Europe travels | Italy and beyond
After planning for a little over two years for one of our close friend’s wedding, we packed our bags and were off for Italy. With an over indulging amount of chocolate croissants and Peroni, first on our list was Milan. Take a look at a few of our favorite memories.
With a two-day layover in Lisbon and taking in all the Portuguese food we could consume we were ready to explore Italy’s fashion capital. After unpacking our bags at our Airbnb located on the main strip, we headed to the mind blowing indoor mall and immediately ordered pizza and calamari while people watching as thousands of bystanders went about their every day lives. Taking photos of the cathedral and running through the rain was an ultimate highlight while visiting. For how to get from Rome to Milan see below
Next on the list was Venice. It is hard to take advice from others on traveling as they often have a very different perspective, we were told you can only spend one day in the city and that it is very dirty. We fell in love with Venice, which makes sense since it is one of the most romantic cities in the world and easily could have spent an extra day here. We strolled through the streets and every corner seemed like a puzzle piece leading to a new section of the city, canals were at every bend and boats waiting for you to jump in and go for a ride. Venice has been a place we have both dreamed about visiting since we were kids and being able to watch sunset over San Marco square was a moment to remember.
After a short lived trip in Venice we were off to Florence. Many recommend the best place to get a view of the city and the Duomo is Viale Michelangelo which we definitely did, however we have to argue the best view of the city was from our bed. Waking up to birds chirping as the sky turned from black to purple to blue was something we could have not planned for better. Roaming the streets and touring churches and learning the history or artwork and sculptures, grabbing three lunches and hanging out at pools overlooking the city, Florence was by far a favorite on our travels through the country.
Next up was Rome, so first thing was first. Gelato. There is really no way to describe the energy of this city, much like the others we visited, it is something you just need to experience. We obviously knew the importance of the history and how much there would be to experience but we had no idea to the extent that every single corner would be a historical church and ancient ruin. These churches were not ordinary churches, the most luxurious, marvelous churches you have seen in your life. With that said, we walked… and walked... and walked. The benefits of all the walking was that they had take away cocktails.
After Rome, we headed to the capital of Limoncello, Sorrento. Here we learned how close two giant busses can come together without actually hitting one another. While winding up the massive cliff overlooking both sides of the peninsula as sun set over the water on both sides, I knew I had to make it back up for sunrise. With no car I was forced to get my cardio in while running three miles up the side of a mountain to experience one of the best views of my life, with the only other sound was roosters crowing and birds chirping in the distance. Pure isolation.
And lastly, the grand finale. Positano. Our friends Zac and Chelsea set a new benchmark for a destination wedding. Planning a wedding in Europe, coordinating travel and itineraries, and coordinating with your planner is no easy task and having all of our friends travel from California to celebrate was by far the best wedding we have been a part of. Take a look at a few favorites from Positano here!
As you may be able to tell, we love to get out and explore new areas, if you are thinking of throwing on a pair of boots instead of heels and looking to climb through forests or explore new areas of the desert for your engagement or wedding, please contact us. Looking forward to hearing about your elopement and destination wedding ideas. Cheers!
Via train: The Frecciarossa is the main train station and how to get around in Italy. I highly recommend buying your ticket a few weeks in advance online so you do not have to waste any time at the terminal wasting time or money as it can jump in price. Make sure to book the faster train! The Frecciargento is the high-speed train and is the most expensive option, but also has first & second class options offering wifi if you need to get work done and highly reccomend. We made the mistake of trying to save a few dollars and took a slower train and it was the longest ride of our lives! If you’re taking a train during rush hour, it will be quite crowded and you may have trouble finding a seat, so plan accordingly.
Car: If you are able, a car might be your best bet. You are not on any one elses time schedule and have the freedom to hit the road and explore new areas instead of bus/train which these transportation methods would'nt not give you access too. From Rome, take the A1 Autostrada which is the toll road into Naples, then to the A3.
To get to Sorrento, take Castellammare di Stabia which is the desired exit and take the SP 145. We highly recommend eating at a restaurant called Zio Sam's. The food portions are massssive ( we got a a calzone, calimari, shrimp pasta, and drinks for 35 euro) and the view looks over the entire city and beach. To get to Positano, follow directions toward Sorrento, then take the SS 163 (Via Nastro Azzurro) to Positano. I would give you advice on how to drive on the roads out there, but quite frankly Im not sure how anyone does it.
Ferry: Our friends took a ferry down and said it was beautiful. The fare for taking a ferry to Positano is extremely reasonable as well, I believe 13-15 euro per person.