The Architectural Wonders of Italy

We arrived at Rome late in the afternoon and after checking in and resting for a while at our Airbnb, which is just a 5 minute walk away from the Colosseum, we just had dinner at a Pizzeria near the Colosseum. Though our Colosseum tour is scheduled on our second day, I must say that the lighted Colosseum at night is very much beautiful and a must see.

This is our only full day at Rome so this day is very much jam-packed with activities.

Our first stop is the Colosseum. The Colosseum can get really crowded so we made sure to arrive there before its opening hours to beat the crowd. Another great travel tip is to buy your tickets in advance online because the line is different and much shorter for those who already have their tickets. We got the tickets that also includes admissions to Roman Forum and Palastine. We spent around two hours inside the Colosseum and afterwards went to the Roman Forum which is also walkable from the Colosseum. We ate lunch at a trattoria near the Colosseum and for the first time in my life, tasted the goodness of an authentic Italian Carbonara. After lunch, we went to the Vatican City for our group tour. I strongly advise to join a tour for Vatican City because the place becomes much more beautiful if you can hear the history and stories behind it.

Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palasine Tickets: https://www.coopculture.it/en/products/ticket-colosseum-roman-forum-palatine_24h/
Vatican City Tour: https://citywonders.com/vatican-tours/vatican-museum-tours

Our last day in Rome.
We woke up very early and already out of our Airbnb before 5 am to go to the Trevi Fountain. The site can get really crowded and if you want a good photo, going there before the sun rises is highly suggested. From the Trevi Fountain, we walked to the Pantheon. Sadly, because it is still very early, the Pantheon is still close and we could only take some pictures outside. We went back to our Airbnb after to check out then caught a 1 ½ train ride to Naples and we are off to our next city.
Naples is not yet our final destination. After arriving at the Naples Train Station, we rode a private transfer to Hotel Il Nido in Sorrento. Sorrento was our chosen base to explore the Southern part of Italy and its beautiful coastal towns.

This is, again, our only full day in Sorrento. To maximize our time, we booked a private boat tour that includes 8 hours of excursion, snacks and drinks. We cruised around the Amalfi Coast and also got to explore the beautiful cliffside village of Positano and the island of Capri. Taking the Monte Solaro Chairlift to the peak of Capri Island is a must and will give you the most amazing views. In between our land stopovers, we also got to swim and snorkel at the open sea. I could honestly say that the private boat tour is really worth the money and the best way to explore the Amalfi Coast.
Private Boat Tour: https://www.capitanoago.com/positano-capri-boat-excursion

It is our Day 5 in Italy and we are once again off to another city. We checked out from our hotel in the morning and went back to the Naples Train Station. From there, we rode a 4 and ½ train ride to Florence. After checking in at our accommodation in Florence, we just spent the rest of the day walking around the city. Florence has always been regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and I must say that it’s absolutely right. Just walking around the city, seeing the Florence Cathedral and many other tourist spots is just amazing.

From Florence, we took a train ride to Venice. We explored the whole city just by walking (prepare your feet for this) because other than taking water taxis, which are a hassle for us, and the famous gondolas, which are too expensive for us, walking is really the only option to explore the city. All the walking is worth it though because the city did not disappoint. The Piazza San Marco is so beautiful. Just be careful of the pigeons and seagulls because they can really just steal your croissants from your hands (Ours got stolen). Also just seeing the Venice Grand Canal that I have only seen the replicas of before, is just surreal. After exploring the city of Venice, we went back to Florence. We opted not to stay in Venice because, honestly, the accommodation inside the city is just much more expensive than in Florence and we also just needed a day to explore the city.

Our last day in Italy. We checked out of our accommodation in Florence to catch an early train ride to Pisa. With all our baggage in tow, we rented a locker in the train station to store our baggage. From the train station, we took a bus to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. We did not get to climb the tower, as we did not pre booked a ticket but just taking pictures outside and exploring the nearby buildings such as the Pisa Cathedral is already so much fun. Afterwards, we went back to the train station to get our luggage. There is a high speed shuttle connecting the train station and the Pisa International Airport called the PisaMover so it was really easy getting to the airport.

And that concludes our 7 days family adventure in different parts of Italy.

Another Travel Tip: The rail system of Italy is great and you can easily navigate and travel to different cities. I highly suggest that you book your train tickets in advance online so you do not have to go through the hassle of buying tickets in the train station. We booked ours here : https://www.raileurope.com/en/trains/italo