For Your Next Trip to Italy
Highlights of Italy...
Last week I wrote about visiting destinations for a second, third or tenth time. Part of the inspiration for this newsletter came from my third trip to Rome, and maybe tenth trip to Italy, back in April.
This trip shone light on some of my favorite things to do upon returning to Italy’s most popular cities— Rome, Florence and Venice. So I decided to put together a little highlight reel for those planning a trip to the land of wine and carbs this summer, or anytime soon.
Rome
My favorite site: The Trevi fountain. Out of all the iconic attractions (the Colosseum, Spanish Steps, Jewish Quarter and Vatican City to name a few) I find something peaceful about the Trevi. It is enchanting and magical, and no wonder why throwing a coin into its crystal water seduces you into visit Rome again. Find a time to go either early morning or late evening for the most romantic experience.
Drink: House wine in the campos (they are called campos because they used to be farms, not plazas or squares). Your check will be higher the closer you are to the most popular campos like Campo di Fiori, so veer off a side street for less crowds and cheaper vino.
Restaurants:
Forno for a quick snack (the oldest focaccia/forno in Rome).
Roscioli for a quick snack on suppli—fried rice ball with mozzarella (it’s similar to arancini but not the same and very local to Rome).
Ristorante Dai 3 Amici. A hole-in-the-wall local's favorite means very little English is spoken but who needs to talk when you are in a place this authentic? Open the menu and point to a pasta—fettuccine, tagliatelle, carbonara—you cannot, and will not go wrong. Don’t forget el vino de casa (house wine).
Florence
My favorite site: The exterior of the Duomo at dusk. The facade lights up in a way that feels like the church is something out of a television set, as it pops against the darkening sky and crowds wane. Walking along the river by night (of course with friends for safety) is also idyllic as the reflection of Tuscany's capital city twinkles on the Arno river and the famed bridges are empty.
Drink: Americano. This cocktail is a spin on the popular Negroni, comprised of Campari, vermouth and soda. It's refreshing and bitter and perfect for an aperitivo.
Restaurants:
L’Osteria di Giovani. They are known for their mammoth steaks but also serve traditional Firenze soup, Ribolita (bread and vegetable soup), and in the spring, the steamed artichoke with garlic, anchovy and oil.
Panini Toscani. Acclaimed for their simple paninis (think thin slices of proscuitto between salty, just greasy enough focaccia bread) this is the ideal grab-and-go lunch for a picnic by the river.
Venice
My favorite site: St Mark’s Basilica and St Mark’s Square—but after hours. Having experienced the city in the peak of summer (tourist season) I hardly remember visiting this iconic cathedral. But this recent experience gave me goosebumps as the staff dims the lights and slowly raises them to reveal the golden opulence of the cathedral's ceiling. Also, visiting the different islands like the colorful fishing village of Burano, by boat is a pleasant change in scenery and pace from strolling the narrow canals in Venice.
Drink: Aperol Spritz. This is *supposedly* where the Spritz was invented. It’s also where I had my first Aperol Spritz many years ago. Make sure you visit a piazza or side street for the best rate (I paid 4 euro for two but friends got stuck with 8 euro for one). Additionally, you need to savor the bellini at Harry’s— where the original peach and bubbly cocktail was served.
Restaurants:
Al Mercado off San Polo square is a local’s mid-morning and lunch hotspot. Sandwiches with truffle and ricotta, mortadella, or gorgonzola and tuna are some of the popular bite-sized (maybe two bites) sandwiches that keep you coming back for more. Don’t forget the spritz!
Vecia Cavana. Oysters are popular here (and delicious). And undoubtedly, the risotto del dia which when I was there was shrimp and asparagus (fish and shellfish are popular in Venice and asparagus is in-season in the spring). Wash it all down with house-made grappa.
In general, my favorite season to visit all of these cities is spring. From the eternal city to the floating city, you walk *a lot.* I’m talking 25,000+ steps on a given tour day. So mild temperatures make your tours and days much more enjoyable. Spring is also when artichokes and zucchini flowers are in season which are two of my favorite veggies to eat in Italy (because they are hardly recognizable as veggies with deep-fried artichokes found in the Jewish quarter of Rome to ricotta and anchovie stuffed zucchini flowers, usually deep fried too, in Venice).
Xo,
J
