Expert Recommendations for Amazing Itineraries

The Accademia Gallery stands as a timeless beacon of art and culture. Renowned for housing Michelangelo’s iconic masterpiece, “David,” the gallery offers visitors encounters with Renaissance brilliance. Beyond the David, the Accademia boasts a treasure trove of artistic wonders, including Michelangelo’s unfinished sculptures, captivating religious works, and intricate musical instrument displays. To avoid the long lines, timed tickets can be purchased online through the official website of the Accademia Gallery.

Alberobello is a 30 minute drive from Polignano a Mare and is best known for captivating visitors with its enchanting trulli houses. These unique stone dwellings with conical roofs are emblematic of the town and have earned it UNESCO World Heritage status. Alberobello’s trulli district offers a fascinating glimpse into traditional Apulian architecture, with narrow streets winding between clusters of these distinctive structures. There are shops and restaurants in these distinctive houses. Again, a location well worth the visit.

This sandwich shop has gone viral on Instagram as the place to go to get the famous Florentine sandwiches called schiacciata. There are actually a few different locations in central Florence and some folks might recommend you chose instead the less crowded instead but personally I think it’s fun to be in line with all the folks making reels of their sandwiches. The wait is worth it — the paninis are so delicious — my go to is the pancetta, parmesan spread, arugula and sun dried tomatoes.

This quaint jewelry shop of a small alleyway in Cortona has many handmade artisan crafted items for purchase. The owner is so welcoming and lovely that it’s worth the stop.

This is the best porchetta in Florence. The shop is just a window and they make the sandwich right in front of you. They don’t have any extras, just drinks. But it is so delicious — we stopped there so many times, I feel like the men cutting the porchetta started to recognize us. It’s not as well known as Antica Vinaio but it is equally as delicious.

Spend some time while you are in Italy sitting in a town square, a Piazza, watching the world go by. Every city has more than a few of these piazze and normally, you’ll find cafes with outdoor seating. Often, these piazze have people busking; playing the guitar or singing. It’s a central place for the city to come together and enjoy life in their city. After dark, they can become even more fun with lots of folks, sitting around and enjoying the evening.

This great cocktail bar has lots of fun concoctions to try but also serves a perfect Aperol Spritz and some interesting local beer. Of course, you’ll get a lovely aperitivo snack but they also have a tasty menu too. The bar is on the Via Roma which is the street with the words to the ubiquitous “Volare” in lights so make sure it sit outside and enjoy the scene.

We enjoyed into a sunny warm day at Paestum and were astounded by the archeological sites to see. Three massive Greek temples, still standing, are the obvious sites to visit first. You are able to walk up and into the temples reading about the site as you go along. Once the Romans seized the city from the Greeks, they built an amphitheater, city walls and church are all included in the ticket. Outside the park, there is a small area you can walk to with a Museum and some restaurants and shops.

The Piazza Santa Croce is my favorite spot in Florence. It’s easily walkable from the Duomo but much less croweded. The piazza perfectly frames the Basilica and on a sunny morning, is the perfect spot for a café and cornetto. The Church has many interesting historical figures entombed within including Michelangelo and Galileo but not Dante who is memorialized there but who’s body remains in Ravella despite centuries long attempt to bring him back to Florence.

The Basilica di Santo Spirito in Florence, designed by the legendary Filippo Brunelleschi, is a timeless marvel of Renaissance architecture. With its graceful façade and majestic dome, this sacred sanctuary exudes tranquility and architectural splendor. Beyond its doors, visitors are greeted by the lively Piazza Santo Spirito, with restaurants and sidewalk cafes; it is a vibrant hub of Florentine life. Santo Spirito is on the west side of the Arno River.

When this church was excavated, another 4th century church and a 1st century pagan temple were found below. For a 10€ ticket, you can go see the excavation below and it’s very interesting! You walk down the stairs to three different levels and even see the lost waters of Rome flowing from the foundation.

The Baths of Caracalla are a quick walk from Trastevere; they are located close to the Circus Maximus. The site is the location of a giant Roman bathhouse, with a lot of examples of mosaic tiles from that time. The structure is quite large and you can walk throughout the building to see the different rooms. It was 8€ for the ticket and a good stop to see ancient Rome.

The beach in Rimini was quiet on the May day that we were there but I bet it’s hopping in the summer. There were attendants to get you settled in under an umbrella on your chaise lounge so you can sit and watch the Adriatic Sea. By train, it’s a quick one hour trip from Bologna too!

This great local spot is just a few minutes walk from the Palazzo Vecchio and the Piazza Santa Croce. They have a great menu of pizzas, antipasti and drinks. My favorite was the pizza fritti with spicy Calabrian ‘nduja.

If I had to pick only one, I would pick the Palace and Gardens over the Uffizi. On a pretty day, it’s nice to be outside to see the gardens and there is plenty of amazing art to see in the Palace. We went on a sunny day and enjoyed the Gardens first, then headed into the Palace. There’s a café on the ground floor of the Palace so you can get a little snack before your time in the museum.

Cicchetti may be more well known in Venice, but these small delicious bites are the best early evening snack. Made on small pieces of toast, you’ll get to choose from seasonal toppings. We chose some traditional ones with tomato and cheese and some interesting ones with salmon and dill. You can get a beer, glass of wine or more commonly, an Aperol Spritz and enjoy your early afternoon appetizers.

At first, we weren’t sure we would try to navigate the bus system even with my ability to mostly communicate. We are so glad we tried it and it was so good for seeing other parts of the city. The main tourist attractions were walkable from Trastevere but there is plenty to see that is a long walk away. Bus tickets are 1.50€ per ride but we got the 7 day pass so we could ride as often as we wanted during that week. You purchase your bus tickets at the Tabbachhi store (they always have a sign with a big capital T out front). If you buy a paper ticket, towards the back of the bus you will see the machine to stamp it. The bus stops are easy to find on Google maps or just by their large signage on the street. You want to note the stop you get on (for your return trip) then find your destination under the bus number. Google maps is very helpful as it lists the bus number you need for your trip. The system might not be as efficient as an American would expect but it saves your feet and will get you where you need to go. Taxis are also super easy and every one we used accepted credit card but preferred cash. Taxis are always white in Rome.

This lovely bar has a table worth waiting for. The table sits out on a very tiny patio, hanging off the cliff, looking at the beautiful Adriatic. The food is delicious as well and it’s a charming place to spend the evening.

This café is the perfect place to stop for a coffee – if you are walking from central Florence to the train station, you’ll walk right past it. The café has a lovely welcoming interior and bar but the view from the sidewalk tables is unparalleled. You’ll be looking right at the magnificent Piazza al Duomo!

A great spot to people watch and spend the afternoon, the Campo di Fiore is an outdoor market with local produce, local specialty foods and handmade items. In the evening, they clear everything out and the square is just a lovely Roman square with restaurants and gelato shops.