my feet don't want to go to sleep

Italy. What can I say that hasn’t already been said. I’ve written about so many Italian places. All the places in Sicily to visit like Taormina, Catania, Mt Etna, and Ortiga. How to visit the west coast of Italy easily by train. The best way to see Capri. Click that button for those trip details.

This trip starts in Florence, heads down to Rome, drives through the countryside to Cercemaggiore, and then ends in Calabria.

I met my parents in Florence flying from London. They had booked a hotel that they thought had 2 beds. Europe doesn’t have the space American hotels have so the concept of 4 people in a room isn’t normal. They panic called me in the airport saying I couldn’t stay with them and their hotel was sold out. I had a highly rated place on booking.com before I boarded my connection. I am used to figuring it out on the way or when I land it is more interesting that way. Go to Italy, have no plans or if you need a path here is a guide.

FLORENCE

To stay: Il Gattopardo – right by the main square and walkable to everywhere

To eat: All’Antico Vinaio – the famous sandwich shop, walk to the one past the museum with the David for shorter lines. The queue is insane at the one by the river and Venchi Cioccolato e Gelato – the famous gelato shop – both worth the hype. Head to Vivoli for the perfect affagato. Find the wine window on Borgo dei Greci before the plaza.

To explore: any AI platform will tell you the highlights. Ponte Vecchio, Uffizi Galleries, Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, all worth paying to actual enter the museums and have a guide educate you about the history. If you are going to pay to get in just pay for the guide. Unless you are an art history major you are going to skip the important ones and get confused by the second gallery.

Pro Tip: head to Piazzale Michelangelo for sunset. Everyone will try and get a cab immediately afterwards. Wait an hour and then queue for the bus. You can tap on with your phone and it will drop you not far from the main areas. Save the euros and the stress.

ROME

To stay: anywhere in Trastevere is the idea. It is out of the main tourist area but the tram line stops there. We took it back and forth easily.

To eat (all recommendations from my Italian friends): Tonnarello or Nannarella which are owned by the same people, the lines are insane from 6pm to 10pm but delicious, VinAllegro, Antico Forno Roscioli, Forno Campo de ‘Fiori, Osteria La Quercia, Osteria delle Coppelle, Giolitti – sit down and have them wait on you, you can’t enjoy the AC in a chair if you order at the counter, and yes its gelato.

To explore: if you go to Rome in July like we did it’ll be 100 degrees. Book the Vicus Caprarius – The Water City, under the Trevi fountain, it is cool and has ruins and an incredible history like every stone in Rome has. Next go under the Colosseum. If you time it right you might just be in town for the firework celebration at the Castel Sant’ Angelo.

Pro Tip: everywhere in Rome has drinkable water fountains, bring a reusable bottle and enjoy the cool delicious water and remind yourself that even a city this ancient can figure out how to provide free water to their citizens, what is the US’ excuse.

CERCEMAGGIORE

Now there is truly no reason to go here unless you are visiting my cousins. No shade to this mountain town but if you do go go stay at my cousins’ hotel and eat at their restaurant. The roads are curvy as the entire town is built on the mountain side. They have a festival every year in honor of Maria della Libera. A festival with such importance that in the 100 years my family immigrated there are still two towns in the US that celebrate it.

If you do for some reason find yourself out there, there are incredible ruins to visit. Saepinum Archaeological Area even has an app with history for you to play as you walk through the stone columns. I forced my family there on rainy day.

Sepino is also a cute town with a bridge over a waterfall. Like every Italian town, there is an ancient church on a hill with incredible views, tiny streets no car bigger than a fiat could drive through, and old people staring wondering who you are and why you are there.

CALABRIA / TROPEA

The last stop on this Italian adventure was in Calabria. You can take a train there but it is long. We had a driver take us from Rome to Cercemagiore and then from there down to Calabria. Not too expensive and in my opinion worth not having to manage the Italian roads. I have gotten 4 speeding tickets in that country. Hire Adolfo and let him do the work.

To stay: Hotel Colomba D’Oro is walkable from all the town, quiet as it is further removed, and has a delicious free breakfast with strong AC.

To eat: Quei Bravi Ragazzi (for the late night drinks), Osteria della Cipolla Rossa (for the seaside cliff views), Osteria della Cipolla Rossa (patio on the beach), Deodato Lounge Bistrot (for the luxury, this place had literally just opened). We walked in in the afternoon to make sure it was real because it had no reviews. The manager took us in, gave us Prosecco, and flirted with us like any Italian man would. Go and do the tasting menu, the views are second to the food and the views are breathe taking.

To explore: There are wine tours, onion tours, boat tours, take them all and take them with anyone you can find. We went to Furchi Wines which looks to be out of business now. The red onion is the symbol of this region but everything grows well here. Volcanoes are always nearby in Italy making the soil perfect.

Pro tip: this city is built on a cliff, everywhere there are secret stairs to take you down to the water, keep turning down alleys, take a different route every time, don’t try and look up directions, anywhere you eat will be good.