Oh, Italy. Just hearing the name of that boot-shaped country makes me long for rolling hills with fragrant flowers, Bernini sculptures and Michelangelo frescoes, and the snippets of “prego” and “grazie” heard at every wonderfully quaint caffeteria.
My family took a trip to Italy this June, all eight of us packed in a minibus way too big for any Italian cobblestone street. From Florence to Venice to Tuscany to Rome, we got a taste of four ways to live the life of an Italian – but don’t ask me to choose my favorite, cause I definitely can’t. Each offered its own charms, and each made me want to stay in the beautiful country even longer.
So, here’s a peek into Italia. Hope you adore the carefree, romantic, delicious Italian way of living as much as I do.
Firenze
Our first stop: Florence. This Renaissance hub is clustered with breathtaking art; every building is an architectural masterpiece. The European history-obsessed part of me was screaming.
Views of the Duomo, Florence’s cathedral featuring Brunelleschi’s famous dome. Isn’t the intricate detail stunning?Bikes are a common sight in Italy, dotting the edges of every cobblestone street. This one was too picturesque for me not to photograph.Papa and Aanya walking along the Arno River against the backdrop of colorful clustered buildings. The colors in this picture are so classic Italian to me.This is where my art history geekiness just about lost it. Michelangelo’s David is even more impressive in person, so grand and extremely well sculpted. Kinda funny, though, seeing all these tourists (myself included) marvel over a naked guy.This is what I want the entrance to my house to look like one day. I came across so many similar picture-perfect doorways during our 2 weeks in Italy.After saying arrivederci to Florence, we stopped in Bologna for lunch on our way to Venice. The home of spaghetti bolognese, this bright, peach and ochre-colored town was well worth the detour.
Venezia
Ciao from Venice! We drove to a port and boarded a ferry to this quaint, colorful collection of islands intertwined with narrow canals. It was romantic and laidback, exactly as I imagined it to be. Definitely a must-see – preferably before it sinks.
One of the hundreds of waterways I encountered after trying not to get lost in tiny passages. What a dream it would be to own one of those boats and float lazily past the rustic buildings, admiring the view.A peek into the daily life of the Venetian: every building’s exterior has intertwined clotheslines full of laundry, adding a human touch to Venice’s canals and byways. The clothes hung above canals always amused me; one slip-up and your drying goes to waste!Featuring my father, king of dad jokes and lover of all things fried. Leave it to him to order a sampler of fried Venetian specialties as a meal.Perfect capture of local life: clothes hanging every which way, small bridges framed by charming buildings, and a group of young Venetians cruising through the canal.Italian cities have churches and cathedrals at every corner, seriously. Many of them had clusters of candles like this one, casting a warm glow into the sacred space, making it just a little bit easier to see the building’s ornate beauty.Another bicycle! This one is extra special, though, because it’s used as a prop to advertise the super cute gelateria behind it. Not that gelato needs advertising, of course – I would gladly eat it at any time of the day.
Toscana
Ah, the rolling hills, the warm sun. Tuscany is exactly what you get when you put all the joys of nature in one place. An idyllic region filled with lush vineyards, picturesque agriturismos, and fragrant blooms that make every corner smell like fresh flowers – retiring Tuscan-style is my dream.
During our 5-day Tuscan stay, we rented part of an agriturismo, a farmhouse converted into an Airbnb-type home. It was a beautiful old building with natural light streaming through windows like this one; just look at the view!Colle d’Val d’Elsa, the town neighboring our agriturismo, is a medieval village surrounded by a fortress, typical of most Tuscan towns. It was so quaint, but in this picture, the painted clouds in the sky take the cake.Though it doesn’t look like this donkey has a tail, it’s just hiding it – we didn’t have to pin the tail on 🙂 Isn’t it the cutest? We went wine tasting at a small farm and vineyard owned by two Italians; this donkey is their pet. They were so humble and simple – and the wine was fantastic.There’s that classic Tuscan landscape you’ve been waiting to see. I know we aren’t in Austria, but these hills look pretty alive with the sound of music, if you ask me.While in Tuscany, we took some day trips to famous medieval towns; can you guess this one? (It’s tower is pretty well-known for being a little crooked). But seriously, the Leaning Tower of Pisa was impressive – it really leans a lot, and it’s a pretty building, too.Another day trip, this time to Siena, where the Crayola color “burnt siena” came from. It’s pretty obvious if you look at the rustic color of every building. Siena is said to be the prettiest town in Tuscany, and I’m in full support. This view of the sprawling medieval city is breathtaking.Before we leave Tuscany and head over to metropolitan Rome, here’s a cat I found by a windowsill. I thought it pretty much captured the Tuscan mindset and lifestyle – 100% relaxation, enjoyment, and simple indulgences.
Roma
Rome, the center of it all. I’m glad this was our final destination; it might be my favorite (ask me tomorrow, though, and I’ll probably change my mind). A blend of ancient grandeur and modern culture coexisting in perfect harmony, this energetic hub made me feel at home.
A typical building in the city – seriously so different from a New York apartment. Every home was beautiful, commonly seen with these bright green vines draping off the sides.The Colosseum was so much grander than I could’ve ever imagined; it’s crazy that the Romans built this in 70-80 A.D. This picture definitely doesn’t do the enormous arena justice.One of many stunning Italian sunsets, seen even through the city’s buildings. That’s another thing I liked about Rome: the architecture is not only beautiful, but it also doesn’t obscure the gorgeous sky.Ancient Rome at its finest: the Roman Forum, captured from the top of Palatine Hill. I am still in awe of the Romans. How was this planned and built almost 2000 years ago?Campo di Fiori, aka the largest farmers market ever. Strolling through the market, browsing artisan goods and fresh produce, was a great way to experience local Roman life, even with the hordes of tourists.Rome is filled with cute – and ridiculously expensive – boutiques such as this one, and it was fun to walk through small streets and peek into the shops, hoping one day I’d be able to afford them.From Rome, we took a day trip to the Vatican, a calm bubble of Catholicism in the midst of metropolitan chaos. St. Peter’s Basilica, with Michelangelo’s dome, is an architectural marvel, both inside and out. Michelangelo’s Pieta is even more emotionally startling in person, too. I’ve come to the conclusion that everything in Italy just exceeds expectations.The Vatican Museums, housing one of the largest collections of art in the world, had my art history-obsessed self in cloud 9. I think I could stare at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel all day. And look at this picture! Even the entrance stairs are a work of art.For our last few days in Rome, we tried to be less tourist-y and more local-y, exploring back streets and stumbling across cool art studios like this one. No pictures were allowed inside, so, naturally, I snapped a photo of the exterior.A smooth segway into the food section of our Italy adventure: Ai Marmi. This crowded, cafeteria-looking pizzeria has the best pizza I’ve ever eaten, hands down. It was so cool to watch the chefs make pizzas with mechanical precision and smell them coming out of the oven, fresh and piping hot.
La Cucina Italiana
Absolutely incredible, to say the least. Also, definitely deserving of its own section. Eating Italian food in America basically makes me sad now.
Here’s a few of the many noteworthy meals I enjoyed in Italy.
The freshest, lightest pasta I’ve ever eaten, with the original bolognese sauce in its birthplace, Bologna. Ragù, who?Italians don’t only eat pasta and pizza. This rabbit, cooked on a bed of cranberry sauce with pumpkin seeds and a side of polenta, beats any Thanksgiving feast. YUM!Spaghetti al nero, or black spaghetti in squid ink: maybe my all-time favorite pasta dish.All this food inspired us to make our own Italian meal in Tuscany. An outdoor picnic, complete with local veggies, meats, cheese (fresh mozzarella!!!), and homemade pasta – simple but delicious.One of the more non-traditional pasta dishes I came across – but still amazing, obviously. Pasta stuffed with pears in sheep’s cheese fondue.Pizza is a favorite of mine, my comfort food, so this was only one of MANY pizzas I devoured. And Italian pizza…oh my. So simple, so thin, so gooey. I dream about this pizza. That glass of wine was the perfect complement, too.Now, never forget dessert. Especially in Italy. I’m a huuuuge ice cream person, so I ate gelato every day, religiously. The first Italian gelato (pictured above) was something else, though – so fresh that I could taste the individual pieces of chocolate and hazelnut and the texture of cinnamon through the frozen creaminess.This Italian take on chocolate lava cake, with a little kick, was incredibly soft, gooey, and perfectly bittersweet. Man, the Italians really know how to do chocolate.Italians also know their coffee, having created every fancy coffee term you’ve heard of. So, when you combine the best gelato in the world with expertly-crafted coffee, you get: the best affogato I’ve ever had.
So, that’s it. Two weeks of intense beauty, culture, and food. Italy really has no letdowns, no “wow we shouldn’t have done this”. Every region brings something unique to the Italian table, yet they all exude that laidback, fulfilled Italian quality.
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It’s exquisite! Loved reading through you 🙂
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