Italy for First Timers - May 2024 - Dawn Caputo - Hostess RoundUp

We arrived at Venice Airport to our waiting water taxis that took us across the lagoons and down the Grand Canal where the magic of Venice opened up.  A city built on more than 100 islands, lined with Renaissance and gothic palaces, it was love at first sight!. Our hotel was centrally located and within minutes of the Rialto Bridge and an easy walk to St. Mark's Square.

What a great start to our tour as we explored and got lost in the maze of the many calli(paths/streets) but hey we were in Venice! We visited the Doges Palace, St Mark's church and people watched as we sat in St Mark's Square.

Onto the medieval city of Verona and the setting for Shakespeare's play "Romeo & Juliet" besides the must-visit to Juliet's house the city also boasts the "Arena di Verona" a roman amphitheatre, famous for its acoustics and opera performances.

A 2-hour drive and we were at picturesque Lake Como, set at the foothills of the Swiss/Italian Alps that divide the two countries. Our hotel was in the town of Como and within a short walk to the lake with its waterfront esplanade. An easy morning walking tour of the city followed by a visit to the mountaintop town of Brunate with its panoramic views of the lake but the best was yet to come - we hired a couple of speed boats and had an hour on the lake, enjoying its stunning natural beauty and historic villas, sadly no George Clooney! Milan was only a short drive away where we were met by our local guide Yulia who walked us through the beautiful Galleria, Milan Duomo (visited from outside due to a sudden closing) and Szforza Castle. The following morning and travelling south we arrived at La Spezia Port where we boarded our boat and sailed along the rugged 5 Terre coastline, stopping at the villages of Vernazza and Monterosso, what a glorious and relaxing day it was.

En route to Florence, we stopped at the walled town of Lucca and then Pisa before arriving in Florence for our 3-night stay.

Our local guide was exceptional as we explored the main sights of Florence whilst taking the smaller streets and lanes that transversed the city.  A visit to the Accademia Gallery is a "must" where the imposing, magnificent statue of Michelangelo's David is housed. A walking "foodie tour" allowed us to enjoy the local Tuscan cuisine with plenty of time for shopping at the shops and local leather markets. Leaving Florence we travelled through the lush green rolling hills with olive trees, Tuscan cypresses and pencil conifers that is the Tuscan countryside. The first stop was in the township of Reggello at an olive oil producer with a masterclass in olive oil and tasting. Next was the medieval town of San Gimignano known for its tall towers and the home of the best gelato in Italy! The day continued to get better as we visited a local winery for some wine tasting accompanied by local cheeses, salami and bruschetta before heading to our overnight villa accommodation nearby. Our itinerary continued with an overnight stop in Siena followed by Orvieto where we stopped for lunch at one the most beautiful rustic and romantic wineries -  the wine was good too!

Our last stop Rome "The eternal city " and Italy's capital, bustling with over 400 churches and hidden treasures.

Our orientation walking tour took in the main sights, Spanish Steps, the vibrant Piazza Navona, Pantheon,Trevi Fountain, and Piazza Venezia with an option taken by most to also visit inside the Colosseum. The following day was at leisure, allowing time to revisit some of the sights, shop or explore the city. The Vatican(the smallest country in the world) centre of the Catholic religion, housing an impressive museum, artworks by masters along with the magnificent work of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel can not be missed. Our tour had come to an end, we had experienced Italy's history, art and culture along with its natural beauty of Lake Como, the Ligurian coast and the Tuscan countryside. So many wonderful memories were shared with "faces" that we first saw 3 weeks ago at our Zoom meeting to who now have become "sisters" and long life friends.