Ciao ~ welcome back to part due of my honeymoon blog! This week, I am going to cover the later half of our trip spent in Italia. In the famous words of Lizzie McGuire, “this is what dreams are made of.”
Lake Como, Italy
Day One:
Lake Como was our first stop on our Italian leg of our honeymoon. We took a bus from Strasbourg to Como, which took longer than expected due to our bus running an hour behind. Once we arrived in Como, we took a ferry to Lenno, where we checked into our hotel, Lenno Albergo. We had planned to ride bikes or take a ferry over to Hotel Tremezzo so we could lay out by the pool/beach, but since the weather and timing was not optimal, we decided to opt out (though if we ever return, this is on our list of things to do).
Lenno Albergo
When we arrived to Lenno, we decided to lounge at our hotel pool, then walk around the cute little town and beaches. We found a tasty gelato spot, and when it was time for dinner, we ate at the restaurant inside of our hotel, Lenno Albergo. Do not get me started on the tiramisu – I was speechless, in a good way.
Day Two:
On our second day at the lake, we ventured over to Bellagio (I am not talking about the one in Vegas).
Bellagio
Bellagio is just across the pond from Lenno, so it made for a pretty easy ferry ride. Once we were in Bellagio, we wondered the neighboring streets and Town Center. Bellagio is known for their silk, so I bought a dainty silk scarf from a local shop, which I wore in Venice a few days later.
In Bellagio, we also walked over to Salita Serbelloni and connected to Via Giuseppe Garibaldi viewpoint. Thereafter, we meandered over to Comune di Bellagio and followed the sign for Pescallo, which is a small fisherman’s village.
After roaming around the residential side of Bellagio, we arrived at the meeting point for our one hour boat tour with Bellagio Water Limousines of Lake Como and had Luca drive us around the lake. We saw various landmarks like Villa Carlotta, Grand Hotel Tremezzo, Parco Civico Teresio Olivelli, Villa La Cassinella, and I Giardini di Villa Melzi, but Villa Del Balbianello was our favorite site (which is well known for its portrayal in famous movies like James Bond and Star Wars).
Venice, Italy
Day One:
When we arrived in Venice, we were not prepared for the shock of climbing what felt like a minimum of ten bridges with our suitcases before we arrived at our hotel, Rialto Unique Experience. There are no cars on the island of Venice, just water taxis. So, don’t do what we did – instead pay for a water taxi to take you to your location, and consider bringing a backpack, rather than a roller bag (joke was on us).
St. Marks Square
Thus, after we checked into our hotel and took a quick shower, we headed over to St. Marks Square, where we made reservations to visit the Basilica. The Basilica was probably our favorite part of Venice, because the architecture was nothing short of spectacular. We were able to go inside the building and even saw The Horses of Saint Mark, also known as the Triumphal Quadriga. As a rule of thumb, it is best to wear clothing that covers your knees and elbows, as this is a religious monument/site.
After the Basilica, we walked over to Doge’s Palace and the Bridge of Signs. However, because it was so crowded, we quickly crossed the bridge and moved on.
Dorsoduro District
We meandered over to the Ponte dell’Accademia (bridge) and the Dorsoduro District next. The bridge is one of four in Venice that spans the Grand Canal, while the Dorsoduro neighborhood offers quaint alleys, smaller bridges, and shopping. Evan and I were going to try and rent a private gondola, but most were really pricey and we personally didn’t think it was worth the time and money, though it seems like a very romantic activity.
Ristorante Riviera
Ristorante Riviera is located in the Dorsoduro neighborhood, and specializes in Venetian Cuisine. The restaurant came highly recommended by locals, so I booked a reservation for us. I ordered the spaghetti carbonara, and without a doubt, it was the best pasta I ate in Italy (and we ate a lot of pasta).
Day Two:
The next day in Venice was pretty rainy and chilly, so there were smaller crowds (but honestly not by much … Venice was the most crowded city we visited). So, it was nice to head over to the island of Burano after we ate some breakfast.
Rialto Bridge
Because our hotel was situated behind the Rialto Bridge, we figured we could take pictures at this populated site earlier in the morning. There are pretty views on both sides, but the key is to arrive early!
Caffe Florian
Caffe Florian is the oldest coffeehouse in Venice, established in 1720, and is located in the Procuratie Nuove of Piazza San Marco. While expensive, I thought it was cool to experience, and I even finally enjoyed smaller-sized macarons and morning tea.
To get to Burano and Murano, we took the water bus ACTV.
Burano
When we arrived in Burano, we strolled around the streets and enjoyed the views of the colorful houses. Burano is known for its lace, colorful fisherman houses, and Bussola or S shaped cookies. Though it was a rainy day, we really enjoyed the vibrant homes and canals.
Murano
Since Murano was on our way back to Venice, we decided to stop off at this little island. Murano is known for its colorful glass, and I actually snagged a pair of cute red glass heart earrings.
Osteria Anice
Finally, to end the day, we made our way back to Venice and went to dinner at Osteria Anice (where we made dinner reservations). The restaurant served some of the best food we had on our trip – the fried chicken is not to miss!
Siena, Italy
A day spent in Siena/Tuscany
Castello di Brolio
Castello di Brolio is the oldest winery castle in Italy. The region is also known for its Chianti wine. While we did not have enough time to pay a visit, when we eventually return in the future, we plan to visit the gardens and enjoy a tasting in the wine shop (or at least I plan to do this, since Evan doesn’t drink).
Cooking Class!
After we checked-in to our hotel, Il Chiostro del Carmine (an old monetary that offered stunning views of the Tuscany region), we ventured to the cooking class I booked in Siena, through Fontegiusta Academy. We booked the Pasta Lovers cooking class with Chef Chiarelli.
In the cooking class, we made homemade sauce and pasta, ravioli and gnocchi, as well as a biscotti dessert and cookies. Of course, I also enjoyed a few glasses of the local Chianti wine.
The cooking class was hands down, the most enjoyable and unforgettable experience, we had in Siena. It even went a few hours longer than planned, so we didn’t have as much time to check out sites in Siena. Consequently, we will have to plan a visit back to this picturesque place. One day was clearly not enough – but while we weren’t there for a long time, we had such a marvelous time (and even made new friends)!
In the famous words of the movie Ratatouille, “anyone can cook!” (Picture proof of us in chef hats).
When we eventually do return to Siena, I have plans to check-out sites like I Tetti di Siena, Piazza del Campo, Piccolomini Library (we actually walked by this), Facciatone, Duomo, Palazzo Pubblico, and the Basilica of San Domenico.
By car, we also plan to check-out Poggio Covili, Pienza, and Montepulciano, as we didn’t have time to stop along our way to the Amalfi Coast. The Tuscany region is so stunning, and I do honestly wish we would have devoted more time to staying in and exploring this area.
Amalfi Coast, Italy
Day One:
Speaking of stunning, the Amalfi Coast was absolutely gorgeous! One might even describe it as magical.
Evan and stayed in Sorrento, a town that overlooks the Bay of Naples in Southern Italy.
Peter’s Beach
After we checked-in at our hotel, Atlantic Palace, in Sorrento, we walked down to Peter’s Beach. A co-worker had recommended the club (and the caprese sandwich) to me, so Evan and I thought we would go and check it out! The beach club ended up being rather enjoyable, where we spent our afternoon lounging underneath the orange umbrellas and sun, while I enjoyed a limoncello spritz.
O’Parrucchiano La Favorita
After seeing tons of pictures of this restaurant online with its lemon trees and garden, I knew we had to eat dinner here. Even though we did try calling and texting the restaurant numerous times, but were unsuccessful in reaching anyone to make a reservation, to our pleasant surprise, we were able to walk-in no problem (we did arrive when the establishment opened its doors for dinner though). The food was decent, but the views and company were superb!
Day Two:
On our second day on the Amalfi Coast, we weren’t as lucky with the weather. The morning fluctuated between cloudy weather and pouring rain, but we made the most of a gloomy day.
Positano
We took a ferry from Sorrento to Positano, where we ventured over to the beach club, Da Ferdinando.
Da Ferdinando
I made reservations for a front row umbrella and two sunbeds, so we figured we had to go to the beach club, even if for a little bit of time. We ended up lucking out and spent this first hour under cloudy skies, before we left the beach and it started to rain in Positano.
We were going to visit the towns of Amalfi, Atrani, and Revello, but decided navigating the bus system in the rain would not be as enjoyable. So, we boarded the next ferry across stormy waters to the island of Capri.
Capri
At Capri, we climbed the stairs to Capri Town (The Funicular, tram, was not running at the time). The whole time it was pouring rain, so we grabbed some spaghetti alle vongole aka spaghetti and clams, and then stopped into a shop to purchase some sweatshirts.
Unfortunately Blue Grotto charters were not operating due to unfavorable weather conditions, but Evan jokes that while he didn’t see the Blue Grotto, he was able to “buy a blue ass sweatshirt.”
Rome, Italy
A day spent in Rome
Rome wasn’t built in a day … still, this is how much time we spent in Italy’s Capitol.
Roman Colosseum
The Colosseum is one of, if not the biggest, tourist attractions in Rome. It is an elliptical amphitheater just east of the Roman Forum. It is the largest ancient amphitheater ever built, and was once used for gladiator battles, executions, and plays/dramas. In the early medieval era, the building ceased to be used for entertainment purposes, and instead, was utilized as a quarry, housing, and religious shrine. Now, this ancient place serves as a renowned symbol of Imperial Rome.
Spanish Steps
The Spanish Steps, or otherwise known, Scalinata di Trinita dei Monti, is a landmark that was built in the 1700s. It features 135 steps, and as depicted in the photo, gets significantly busy in the afternoon lol.
Trevi Fountain
Finally, the Trevi Fountain was designed by Italian architect Nicola Salvi and finished by Pietro Bracci. This is the most grand fountain in the city and has appeared in notable films, like the Lizzie McGuire movie, IKYK. It is said, if you toss a coin into the fountain, you will return to Rome. I did not have a coin and we had to stand pretty far back behind the crowds, but I tried to put good vibes out into the universe that we would like to return one day 🙂
Like Venice, Rome was pretty packed when we arrived in the afternoon. Thus, we didn’t have the opportunity to see the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, or St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. Hopefully, one day we will be able to see these sites.
Il Giardino Ristorante at Hotel Eden
Nonetheless, we did enjoy one last honeymoon dinner at the restaurant inside the celebrity-frequented Hotel Eden. The views were top notch, and even though I ordered a simple chicken noodle soup, it was probably the best chicken noodle of my life. Send more noods! What’s more, the restaurant staff were very professional and kind, and even brought out a little donut dessert to commemorate our honeymoon.
To conclude, we enjoyed the most splendid vacation. I feel so grateful to have a partner that is open to exploring the world with me, and I can’t wait for more adventures with this man. Evan, thanks for the best honeymoon – I love you as much as I love Italian gelato – which is a lot!
