Dates of trips: August 23, 2017
February 24- March 3, 2018
September 11-12 and 19th, 2021
The first time I was in Italy was actually just a day trip from Slovenia to Trieste with the purpose of trying Italian gelato.
My first real trip to Italy was very cold at the end of February, early March. We were able to get very inexpensive flights and accommodations off-season. We went from Rome to Siena to Florence by car then to Milan to Como to Turin by train. Our international flights were into Rome and out of Milan.
My second trip to Italy was to Rome as a bookend on our Crete trip in September.
I’ll outline recommendations by city below.
Trieste:
Again, we were only in Trieste for a few hours on my quest to taste authentic gelato. We parked in a central parking deck after some confusing roundabouts. Surprisingly in just a few hours we saw Venice-esque canals, ruins and really cool architecture. And of course I got my gelato.
Canal Grande⬇️
Rome:
I loved Rome on both trips. People complain that it’s dirty but I found Rome to be just wonderful.
Hotels:
🔹Hotel Nazionale was perfectly located near Parliament Square and was very comfortable.
https://www.hotelnazionale.it/en/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=Knowledge_Graph
🔹Domus Australia was a really unique guesthouse with a courtyard and comfortable rooms.
https://www.domusaustralia.org/en/
Activities:
Kayaking Lake Albano in Castel Gandolfo. I booked this experience through Airbnb and it was a highlight of our short trip in Rome.
https://www.airbnb.com/slink/i3YyApU2
🔹Foodie Tour: I highly recommend this tour. We had delicious food and wine in multiple neighborhoods
https://www.eatingeurope.com/rome/rome-jewish-ghetto-food-tour
Casalino Osteria Kosher ⬆️
⬆️Open Baladin, interesting pub with lots of beers
🔹 Trastevere Neighborhood: A local we met on our kayaking adventure recommended checking out this vibrant colorful neighborhood, specifically Otello Restaurant
🔹Museum of Contemporary Art (MACRO). We slipped in here when it was pouring rain and they happened to have a Pink Floyd Exhibit. I’ve continued getting their email promotions and so many great exhibits!
https://www.turismoroma.it/en/places/macro
🔹Monster Garden: Parco dei Monstri is an hour north of Rome. I found this place on Atlas Obscura and really wanted to go so we drive there on the way to Siena. Unfortunately it was closed due to the snow and we ended up getting our car stuck, but after we figured out the chains we were all set.
https://www.sacrobosco.eu/entra.php/
🔹My favorite activity in Rome was just wandering. Here are some favorite scenes from both trips. I was lucky enough to get to experience Rome in the snow and it was just magical
Ponte Sant’Angelo Bridge⬇️
Roman Forum ⬆️
Pantheon ⬆️
Trevi Fountain⬆️
Capitoline Hill Ruins⬇️
Colosseum ⬇️
Altar of the Fatherland⬇️
Siena:
🔹Stayed at Villa Fiorita which was cozy and had a nice view.
http://www.villafiorita-siena.com/nuova/iphone-version.php#_home
It was a short walk to the old town and we enjoyed strolling and seeing the sites.
They have a full on horse race in the square “Palio of Siena”
Siena Cathedral ⬆️
Florence:
🔹We stayed near the train station at Hotel Vasari. It was bright and comfortable as well as centrally located.
🔹Scenes from Florence
Sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo
🔹Excellent handmade pasta down the hill at I Bastioni di San Niccolo
I Bastioni di San Niccolò Trattoria & Pizzeria
🔹Boboli Gardens: one of my favorite spots
https://www.uffizi.it/giardino-boboli
🔹Giardino Bardini: I absolutely loved these gardens. I’d definitely go back when the lupines are blooming. But my favorite statues I’ve ever seen were here and I thoroughly enjoyed the views of Florence.
(These are blooming purple in the spring and summer)
🔹Stopped at Mama’s Bakery nearby for snacks and coffee. It was a hip coffee shop and delicious
🔹Bought some art and wandered the streets some more
Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze⬇️
Museo Galileo
And goodbye to Florence
Milan:
We opted to turn in the car and take a fast train to Milan from Florence given the snow. We used Trenitalia and it was really easy to buy last minute tickets.
https://www.trenitalia.com/en.html
Wandered around the first night
Milan Cathedral ⬆️
🔹🔹We ate at a super memorable pizza place I still talk about almost 7 years later. It’s called Piz and they handed us a free slice and a prosecco.
🔹Day trip from Milan to Turin (Torino): we took a high-speed train and it took about 2 hours. I loved this part of the trip. We wandered the streets and went to the automobile museum.
National Museum of Automobiles
🔹National Museum of Cinema: we took the elevator up for snowy rooftop views
🔹Day trip from Milan to Como:
The train ride was quick and direct. We wandered a bit and took a boat ride. The views weren’t ideal during winter but we enjoyed the scenery.
We took the furnicular up the mountain in Como to overlook the lake
At the top we walked around Brunate enjoying the views
Then wandered around Como a bit before catching the train back
We enjoyed a beautiful sunset in Milan on our last night
And grabbed plane snacks
To close:
Italy wasn’t exactly at the top of my dream destination list, but visiting during the off-season turned out to be such a treat. It ended up being one of my most affordable trips so far, which is just another reason to consider off-season travel. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need tips—I’m happy to help!
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