This trip was a girl’s trip with my 2 sisters and my step mom.
It was a 16 day journey through Italy.
Read about my 10 Day trip to Italy from Sept. 2022 here & Click here for my post that includes tons of useful tips for visiting Italy.
It all started with my step mom wanting to track down her grandfather’s ancestry. He had immigrated from Fossalto.
Our journey began in Milan where we stayed at the Hotel Berna.
Read reviews for the hotel here
The hotel offered a huge complimentary breakfast buffet every morning!
While in Milan we visited the Milan Cathedral, The Last Supper and took a boat tour of Lake Como where we were dropped off at Bellagio for lunch.
You can walk to the very top of the church and I highly recommend you do so because the views were spectacular!
The Last Supper was fascinating & being able to see something that had been painted so many years ago was an unforgettable experience.
Leonardo da Vinci began work on The Last Supper in 1495 and completed it in 1498—he did not work on the painting continuously.
The beginning date is not certain, as the archives of the convent for the period have been destroyed, and a document dated 1497 indicates that the painting was nearly completed at that date.
Unfortunately, no pictures were allowed. Reservations must be made early as tickets sell out very quickly!
The next day we spent doing a boat tour of Lake Como. Book tickets here,
Lake Como was beautiful. We spent approximately 2 1/2 hrs on the boat(which was public transport) and were dropped off at Bellagio for lunch.
We spotted George Clooney’s house on the lake. He also happened to be in Venice getting married during our trip. Sadly, no sightings of him though.
George Clooney’s home on Lake Como
Walking around the markets in Bellagio
We sampled the cheese and it was awesome!
Lunch at Pontico Pizza…….authentic Italian pizza!
After lunch, we visited a nearby church.
After spending a few hours in Bellagio, we boarded the boat and headed back to Milan.
Click here & here for more things to see in Bellagio
After arriving back to Milan, we had dinner at Momma Rosa ….I had the Linguini with crab meat. I bit into several pieces of crab shell while eating this…I wasn’t impressed.
After spending two nights in Milan, we headed to Verona .
Click here for more things to do in Milan
Verona is such a quaint place. We stayed at the Hotel Giulietta e Romeo which we all loved. We chose this hotel due to its proximity to the arena.
Read reviews here
While in Verona, we visited the arena, the famous Juliet’s balcony and Juliet’s bronze statue(very crowded), the Lamberti Tower, which provided awesome views (pictured below), an old church(can’t remember the name), and the Castelvecchio, a very old castle with beautiful views of the water and bridge.
Click here for more things to do in Verona
The arena was built in AD 30 on a site which was then beyond the city walls. The ludi (shows and games) staged there were so famous that spectators came from many other places, often far away, to witness them.
It is still in use today and is internationally famous for the large-scale opera performances given there.
As you can see, this is a different statue than the one you see in my first picture. The one in the 1st picture is a replica because the original had been damaged by tourists. The one in this picture is the original statue that has now been moved inside the museum.
You have to go through the museum to reach the balcony. I don’t think you’re supposed to touch the original anymore but I couldn’t get to the replica and I really wanted good luck! 😉
Next was the Castelvecchio. It was constructed on the banks of the Adige by Cangrande II della Scala in 1354 in order to defend Verona’s people and for them to have a possible escape-route.
We then climbed the Lamberti Tower
Views from atop the Lamberti Tower
Later that evening we ate at Ristorante Greppia where I had one of the best, if not the best, meals while on our 16 day journey…mushroom truffles over pasta ….Delicious!
Read reviews here
After dinner, we had coffee and dessert at an outside cafe by the arena. What a great way to end the day!
I couldn’t resist getting a picture with this metal heart sculpture.
After Verona, we took a train to the City of Love…yes, that would be Venice! 
Tip – Make sure you validate your ticket before boarding the train. These are found on the platform where you wait for your train.
What a sight to behold as we exited the train station! I couldn’t believe my eyes…I actually stood there speechless for a minute!.Venice is truly an amazing place!
We had to take a boat to our hotel. After you book a hotel, they will tell you which boat to get on and what stop to get off at.
The most challenging thing about staying in Venice is that you have to drag your luggage up and down stairs and walk through crowded streets as you navigate your way to your hotel! Not fun!
We stayed at the Residence Ca’ Foscolo and I have to say, it was absolutely amazing.
We had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, a living room AND 2 balconies overlooking the canal. They also provided breakfast items in our room each morning.
Standing in front of the entrance of the hotel.
After walking through the front door you could see how much history and charm this place had.
Our first stop of the day, the famous 
Fish Market
You can really get lost wandering through all the little alleys!
Besides the famous Rialto Bridge there is also the Accademia Bridge which is one of the cities most famous, elegant wooden bridges that goes over the Grand Canal. It was built in 1854.
You can’t visit Italy without having some gelato!
Tip: Eat gelato at Suso…it’s the best!
And guess what we ate for lunch? Yes, you guessed it….Pizza!
What a great little find…the Devil’s Pizza Take Away. They not only have pizza but great sandwiches, salads, snacks and a wide variety of drinks.
Murano, as most of you know, is best known for its blown glass. They have several glass blowing demonstrations…some which are free and others that charge a small fee.
Be sure to purchase a beautiful, one of a kind piece…I purchased several pieces and was so glad I did!
Tip –Because so many souvenir shops try to pass off cheap Chinese counterfeits as Murano glass, true Murano glass is now protected with a trademark. Look for the “Vetro Murano Artistico” trademark decal in the windows of shops and showrooms that sell authentic Murano glass.
Watching a glass blowing demonstration…..so interesting and amazing!
Click here for more things to do in Murano.
After spending the day at Burano & Murano we headed back to Venice to take one of those famous gondola rides. What an experience! A must do!
Prices are set so no negotiating is required..the price is 80 euros for 25-30 mins but after 7 pm, the price goes to 100…read more here or click here to book a gondola.
We didn’t pre book as there are over 400 gondolas in Venice so it’s not that hard to find one.
After the gondola ride, it was time for dinner. We ate at Da Mamo Trattoria which is on the SE side of the Rialto bridge.
I ordered the pasta with seafood. The waiters spoke English and the menu was in English…definitely a plus for us! 😉
The restaurant had a 12% service charge but no cover charge. Most restaurants in Venice charge both. Meal was just ok…not crazy about the prawns.
After we left Venice, we moved on to our next stop, Bologna.
Click here for more things to do in Venice.
After we arrived in Bologna by train, we checked into the Met’s Apartments…very nice and modern.
However, it was a walk from the actual hotel where we had to check in and we could only communicate with the front desk if we contacted them online…very inconvenient.
We went to Da Peitro Trattoria to have their tortellini in broth….this is a well known dish in Bologna and it was very good.
We took the Big Red Bus tour and it was a joke. It’s a hop on/off tour. We got off twice and after getting off the 2nd time, we headed back to a bus stop where, after waiting approximately 30 mins for the bus, it flew by us and never stopped!
It was a wet, rainy day when we visited which only added to the negative experience we were having…We felt the locals weren’t as friendly here as they were in the other areas we had visited.
Don’t get me wrong, Bologna is beautiful but we only had one day here and our experience was less than stellar because of several reasons.
The Asinelli Tower
A beautiful city with lots of colorful buildings
One of the many beautiful porticos in Bologna. There’s about 30 miles of Porticos in Bologna.
I was thinking this was an old church but I’m not sure if I’m remembering correctly.
Click here for more things to do in Bologna.
We ended our day with dinner at Trattoria Dal Biassanot….I ordered the pasta with asparagus and bacon. It was good ….we enjoyed most of the food we ate in Italy.
The next day we rented a car(don’t ever use Europcar!) in Bologna and headed to my step mom’s grandfather’s birth place, Fossalto, which is in the Campobasso region.
Ok, the experience we had here was truly priceless. This place is tiny…less than 2k people live here. There were only 2 people that spoke English(1 broken).
If you can ever make it to this small region, I would HIGHLY recommend you make a stop here.
Click here and here for more things to do in this area.
The locals trying their best to understand why we were there. Very kind, warm people who welcomed us with open arms to their tiny little village.
Yes, we had pizza for lunch at the only pizzaria in this tiny village. We were the only ones in the restaurant. I have to say, it was the best pizza that we had on our trip!
We asked if we could have a salad and this is what we ended up with……Not what we were expecting but guess what? It was out of this world! We ate every bite of both pizzas.
We then went a few doors down to the gelato shop. This sweet little lady even motioned for my step mom to go behind the counter with her.
We were then taken on a tour of the village by the local journalist that spoke broken English. They even opened up the church for us so we could see the inside. These people were so kind to us!
The next morning we went back because the records building was closed. They were pulling out records from the 1800’s trying to find my step mom’s grandfather. What an experience!
Lobby of hotel
After we left Fossalto, we headed to Sorrento.
But our first stop would be the ruins of Pompeii.
The city of Pompeii was small and unimpressive and seemed somewhat sketchy for lack of better words.
However, we were here for one purpose and that was to see the ruins.… so, after several minutes of navigating through the town, we finally found a parking lot.
Click here for more things to do in Pompeii
The first thing we saw after entering the grounds was the Amphitheater.
It is the oldest surviving Roman amphitheater.and was built around 80 BC. It was buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. Purchase tickets here.
The most amazing and sombering sight were the remains of those who perished in the volcanic eruption so many years ago. You can only imagine what they must have gone through on that fateful day.
Walking the grounds of the ruins took you back in time.
After our visit of the ruins, we had lunch at a sidewalk cafe called Open Bar. 
We then headed to Sorrento...After a very stressful drive, we finally arrived to what would be our home away from home for the next 3 days…the Villa La Terrazza.
This place was beautiful. A charming, historic Italian villa built in 1896 with magnificent views and warm Italian hospitality.
I would definitely recommend the Villa Terrazza but, with that being said, for what we paid to stay here, the amenities and cleanliness of the place could have been better.
The amazing views of the Amalfi Coast from the terrace of the Villa Terrazza.
After arriving in Sorrento, we headed out to dinner. We ended up eating at Syrenuse.
The next day, we had arranged a tour with the owner of the Villa Terrazza as he also owned a boat and offered tours to Capri and the Blue Grotto.
This is an absolute must do if you are ever in Sorrento.
Book tours from Sorrento to Capri here. 
We were planning on taking a boat inside the Blue Grotto however, when we arrived, the boats were no longer running. So, we decided to jump in and take a swim inside.
I have to say that I was a bit apprehensive at first as you can see how small the opening is that you have to swim through …there is a chain you can hold on to and pull yourself inside.
It was truly an amazing experience. So glad I was brave enough to do it. However, I have since read that it’s illegal and dangerous to do this. Yikes!
Read when to visit the Blue Grotto as well as the best time, hours and tickets here.
While here, we did a short tour (45 mins) of the Museo della Carta (Old Paper Mill).
We then headed to the Cathedral of St Andrew. This is a 9th-century Roman Catholic cathedral. It is dedicated to the Apostle Saint Andrew whose relics are kept here.
I highly recommend you make a stop here…it is beautiful!
We also visited the Villa Rufolo in Ravello. The villa was built by the wealthy Rufolo family in 13th century.
It is definitely worth a stop…the grounds are beautiful and the views are spectacular!
Later that evening, we finished up our day with dinner at Divina Sorrento Trattoria Pizzeria( good but bland).
We wanted to climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
The construction of the Tower of Pisa began in August 1173 and continued for about 200 years due to the onset of a series of wars. The name of the architect remains a mystery.
We had visited here during our first trip to Italy but we were not able to climb the tower due to time constraints.
We stayed at the Residenza d’epoca Villa Tower Inn due to its proximity to the tower. However, we were very glad we were only there for a night as I would never want to be here more than that.
It had 4 single beds in 1 room and the air wasn’t working when we arrived. It was right on the main road and we heard traffic all day/night.
We arrived late in the day, so we just went and snapped a few pics of the tower before it got dark… the following day is when we were actually going to climb the tower.
Later that evening we had dinner at Enoteca Toscano. I ordered the lasagne and it was just ok..it looked and tasted like it had been overcooked.
I would definitely recommend you making a stop to climb the tower because the views were awesome!
This pic was taken inside the tower and looking up to the top.
Views from atop the tower
After our tour, we were ready for lunch…and it was Pizza again! We ate at Antica Trattoria Antonietta. 
The next morning we headed to Cinque Terre. We took the train to all of our destinations but one and that was Fossalto. We rented a car for there and then dropped if off in Sorrento.
Ok, let’s move on to a much more beautiful, serene place…Cinque Terre.
The Cinque Terre is a rugged portion of coast on the Italian Riviera. It is in the Liguria region of Italy, to the west of the city of La Spezia.
“The Five Lands” comprises five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. Over the centuries, people have carefully built terraces on the rugged, steep landscape right up to the cliffs that overlook the sea.
Part of its charm is the lack of visible corporate development. Paths, trains and boats connect the villages, and cars cannot reach them from the outside.
We stayed in Monterosso as it is the biggest & the flattest of all the 5 villages.
We stayed at the Hotel Porta Roca and I would highly recommend it. This is the view from our hotel….simply gorgeous!!
The next day, we started visiting the villages…the first stop was to Vernazza…so beautiful and quaint as were all the 5 villages.
Then 
After all the walking we had to do, we were ready for lunch and you will never guess what we ate? Yep, pizza again! We ate at La Scogliera while we were in Manarola.
Cinque Terre is known for it’s hiking trails. You can hike from one village to the next and lots of people come here to do just that.
However, it had rained a lot before we arrived and we were told by the hotel staff that it wasn’t a good time to hike as the trails could be very dangerous. However, we saw a lot of people hiking.
You have to buy a ticket to hike the trails. These are available at the train station or you can buy them online along with train tickets here.
Then on to Riomaggiore……each village is accessible by ferry however, the waters were too rough while we were there and the ferries weren’t running so we used the trains that ran often and were very reasonable.
Just make sure you are on the right platform.
Tip: I was recently told that now the only way to reach Portovenere from Monterosso was to take the ferry so I’m not sure if the bus goes there anymore. It’s an hour boat ride from Monterosso. There is no direct train service to Porto Venere from any of the villages.
Portovenere, is a great little waterfront area with awesome views..Live bands, great restaurants and a somewhat less touristy feel that permeates the “true” Cinque Terre towns.
When visiting this region, I highly recommend you wear good walking shoes as you will be doing a lot of it and there are steps every where.
We had lunch in Porto Venere at a small, waterfront cafe called Al Gabbiano.
They offered a variety of sandwiches, pizzas & other Italian dishes….and yes, even french fries. It was very good.
We walked around the San Pietro Church…this is a lovely little church situated high on the point overlooking the town. It was built in 1256. Read reviews here.
The steps up are easily managed and the church itself is quaint and interesting. The views from this point are breathtaking!! Not to be missed…the photo ops here are endless!
Such breathtaking views at every turn! We also went inside this church but I can’t remember the name.
The fort…..click here for more things to see and do in Portovenere.
This was taken as I was walking up to the fort at Portovenere…you have to walk up many steps and narrow alley ways….you will be walking through residential areas to get to the top.
Later, we ended our day with dinner at Ristorante II Casello in Monterroso….very good food and we were seated on the terrace overlooking the sea.
But first we had breakfast at the hotel…look at these views!
We then caught the train to Corniglia
To reach Corniglia, it is necessary to climb the Lardarina, a long brick flight of steps composed of 33 flights with 382 steps or, otherwise follow a vehicular road that, from the station, leads to the village.
Sometimes a small bus runs up and down here. We took the stairs and it was exhausting!
Corniglia sits atop a 300 ft high rocky promontory surrounded by vineyards. It’s the only village out of the 5 that doesn’t have a direct access to the sea.
There are lots of vineyards all over Cinque Terre. Some of the owners have installed several dozen miniature cog-wheel monorails that snake through the vineyards stopping at collection points to make it easier to harvest the grapes.
After being stuck on a train for 6 hrs because of flooding, we finally made it back to Milan.
We checked into the Sheraton Milan Malpensa Airport hotel…..it was late and we were tired so we ordered room service…our last meal before flying back home the next day.
This hotel was awesome!! Check it out if you are planning a trip to Milan.
The rooms here were huge! I was so excited to finally be sleeping in a bed that was actually big enough for 2 people. The beds in Italy are so tiny compared to the ones in the US…especially when you are used to sleeping in a king size bed every night. 
