Italy is a great tourist destination for beginners because it’s fairly easy to get around and navigate. Most people also speak at least a little bit of English, so communication is not a problem either. My husband and I took an eight day trip to Italy earlier this year with my sister and her husband, and a friend and his wife. We visited Rome, Florence, and Venice, spending about 2-3 days in each city. With all the things to see, do, and eat, there was never a dull day for us. Each day and each city brought a different feel and we loved it all.
Check out the list below to see all the things we did while in Italy! If you like to see what our itinerary looked like for this whole trip, check out our Italy Itinerary Sample!
ROME
The Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, & St. Peter’s Basilica
Located in the Vatican City (smallest country in the world), The Vatican museum along with the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica is a must see. Because this is a part of the Church, there is a dress code one must adhere to in order to show respect (No sleeveless and low cut tops, no shorts or mini skirts, and no hats).
How to book your tickets? Get them through the official Vatican Website and have the receipts printed out and with you when you get there. Just arrive about 15-30 mins prior to your ticketed time. You won’t be able to enter until your allotted time. Once you are in, you can go to a kiosk and scan your paper copy to get the real ticket.
Tickets: Varies in price based on what you book.
The Colosseum
The Colosseum is one of the seven wonders of the world and there is no wondering why. It was much bigger than we thought it would be, towering five stories high and with a wide base. The excitement as we walked closer to it was in-explainable! We came here twice, once during the day time and again in the evening. Both views were great.
However, we did not go inside! It was fairly hot outside and the lines were leading around the Colosseum and was barely moving. We wanted to see the rest of Rome, so we all decided we would skip out on waiting in line for 2+ hours and use that time for something else.
The Palatine Hill, Roman Forum & Arch of Constantine
The Roman Forum, known as Forum Romanum in Italian, was the center of the Roman Empire back in the day. They held everything in that center, from religious activities to political events and social gatherings. The forums are made of stones. However, it fell during the time of the fall of the Roman Empire. There are several possible reasons to why and how it fell, but no one is sure of the exact cause. It is now a historical site; still so beautiful that we can’t imagine how amazing it would have been before it was destroyed.
The Arch of Constantine which is located closer to the Colosseum, often goes unnoticed.
PS. Give yourself enough time to see the whole place. There are a few water fountains in the area to refill your bottles.
St. Peter’s Basilica and Square
After seeing the Sistine Chapel and the rest of the Vatican Museum, we went around to see the St. Peter’s Square. You don’t have to pay or wait in line to enter the square, so I highly recommend it. It was a big open area with beautiful architecture. It feels like you’re entering a movie set and you actually wonder if everything is real.
We did not enter the St. Peter’s Basilica because the line wrapped all the way around the building to the other side of the square. We used that time to explore more of Rome instead!
Another option is to get a pass or tour that gives you access to the Basilica without waiting in line.
Castle of Saint Angelo & St. Angelo Bridge
After viewing the Sistine Chapel, we walked to the Castel Sant’Angelo. Surrounded by beautiful bridges as pictured here, the Castle of Saint Angelo was a gem on it’s own. We explored the inside of the Castle and the view looking out on the city of Rome was amazing. The St. Angelo bridge is a beauty in itself.
Piazza Venezia; Altar of the Fatherland
We found this white marbled monument randomly, while walking from one attraction to the next. This monument is amazingly beautiful and much larger in person. It takes up a whole block and almost impossible to see the whole thing in one angle. The architecture of this building is so precise and symmetrical.
Pantheon
The Pantheon is yet another wonderful monument to visit while in Rome. We went during their closed hours and did not enter it. Instead, we enjoyed some gelato in the small area in front of it and stood there, staring at it.
Trevi Fountain
The Trevi Fountain is also another attraction which was much bigger than I had imagined. The sculpted fountain is beautiful to see both during the day and at night. We came here twice as well and spent time sitting there, while eating our gelato, of course;)
Tip: Hold on tight to all your belongings. This area is packed at all times and it is easy to get pick-pocketed here!
Piazza di Spagna
The Piazza di Spagna, located at the bottom of the Spanish Steps, is a famous square with shops and restaurants. This area is where we saw the Louis Vitton store and many other great stores! Spanish Steps is also a great place to hang out and sit around, enjoying a gelato or two! We visited the steps and the plaza a couple of times, but I wish we had more time to sit around the steps and relax.
Piazza Navona (Plaza)
We walked through the Piazza Navona two times; once during the day with all the hustle and bustle and a second time during the night when it was quiet and deserted. I loved the day time more from the busy street vendors trying to sell items to children playing to people feeding birds to people sitting around the fountains listening to music. There was just so much to take in. In the center of the plaza is the Fontana Dei Quattro Fiumi (Four Rivers Fountain). On both ends are the Fontana del Moro and Fontana di Nettuno (Moor Fountain and Fountain of Neptune).
Another famous plaza is the Piazza del Popolo, which is a big square, with more fountains and monuments. Basically there are so many beautiful fountains and monuments in Rome to see!
FLORENCE
Wineries
When in Italy, one must drink wine. I booked a half day Chianti wine tour and it was well worth the money. We went to two wineries and got to taste a wide variety of wines (and cheese!) They gave us so much information on the whole wine making process, starting from the vineyard to the wine in our glass. The guide was very informative and knowledgeable about everything and took time to explain in details. We did not feel rushed at all and the tour altogether was a great experience!
Statue of David, Accademia Gallery
On our last day in Florence, we went to see the Statue of David, which is located in the Galleria dell’Accademia or Accademia Gallery. We got there around 8 in the morning and stood in line for about 30 minutes. We got some breakfast and coffee while waiting in line, so the wait didn’t seem too long. All the statues leading up to David are amazing and David is the highlight and center of the whole museum. The statue is much taller than we expected it to be and stands high up on a stand. To see all the muscles on the statues in such great details was amazing, especially to my sister and I, who work in occupational and physical therapy.
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
This Cathedral of St. Mary of the Flower still stands as one of the largest Churches in Italy and the largest brick dome in the world. It’s impossible to get a picture of the whole cathedral while standing on the ground. The view we got as we walked between the streets towards the Cathedral was amazing. This Cathedral is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a major tourist attraction.
Piazas & Squares
Like Rome, Florence also has numerous plazas and squares. One of the most popular plaza was the Piazza della Signoria, which holds several statues and beautifully architectural buildings all around it. Another common one is the Piazzale Michelangelo, which is located higher up on a hill. From there, you can get a great view of Florence, both during the day and night.
VENICE
Venice was a city that we didn’t plan any excursions or day events. We used our days there to walk around the city, enjoy site seeing and eating gelato! However there are a few things I would highly recommend you would not miss while you are there!
St. Mark’s Basilica & Square
The St. Mark’s Basilica is such a beautiful church. It’s nearly impossible to get a wide angle shot of it. The area is so busy with tourists, photographers, merchants, locals and more!
St. Mark’s Square was probably one of the biggest squares we went to during this Italy trip. It was the one we spent the most time at as well. The square is surrounded by beautiful buildings with souvenir stores, restaurants, cafes and more!
Doge’s Palace
The Doge’s Palace is seen in the background in the picture above. It’s a palace built with a Venetian gothic touch and with amazing architecture. We did not go inside the palace, but we got a great view of the outside from the St. Marks square.
Rialto Bridge & Bridge of Sighs
These two bridges are just cross overs, but they have a history behind it. The Rialto bridge is one of the oldest and connects two districts in Venice. If you are on the bridge itself, you can look under and see the Grand Canal. If you want to get a view of the bridge, it is better to stand further away and see it.
The bridge of sighs is a popular bridge over the canal in Venice. How it got it’s name is very interesting. The buildings on both sides of the bridge were jails a long time ago. When people crossed the bridge, they could hear the sighs of the prisoners from their cells, hence the name, bridge of sighs.
Something we did not do while in Venice was visit Murano or Burano. Both are islands right off of Venice with colorfully painted buildings and known for glass making. If you have a day to spare in Venice, a one day trip to either of these islands is a great idea!
Did you know??
Recently all of Venice was flooded for several days. The people of Venice rely on tourism for livelihood and they are getting back to their normal lives again. If you are planning a trip to Italy, don’t forget to make a stop in Venice and support the people there!
Images in this Italy blog post are provided by: @ebabu07, @aashimaj, @mathew88 & @sneha42390