An Italian Christmas!

Strap on your walking shoes and get ready for an adventure! 

We spent the past two weeks “backpacking” through Italy and seeing more than we ever thought possible. We started our journey in Pompeii and worked our way north to Venice, checking several more items off our bucket list. As Amy put it, “My 15-year-old self would be so impressed!”. We walked a total of 151 miles while touring the seven Italian cities and only wore out one pair of shoes! 

We started our adventures the Friday before Christmas. We flew directly from Düsseldorf to Naples and caught a bus into town. We followed that with one of the scariest walks of our lives, wandering through the tiny alleys and passing by some interesting sights in the dark. Thankfully, when we arrived at our Airbnb, our host was waiting and greeted us with a warm welcome. He showed us the apartment, complete with an incredible terrace and view of Mt. Vesuvius, and told us about the “better” way to get to the apartment... thanks a lot google maps. 

After settling in, we followed our host’s suggestion and took the opposite route in search of a place to eat and a local grocery store. We didn’t have any luck with the store, but we did find a place for dinner! 

On Saturday, we spent an incredible day wandering through Pompeii. It was sopping wet, but an unbelievable sight. It was so much bigger than expected and so sophisticated considering the city was first established in the 8th century B.C. For instance, they had “fast food” restaurants with sliding doors, just like we have today. They had multi-story buildings with shops on the first floor and lodging above, one-way streets marked with signs, complete with grooves carved into the stone from all the wagon traffic, and streets purposely built at a slope so that water would run down the edges, washing all the waste away. They had drinking fountains throughout the town and theatres with acoustic attributes. They even had a red-light district like Amsterdam with a picture "menu"!

The Sauna

The "fast food" restaurant 

A pizza oven! 

The one-way street sign! 

Another kind of street sign *ahem* 

The picture "menu" 

One of the many fountains 

The Large Theatre 

We took time to marvel at the bodies that were perfectly preserved due to the ash and debris. It’s hard to believe that the volcano erupted in 79 A.D. and the city wasn’t rediscovered until 1748. It’s even crazier to see just how deeply buried the city was and that there are still new excavations occurring today. In fact, our tour guide, who was also an archeologist working onsite, told us that he and his partner recently discovered two new houses. #mindboggling

By the time we finished our tour, our pants and shoes were soaked, and the rain was still coming down. We took one last stroll through the center of the city and wandered over to the stadium where the fights happened. Wishing we could spend more time exploring this incredible city, but also very tired of being wet, we decided it was best to catch the train and head back to town to dry off. We stopped at the legendary pizza joint (highly recommended by our host) on our way back to the apartment and enjoyed the pizzas in the warm indoors and dry clothes.

We spent the afternoon wandering through the city of Naples. We peeked in a couple of churches, roamed through the Spaccanapoli Street and to the Piazza del Plebiscito. We passed by several stands that were possibly Christmas markets and eventually made our way to the seaside, where we took a refreshing break away from the crowds. 

As darkness set in, we made our way back to the apartment. We found dinner and a few snacks then settled in for a game night, enjoying the city views, as well as the 1:38 am firework show... what a wake-up call! We’re not sure what the celebration was for, but someone was having fun! 

We spent Sunday in Naples, hitting up a few sights we missed the day before. We stopped by Chiostro di Santa Chiara, where we admired the beautiful gardens, specifically the majolica tiles, murals covering the walls, and exquisite ceramic benches. We took cover from the unexpected downpour and toured the attached museum. We were fascinated by the Roman excavations occurring in the back garden, which included a bathhouse and sauna.

We continued on our adventures, finding a local cafe to again, take cover from the wind and rain. Mother Nature couldn’t decide what to do… shinning sun, sprinkling rain, massive downpour, sun again, crazy wind... every ten minutes the weather changed, but we didn’t let that stop us! We ordered our first babà and coffee and were surprised by the flavor, not realizing that babàs are doused in rum! What a lovely surprise!

We continued our tour of Naples, squeezing our way through the very crowded pedestrian street and through the shopping stores. We wandered back down to the water, catching a glimpse of Mt. Vesuvius and enjoying the orchestra of waves and sailboats clanking against the piers.

We stopped at a tasty pizza and pasta restaurant for lunch before making our way back to the apartment, grabbing our bags and setting off for the train station and our next stop, Rome Baby!

One city down, six more to go!

Rome, the city of churches, tasty food, and metal detectors.

On Monday, we set out to see Vatican City (one more country added to our list!). We stopped in front of St. Peter’s Basilica, taking in the quiet square while watching the workers hang up the red velvet curtain, thanks to the help of the firemen. We walked next door to the Vatican Museum and were mesmerized by the beauty of the Sistine Chapel, in addition to the other art and countless statues in the museum. Thankfully there was not a big crowd while we were visiting, so we were able to sit in the chapel, listen to our audio guide and truly enjoy the masterpiece. 

We went to St. Peter’s Basilica next and climbed the 551 steps to the top of the dome. We were blown away by the beauty of it all, and soaked in the views of this iconic city, on a perfect bluebird day. We could see for miles! We admired St. Peter’s square and the Vatican gardens with our bird’s eye view and found the Pantheon and Colosseum hidden in the city. There’s something invigorating about seeing a city from above. 

We wound our way back down to earth and took our first walk around in St. Peter’s (well Amy’s first look, Jeff has seen it before) and were not disappointed. It was stunning! There is so much to look at and the art is incredible! We followed our tour with some delicious pasta at Pastasciutta’s. It was teeny and crowded but so tasty!

We strolled through Vatican City, enjoying the sight of all of the priests, monks, and nuns walking about, as we waited for our Scavi Tour to begin (aka a tour of the excavations under the basilica including St. Peter’s Tomb). We felt like rebels talking to the Swiss Guards and entering through the side gates into the secured area. We collected our tickets, took a few photos outside (photos were not allowed inside), then set off for a tour of a lifetime. We began the tour by heading down to the humid necropolis (burial grounds) of ancient rich folks. We peeked in the tombs as our guide told us about the individuals buried in them. There were pagan tombs with Egyptian art painted on the walls and Christian tombs referencing stories from the bible. There were tombs with garden areas and others with two separate floors, one for the tombs and one for the funerals and other gatherings. This was when we learned about the word “libations.” Back in the day, families would gather together at these burial grounds to have a drink with the deceased. They would pour the beverage into a hole in the tomb and into the person’s open mouth, calling it a libation. A little strange, but also so interesting! Guess what will come to our mind if someone ever asks if we want a libation!

We learned about how the tombs were excavated in secret during WWII, and about the investigations and evidence that have led to the agreement that this is indeed St. Peter’s tomb. We walked through the dark hallways and up a few steps to St. Peter’s tomb (directly below the main alter of St. Peter’s Basilica), where, what is believed to be, a few small pieces of his bones. Pretty remarkable!

We ended the tour by walking by several small, but beautifully decorated chapels and took a quick peek up through the grates to see the top of the dome. The tour ended in St. Peter’s Basilica, which had been transformed and decorated with Christmas décor, making it even more beautiful than before! We took a few minutes to admire St. Pope John Paul II’s tomb, walked around the church one last time, and then made our way out to the main square to admire the amazing building we just discovered top to bottom, literally.

We headed back towards our apartment, stopping for some delicious pizza and a stop at the Trevi Fountain. We read that the fountain was neat to see at night, and that is a fact (plus there were less people). We grabbed our coins, made a wish, and tossed them in, concluding our first full day in Rome.

We spent a beautiful Christmas Eve roaming around Rome! We started our tour off by beating the crowds to the Colosseum. We climbed the steps to the highest level and looked down at the arena, listening to our trusty tour guide Rick Steves tell us about this incredible structure. We learned about the unique system under the arena that allowed the performers to move about, elevators that hoisted the animals and performers to the arena floor, and the variety of props used for scenery changes, allowing for additional entertainment. We tried to imagine the sound of the crowd cheering as the gladiators battled in the arena and snickered when we learned about the Vestal Virgins and the “vormitoria” (aka entrances, which allowed the 50,000 spectators to exit within 10 minutes after the show and where the word “vomit” comes from). 

We were impressed to learn that attendance was free (that’s one way to get the people’s vote) and that the amphitheater had a massive retractable awning that protected the spectators from the sun, which was necessary considering the games often lasted from dawn to dusk. The colosseum is one of those historic structures you learn about in school and hear about your whole life, and to actually set foot in it and to see it with your own eyes… it’s pretty extraordinary!

We continued our Roman tour by walking over to the Rome Forum (aka the old center of town) and yet another incredible sight, full of surprises. The buildings these people constructed where huge! The city was covered with ruins, including the enormous Basilica of Constantine, the house for the Vestal Virgins, Caligula’s Palace, and so many pillars and temples, including the temple of Julius Caesar. We wandered through the ruins and to the Forum’s main square, walking on the same streets as Constantine, Augustus, Julius Caesar, and Mark Antony, trying to imagine the city in its prime. 

We took a break from ancient Roman history and walked through the quiet back streets of Rome to the Basilica of St. Mary Major. Jeff discovered this beautiful church during one of his previous trips to Rome and was excited to show it off. Again, not sure where to look because there’s so much to admire, we set off, strolling around the church and took a few minutes to marvel at a piece of baby Jesus’ manger. Pretty relevant for this time of year!

We made our way back to the heart of Rome by way of the Via dei Fori Imperiali, stopping at Trajan’s Column (the gigantic marble column engraved with scenes commemorating the Roman emperor Trajan’s victory in the Dacian Wars and an inspiration for others to create their own victory columns) and the enormous Sacrario delle Bandiere. We continued to the Pantheon and Piazza Navona. We were hoping to scope out some Christmas markets in the piazza, but unfortunately, they were closed for the day. So, instead, we sat and admired the Fiumi Fountain (Fountain of the Four Rivers).

We found another tasty pasta shop for lunch, enjoying Ravioli and classic noodles, and then settled in for a quiet Christmas Eve afternoon, watching Amy’s favorite, A Muppet’s Christmas Carol.

A free drinking fountain! They're all over!

At 6:30, we put on warm layers and set out in search of our Christmas Eve dinner and midnight mass with the Pope (well, really 9:30 mass). We came up short on the dinner front, as the majority of restaurants were unfortunately closed for the evening (even our back up McDonald’s was locked up). So, we sucked it up and paid the tourist price for a moderate meal at one of the few open restaurants.

However, our meal mishap ended up working out in our favor. Because it was quick and close to the Vatican, we were able to get great seats for the Christmas Eve mass. We spent the next two hours playing Carcassonne and Ticket to Ride on Jeff’s phone, anticipating what was to come next.

Finally, at 9:30 sharp, the bells began to ring, and the service started. What an experience! It was incredible to participate in a church service with the Pope and to hear the variety of languages spoken during it. The readings and prayers of the faithful were each in a different language, including Arabic, Chinese, and Swahili, and the organ and choir music was beautiful! Pope Francis gave his homily in Italian so we had to google that the next day, but it was still inspiring and included a simple reminder, “God does not love you because you think and act the right way. He loves you plain and simple”. During communion, around fifteen seminarians came walking out of the church and down the front steps, each holding a chalice, yet another incredible sight. At the end of the service, Pope Francis, along with several little children, placed the baby Jesus in the manger, and as they left, he kissed each child on the top of their head, that melted our hearts! It was an unbelievable way to celebrate Christmas! 

We woke early again on Christmas Day, not out of excitement for Santa, but instead to get another good seat for the Urbi et Orbi (Christmas Day blessing by the Pope that only happens on Easter and Christmas). We settled in, with a perfect view of the balcony and waited for the festivities to begin.

After about an hour of waiting, the crowd began to get antsy as we heard the Swiss Guards coming our way, eventually followed by the Swiss military band and a variety of other military members marching through the square and up to the front of the Basilica. We watched in anticipation as the military bands dueled, and the commanders marched back and forth. 

And then, again, as the bells began to ring, Pope Francis appeared on the center balcony in the front of St. Peter’s Basilica, waiving to the audience and greeted with cheers. We sat in silence as he addressed the crowd, reminding us, “To give hope to the world,” as he gave his formal blessing over us. As the ceremony came to an end, we smiled ear to ear and waved enthusiastically as Pope Francis smiled and waved back. We watched the military bands march out of the square and that was that. #simplyincredible

We found yet another delicious pizza shop for our Christmas Day lunch (thank you Mama Eat!) then set off to mosey around Rome while soaking in the sun and quiet atmosphere around us. We eventually found the crowds at the Spanish Steps and left them behind as we made our way to the Circo Maximus, passing through the Piazza Navona to scope out the open Christmas markets (definitely not as good as Germany’s... these markets had more of a carnival feel and no glühwein). We strolled through the old Jewish Quarter, past a beautiful synagogue, and up the hill to a lookout over the Circo Maximus. It wasn’t much to admire, the ancient ruins behind the stadium were a little more picturesque, but it was still neat to imagine the crowds lining the track and the chariots zooming around in circles!

As the sun began to set, we made our way back to the apartment, to cook our Christmas dinner (ham, potatoes, and veggies), watch a couple movies (Gladiator, because we’re in Rome and Polar Express, because it’s Christmas), and spend time chatting with our family across the pond.

It was a very different kind of Christmas compared to what we’re used to, and of course difficult to be away from our family and typical Christmas traditions, however, we are very grateful for the opportunity to travel, experience new places, and create memories that we will never forget!

We finally slept in on Thursday and spent the day leisurely strolling around the city, taking in our last day in Rome. We spent a quiet and peaceful afternoon walking through the back streets, touring both the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, stopping to admire the series of papal portraits lining the walls of the church, and the Basilica of Saint John Lateran said to be one of the most beautiful churches in Rome. We walked by the old city wall and strolled back into the heart of the city, overwhelmed by the crowds after having the morning to ourselves. We were wondering where everyone was...

We took a “people break” at a little café and enjoyed some delicious Carmel, and mango gelato (separate flavors, not mixed!) then continued back to our apartment. We passed the Trevi Fountain, confirming that yes, it is indeed better at night, and finished the walk along the river just as the sun was setting. We ended the day with one last moonlit stroll through Rome, soaking up every ounce of it we could before we had to leave. 

We spent Friday traveling through the Italian countryside on our way to Assisi. As we approached the city, we caught our first glimpse of the immaculate Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi and the beautiful city sitting on the hillside. What a sight!

The bus dropped us off in the middle of town, and we began our trek up the hill, through the little city and to our Airbnb (thankfully, we had our backpacks and not a rolling suitcase!). Our host graciously greeted us and showed us around our new home, the best part being the terrace with a view of the valley.

Following the welcome, we set off for the Basilica. We stopped for several photos (how could you not, this city made of white brick buildings was beautiful!), everywhere you look there was something to see! Views of the valley, silly water fountains, beautiful architecture, and nativity scenes galore (St. Francis is credited with creating the first nativity scene, and his creation has continued to mask the town. They are everywhere!). We grabbed a delicious sandwich from La Bottega Dei Sapori, which included fresh bread, salami, cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes (YUM!) and finally made it to the Basilica. 

We approached the Basilica from above, allowing extra time to take in this incredible sight as we advanced to the main entrance. Initially, we thought the outside was beautiful, but that had nothing on the inside! The Basilica was stunning, possibly Amy’s favorite of the trip! Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take photos, so the beauty lives in our memories (or with a quick google search). The Basilica is made up of two churches built on top of each other, the Basilica Superior and the Basilica Inferior. The Basilica Inferior was a beauty, designed in the Romanesque style with crossed vaults over the nave adorned with colorful flowers and unique patterns while the walls were covered with frescos of scenes from the bible and St. Francis’ life. Even the flooring was beautiful! The Upper Basilica was stunning as well and included frescos of St. Francis’ conversion, his life after creating the monastery, and miracles after his death, complete with a beautiful rose window. As we wandered through the church, we listened to another audio tour provided by our trusty friend Rick and learned about the devastating earthquake in 1997 that destroyed several frescoes. 

As our tour ended, we hurried outside to catch a glimpse of the sun setting over the valley, then continued our journey exploring the town and grabbing pizza for dinner (Jeff was in heaven with the Italian cuisine, pizza, pasta, and more pizza! Good thing Italy has some incredible gluten-friendly options!). 

We woke an on Saturday, starting our day with a two-mile hike and 1400 feet elevation gain up to Eremo delle Carceri, the place St. Francis would hike to when he wanted to pray in solitude. This turned out to be more of a workout than we expected, but a beautiful hike nonetheless! We hiked by countless olive trees and soaked in the views of the valley. We explored the hermitage, squeezing through the corridors and in and out of the teeny tiny doors. We walked in the forest, discovering the small chapels and enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere.

We hiked back down the mountain, stopping for some meat, cheese, and fresh olives before setting off to visit more churches. We started at the Basilica of St. Clare, which has the Byzantine cross St. Francis was praying to when he had his vision as well as St. Clare’s body, which happens to be incorruptible (this is always such a weird yet interesting sight). We followed the Basilica with a visit to the Assisi Cathedral and the Chiesa Nuova, which was built on the grounds of St. Francis’ family home.

Wanting a full view of the city, we took a stroll down the hill and to the farms. The city was lit by the afternoon sun, bringing its beauty to life.

Since we were already down the hill, we decided to continue through the little town to the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels, which was built around the Portiuncula (the original chapel used by St. Francis and the Franciscan order). What a sight, a church within a church! Unfortunately photos were not permitted, again.

We strolled by the rose garden (not many roses this time of year) and found several nativity scenes from all over the world, lining the hallways leading back to the main chapel. There were nativities made of stone, wool, wood, wicker, sticks, and so much more! It was fascinating to see the materials unique to each country.

We started our trek back to Assisi, stopping to enjoy the pink sunset shining over the city and twinkling lanterns lighting the streets. We climbed up the long ramp and some more stairs, feeling our morning hike, but eventually making it to a beautiful overlook. We watched as the final bit of sun set behind the mountains, then took off in search of dessert and dinner. We indulged in some delicious cannoli for dessert, with the best part being a visit from Carlo the cafe’s mascot. This little guy enjoyed wandering under the chairs and tables while knotting up his retractable leash in search of crumbs. We followed dessert with some delicious homemade pasta and gnocchi for dinner, tastes we hope never to forget!

As we made our way back to the Airbnb, our feet were barking. We had racked up a total of 15 miles, 32,000 steps, and 173 staircases in this one day... our poor legs! However, we couldn’t stop soaking in the magic of this little city. The stars were out, the moon was shining, and the air smelled of wood-burning fireplaces. So cozy and perfect!

On Sunday, we set off for Florence. We made it to Florence just in time to check out the stunning Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, skipping the line by attending the noon mass. We had prime seating right under the magnificent dome.

We found another delicious pasta restaurant for lunch, dropped our bags off at the Airbnb, then made our way to the highly recommended Uffizi Gallery.

We spent the afternoon admiring the impressive collection of Renaissance art at the Uffizi Gallery. We saw pieces by Botticelli, Rembrandt, and Raphael, as well as Michelangelo’s Holy Family (his only finished panel to survive) and Leonardo da Vinci’s Baptism of Christ and his unfinished Adoration of the Magi. It was so neat to see the work in progress! 

da Vinci's unfinished artwork

We took a short walk over to the Ponte Vecchio, the bridge with the “secret passageway” connecting the palace to the town hall. We admired the countless jewelry shops that replaced the stinky butcher shops in the late 1500s and continued with our walking tour of Florence. We found yet another incredible pasta restaurant, which also had the best tiramisu we’ve ever tasted, for dinner, this time enjoying our meal in the glass-covered outdoor seating area. The perfect atmosphere!

We started Monday off by hitting up, what we called, the “Westminster Abbey of Florence,” aka the Basilica of Santa Croce. This beautiful church is the burial place for Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli (plus a few others we didn’t recognize). It also houses the Liberty of Poetry, sculpted by Pio Fedi, that may or may not have inspired the Statue of Liberty. What do you think, there are some definite similarities! 

We took a quick coffee break following the cathedral, then set off to see the infamous David statue (well, technically his twin). What a guy! We continued, admiring the Ponte Vecchio during the day and stopping to smell the fresh fish while searching for some Italian spices at the San Lorenzo Market. We can’t wait to use them when we get home! But we may need a little break from pasta...

We made our last stop in Florence a tasty one, popping into Mister Pizza for an early dinner before catching our train to Padua. The fun just doesn’t stop!

We arrived in Padua after dark and chose to walk through the city to our Airbnb. For the most part, it was a pleasant walk, the only downfall being a group of teenage boys who were up to no good and who were throwing firecrackers at people… including us.

After dropping off our bags, we set off for an evening walk, avoiding the direction of the teenage boys. We strolled through the Prato della Valle (Padua’s elliptical square, surrounded by a canal and decorated with 78 statues of famous Paduan figures), and stopped by St. Anthony’s Basilica before heading back to our warm and cozy Airbnb.

We woke early on New Year’s Eve, ready to enjoy our last day of 2019! We wandered back to St. Anthony’s Basilica, this time going inside and paying homage to Jeff’s confirmation saint, St. Anthony.

We continued on, stopping for a real Italian espresso and delicious morning croissant before heading to the remarkable Scrovegni Chapel. The Scrovegni Chapel houses, what is considered to be, the most complete series of frescoes completed by Giotto di Bondone, an artist from the 14th century (before Michelangelo and Di Vinci). His work at this chapel is considered to be some of the first pieces of “modern” art and is said to have inspired the Sistine Chapel. This was some of the first art to include colorful scenes, nature, real people, and expressions of human emotion. One of our favorites was the picture of Mary holding baby Jesus on the donkey as Joseph lead them to Nazareth. You don't often think about their return trip with a newborn!

After the chapel, we headed back to our Airbnb, but were stopped at the sight of an authentic Italian Christmas market (much better than Rome’s), complete with Vin Brulé (aka glühwein)! Thank you Padua! That makes a total of six countries and Christmas markets this year! #theresnothinglikeit

In our opinion, Germany still holds the award for overall best markets and glühwein, closely followed by the Czech Republic. Hungry holds the award for the best food, the Netherlands, the most unique atmosphere, France, the most like a hallmark movie set, and Italy, the most versatile.

After enjoying a glass of Vin Brulé, we continued on, picking up our bags and setting off for the train station. Next stop, Venice, fireworks, bubbly, and a midnight kiss!

First impressions of Venice, we loved it! After visiting Amsterdam and Bruges and falling in love with both of those canal cities, we figured Venice would be a winner too. The tiny alleys that make a maze within the city, the hidden shops and restaurants around every corner, and the countless boats floating through the water… it is simply marvelous!

We quickly dropped our bags off at the hotel (finally a squishy mattress, plush pillows, and a hot shower! #luxury) and set off to explore the Floating City. 

We wandered through the narrow streets and over the countless bridges and located a nice restaurant for lunch. The owner greeted us, pulled us over to the live lobster while telling us about their seafood, then recommended what we should order. It was a little overwhelming, but quite the experience! Amy went with the recommended scallop pasta, and Jeff enjoyed a prosciutto pizza with fresh mozzarella. Delicious!

We continued through the city maze, soaking in the picture-perfect views, feeling as if we were walking in a painting. We viewed the famous Rialto Bridge, complete with gondolas gliding under it and happy tourists snapping photos. We wandered by the hospital, amazed by the ambulance boats lining the canal and later learned about the postal boats, taxi boats, and even fireboats that make up Venice.

An ambulance boat!

We stopped by the gorgeous Basilica di San Marco, covered in gold mosaics, and walked next door to the Doge’s Palace and the Ponte dei Sospiri (Bridge of Sighs) where prisoners would pass through, often catching their last glimpse of the city and lagoon. We were amazed by the number of pigeons in St. Mark’s square and a little grossed out by the people feeding the birds and letting them sit on their hands and arms. #nothankyou

We stopped to marvel at a beautiful sunset, covering the sky in pink and orange, brawled on the “Bridge of Fists” (where clans used to fight during public spectacles, with the goal being to knock their rival into the canal), then set off back to the hotel to layer up for the evening’s festivities.

For dinner, we enjoyed a “Taste of Italy”, sampling numerous cicheti (the Italian version of Spanish tapas), including polenta, risotto, bruschetta, caprese skewers, and little sandwiches.

As the countdown to midnight grew closer, we set off to find the perfect view for the firework show. At midnight, the Italians around us started the countdown, and we joined in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 boom boom boom! The fireworks lasted a solid 30 minutes and the crowd singing around us lasted longer than that. It wasn’t quite as adventurous as Prague last year; however, it was still fun in a safer, less thrilling kind of way! Hello 2020! 

In spite of a late-night, we woke early on January 1 to take full advantage of our last day in Venice. We beat the crowd to the ferry dock, enjoying a morning stroll through the quiet Venetian streets and a pleasant boat ride to the colorful island of Burano. We spent the morning moseying through the vibrant streets and picking out our favorite houses (bright orange, Tiffany blue, Pepto-Bismol pink, magenta, lime green, sunflower yellow... so many choices, anything goes!). Since we arrived early, we had the place to ourselves!

We caught the ferry back to Venice, catching a glimpse of the alps across the water, and made our way to the Libreria Acqua Alta, a unique bookstore with books stacked in bathtubs, canoes, and even a gondola. That’s one way to save the books from floods!

Wanting a break from walking, we hopped on the water bus and took a backward tour of the grand canal, starting at the “fish’s tale” (southern Venice) and making our way to the train station.

A boat taxi!

We enjoyed the “must try” risotto for dinner, branching out of our shell and ordering the seafood risotto compete with octopus, clams, mussels and shrimp (things we don’t usually touch) and were pleased with how tasty it was (you just can’t think about it before you take a bite!).

We took one last canal ride following the sunset, this time enjoying the city lights while listening to an audio tour. We learned about the former palaces lining the water (many of which still have chandeliers hanging from the ceilings), the negative results of the flooding (empty buildings and inhabitable first floors) and the unfortunate declining population. It wasn’t a very optimistic tour, but it was interesting! 

On our way back to the hotel, we stopped off at a funky little bar where Amy finally sampled her authentic Venetian Bellini while Jeff sipped on an, often difficult to find, IPA. It was the perfect way to end our time in Venice! 

We set off for Milan on Thursday, the last full day of our two-week Italy trip. Our feet, legs, and backs were feeling the massive walking tour, but our spirits were still high and our pursuit for adventure was still present. 

We spent the next day and a half wandering around Milan, experiencing the city in our favorite way… walking the streets.

We stopped by the over-crowded Galleria Vittorio Emmanuele II (one of the world’s oldest shopping malls), followed by a view of Milan’s Cathedral. We shuffled through the crowds of shoppers and past the Sforzesco Castle, eventually ending up in the middle of Chinatown where we found one of Jeff's favorite childhood candies. As we made our way to dinner, we watched several streetcars travel up and down the streets (some looking as if they were the originals from the 1920s). We dined on one last pizza and bowl of risotto and thoroughly enjoyed our final Italian meal, captivated by the memories of our incredible trip. 

On Friday, our curiosity led us to the massive, fancy building that we saw from our hotel room. It turned out to be Milan’s Monumental Cemetery… who knew! We embraced Milan’s culture and stopped in a few shops, before heading over to the Starbucks Reserve Roastery. We savored the delicious Cold Brew Sorbetto and the glorious smell of fresh coffee beans while reminiscing about the last time we were at a Starbucks reserve, the one in Seattle on the morning of our engagement day! So fun! We eventually made our way back to the hotel, picked up our bags and took off for the airport, concluding our extraordinary tour d’Italia. It still feels like a dream!