Hey dearest readers
I recently went on a trip to Bella Italia and it was definitely one of the most culturally rich and great trips that I’ve had.
The objective of the trip was to visit as many places as possible and admire its architecture. It’s less of a trip whereby we visited each individual cathedral and museum (there are way too many of them!
You can read more about how we moved around Italy here.
the Itinerary
DAY 0: SOLO FLIGHT
While this is not the first time that I’m flying on my own, I was still feeling excited and apprehensive, the same as my first solo flight.
Getting to a new country requires some form of planning in advance to eliminate as much inconvenience after the long travel.
Tip: Keep your friends and family informed about your whereabouts at all times when you are traveling by yourself. Just a quick text before and after the flight take off, and then once more when you reach the hotel will give them so much reassurance. Plus, you’ll feel safer too.
A new travel companion that I’ve opted to add on this trip is the AirTags. I’ve read so many good things about them and got one a few days before the flight so that I can keep track of my checked-in luggage. That way I can know the whereabouts of it at all times. I’ll even know if my luggage doesn’t reach me on time.
I got to Milan around 6 am local time (with a 6 hours time difference). Mostly without jetlag as I set off to tour the whole of Milan.
The airport was relatively quiet when I arrived. There were 3 types of queues in total at the customs. The first, those with EU passports, the Third Country Nationals (which included countries such as Singapore, Japan, and the UK). The former two will share the same automated gantry for custom clearance. While the other passports will form a queue that would snake around. I was not able to get through via the automated gantry clearance and thus was directed to cut the other passport queue. Surprisingly, the queue was really fast and I cleared the customs within one hour of landing. Even before I cut the “other passport” queue, I noticed the girl ahead of me (part of the other passport queue), was ahead of me.
I prebooked the airport transfer on the bus via Klook for 6 Euros. The company that is managing the transfer is Terravision, so all I had to do was to follow the tickets and head to the exit (“Uscita” which is Italian for Exit and the first word I learned in Italy). The bus should be lined up outside Exit 4 (Not exit 3 nor Exit 5 as the ticket said). If you didn’t get the tickets, you can also opt to get them directly from the people managing the bus. At the stop, the ticket cost 10 Euros.
I was there around 7:20 am and the bus departed at 7:33 am. The total time to the city centre took longer than expected, which I suspected is due to the morning rush hour traffic, and ended up being roughly 1.5 hours. My hotel was a short walk away and we cut through the Milano Centrale Stazione. The floors are cobbled on the streets so there’s a need to exercise care when dragging your luggage.
You can read about my stay in Italy here.
The first thing I noticed about Italy is the way that they jaywalk (a lot) across the roads. There aren’t that many pedestrian crossings and even if there were, the locals still walk across as if there isn’t. The trick to crossing the road is that you have to walk confidently. The cars will stop for you when you do reach such crossings but do exercise caution when you do. If you are still unsure, you can always just follow other people when they cross.
We stayed at the Spice Hotel Milano and this was its gorgeous view.
Day 1: Milan: Duomo dI Milano | A Vittorio Emanuele II | Starbucks Reserve Milano | Castillo Sforzesco di Milano | Parco Sempione | Pizzeria Starita Milano | SUGAR | Naviglio Grande | Alzaia Naviglio Grande
My day officially began when we headed to the Duomo di Milano.
You haven’t visited Milan if you have not seen their cathedral there. The place was packed with heaps of people from all over the world. From our hotel, we took the Subway to Station:
This was definitely one of the most Beautiful Architecture that I’ve seen across the world.
Address: P.za del Duomo, 20122 Milano MI, Italy
Note: There are definitely a lot of street peddlers with bracelets, selfie sticks, and cold water. If you don’t want them, just politely refuse. They typically don’t persist and will move on.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is just beside all the luxury brands that you can shop to your heart’s desire. The photo spot is right in the middle of the area but there were so many people that you might need to be patient.
Address: Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II P.za del Duomo, 20123 Milano MI, Italy
Tip: Do remember to keep an eye on your own belongings especially when you are in crowded areas. Pickpockets are very sneaky and quick with your belongings if you aren’t careful.
Around the area are also the Teatro allo Scala and the Park. We didn’t enter them as we were on a tight itinerary. Plus, they weren’t that grand anymore after seeing the Milan Cathedral.
Address: Teatro alla Scala Via Filodrammatici, 2, 20121 Milano MI, Italy
Along the way to visiting the Sforcesco Castle, we saw the famous Starbucks Reserve and had to go in. We wanted to grab a drink but decided otherwise due to the queue. It was a beautiful place whereby you can see the full production of the coffee beans. Outside the Starbucks were areas where you can rest when the weather is good.
Address: Starbucks Reserve Roastery Piazza Cordusio, 3, 20123 Milano MI, Italy
Soforzesco Castle was a sight to behold, this fortress was built in the 15th hundreds from the medieval times.
Address: Sforzesco Castle Piazza Castello, 20121 Milano MI, Italy
Parco Sempione was a cute park with streams running through it. There were ducks and terrapins just resting alongside the stream. This is a great place for families to enjoy. We stumbled across this “ruins” area which had chairs embedded into the stone structure. It was so peculiar that we had to stop for a photo.
We exited the park through the other entrance with a beautiful arch. We, of course, had to pose for even more photos.
Address: Parco Sempione Piazza Sempione, 20154 Milano MI, Italy
We were getting hungry by then and headed to the nearby pizzeria, Pizzeria Starita Milano, for the first of many pizzas in Italy.
Italian pizza definitely hits differently as we devoured it. We did in the end get a pizza which is way too similar to the salad we got, sans one or two ingredients. it would have been nicer if the waiters pre-empt us on that. Overall, it was still an enjoyable experience.
Address: Pizzeria Starita Milano Via Giovanni Gherardini, 1, 20145 Milano MI, Italy
Note: The second thing we noticed about Italy is that their restaurants had a Coperto charge which differs across restaurants. They are normally priced per person, so if you’re on a tighter budget, do keep an eye out for that extra cost on the menu.
Along the way, the bakery, Sugar, caught our eye with such beautifully decorated cakes. And so we stopped for a quick dessert, ordering the Tiramisu and Raspberry Tart. Their Tiramisu was light and fluffy, whilst their tart was pretty strong tasting and can get jelak [‘Sick of eating’].
Address: Sugar Via Vincenzo Monti, 26, 20123 Milano MI, Italy
We weren’t expecting to end so early so we wanted to head to see the Last Supper housed at the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazi. You need tickets to this and we just wanted to see if we could get tickets on the spot which we didn’t manage to get. We did however go inside the church and stayed there for a while to recharge.
Address: The Last Supper Museum Piazza di Santa Maria delle Grazie, 2, 20123 Milano MI, Italy
The middle finger statue is an iconic structure right in front of the Stock Exchange.
Address: Palazzo Mezzanotte P.zadegli Affari, 6, 20123 Milano MI, Italy
Finally, we walked over to a nearby Primark to get some necessities.
By 6 pm, we opted to take the tram to our final destination of the day which was the interesting part of the day. the trams were extra squeezy which again I suspected was due to the rush hour. I think we were supposed to tap in but no one seemed to have done that while I was on the tram (we were packed like sardines too).
Naviglio Grande was the place to be if you wanted to see some sunset and wind down for the day. Translated to “big Canal”, this place is notable for the trade that happened in the past. There were so many restaurants along the canal and the Italians are just chilling in them while overseeing the canals.
We decided to have dinner along Alzaia Naviglio Grande. The food here was amazing, we loved their risotto and their steak which was served sliced up. We got ourselves a cold-cut platter as an appetizer. Yum! I can’t seem to find the address, so I’ll include it here when I find it.
Day 2: Milan – Florence
We had a car by this time and took a road trip across the cities. The time that we set off was 9:30 am.
Along the way, there were rest stops called Autogrill which had available toilets (which I was pleasantly surprised by the cleanliness of). There, you’ll find all the snacks you’ll want and can even pick up some souvenirs that are from the surrounding region. I spotted some snacks which were similar to Singapore’s but under a different name which was interesting.
We reached Florence around 2:15 pm but we struggled to navigate the area because of the parking and the ZTL which was active in the afternoon. This meant that there were several areas that we cannot enter without a car unless we have a permit or we risk a fine. In the end, we opted to park at the parking across the Florence station and dragged our luggage across the cobbled walkways to our Airbnb.
Address: Garage delle Nazioni Via Luigi Alamanni, 37R, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy
You can read about my stay in Italy here.
By 3:30 pm, we settled at a restaurant just in front of the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella. The Basilica was just a stone’s throw away from our Airbnb. In fact, we went past it when we walked from the carpark.
Address: Basilica of Santa Maria Novella P.za di Santa Maria Novella, 18, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy
4:15 pm was when we started exploring the beautiful Florence where everyone says it’s the prettiest city and I can see why.
Our second stop was the beautiful Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore which was another iconic structure and a must-see one in Florence.
Address: Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore Piazza del Duomo, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy
Note: For most of these cathedrals, it can be difficult to get tickets on the spot to enter so do pre-book the available tickets online to enter. Booking them directly on their official site will get you the cheapest tickets. If you didn’t manage to get them but don’t mind paying a premium, you can get them off third-party sites like Tiquets or Viator.
A short walk away is the whimsical Piazza della Repubblica
Address: Piazza della Repubblica Piazza della Repubblica, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy
Can you believe that this is only my first gelato spot in Italy? I definitely had to try Venchi in its original form! We did also walk past a truffle shop (where there are branches all over Italy) which had yummy truffles for tastin
Address: Venchi Via Calimaruzza, 18, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy
Piazza della Signoria and Palazzo Vecchio us the heart of Florence and where you can find many stone sculptures including the famous replica of the Statue of David and Fountain of Neptune.
Address: Piazza della Signoria P.za della Signoria, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy
Don’t forget to stop along the way and admire the gorgeous alleyways.
Last but not least, the Ponte Vecchio, a charming old bridge filled with jewelers and antique boutiques.
Address: Ponte Vecchio Ponte Vecchio, 50125 Firenze FI, Italy
Note: In Florence, there are many sellers who’d place pictures or paintings on the floor where it catches unsuspecting people from stepping on them.
Our Airbnb host was suggesting that we head up to see Piazzale Michelangelo for a gorgeous view of the city but we didn’t have the time.
Address: Piazzale Michelangelo Piazzale Michelangelo, 50125 Firenze FI, Italy
Day 3: The Mall Firenze | Osteria Il Postiglione | Random Vineyard | Piazza Del Campo | Duomo di Siena
This was going to be one of the big shopping moments that we were taking specially for the trip. Especially when we hear that the price difference with the retail stores differs largely, we knew we had to go.
This outlet is one of the biggest ones in Italy with renowned brands including Gucci, Prada, Chloe, Versace and so many more.
Address: The Mall Firenze Via Europa, 8, 50066 Leccio FI, Italy
Along the way, we stopped by and accidentally trespassed. The nice host was gracious to let us stay just a bit longer to take a photo of the gorgeous scenery.
After the outlet shopping, we went for lunch at Osteria Il Postiglione which was hands down one of our favourite lunches.
Their T-bone was grilled nicely (although a bit too raw for our tastebuds, you can request for them to grill it longer). Paired with the sea salt, the combination was simply yummy.
What we loved was the service provided. The waiter brought out the cut of the meat before it was cooked and was so attentive to us throughout the whole dining experience.
Address: Osteria Il Postiglione La Massa, P. P. Pasolini, 15, 50064 Figline e Incisa Valdarno FI, Italy
We set off for a wine yard nearby but we were unable to catch it in time to enter. We did stop by along the road to admire the view of the number plus vineyards along the way, so it wasn’t a trip wasted.
We ended up in the memorable city of Siena where their medieval architecture was stunning. There are lots of steep slopes up, leading to the city centre but once you’re there, I promise, it’s all worth it.
The city centre is UNESCO listed and I can definitely see why.
Tap water are all readily available for you to refill your bottles or just a quick drink to rehydrate here. There is a fountain in the plaza where you can make a wish.
Address: Piazza del Campo Il Campo, 53100 Siena SI, Italy
The other site not to be missed is the Duomo di Siena. Italy’s filled with them, and each one so unique and filled with a character of its own. This cathedral was built in the 13th century and even has some uncompleted areas which were meant for expansion. Meaning that this cathedral is actually unfinished.
Address: Duomo di Siena Piazza del Duomo, 8, 53100 Siena SI, Italy
Day 4: Bridge of Sighs | Abbazia di San Giorgio Maggiore | Palazzo Ducale | Basilica di San Marco | Piazza San Marco | Gelato Fantasy | Gondola Rides
Initially, this day was planned to head for the Imola Grandprix. However, due to the severe weather, floods warranted the race’s unable to proceed. Hence, we made alternative plans to visit Venice instead.
We took a road trip up from Florence, expecting to stay a day there. However, we ended up staying the night as well.
Although we completed this itinerary in 2 days, rest assured that you can complete them in just one.
As our objective for the trip is to just visit the places without entering them, this itinerary might be too fast-paced for those who will be entering the basilica or the doge’s palace.
Tip: Bring a hat, sunglasses and put on lots of sunscreen. The main areas leading to the main piazza were unshaded and the heat got to us.
Our first stop was to take the vaporette (water bus) from the parking. A 24-hour ticket cost €25 per person which is what we got. Although, we did not actually use it that frequently. Only when we headed into the city and exited it to return back to the car. The rest of the time, we just walked the entire place. Although I’ll be honest, no one checks to see whether you tap in and out so if you’re feeling a bit brave, you can always jump onto the boat without the tickets and save that extra buck.
We parked at Venezia Tronchetto Parking, a multi-story carpark, buying our Vaporette tickets here too.
Address: Venezia Tronchetto Parking Isola Nova del Tronchetto, 33/m, 30135 Venezia VE, Italy
We stopped at the Abbazia di San Giorgio Maggiore, a white Palladian church overseeing the city in its skylines.
The church is free to visit but does observe some silence when you’re in there as a form of respect.
Address: Abbazia di San Giorgio Maggiore Isola di S.Giorgio Maggiore, 30133 Venezia VE, Italy
We headed back onto the Vaporette and made our way into the city.
Whilst walking from the boat terminal, we went past the Monument to Victor Emmanuel II before seeing the Bridge of Sighs.
Address: Bridge of Sighs P.za San Marco, 1, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
Further down is the Doge’s Palace (part of the outside is still under construction). I only heard of the good reviews to go for the Doge Palace’s Secret Itineraries tour and would love to go for that the next time I’m in Venice again.
Address: Doge Palace P.za San Marco, 1, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
Finally, we saw the Basilica di San Marco, St Mark’s Campanile, and Piazza San Marco. There are many cute little restaurants surrounding the plaza, each with its own bands playing classical music, riveting and serenading the crowd. You can enter the Doge’s Palace and the Basilica di San Marco, however, do make sure that you get the tickets beforehand.
Address: Basilica di San Marco P.za San Marco, 328, 30100 Venezia VE, Italy
We opted to get some gelato from Gelato Fantasy nearby (only found out about it after seeing a long queue). Have you really been to Italy if you don’t have 93848294 gelatos?
Address: Gelato Fantasy S. Marco, 929, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
After our lil’ dessert, we headed for a gondola ride. Just walk through the alley at the back of the piazza, you should see a fleet of gondolas. The ride itself takes about 30 minutes costing €80 per boat.
Address: Gondola Bacino Orseolo Bacino Orseolo, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
Tip: If there’s more than one of you, sit at each end of the gondola so you can help each other take photos! We move around and were scolded by the guy helming the boat.
There are several shops, mainly Zara we wanted to look at as it is cheaper in Europe and a much better quality. So don’t be shy to pop by.
After shopping, we went for dinner. For the restaurants along the coastline, you’ll need to make reservations for them. However, we just opted to go to a local restaurant instead. I love the homely vibe of the restaurant and their food was really good!
Address: Ristorante Piccolo Martini P.za San Marco, 1501, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
Since we made a last-minute stop, we had to buy some necessities. Fortunately, there’s still a supermart open, just at the corner of Gelato Fantasy, which is open till 10 pm.
We walked around for the rest of the night, wandering through the alleys and over the bridges scattered all over the city. We ended the night along the coastline, listening to the waves crashing lightly against the walls.
Day 5: Libreria Acqua Alta | Ponte di Rialto | Leaning Tower of Pisa
We set off early in the morning for a bit of brekkie and continued exploring the rest of Venice. The renowned bookstore, Libreria Acqua Alta features Instagrammable stacks of books. When I went around 10 am, it was relatively quiet. I took my time around the bookstore and got myself a copy of the little prince in Italian and a postcard. I had to get the stamps for the postcards in a tobacco store and posted them there too.
Address: Libreria Acqua Alta C. Longa Santa Maria Formosa, 5176b, 30122 Venezia VE, Italy
We did a quick walk to the Ponte di Rialto to see the gorgeous bridge but there were a lot of people and tours who just started their day. I’d recommend waking up earlier to do that.
Address: Ponte di Rialto Sestiere San Polo, 30125 Venezia VE, Italy
Finally, we took another road trip to Pisa. That took about 4 hours. We were only in Pisa to see the tower as we didn’t get the tickets to go up. Plus, it also started raining heavily. We parked at this parking which was outside their ZTL.
Address: Leaning Tower of Pisa Piazza del Duomo, 56126 Pisa PI, Italy
Address: Pisa Tower Parking Via Andrea Pisano, 17, 56122 Pisa PI, Italy
We headed back to Florence and had our final dinner in the city.
The food was good here and one of the best that we’ve had so far in Italy. We tried their sambuca and grappa, oof both are strong so you’ve been warned. Dessert was also not to be missed, their Tiramisu has a very strong coffee taste, which can be a bit too strong for non-coffee drinkers. while the panna cotta was so light and yummy.
Address: La Grotta di Leo Via della Scala, 41/43r, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy
Another thing that we saw just below our Airbnb was this Buchette del vino, Wine Window, a sight unique to Florence. They are commonly found in areas of nobility where the families sold the wine with minimal contact.
Day 6: Naples | Castel dell’Ovo | Antonio & Antonio
Most of today was spent traveling and lots of itineraries got delayed as the train was delayed almost 1 hour. We planned for a 12 pm train but left the station 10 mins shy of 1 pm.
We reached about 3.5 hours later. And settled into our Airbnb by 6 pm.
Tip: Instead of dragging your luggage through the cobbled streets, you can opt for a taxi to bring you closer to your accommodation. It’ll make the trip much more pleasant.
We set out to see what Naples has to offer. We walked from our Airbnb, past Castel Nuovo.
Naples was honestly one of the most chaotic cities in Italy that we’ve been through but walking down Lungomare Via Partenope was beautiful.
And headed down past Castel dell’Ovo.
Address: Castel dell’Ovo Via Eldorado, 3, 80132 Napoli NA, Italy
Our dinner was at Antonio and Antonio where their service staff was so attentive and helpful during our meals. We even got a free dessert! The food accompanied by the view was just the perfect thing to end off the night.
Address: Antonio and Antonio Via Partenope, 26, 80121 Napoli NA, Italy
Don’t forget to stop by the entire stretch of Lungomare Via Partenope for its stunning scenery.
We stopped by Gran Caffè Gambrinus on the way home and got some fluffy pastry
Address: Gran Caffè Gambrinus Via Chiaia, 1, 80132 Napoli NA, Italy
Day 7: Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi Coast, Revello and Opera at San Carlo Theatre
We met our guide, Giovanni, at the Napoli main station, just outside. He was holding our names on it which made for easy identification.
At 9 am sharp, after everyone had arrived, we went for a lil road trip to our first stop Sorrento. There were a total of 9 of us, including Giovanni, and 3 groups of us. We had people from Mexico, the USA, and us, from Singapore. Along the way, Giovanni explained a bit about the active volcano that is near Naples. Most of the trip was spent talking amongst ourselves.
At each stop, we were given about 1 hour to explore and meet back at our drop-off point.
Sorrento
A very beautiful town filled with vibrant yellow. The area is famous for its lemons so you’ll see a lot of its stores selling lemons and other lemon-flavoured products. There was this huge lemons slushy that we saw, contained in lemons of sizes I’d never seen before. One of the cutest things I saw on the trip for sure!
After a drive through the windy roads alongside the mountain, we reached the town of Positano.
Positano
This town is one of the postcard-worthy ones that we saw. For a better view, we suggest heading up the hills so you can see the buildings in their colours much better. We decided to spend some time walking down the stairs to the beach with black sand. Gorgeous but too hot for us to bask in.
RISTORANTE COSTA DIVA
Then next destination was a stop for lunch at Costa Diva. What was interesting is the way that they park their car. There’s only one way in and out and the cars are often in the way of another. Skilled drivers would reverse back down the steep slope and arrange the car in order.
I loved the pasta at this place which was handmade. It was a bit hard and chewy, just the way I liked it but my friend didn’t like it that much. The cotoletta di pollo was a bit too dry for my liking though. We loved this beautiful restaurant where we had a great view and were surrounded by lemons. Never before have we seen so many lemons, ripe on their trees.
Address: Ristorante Costa Diva – Praiano Via Roma, 12, 84010 Praiano SA, Italy
After lunch, we head to the highlight of the trip, the Amalfi Coast.
Amalfi coast
Amalfi Coast was breathtaking but we did wish that there weren’t that many people around. The sunny weather made me want to have a dip at the beach though.
Walking through the streets, there were more shops that sold lemons and we had to get ourselves a postcard of course.
We headed up the hill to get a better view of the place.
REVELLO
The last stop on this journey is to the City of Music – Revello. This city was at a high altitude with incredible views of the surrounding mountains and is known to have many notable musicians who perform here annually. I did note that this place reminds me of Bali’s rice terrace.
OPERA
By the time we reached back Naples, it was already 7 pm. We were supposed to reach around 5 pm. As we had an opera to catch, our guide kindly drove us to the opera (which we were late for). We ended up going in only at 7:30 pm (when the opera started at 7 pm).
The soprano, Maria Agresta, and Vincenzo Caruso on the pianoforte – , were both amazing! Her voice hit such high ranges and did not waver throughout her entire performance while Vincenzo’s skills on the piano did not falter and accompanied her voice so nicely together.
Fun fact: This theatre is the oldest opera theatre. It’s worth a visit if you just want to experience it once in your lifetime.
What was amazing were the ladies in our booth, they were singing along with the singer with their beautiful voices.
Tip: Many people dressed up nicely for the opera. As we were late, we didn’t have time to change into nicer clothing.
Address: Teatro di San Carlo Via San Carlo, 98, 80132 Napoli NA, Italy
The night ended with Italian Macdonald’s as Macdonald’s from around the world are pretty different. We got their bacon and cheeseburger. Perhaps we should’ve gotten something a bit more different.
Day 8: Pompeii + Travelling to Rome – Spanish Steps | Trevis Fountain | Doppio Malto | Il Maesro Del Gelato
Pompeii was a last-minute decision that we made the day before. We decided to book a 2 hours guided tour that started at 10:30.
Taking the train from the main station, we missed it because we were trying to find the train. This one was called the ‘Campania Express’ train. The frequency of the train was every 20 mins.
Interesting experience on board the train as we were met with some street buskers. They were singing beautifully but of course, asked for some donations after the end of the songs. They were pretty swift as well when they notice that the ticket master was going around to check to make sure that we got our tickets. It’s useful to have one physical card that you use to tap in or a physical ticket – he will check on them much faster. He just checked for one of us, and left the rest to be – there’s way too many passengers.
After arriving at the station, we walked downhill toward the meet-up point for the tour. There are two entrances to the site, so if you do not need to meet at a specific spot, you can opt for the entrance closer to the train station. The tour leaves pretty promptly, so since we miss it (as we missed the train), we opted for the next available tour and paid the difference for it.
Our tour guide took us all around the archaeological site and she was so helpful in bringing us to the right places.
Note: I’d suggest getting a tour because they know the way around the site and will bring you around while explaining things you probably won’t know if you walked around yourself. It was especially helpful to be able to see the important bits while we were a bit pressed for time.
You can read more about my experience in Pompeii here.
I must say, if you can, cater a bit more time in Pompeii, 2 hours was good to walk around but I believe that there is a lot more that can be seen. Also, pack lots of water and wear a cap. It was so hot when we went and there wasn’t much shade around. Although, do remember to ration your water to avoid going to the toilet too frequently (there isn’t one inside!)
There are also places that live past that volcanic eruption that swallowed Pompeii and now is being preserved.
And at HOUSE OF SIRICO, I leave you with the aupicious “SALVE LUCRU” which means to “Welcome richness into the house”.
Address: Pompeii 80045 Pompei, Metropolitan City of Naples, Italy
After the tour, we left and headed back to our Airbnb.
Tip: A tip for you guys while on the trip, you can ask your hosts if it is okay for you to leave your belongings after you check out. Most are pretty accommodating and would let you leave them there till about 3 pm. Ours let us leave the luggage till 2 pm. Most hotels also do accommodate such requests.
We got a taxi and headed for the train station to head towards Rome. This time, there weren’t any delays and we were able to board once we arrived.
We were off to explore once we reached our hotel.
We wanted to head into one of the stops near the Spanish Steps for some shopping. But shops closed around 7:30 pm and some of them stop customers from entering way before that. So we only walked around the famous sites near the area.
The Spanish Step was honestly not as grand nor amazing as we had thought because we had seen so many beautiful architectures by now and these were just steps. Of course, that didn’t stop us from taking more photos here. Looking back, it was still quite a pretty place. There were many police around this area, keeping people from sitting on the steps and just patrolling around.
Address: Spanish Steps Piazza di Spagna, 00187 Roma RM, Italy
Trevi fountain was nearby but was filled with so many people. If you wanted to get to the front and centre of the fountain, you got to wait patiently on the side and seize the opportunity immediately once they were vacant. Do take note of your surroundings and belongings as it is very very crowded. Even after coming back after dinner around 9:30 pm, there were still the same amount of people there. I can see why this is so because this is one of the grandest and most majestic fountains that I’ve seen. The details in the sculpture were amazing. Don’t forget to face the fountain backward and toss a coin over your left shoulder to guarantee a return trip to Rome!
Address: Trevi Fountain Piazza di Trevi, 00187 Roma RM, Italy
Dinner was at the nearby restaurant, Doppio Malto, where we had a grilled platter after the long day.
Address: Doppio Malto Via Poli, 50-52, 00187 Roma RM, Italy
Of course, we couldn’t end the night without some dessert. Instead of gelato, I opted for an ice popsicle shaped like the Colosseum, it was so cute and the perfect way to end the night.
Address: Il Maestro del Gelato Via delle Muratte, 75, 00187 Roma RM, Italy
On our way back, we went past the Colosseum at night which was pretty amazing. The lights and clear skies illuminated the Colosseum to its glory.
Address: Colosseum Piazza del Colosseo, 1, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
Day 9: Vatican City + Shopping
Bring your stamina today because this was frankly one of the most tiring days for us. We took the train to Ottaviano and walked from there.
We booked our entrance tickets to the Vatican Museum beforehand and entered very quickly. We exchanged the QR codes for physical tickets and we were in!
Tip: Always get the tickets online if you want to skip the queue but buy the tickets earlier on their official website for a cheaper one. Since we went through a third-party site, Tiquets, the prices were really marked up very high.
Upon entering the museum, you can choose to walk up their notable spiral stairs or take the escalator. Afterward, I’d suggest starting on the right side – mainly Pinacoteca and the rest of the rooms there. Then, grab your lunch before heading towards the left – towards the direction of the Pio Clementine Museum.
You’ll even get to see the most expensive bathtub in the world in the Pio Clementino Museum which is estimated to be worth 2 billion!
Don’t forget to head towards the Chiaramonte Museum and Braccio Nuovo Museums before going through the Tapestry Gallery, Gallery of Maps, and finally the Sistine Chapel.
There was so much walking and so many things to see. So you should schedule a full day here if you wanted to see the nook and cranny of this place. Otherwise, you can skim through the paintings, sculptures, and tapestries and follow the direction of the crowd. There were a lot of people when we were entering the Galleries. We seized the opportunity when the crowd thinned for just a bit and took some photos.
Tip: We weren’t allowed to take photos at the Sistine Chapels and we were recommended to cover our shoulders and if you’re wearing very short shorts or skirts. I saw a box that collected the used coverups but I didn’t see someone distributing them. So Bring a shawl/ scarf ready for these special situations.
The exit of the Sistine Chapel leads to the entrance of the Basilica which is free to enter but often has snakes of queue entering. The Basilica did have a few artifacts which you can see as well as St Peter’s tomb.
Address: Vatican Museum 00120 Vatican City
Address: Basilica di San Pietro Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Città del Vaticano, Vatican City
On the exit towards the right, I spotted a Vatican post office. Having gotten one postcard already, I got some Vatican stamps to mail them back to Singapore as a memento. There were also stamps for collections at the booth in the middle. For international mail, you can post them via the orange postbox located just outside of the post office, likewise for many of the other postcards mailed across Italy.
After walking out, you’ll end up at St Peter’s Square with the Obelisk in the middle as well as the two fountains – Maderno and Bernini Fountain.
After a few photos, we went to Spanish Steps again to buy some luxury goods. Here’s a guide to buying luxury goods in Italy and tips on how to bring them back with you safely which you can read about it here.
Photo by Mauro Grazzi on Unsplash
If you have some time, I’d recommend heading toward Castel Sant Angelo
Address: Castel Sant’Angelo Lungotevere Castello, 50, 00193 Roma RM, Italy
Day 10: Pantheon | Colosseo | Roman Forum | Palatine Hill (in the background cause we lazy to walk up) | Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele II | Piazza Navona – Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi
We took the train from Manzione to Colosseum. It was also at this spot that I got pickpocketed. You can read all about my experience here.
The day started in Colosseum where we had the tickets which were bought beforehand. Similarly, book on their official website for a cheaper ticket. Our ticket only encompasses the normal entry and skips the underground tour. It would have been nice to see the underground of the Colosseum but the top was equally breathtaking. You can enter the Colosseum about 10 to 15 minutes before the time you reserved.
The Colosseum was filled with so much history and there are informative explanations on the walls and models which you can view before entering the platforms.
Address: Colosseum Piazza del Colosseo, 1, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
Just outside the Colosseum, you should see these water coolers which can provide you with both Still and Sparkling water.
After walking level by level, we headed back out and walked across to enter the Roman Forum and Capitoline Hills. We actually skipped out of the Capitoline Hills and chose to see it from afar (we were pretty tired under the scorching heat) while we spent the time exploring the grounds of the Roman Forums.
Address: Roman Forum Via della Salara Vecchia, 5/6, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
After leaving the area, we continued walking until we saw the Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele II, yet another grand building that you’ll walk past. We got our lunch in a local restaurant around the area and continued sightseeing.
Address: Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele II Piazza Venezia, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
We headed towards The Pantheon, to which admission is free. However, we went on the weekend and needed to book in advance so we skipped going in.
Address: Pantheon Piazza della Rotonda, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
This time, our destination was the Piazza Navona and the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi.
Address: Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, Piazza Navona, 90, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
I couldn’t miss another gelato in Italy so I got myself one at Buccianti. We spent the rest of the day hunting for chocolates and other souvenirs to bring back to Singapore.
Address: Buchianti Gelateria Via Giustiniani, 18A, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Our final dinner for the night was at this delicious restaurant near our hotel — Ristorante Trattoria Da Michele. We were so stuffed by the end of the night but we didn’t forget to bring back their signature tiramisu.
Address: Ristorante Trattoria Da Michele Via Merulana, 236/237/238, 00185 Roma RM, Italy
DAY 11: ARRIVEDERCI ITALIA
My final meal in Italy was lunch at a local restaurant, Le Caveau Ristorante where I had the Roman tasting menu. The one lesson that I learned in Italy is that I have to eat their Pasta while it is hot otherwise, it will get very dry.
The Roman Tasting Menu included an appetizer (Deep Fried Traditional Roman Rice Ball with Ragu stuffed with Mozzarella Cheese), Main (Carbonara Spaghetti), and Second Course (Turkey Meat Slices with Parma Ham and Sage in a White Wine Sauce and roasted Potatoes.) Yum.
Address: Le Caveau Ristorante Via Conte Verde, 6, 00185 Roma RM, Italy
I chilled for the rest of the day and headed back to Singapore.
The same way as I’ve traveled around Italy to and fro the airport.
I took a cab to the main station with my luggage.
I also booked an Airport Transfer from their main station beforehand. and took the bus ride there for just 6 Euros by the same company Terravision.
Conclusion
Overall, it had been a great trip as I got to explore a new country and tick Italy off my list of to-go. Definitely a country that has so much to offer and I’ll be back to visit the southern part!
This 12 days trip is one which was jam-packed but you’ll get to visit most of the renowned attractions. There’s something for city lovers, history buffs, and beach lovers too.
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