A two-week whirlwind tour of five countries with old friends, new friends, and family. Starting in Italy, our Airbnb host, Riccardo, picked us up from the airport around 6 PM and took us to one of his quaint two-bedroom apartments overlooking Fiumicino. During our ride, we were informed that in Italy, “if there’s room, you can park anywhere” (foreshadowing). We showered and had a quick beer before heading out for a calzone and drinks. We then walked to the coast and down the strand. After passing a few bars, we finally landed on #4Seasons Bar. We had some Carlsberg and Special Brew on the patio, at which point we realized how exhausted we were. So, we began walking back to the apartment around 11 PM, which is when we saw a car parked exactly in the middle of the road.
Pre-trip Notes
We used the Trainline EU app to book all but one of our train reservations. It's intuitive and you can view an electronic version of your tickets right inside the app. Since we were with family, we opted for the first-class tickets to ensure we'd at least get to sit together. Sometimes food was offered, or there was a snack machine nearby. We used Trenitalia and Italo, the main train operators in Italy, with no issue.
A friend from college recommended we use the Campania Express train at the Naples station to get to Sorrento. This was a key piece of information for us, because we didn't want the five of us walking with luggage from the train station to the Naples seaport. Booking tickets online was fairly simple (might need Google to translate the website), and the train is located on the lower levels of the Naples train station (it's called Garibaldi Station but the same building). Follow the signs for Garibaldi. You'll get to a turnstile checkpoint, and you might need to wait for Campania staff (in red shirts) to escort you to the train. So, have your ticket(s) ready!
We booked all of our excursions in advance. Especially if you're in a group, you'll want to reserve tickets for the Galleria dell'Accademia and Gallerie degli Uffizi via B-ticket and the Colosseum and Vatican City via The Roman Guy
We used Uber in Rome a couple of times with no issue. We even used it to get to the airport for cheaper than each purchasing tickets on the Leonardo Express. My family, however, was able to take the Leonardo Express when we met them at Roma Termini a week earlier for about €14 one-way (32-minute ride).
What We Did
Nice, France
Château de Nice (really just the fortress hill that remains): Be ready for lots of stairs (an elevator might exist somewhere), but it's definitely worth it for the waterfall en route, the panoramic views at the top, and a small café to enjoy a refreshing Aperol Spritz while listening to a man play the accordion.
The beach: Personally, I didn't find any of the main beaches in Nice to be ... nice. The geology isn't conducive to produce sand beaches (any sandy beach here is likely man-made), and we weren't too keen on the cobblestone beaches that are sprinkled with garbage. If you want a "good beach" relatively nearby, go to Cannes or Saint-Tropez. I didn't know I was such a beach snob until this very moment.
Gare de Nice-Ville: Main Nice railway station. Had coffee and croissants at a cafe right outside, and the waiter was very helpful. We used our Trainline EU tickets for the first time here and came to realize that boarding a train in Europe requires much less pre-boarding time than an airplane. So, you might not know your train track number until 15 minutes prior to departure. On our way to Milan, we had great views of the Côte d'Azur and Monte Carlo and also saw a massive sailing ship (possibly the Royal Clipper).
Monte Carlo, Monaco
Casino Monte-Carlo: The place where poor people drive a Mercedes. We saw a Bugatti, and everyone around us 100% lost it. Otherwise, we walked around the casino, and our friends played a few slots. I couldn't go in with my camera, so Nick and I took turns checking out the actual casino area. We also got (as expected) incredibly expensive drinks. At least they were tasty, because it took the bartender 15-20 minutes to make four drinks. We were her only customers. She even took the time to saw straws and decorative sticks in half to put in our short-glass Mint Juleps. A+
Monte Carlo Port: Certainly beautiful from a high vantage point. Although, for being one of the richest and most famous ports, it's a bit dingy and looks like it's stuck in the 1950s. The best part, besides taking a water taxi across the port (€2 each one-way), was seeing the largest (by volume) and fourth longest yacht in the world -- The Dilbar (owned by a Russian billionaire, with TWO helipads ... both necessary, I'm sure).
Avignon, France
A city with spaghetti-inspired streets surrounded by a large wall. If you aren't comfortable driving/parking in a tight space, you might want to consider taking the train to get here instead.
Palais des Papes: €12 per adult to do the semi-self guided audio tour. The building acted as what is now The Vatican for some time in the 1300s, and it's the largest Gothic building in the world with expansive rooms made entirely of stone.
Pont Saint-Bénézet (Pont d’Avignon): Half of a beautiful bridge that was continuously swept away by flood waters over the course of its life (€5 per adult).
Aix-en-Provence, France
Honestly, all we did here was have lunch and walk around. But we really enjoyed it, especially the street musicians.
Saint-Tropez, France
A little beach research can go a long way, as we found out. The one near our Airbnb and Plage de Saint-Tropez had quite a bit of seaweed and some litter. Plage de Pampellone was worth the visit, even if it was only for thirty minutes.
Cannes, France
Hit some pretty bad traffic getting here, but day drinking at Plage Goeland for half a day was really relaxing (~€30 per person).
Milan, Italy
Our train from Nice went through Genoa, and we saw the bridge that had collapsed just a couple of weeks prior (RIP).
Side note: Milano Centrale (main Milan railway station) is really beautiful inside and out.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II: Very beautiful shopping center. Also, be sure to find the bull and spin on his nuts.
Duomo di Milano: Obviously one of the most beautiful cathedrals in the world and is actually an amalgamation of older churches over a long period of time (highly recommend a visit). We walked around the cathedral, the underground archaeological site, and the museum next door. It was about €15 per person for all three sites.
Sforzesco Castle: A pretty awesome castle that showcases the warfare engineering of the 1800s. Nice place to walk around, since we were too late to view The Last Supper at Santa Maria Della Grazie.
Arco Della Pace: Beautiful arch dedicated to peace amongst Europeans. In general, however, Milan has some pretty aggressive street sellers. So, be extra vigilant.
San Marino
Nick did the research and figured out the logistics for this one. First, we took a train from Milan to Rimini. From there, we bought round-trip Bonelli Bus tickets for San Marino at the train station tourism office (€10 per person round-trip). You can even check your bags here for €3 per person (you'll need your passport for this). While we waited, we checked out the nearby local market and Arch of Augustus.
Once in San Marino, the first thing we noticed is how incredibly clean it is. And we happened upon a concert that was a mix of rock musicians and Comic Con-inspired attendees.
Guaita Torre: One of three towers built as part of a fortress in the 1200s. The top of the tower has beautiful views of the countryside and the neighboring tower, Terza Torre. I think we paid about €3-4.5 for this.
We bought some art from a street vendor, so have some cash with you if that sort of thing interests you.
Museo della Tortura: Yah, about as morbid as it sounds, but it's one of the main things to see in San Marino (~€8). And, I have to admit, it was pretty interesting ... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Side note: Be weary of trains that have an actual connection point like ours did through Bologna to get to Rome. The first train was delayed, so we had to hop on an earlier train to ensure we didn't miss our second train.
Florence, Italy
Galleria dell'Accademia: The original Statue of David is a must-see. The hall leading to the statue is lined with several of Michelangelo's unfinished works. The Stradivari string instruments are here, too!
Gallerie degli Uffizi: Originally founded by the Medici family during the Renaissance, this place holds a vast collection of important works of art spanning thousands of years. Prepare to spend some time here, because it contains thousands of pieces, including Botticelli's The Birth of Venus.
Tuscany trip: A Viator day tour of Siena (home to the Palio di Siena horse race), Fattoria Poggio Alloro vineyard (amazing views and lunch), San Gimignano (fun spot to explore, climb a tower, and eat gelato), and Pisa (climbed the Leaning Tower of Pisa, which was actually pretty cool) for about $105 per person (total). We really enjoyed it, since we knew we wouldn't have enough time to explore these places on our own. Be careful at Pisa, as it is known to have pick pockets (look for young women with empty bags and umbrellas).
Took photos of the Ponte Vecchio at night. It's really beautiful when lit up, but during the day it's worth a visit, too. I also took pictures one morning (~8 AM) of the main attractions in Florence, because there are very few people awake to obscure the landmarks.
We had booked a visit to go up into the Duomo of the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore one morning, but of course, Michael Bay was filming a car chase around the cathedral for his new movie, Six Underground. At least we were lucky enough to see him yelling at everyone and utter poetry such as, "Where the fuck is the motorcycle?!" We had a nice chat with wardrobe, but unfortunately, we couldn't stick around to see the Duomo later that day (refunds are not allowed, FYI).
Sorrento, Italy
Again, we took the Campania Express (Giribaldi Station) to get here from Napoli Centrale.
Vallone dei Mulini: Abandoned mills sprinkled throughout Sorrento that were built in the 13th century and abandoned in the 1940s.
Capri: We had no problems buying ferry/hydrofoil tickets at the Sorrento port early in the morning (~€20). They even accepted credit card, but getting back from Capri they only accept cash (~€18). The hydrofoil takes about twenty minutes.
Ciro Capri boat tour: The approximately three-hour trip included an early stop (recommended due to higher traffic late morning) at the Blue Grotto. Is it worth it? Maybe not for some. But we were willing to pay the €14 per person for ten minutes in the beautifully lit cave. The most entertaining part was having to lie down inside the boat in order to get in and out via the short entrance. The tour total was about €220 for all five of us. Our skipper didn't speak much English, but he was enthusiastic to use Google Translate. During the trip, we stopped to swim and snorkel a few times. We would definitely recommend it if you're able.
Funicular: We read online that the line is awful, but even when it's dauntingly long, it only took fifteen minutes. You can purchase tickets near the port for €2 each way per person. They take card at the port, but only cash is accepted for the return trip. No matter how you get there, the top of Capri is worth a visit for the views and a spritz.
Vesuvius/Herculaneum/Pompeii: Visited all these places via a private car tour with Sorrento Car Tours. Hike up Vesuvius (not included in transportation tour price; ~€10/person) and explore Herculaneum (€11/person) and Pompeii (€11-15/person) for a "pretty penny" via Viator. It's a bit expensive, but booking directly through Sorrento Car Tours will save you some money. Also, taking the train is very much an option. Pompeii is much larger than we expected (easy to get lost), and Herculaneum has some beautiful details preserved
Rome, Italy
Vatican City: A great tour recommended by friends. Get in early to see The Vatican and also see the Sistine Chapel before it opens to the general public. They say you can't take pictures inside the Sistine Chapel, but people do it anyway, unfortunately.
We also saw The Pietà by Michelangelo at St. Peter's Basilica. This was extra special for Ash and her mom, as Ash's grandmother had seen the piece in New York during the World's Fair. At the time, Italy had the sculpture scanned, which came in handy when it was vandalized in 1972.
Pantheon: Incredible architectural feat, and the admission is free. Raphael's burial site is located here.
Trastevere: Lovely spot for live music, drinks, and food. We bought beers to drink while listening to the live music a couple of times.
Trevi Fountain: Get. Here. Early. Seriously. The cluster of people later in the day would have made it not worth the visit for me.
Spanish Steps: Getting here early is also recommended, especially for the views at the bottom and top of the steps.
Capuchin Crypt: So creepy. But so cool. €8.50 per adult to visit. Like most religious places in Italy, women have to have shoulders and legs covered. Most places offer shawls for a few euro.
Roman Forum: We visited the first Sunday of the month, so admission was free (usually would be €12). Definitely worth walking around to see architecture stewarded by several Roman rulers.
Marcello Theater: Only walked around it but really cool to see.
Circus Maximus: Roman chariot racing stadium -- Could be a good lunch spot on the grass.
Colosseum: Beware, the particular tour we chose starts at 8 PM and will last three hours! However, the tour was a perfect way to end our trip. We paid for the underground tour, but it sounds like it gets cancelled quite often due to flooding (you get reimbursed). The tour also includes history of Venezia and its surroundings, as well as the Roman Forum.
Food
Nice, France
La Vieille Crêpe: Great crêpe and beverage spot
Opèra Plage: Not sure how the food is here, but a bottle of wine by the beach was just what we needed after climbing to the top of Nice.
??: Not sure the name of this particular place, but it's located along one of the main café strips in Nice. If you get a waiter like ours who so rudely opened our wine and stormed off without us tasting it, seriously, just leave. The continued shade we got from this this guy was comical.
Big Ben Pub: Yeah, yeah, yeah, not Italian, but it's a cozy spot for a pint before retiring for the evening.
Patisseries LAC: Delicious macarons, sandwiches, pizza, pastries, etc.
Spar grocery: Small, simple spot where we got booze and water.
Utile: Another good spot to get simple evening balcony charcuterie and beer/wine.
Le Frog: Amazing frog legs and other French food/wine.
Street ice cream: SO good!
Jach Restaurant: Grabbed breakfast here before leaving Nice. Delicious espresso, fresh orange juice, and Croquet Monsieur.
Rina: Affable waiter and decent food.
Avignon, France
The Square Palace: Amazing wine and charcuterie!
#Justvinm2: Adorable place with great wine and wonderful staff.
Aix-en-Provence, France
Le Patacrêpe: Both savory and sweet crêpes that are equally delicious.
Saint-Tropez, France
Bar du Port: Some of the best food I've ever had. The staff wasn't very attentive, but the meal and wine were incredible.
Le Bar: The sign read, "Le Bar," but I couldn't seem to find a trace of it online. Great drinks and the waiter was very polite.
Fiumicino, Italy
At the airport, we learned that when you're at a café, you order at the cash register and take your ticket to the counter for your order to be fulfilled. It might be hectic. And cash can be king at certain places.
Milan, Italy
Ristorante Pizzeria Dogana: Quick service and pretty good food.
Grom (Buenos Aires location): Amazing gelato recommended by our Airbnb hosts.
San Marino
Bar Piadineria La Capanna: Good food with great views.
Florence, Italy
Caffè la Posta: Great little spot next to our Airbnb for a quick breakfast or a beer. Never had an actual meal here.
Gustavino duomo Firenze: We thought the food and wine were fantastic.
Pizza Napoli: Good and affordable pizza but fairly greasy.
Sorrento/Capri, Italy
Soul and Fish: We attempted to go here right when the place opened, but we were told they were all booked and got a pouty, "No puedo," from the hostess.
Ristorante Zi'Ntonio Mare: We went here instead of Soul and Fish, and it was amazing. Delicious local fish that is deboned right at your table.
Ristorante e Pizzeria L'Approdo (Capri): Decent pizza and pasta.
Limoncello: Lemony dessert shot/drink post-meals. Very rich in flavor.
Fauno Bar: A really convenient spot with a large menu, reasonable prices, great food, and very attentive staff.
Street vendors: The fresh fruit is delightful!
Marameo: Recommended by friends, this was an awesome beach club for getting drinks and food while waiting for our train (~€40 for half-day/person, including two umbrellas and towels for five people).
Rome, Italy
Trattoria Cecio: Delectable pasta and wine near Roma Termini (Rome railway station).
Virgilio a Campo De’ Fiori: Not worth your time or money. Very poor service, and my dad's food was served cold.
Gelato at Piazza Novena: So good, especially on a hot day.
Aristocampo: Quaint place for drinks.
Grazia & Graziella: We went here for my brother's and mom's birthdays. The food was great, and they sang and gave the birthday guests a sweet treat. Highly recommend this place. The staff is wonderful!
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