Expert Recommendations for Amazing Itineraries

Another restaurant right on the Piazza Ferrero, this one has a very interesting menu with lots of good food. We decided to try the oven baked plin (which is a type of small meat stuffed pasta). It was a fun local thing to try. We loved their wine list as well and it’s a great spot to people watch. We actually saw a Bridal show in the piazza while we were having our aperitivo.

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.

At the very top of the hill is a cute little cafe where we stopped for lunch. They serve a full drink menu and we opted for a lovely cheese and meat plate with some focaccia. The staff is friendly and the views are incredible.

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.

The Amalfi Coast ferry system is a convenient and scenic way to explore the stunning coastline, connecting towns like Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, Sorrento, and Salerno. The ferries offer a unique perspective of the coast, allowing passengers to take in the dramatic cliffs, colorful villages, and crystal-clear waters. Service operates regularly during the warmer months, typically from April to October, and provides a faster and more relaxed alternative to driving along the winding coastal roads. Ferries are a popular choice for travelers seeking to visit multiple towns in a day or enjoy a leisurely ride with spectacular views.

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. We enjoyed chatting with her and I found a lovely handmade ring that reminds me of my time in Cortona. The shop is up a small set of stairs in an alley – so you do have to look for it!

This Michelin loved restaurant is off-the-beaten track a little in Trastevere and we enjoyed a very delicious, modern Italian meal there. We did make a reservation and with the number of celebrity photos on the wall, I suspect you need one! The food was delicious, the staff was attentive and friendly and the restaurant was full of other Italians which makes me feel like part of the city. They still offered the traditional Italian favorites, cacio e pepe, carbonara, but also had some interesting options like the baked buffalo mozzarella in a crispy filo shell with prosciutto.

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 Arena di Verona is one of Italy’s most awe-inspiring Roman monuments and an unforgettable highlight of any visit to the city. Built in the 1st century AD, this remarkably preserved amphitheater once hosted gladiator battles and now serves as one of the world’s most atmospheric performance venues. Standing in Piazza Bra, the Arena’s massive stone arches and pink-hued limestone glow beautifully at sunset, offering a striking contrast to Verona’s elegant historic center. Today, the Arena is best known for its legendary open-air opera season, where world-class performances take place under the stars—an experience that feels both intimate and grand. Whether you step inside for a concert or a tour when concerts are not happening, or simply admire it from the piazza, the Arena di Verona is a powerful reminder of the city’s ancient roots and its enduring passion for art, music, and spectacle.

This great stop along the promenade is easily accessible from the train station. Stop here for a bit of seaside sun and a lovely aperitivo. The view of the water is unbelievable as in the right light, you can see the different depths by how the blue of the water color changes. The staff here are very nice and offered us information about Bordighera and what to see in town.

Right in the heart of Frascati, Bar Belvedere is an easy, welcoming stop at almost any time of day. It’s the kind of place that works just as well for a morning cappuccino as it does for an early evening aperitivo. The counter is stocked with tempting breakfast pastries, while later in the day you’ll find simple, satisfying snacks alongside wine, beer, and classic Spritzes. We found ourselves stopping in more than once during our visit—partly for the friendly, relaxed atmosphere, and partly because the food is consistently good. The focaccia, in particular, is excellent: fresh, flavorful, and perfect on its own or paired with a drink. Whether you’re starting your day or winding it down, Bar Belvedere fits effortlessly into the rhythm of Frascati life.

Tucked away in a cute piazza, you can find the restaurant Bar Elena and it’s accompanying hotel, aptly named Hotel Elena. We enjoyed a panini and lovely Aperol Spritz while sitting in the piazza listening to a local musician play in the square. The day was perfectly sunny in mid September and there were not a lot of crowds.

Bar Il Palio in Siena is a popular café located on the historic Piazza del Campo, offering a perfect spot to enjoy a quick lunch or long dinner. The bar serves a variety of drinks, from traditional Italian wine to refreshing aperitivos, and its menu includes some delicious bruschetta options. Whether you’re taking a break from exploring Siena’s beautiful streets or simply looking for a relaxed place to enjoy the Campo’s vibrant energy, Bar Il Palio provides a charming and authentic experience.

This great wine shop is very close to Piazza Bra. We enjoyed a wine tasting with Bruno – he taught us all about the regional Valpolicella red wine. We were happy to taste a variety of the lovely wines made of corvina grape while learning about this wine section of Italy. The Valpolicella wines come from the region just north of Verona, an area of rolling hills dotted with vineyards produce iconic wines like Amarone della Valpolicella, Ripasso, and Valpolicella Classico, each reflecting centuries of winemaking tradition. The wine tasting here gives you the opportunity to taste a variety of winemakers and types of this northern Italian classic.

We stopped at Barracuda earlier in the week to see if we could get a table on the dock for sunset — but none were available. There are plenty of other places to see the sunset, so the next time we visited, we went for dinner inside the restaurant. The service was lovely and the food was terrific. My favorite pasta (spaghetti aglio e olio) was a masterpiece here. The garlic was thinly sliced and plentiful, the sauce was spicy and the pasta was cooked al dente to perfection. We ordered a lovely grilled chicken to go along with the pasta, and finished our meal with a cannoli (half chocolate, half pistachio – just like I like it!) and limoncello. Highly recommend this restaurant!

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.