Celtic Tidings: Italian Holiday

Beth and I agreed to go to Italy a long time ago back at the beginning of our YAV year. So we did and it was fabulous! I had been to Italy before through a Mediterranean cruise so had had limited time to view the sites so I was excited to get back and have a longer time.

Our first stop was in Rome: The Eternal City. We made our way around the Pantheon, Roman Forum, Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, St. Peter's Basilica, Sistine Chapel, and climbed to the top of St. Peter's dome and looked out onto the city.

It was really great to spend some more time in Rome and really soak in more of the sights. I really enjoyed St. Peter's Basilica and was overcome with how incredibly beautiful it was. I think even if you didn't believe in God and visited the basilica you would be moved. It was just gorgeous. I also really loved seeing the Sistine Chapel. The photos of the artwork you see do not do it justice and it was a very moving experience to see it.

We also ate a lot of gelato (ice cream) and pasta as well. The best gelato I have ever had came from a place called Valentino's close to the Trevi Fountain. I had a combo of tiramisu, coffee, and dark chocolate and I could have gone back in for seconds. We may have returned to the same place the next day for another round. It was grand.

By the end of our time in Rome we were quite tired from seeing everything but it was really worth it. The heat really got to us the first day and showed us how much we had acclimatized to the weather of Belfast. But by the end of the trip we had adjusted to the hot and humid weather of Italy.

Also, as a recommendation to anyone traveling to Rome buy the Omnia and Roma Pass. It allows you to skip the lines (which is worth it because lines can wrap around and take over an hour to get through) and allows you access to all forms of public transportation in Rome, and a hop on hop off bus tour plus free entry to two museums and discounts at others. Beth and I saved a lot of time waiting in lines because of the passes and were able to do a lot in a short period of time. So, if you're ever traveling to Rome, look into the passes because they are really worth it.

Next stop was Sorrento. We took the fast train from Rome to Naples which was very nice and comfy. And then at Naples we took another train to Sorrento. We arrived mid afternoon in Sorrento and spent most of the day just relaxing by our pool and then heading out for a place to eat dinner. We ended up at a great place that overlooked the sea and the Sorrento coastline and ate more pasta.

The next day we ventured to one of the jetties in Sorrento. The town does not have any big sandy beaches and mostly has these platforms called jetties which you pay to rent a sunbed and enter. We ended up at the Marina Grande and it was fabulous. We spent the day out in the sun and swimming in the sea which is incredibly salty but allows you to float easily.

That night (it was my 5 year anniversary with my fiance and a year anniversary of being engaged) Beth and I decided to eat at a nicer place to celebrate the occasion. So we went to Parruchianos aka La Favorita a place my mom had recommended since it's absolutely stunning. The restaurant is spread through out a lemon grove (Sorrento is known for its lemons) and had lights hanging from the trees and was just perfect. I couldn't have asked for a better place to eat and the food was fantastic as well.

The next day we took a day cruise out to the island of Capri on a small boat with about 12 other people. We visited the various grottoes around the island and stopped to swim a few times and had 4 hours to spend on the island. I loved being on a boat in such an intimate setting and seeing the beautiful scenery around the island from the water.

On our last day we were really tired so we opted to spend the day back at our hotel's pool. It concluded our Italian holiday and it was great. Looking back through my pictures I miss it already and also can't believe I was just there. I am really thankful for the opportunities I've had this year to travel and it has been great to travel with other YAVS.