in the alleyways and venture beyond the average tour group. It just takes a little more work.

The best things to see in Venice in 1 day

Bridge of Sighs

This iconic bridge is said to be called the Bridge of Sighs because it connected the prison to the executioners chamber. Condemned men were walked across the bridge and took a last look at the beauty of Venice and sighed. It’s strange that today it is considered one of the most romantic sites in Italy. You will still sigh at the beauty of Venice, but hopefully your fate is decidedly less gruesome.

Plan on 10 minutes.

Rialto Bridge

The second of the famous bridges in Venice. The Rialto bridge is the oldest bridge in Venice dating back to the 12th century. It has been updated many times since but has looked much the same since the 1500’s. It is a shopping street today with jewelers lining the bridge on either side.

Plan on 30 minutes to an hour to window shop and take pictures.

San Marco Square

This is the main piazza in Venice and is also the largest. It gets its name from St. Mark’s church which takes up one entire wall of the square. Also on the square is the Doge’s palace (the rule of ancient Venice). Today the other parts of the square are lined with shops, cafes, restaurants, and other tourist attractions.

Plan on 30 minutes to explore the entire square.

Doge’s Palace

The Doge was the leader of the Venetian Republic from the early 700s through the late 1700s. He ruled one of the largest and wealthiest cities in the world, as they were the trading post to the East.  His palace is evidenced of the riches of Venice during the Renaissance. Although the Doge’s palace was originally built in the 9th century, most of what remains is the work of Renaissance Doges.

This is another place where you simply must have a skip the line ticket or you will spend your entire visit in line. We didn’t plan ahead this trip and had to miss going inside.

Why you should take a gondola ride in Venice

I have been to Venice twice before and always wrote off a gondola ride as an unnecessary expense that was a little cheesy. But I will be the first to admit… I was wrong!! We took a gondola ride through the small canals in Venice on this trip, and it was wonderful to see Venice from the water. I think that’s really the way it should be seen. It seemed uncrowded and fantastical looking at the city from the water. A 40-minute gondola ride during the day will cost you 80 euros. We could have extended to an hour for another 20 euro, but we had a lot to cram into our day.

Tip for hiring a gondola:

If you want to ride on the Grand Canal in a gondola, hire your driver at San Marco Square or Rialto Bridge. We wanted a quieter ride through the city, so we hired one at one of the smaller bridges in the city.

Get lost and away from the crowds in Venice

This may not be a normal attraction, but I found that this is one of the things we enjoyed most about Venice. We left the area near San Marco and just walked and walked. We discovered solitary bridges, beautiful gardens, deserted squares, and a little taste of what Venice is truly like. We generally didn’t use a map, we just walked and walked. (We walked 8+ miles that day!)

If you have more time in Venice stop to see:

Murano 

You will see tons of Venetian glass in all the shops in Venice. Most of it is made on the island of Murano. You can tour a factory where where glass is made. Most will offer a demonstration of some sort, but beware of pushy salespeople. There is also a nice museum of glass on Murano that goes into the history of Ventian glass.

Burano

This quiet island is known for having colorful buildings and quiet streets. You won’t find big tourist attractions here, and that is partly what makes it such a great place to spend some time. Enjoy wandering down streets and grabbing a bite to eat.

What to eat in Venice

Dal Moro’s

Because we were trying to see Venice in one day we didn’t want to spend an hour or more eating lunch at a restaurant. We found this fast food pasta shop that makes its own pasta! We picked different sauces and were given a Chinese takeaway box full of delicious freshly-made pasta. I would recommend it if you are short on time and want a cheap meal.

There was quite a long line, but the kids loved coloring on the shop window with an erasable marker and the line went fast.

Tips and Useful Info for Venice:

• Be aware that no cars are allowed to be driven in Venice. You will need to take a bus, train or taxi to the island.
• From the bus or train station you will want to take a water bus to San Marco Square or Rialto Bridge. Those are both great places to begin your exploration.
• Start your day early in Venice. The water taxis (Vaporettas) get very busy as the day goes on but clears out again around 5 or 6 pm.
• You will walk a lot in Venice. Bring your best walking shoes.
• If you stay just outside of Venice on the mainland (ie. Marghera), you won’t have to lug your luggage around the streets of Venice. Public transportation is very convenient to and from the islands.

Here is another viewpoint on a trip to Venice.

A guide to Florence

Florence is my very favorite city in Italy. Everywhere you turn there is an architectural or sculptural masterpiece. It was the home of the Italian Renaissance and as such really celebrates art and culture. In this city alone you can see some of the most famous works by Michelangelo, DaVinci, Donatello, Botticelli, Raphael, Brunelleschi, and Titian.

The Duomo

The Duomo is the heart of the city of Florence. Any pictures you see of Florence will invariably feature the terra-cotta roof of the Duomo.

This cathedral is called the Duomo, which just means house of the bishop. However, the entire name of the church is the Basilica of Santa Maria del Fiore. The exterior is made of different colors of marble, and is extensively decorated with friezes, statuary and stained glass windows. It is truly awe-inspiring.

It is a masterpiece of Renaissance Florence although it was begun in the late 1200’s. Its famous dome was built in 1417. Statuary and colored marble was added to the exterior up until the late 1800’s.

Plan on 30 minutes to 1 hour to explore the outside and more to visit the interior or climb the dome.

Tips for visiting the Duomo:

• The interior is not particularly impressive. Save the 5 euros and visit the interior of the duomo in Siena or climb the tower of the Duomo in Florence.
• If you want to climb the dome make sure to book your ticket in advance!

The David

After the Mona Lisa, The David might be the most famous work of art in the world. Sculpted by Michelangelo in the early 1500s, The David was meant to be a depiction of biblical King David in his youth. This statue stood in the Palazzo Vecchio  for centuries and was moved into the Accademia Gallery in 1873 in an effort to protect it from damage.

Today you can visit The David at the Accademia Gallery or visit a replica in The David’s original home in the Palazzo Vecchio.

Plan on 1-2 hours to get into the museum and visit.

Tip: If you are traveling with small kids, skip the Accademia gallery and show them the replica. It beats standing in the long entrance line.

Palazzo Vecchio

Translated into English, Palazzo Vecchio means “old palace.”  This was the principal palace in Florence before the building of the Pitti Palace across the Arno River. The original David sat on one side of the entrance to Palazzo Vecchio for hundreds of years.

Today the Palazzo is open for tours, and there are some beautiful works of art in the palace. Most of the sculptures and frescoes were created by some of the greatest artists of the Renaissance.

Plan on 1 hour.

Piazza Della Signoria

Also called Piazza Vecchio, this square is outside of the Palazzo Vecchio and is the home to the Loggia dei Lanzi which is a covered area with iconic statues such as “Rape of the Sabines” by Giambologna and the statue of Perseus by Cellini. Also on the square is the fountain of Neptune by Bartolomeo Ammannati. Restoration of the fountain was just finished last year.

It is amazing to see so many spectacular works of art just out in a public square! My kids especially like the statue of Perseus as they are big Percy Jackson fans.

This square was the site of ancient Florence’s trade and a gathering place for politicians.

Plan on an hour to explore.

Ponte Vecchio

Just down from the Palazzo Vecchio and Piazza Della Signoria is another famous Florentine landmark. Ponte Vecchio is an historic bridge of the Arno River. For centuries it was the only bridge across the Arno. Shops line both sides of the bridge as they did in the 13th century. Immortalized in the Puccini aria, “O Mio Babbino Caro” and countless books and movies you will definitely recognize this bridge.

Plan on 30 minutes to walk it and take pictures.

Uffizi Gallery

The Uffizi Gallery is one of the world’s best known museums. It houses Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Adoration of the Magi”, Raphael’s “Madonna of the Goldfinch”, and Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus” among hundreds of other famous works of art. While it is fascinating for art lovers and history lovers, it may not be your kids’ favorite destination. So if you plan on being in Florence for a few days, book the Best of Florence for 3 days and you can do 30 minutes a day in the Uffizi and still see the highlights. Plus the 3 day pass gives you access to Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens. Check our what the Uffizi has to offer with this guide.

Plan on 1-2 hours

Boboli Gardens and Pitti Palace

The newer palace across the Arno River is Pitti Palace. Pitti Palace is now a museum that contains paintings from the 16th century, treasures of the Medici family, costume gallery and the Porcelain museum. The Boboli gardens were the extensive gardens of the Pitti Palace. The gardens are Italian in style and feature statuary, fountains, and grottos. The gardens are a wonderful place to explore on sunny day.

Plan on 1-3 hours.

Best places to eat in Florence

Rivoire

Do yourself a favor and head to this restaurant located in the Piazza della Signoria and get some hot chocolate! Even if you aren’t normally a fan of hot chocolate, you will love this one. Bitter, a little sweet, thick and decadent! Apparently this secret recipe has been passed down for over 100 years. I don’t have enough exclamation points for how good it is. We also had a piece of their chocolate cake, and it was just as special.

This won’t be a cheap treat (the hot chocolate was 4.50 euros), but it will be a special one.

Which Tuscan Towns should I visit?

I’m not sure there is a Tuscan town that isn’t worth visiting, but I have been to Tuscany before and wanted to see my favorites plus a few new ones. We enjoyed every one of them, and wish we had another week to visit more.

Siena in one day

Siena, arguably the second most well-known city in Tuscany, was settled around the same time as Florence, and at one point was Florence’s biggest rival. It’s a much smaller and more walkable town than Florence but with all (if not more) Tuscan charm.

The Duomo in Siena

The Duomo in Siena was built to rival the Duomo in Florence and you will be amazed at their similarity in design, although the one in Florence is much bigger. Siena’s Duomo is as beautiful on the inside as on the outside and is well worth the ticketed entry.

White and green marble and carvings are as intricate in the interior as the exterior. The floors are decorated in large mosaics telling stories beloved of the Tuscans.  I can’t recommend this enough!

Plan on 30 minutes to an hour.

Piazza Del Campo

This town square is the most well known in Siena. It is a very different piazza in that it is shell shaped and slopes down to the center of the square. It is a great place to get a bite to eat or relax in the sunshine surrounded by ancient buildings and churches.

Plan on a walk-through only.

Palazzo Publico

This palace was the seat of power for Siena during the 1300s. It is set on the Piazza Del Campo. Frescos decorate almost every wall and the palace is a well preserved example of Gothic Architecture. The best known fresco is the allegory of Good vs Bad Government.

Plan on 1 hour.

Basilica Cateriniana San Domenico

This church is a lovely church to visit and is one of the few churches dedicated to a woman, Catherine of Siena. It supposedly contains the head of St. Catherine (a little gruesome but still interesting). The basilica also offers spectacular views of Siena. (The picture at the top of the Siena section was taken from the Basilica.)

Plan on 30 minutes.

The best things to eat in Siena

Osteria Permalico

This was one of our very best meals in Italy! It was also one of the least expensive. I loved the ricotta gnocchi with a light pistachio cream sauce, while my husband loved the peposo (peppered beef stew). The boys were happy with pomodoro pasta. They have outdoor as well as indoor seating.

San Gimignano in an afternoon

San Gimignano is pronounced San jeem-een-YAH-no. The first time I visited the town I struggled with the pronunciation, but after a lot of practice I seem to have mastered it.  Now I can tell you why you want to visit this off-the-beaten-path town.

GELATO! The gelato world champion owns a shop in San Gimignano. The Gelataria Dondoli has dozens of flavors and plenty of different sizes for every appetite. My favorite was Amerena, but the lemon and hazelnut were standouts as well. The line is long, but it moves very quickly.

If gelato doesn’t excite you, you could also visit for the towers of San Gimignano. Fourteen of the seventy-two original towers remain in the ancient city. The towers were used a symbols of wealth and power, and the wealthiest families built taller and taller towers.

Be sure to climb Torre Grossa (the tallest tower) for a beautiful look at San Gimignano and the Tuscan countryside.

Certaldo Alto

We came upon this lovely hilltop town by fortunate happenstance. We booked the only Airbnb in the entire walled city. The town is on top of a hill overlooking Certaldo below and is completely walled in. No cars are allowed without a resident pass, and even those are parked away from view.

This is a small town kept from expansion by the confines of the hilltop. It dates back to the Etruscans and has been revitalized with each successive conquorer. It makes exploring this city of red brick an adventure. Everything seems to be built on top of the next with small alleyways and roads in haphazard locations. The best thing about Certaldo Alto is that it isn’t in any guide book we read, so we had the place to ourselves for much of our stay in Tuscany!

Tip:

• If you aren’t fortunate enough to stay in Certaldo Alto you can ride to the top in the funicular from the train station in Certaldo or walk up the steep hill along several different paths or the road.

Tips for visiting Lucca

Lucca was one of our very favorite towns in Tuscany. It is one of the best examples of a walled city in Italy, and the walls are very well preserved. It was the 2nd largest city state in Italy (Venice was the 1st) and was eventually conquered by Napoleon. He gave it to his sister who took it on as a pet project, and it is therefore one of the better preserved cities in the area.

Our favorite part was the walk through the outer walls into the city. Passage ways through the walls are cobblestoned, have interesting sculptures and some great lighting! Park outside of the city walls so that you can walk through these otherworldly walls.

Once you get out of the wall, you will walk up to the top of the walls and join other people walking, riding bikes and riding group bikes. Rentals are available at a number of different locations along the promenade  atop the walls.  You can rent single bikes, tandem bikes or bikes for big groups.

Another great stop in Lucca is Guinigi Tower! Walk up 232 steps to the top of the tower and get a great view of the entire city. The top of the tower has trees on top, which makes it an unusual change from most towers in Italy.

Pisa

The leaning tower of Pisa needs no introduction! The tower began leaning while it was being built and has leaned ever since. Uneven and inadequate foundation led to the leaning, and today it is 5 meters off of a straight line. It was built as a tower for the Cathedral of Pisa.

Pisa is a busy place. There will be lots of people visiting at any given time, so you will want to get a skip the line ticket to climb the tower at least a week in advance (especially if you have time constraints). You can visit the tower area without a ticket and your kids will have a blast taking pictures of the tower of Pisa.

Plan on 1 hour.

Cinque Terre in one day

Cinque Terra means “five lands” in Italian and refers to five small fishing villages built on the side of the steep mountains in northwestern Italy. The villages starting from the most northern and going south are: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore.

These towns remained isolated (the Ligurian Sea on one side and the Appenines mountains on the other) until about a 150 years ago when the railroad went in and connected them with the outside world. Visiting this area offers a glimpse into the unique Ligurian culture, geography, terraced vineyards, and art. This entire area is a national park and is a protected by UNESCO as a world heritage site.

How should I visit Cinque Terre?

First of all, I would NOT recommend driving there. There is very limited vehicle access to the towns, and the roads connecting them are quite circuitous and would take too much time away from your time actually in the towns. Instead, drive to the city of La Spezia and park at or near the train station. Purchase a Cinque Terre Card at the train station.

This card will allow you unlimited train rides (the La Spezia to Levanto line, which includes the 5 villages), unlimited bus services in the towns (use this especially in Corniglia to get from the train station to the town center in order to avoid climbing the steep flight of nearly 400 switchback stairs), use of toilets at the train stations (otherwise they are 1 euro), access to the hiking trail (the blue path) that links the towns, free entry to some of the museums in the national park, and usage of wifi (we didn’t know about this at the time, which would have been very helpful since cell phone service was limited in many villages).

We took the train to Monterosso al Mare first and worked our way back south. By the time we were in Vernazza the crowds were already growing large and by the time we reached Corniglia it was shoulder-to-shoulder getting out of the train station and walking through the town squares.

What to do in Monterosso al Mare

This village has the best beaches by far.  If you want to spend time on the beach, make this your first stop in Cinque Terre in order to get a head start of the crowds. It is one of the larger villages, which makes it easier to find somewhere to eat or buy souvenirs. The blue path from Monterosso al Mare to Vernazza was the only section of the blue path that was open when we were there and will take about 2 hours to hike. There’s a check point a short distance into the hike where you will have to either show your Cinque Terre Card or purchase one. They also check your feet to make sure you are wearing adequate footwear–no sandals! There are beautiful views of the sea as well as the other towns along the pathway as it winds it way through terraced vineyards and forested mountains. It is NOT an easy hike and may not be for the little ones.

What to do in Vernazza

This is one of the most picturesque towns of the five with a promontory into the sea and large rocks at the end on which the kids can climb. It is a smaller village but still boasts plenty of places to eat. The “castello” or lookout tower provides a great view of the harbor and rest of the sea. The blue path from Vernazza to Corniglia is normally open but happened to be closed the day we were there due to rock slides. Unfortunately we did not find this out until we had hiked all the way up the mountain to the top of the town where the checkpoint was located.  Oh well, we got some beautiful photos!

What to do in Corniglia

This was my favorite village, albeit the most difficult one to reach due to the switchback stairs mentioned earlier (We didn’t know about the buses at the time!). This village is set high up on promontory with steep cliffs on either side and had more old-world charm than the other villages. Restaurants were a little more scarce here but the winding streets, old buildings and churches, and sea views were spectacular! This is one of the not-to-be-missed villages. The blue path from here to Manarola and Riomaggiore was closed due to landslides years earlier. Both sections are scheduled to re-open in April 2021.

What to do in Manarola

This was one of the smaller villages and was difficult to find something to eat (although there was a take-away fish and chips place that had a huge line). I’m sure there were plenty of fine places to eat but to accommodate all of our needs (like gluten-free, low carb, and just plain picky), it was a struggle. This village lacked some of the charm of the northern three. Spend some time walking up the steep steps just off of the main street and wind your way through the quiet sections of the village. You will be rewarded with some good views and charming nooks.

What to do in Riomaggiore

This village was perhaps the most modernized of the five and least charming. It was also quite small. However, it may not be fair of me to judge this village as it was the last one of the day, we were rushed to get back to La Spezia to leave for Rome, and we were exhausted from all of the walking. To top it all off, the train to get back to La Spezia ran 35 minutes behind schedule.

Overall, Cinque Terre was definitely worth seeing as it is a beautiful part of Italy with a unique landscape and picturesque villages. The crowds were a deterrent to the charm of the villages, but the train made it so convenient and quick to get from one to the other. I very much enjoyed not having to worry about the car!

Tips for visiting the Cinque Terre:

•  Please note that there has been talk of limiting the number of people who walk the blue path between the villages in the future. Check here before you travel to make sure you don’t need a reservation.
• Start as early as possible! The crowds really pick up by 11 am and make getting from one town to the next more difficult.
• Stay until the sun goes down as crowds thin out after the light does.
• Wear your best hiking shoes, it will be a big day of travel.

How to do Pompeii in one day

Pompeii has captured the imagination of architects and lay people alike for over 100 years. A town completely entombed in mud and ash and then discovered again 1000 years later! Mt. Vesuvius is a volcano that erupted in AD 79 instantly killing the inhabitants of Pompeii. They were killed because of the heat and not because of the ash like it was previously postulated. No wonder people flock to visit one of the oldest cities still on earth.

This place is massive! You could spend the day rambling down ancient road after ancient road and still just scratch the surface. And there is even more remaining to be uncovered. My favorite ruins are ones that have retained the paint treatments, sculpture, and tile. Some have come through the volcanic eruption better than a Roman ruin 500 years younger!

Now the bad news . . .  This is one popular place! This is a picture of the line to get in.

Plan on 3-5 hours.

How to skip the line at Pompeii

Buy the skip the line tickets at least a week in advance so they won’t be sold out.

We had skip the line tickets on our phone, but even that line was 2 hours long! My recommendation is to get the skip the line ticket and get there as early as possible!

 

What to wear to Pompeii

• Plan on wearing some layers. It was quite cool on an April morning, but by mid day we were all sweating.
• Wear some closed toe shoes and there are lots of uneven rocks and old paving stones that will catch little toes.
• Your shoes will be dusty, don’t wear your pretty pink shoes! (Mine are now a very dusty, dirty grey!)

Tips for visiting Pompeii

• There are different entrances to Pompeii but only the main one offers the skip the line option. If both the skip the line and the regular line are eternally long, try a different entrance. You can buy a skip the line ticket on your phone when you get there.
• There is a place to leave your luggage in Pompeii if you need to.
• There are not many eating options in Pompeii! Plan on bringing a snack.
• Bring water!
• Use the bathroom at the entrance, as there aren’t good bathroom choices once you enter.
• Don’t bring your stroller if you have other options. The roads are rutted and the sidewalks aren’t always passable. It would be much better to bring a baby carrier or backpack.
• Pompeii is very near to the beautiful Amalfi Coast, plan a visit if you have time.  Positano was on my list!

Traveling to Italy tips

• Brush up on your Roman and Greek gods. We were so glad that we had a working knowledge of Roman and Greek gods. It made the art and statuary understandable to all of us and helped us appreciate it more.
• Research the famous artwork before visiting. Your kids will be much more willing to do another museum if they are already familiar and excited about the artwork they are visiting.
• Get your skip the line tickets at least a week in advance in the low season or many weeks in advance during the high season.

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