Christal Wagner Photography
BELLA ITALIA
I first visited Italy in the spring of 2013 with my family. Although this trip was almost ten years ago, this post serves as a reminder to research and plan your trip abroad so that you might see as many sights as possible, leaving no regrets as you depart for home. While there is much to see wandering on foot, many tourist sights require reservations. I invite you to read through our family’s experience and build your own adventure. While I hope to inspire, if ooking for more concrete information, might I recommend picking up a book by travel guru Rick Steves – I never go to Europe without a Mr. Steves paperback companion!
After a late start, in 2013, I finally graduated from the University of WI – Milwaukee. My brother, having recently graduated and relocated from Indiana was getting settled into the music scene in Chicago. My mom and dad had decided that before life gets any busier, and we all start to be pulled in numerous directions, a dream trip to Italy was in order. And so, the planning of a great family adventure began …
My parents were the masterminds behind it all. They booked flights and museum reservations, planned surprising side trips and noted Rick Steves’ recommended strolls to stumble upon unique nooks, hidden statues and lesser known views. With his money belt secured and a briefcase full of printed pages of itineraries in hand, my dad didn’t miss a thing! (In recent years, it has become clear to me that I have picked up more than a few of his travel habits!) We were soon to set out on the trip of a lifetime. My dad had booked a limo ride from a local company to transport us which was genius as we avoided having to pay to store our car at the airport. Instead with our luggage in tow, we kicked back, starting our vacation mood early as we cruised to O’hare in style.
Flying direct into Fiumicino, Rome’s airport, we were picked up by the hotel staff. After much research, my parents chose to book our stay at the Palm Gallery Hotel, a boutique hotel, on a quiet block on Del Alpi. Run by a lovely woman, Luisa, and her few very friendly staff members, we were welcomed immediately. After a nine hour flight, we were thrilled to have made it to our destination. Enjoying our first moments in Italy on the hotel’s patio surrounded by lush flowering tropical plants we were feigning exhaustion but after a quick complimentary espresso, we began a walk through the neighboring streets. Although jet lagged and becoming slightly delirious, we were hoping to find a real meal. We stopped at a place called Ristorante Queen 225. The first of many delicious meals abroad, I enjoyed an orrechetti dish complete with broccoli and sausage, fresh bread, and the first of many glasses of the region’s wine.
Having thoroughly enjoyed our lunch we arrived back at the hotel, ready to overcome the jet lag with a brief nap. The block appeared fairly quiet and mostly residential, yet only a short walk to the train station and nearby bustling piazza. Our room was clean, cooly modern, and lightly artsy. A blooming orchid set upon the desk was a lovely touch to the room’s calming ambience. We wound open the windows allowing natural light to spill into the room and the sounds of the neighborhood below to drift us to sleep.
Feeling refreshed and reenergized we awoke and took to the streets. Exploring on foot we walked from block to block, past homes, shops, and many ristorantes eventually making our way to a larger intersection and a more heavily traveled piazza. Bustling with the evening crowd, we stopped at a place called Butterie for bruschetta topped with cannelloni beans, pizza and wine. I ordered a capricciosa pizza that I would later try to recreate back home. Like a work of abstract art, the pizza was an asymmetrical spattering of ingredients including ham, hardboiled egg, black olives, and artichokes, all sprinkled atop a layer of mozzerella.
A plethora of fresh fruit, pastries, jam, prosciutto, mortadella, capicola and a spread of cheeses, we began our second day, and every morning after, with a breakfast for guests of the hotel. A cat sat leisurely on the open window as we finished off morning cappuccinos and called a taxi to Vatican City. Rain would fall steadily on that May day but we would be busy joining the crowds of tourists heading inside anyhow. We borrowed a couple umbrellas and headed out for the day. Our first stop would be Vatican City and the Vatican Museums. You could spend days taking in all this museum has to offer. Particularily memorable for me were Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s angels, the Roman busts of the Chiaramonti Museum, the sculptures of the New Wing, sarcophagi of the Pius-Christian Museum, and the 460 epic paintings of the Pinacoteca room. Later we moved toward the line for the Sistine Chapel. Filing in a limited number of people, temporarily fenced in like cattle, tourists entered, as intimidating officials enforced a respectful silence. Onlookers stood soundlessly in awe, taking in Michaelangelo’s masterpieces that owned the space. Looking above, Michaelangelo’s depiction of nine scenes from Genesis hovered overhead, towering from behind the Altar, the vibrant fresco of The Last Judgment.
A short walk over to Saint Peter’s Basilica, we waited in a long line of tourists to step into the church. Viewing a mass in progress, we respectfully observed, and moved about to view Michaelangelo’s Pieta, Bernini’s 90 feet tall baldacchino (alter), and the intricately detailed mosaics that filled the church. We received our reservation time for later that afternoon and began the trek of 552 steps to the viewpoint at the top of the dome. Walking single file through tight corridors, narrow staircases, and at times walking tilted at a diagonal, it was quite a maze of a path. Turned sideways and in close quarters, other tourists coming up just behind you, feeling as if absurdly traveling further back in time with each step, climbing St. Peter’s is an experience. While moments of the journey left you slightly winded, and tight squeezes a little suffocating, the view of the the grounds and city below was well worth the moments discomfort.
On our third day we had reservations to the Borghese Galleria to view the collection of Scipione Caffarelli Borghese. The two hour appointment allowed a limited number of guests to enter and explore the exhibit at their leisure. Each room is a work of art. Frescos, sculptures and paintings fill the space transporting you to some other time and place. Among others, the Borghese Galleria features the work of Italian sculptor, Gian Lorenzo Bernini. In the 1600s, Bernini created detailed marble masterpieces, many of which depict a scene and appear to be paused in action, ready to spring to life at any moment. Patrons quietly wander from room to room viewing the works with quiet awe. In Room 4 – Room of the Emperors, the Rape of Proserpina is displayed in the center so that viewers may see from all angles catching the details of her tears, the sway of her hair and coiled curls of Pluto’s beard, the indentations in her skin due to the God’s powerful grasp (255 cm). Down the hall in Room 2 – David Room, Bernini’s depiction of biblical David captured as his muscle flex, torso spirals, expression full of effort as he prepares to hurdle the stone at the giant, Goliath. In Room 3, you cannot miss a 243 cm sculpture of Apollo and Daphne. Bernini captures the transformation of Daphne into a tree complete with her hair sweeping up into leaf shaped ends as she rushes to escape Apollo’s arms. While few of Bernini’s works can be found on the streets of Rome, the Borghese gallery has room after room to explore and is a wonderful collection to visit. Each room is filled from floor to ceiling with classic works of art by great artists such as Caravaggio, Titian and Raphael.
After a walk through the grounds and gardens of the Villa Borghese, we began a journey in a different direction. Following dad’s walking directions inspired by the one and only Rick Steves, we traveled down Via Veneto. We found ourselves standing in front of the church of Santa Maria della Concezione Dei Cappuccini. We entered the church and walked through the museum portion where we learned of the Capuchin monks. Unbeknownst to us, dad had been planning a macabre side trip. The Capuchin Crypt located beneath the church housed an exhibit of mummified remains. With walls covered in pelvises and curated rooms of skeletal remains, this was truly a spectacularly spooky experience.
Each day we followed a basic layout to insure that we wouldn’t miss any landmarks or museums we deemed as essential places of interest. With a few key places to visit per day, we had plenty of time to explore freely in between. I recommend this approach when visiting a new place as otherwise you may arrive, become overwhelmed, and end up not doing much at all. I suggest making a trip outline, and allowing time in between to go off course and entire free days where you simply wander and go where the wind takes you.
On the fourth day, I started with an appointment at a neighborhood salon where I received my first haircut abroad. I hardly get my hair cut but this was a very unique experience to have among the locals. The stylist snipped away at my hair while conversations in Italian flowed over my head. Following the styling, I met up with my family and we began an epic walk through Rome. With stops recommended in Steves’ book on Rome, we made our way to the Victor Emmanuel Monument, Palatine Hill and saw the ruins of the Roman Forum, before enjoying sandwiches and sodas at a small cafe near the area of Circus Maximus. Later that night we would join the hoards of tourists who smothered the Trevi Fountain taking selfies and such. Unfortunately, the massive amount of tourists made it difficult to enjoy the beauty of the fountain and see its entire design. Sigh.
On the fifth day we headed out early to avoid long lines outside the Colosseum. This is quite a spectacle of a site. The structure of the arena is set up for you to wander through areas and overlook the space where they used to hold gladiator fights, a glimpse into the area where the animals were held in cages below is visible as only a new partial piece of flooring exists. We later found our way to the hidden gem of a museum, Musei Capitolini. Unfortunately, the exhibit containing Bernini’s marble Medusa bust was under construction although there were many other impressive works of art throughout the museums walls and courtyard. We viewed Boy with Thorn, Capitoline Venus, and corridors of impeccably crafted marble works. I was especially impressed by the massive bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius on horseback.
On the sixth day we found ourselves outside the ominous columns of the Pantheon. Entering we stood underneath the portal and marveled within. Enjoying pistachio and stracciatela flavored gelato on the streets we continued our walk to find the nearby Elephant and Obelisk statue by Bernini, enjoyed a rest near the great fountains of Piazza Navona, and took photos upon the Spanish Steps. We later took a city bus and then walked alongside the River Tiber before journeying into Trastevere where we enjoyed a round of Aperol Spritz. The next day we would begin early as we planned to head south for a 36 hour side trip.
On the seventh day we traveled to southern Italy by high speed train. Purchasing tickets online or at the station, you can find yourself miles away for a day trip in a matter of hours. Traveling on Trenitalia we found our way to Naples. After visiting the Museum of Naples, we went to find a traditional Napoli margherita pizza for lunch. After waiting in line for an hour, we were seated in the small bustling pizzeria. As we enjoyed our lunch beers, we eagerly awaited the famed pies. Fresh tomatoes sauce, mozzarella, a few leaves of basil on a wood-fired crust – fresh and simply delicious. Julia Roberts visits the same establishment in the movie Eat, Pray, Love.
Continuing onward we took a regional train to Pompeii. Walking the quiet ruins with Mount Vesuvius leering in the distance was quite a somber experience. Remnants of stone buildings and vacant streets told the tragic story of the people whose city was ravaged by the volcano. After a long afternoon exploring the site we made our way to our final stop of the day.
Boarding the regional train and heading further south, we made our way to the coastal town of Sorrento. Upon arriving we took an extensive walk up toward our hotel where we enjoyed an exquisite view of the Bay of Naples that only became more and more beautiful as we climbed higher. We walked down to a seafood restaurant on the water’s edge and enjoyed the region’s wine and fresh seafood and pasta. The following day we explored the shops and cafe of Piazza Tasso before boarding a ferry at Porto di Sorrento. Cruising on the ferry we enjoyed another yet a different view of the coast as well as menacing Mount Vesuvius before docking in Naples and traveling the 140 miles by train back to Rome.
A couple things I left out. Throughout this entire trip, I began to suffer from a blossoming dental emergency! Long story short, I was in a massive amount of pain with the change in elevation and on our last days desperately needed to see a local dentist. Luisa, the hotel’s owner came to our rescue and after a short call, accompanied us to the office. The dentist speaking to me mostly in Italian removed the absess for only 50 euro and on his lunch break! Just like that I was able to continue my trip pain-free until I could return to the states and receive a full root canal.
During the trip we had so many amazing meals but decided to have our last night’s dinner at the neighborhood establishment we enjoyed most, Da Emilio. We spent the last days of our adventure enjoying the simple things of the trip. Meandering around to enjoy the sights sounds of the neighborhood one last time, we popped in and out of shops, and stopped for espresso and gelato at various cafes along the way. To wrap up our experience, we enjoyed each others company and fell into conversation as we enjoyed a final bottle of wine on our hotel’s patio. What an experience it had been. Ciao for now Italia.
Movies:
Roman Holiday (1953)
La Dolce Vita (1960)
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Angels & Demons (2009)
Eat Pray Love (2010)
To Rome With Love (2012)
The Great Beauty (2013)
Books:
Rome Travel Guide by Rick Steves
Bernini & the Art of Architecture by Tod A. Marder
The Agony & the Ecstasy by Irving Stone
Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Angels & Demons by Dan Brown
Even though I always bring too many books when I travel, I purchased one at the airport anyhow. Dan Brown’s Inferno would be the perfect read while in Italy. More perfect would have been rereading his Angels & Demons as the majority of Robert Langdon’s adventure took place with the Popes in what would be our main destination, Rome. Nerd alert, I know. The freshly released Inferno would keep me company and get me thinking about how Florence should be next on my list. This family trip would have me hooked. I felt obligated to return and I knew I would, drawn to the food, the language, the people, and of course the exquisite art and riveting history.
Research:
An art history crash course or brush up would be helpful!
You will learn a great deal about Roman History along the way but digging a little deeper would provide context for much of the art and architecture you will view.
A language app can be very helpful in learning to understand and communicate common phrases. I recommend Dua Lingo as it is incredibly user friendly and super fun.
Travel Tips:
Wear basic, solid colored, simply classy attire. No slogans or sports teams. Romans dress well and you want to blend in. Avoid hanging out in congestion of high traffic tourist areas where there are pickpockets lurking. Also, try eating at restaurants at least a few streets away from the action where food is most delicious and priced appropriately.
Eating in Italy is an experience. Do not be in a rush when you sit down in a restaurant or you will be disappointed at the time the experience takes. The food is prepared fresh and meant to be a time to socialize enjoying the food, and company you are with. If you need to catch a train, or have tickets, stop into a cafe for a quick sandwich or pastry instead.
There is so much to see in Rome. Make sure to research where you’d like to visit and sketch out a loose plan for each day so that you do not have any regrets. Save time to wander of course but I recommend planning at least one site or area to explore per day. Many museums and popular sites require tickets or reservations in advance and only allow a certain number of people entry per time slot.
Roma Pass: We had purchased a Roma Pass for this trip allowing free admission to certain museums, access to public transportation and skipped lines for 48 hours, plus additional discounts. There is a bundle option includes complementary audio tours. For example, while walking into Saint Peter’s Basilica is free, purchasing the Roma Pass allows you to skip the line which can save you hours. If you know which sites you intend to visit, this can be helpful in in saving time and money. If you are not sure where to begin, purchase the pass and go with the website’s recommendations of top sites. After buying pass, you still need to make reservation for specific museums and sites so double check so that you get your preferred time slot. I’ve missed climbing the Duomo in Florence twice because I forgot to follow through with the very same step after purchasing a Firenze Card!