Tuscany and Rome for Amanda and Miles and Violet

ROME

Rome itself is just beyond comprehension, it’s that beautiful.

It is very chaotic but being there amidst all of those buildings and artifacts and incredible places is so special, to us at least.

-The Parthenon is beyond anything you can imagine and it was just a place that people went back in their days. INSANE.

-My main tip for Rome and doing this is that you will wish you’d woken up earlier to do everything, because by mid morning and lunch time, their will be lines for the Parthenon. (I will say obvious things that I just have to say regardless, so bear with me).

We have been really fortunate to travel during weird times and not really deal too much with tourist traffic, outside of Positano in summer time.

I mean, I know you know how busy Rome will be. But I just stress it, is all.

-There is a particular type of scammer walking around Rome that I want to warn you guys about. I’d never seen this scam before but once it happens to you, you will see them everywhere. These tend to be men from Africa and they have an arm full of little trinkets and bracelets that they seem to be selling. Their grift is that they will LITERALLY FUCKING THROW the bracelet at your chest and after it falls to the ground, your natural instinct is to pick it up. Once you’ve picked it up they will insist you keep it and it is a gift. The man even put it on my wrist and told me he’s expecting a baby soon and he’s so kind and all that. He will try to ask you questions about you/your family/life. Just say “No” and keep walking. Don’t make eye contact. There are also other men who will do the same thing with roses. It’s really gross to watch unsuspecting people fall for it so I wanted to pass it along.

• There’s an area of Rome called Trastevere that’s really packed with restaurants and bars and cafes and subsequently, people enjoying themselves. It’s fun in that way. There’s a bridge you will walk across to get there that always has bands playing music, which is nice.

• You really can walk around everything in Rome and just enjoy the surroundings. There are the famous spots on Google Maps you can see but really you will just be enjoying yourself everywhere.
• The Colosseum is like Times Square, which is unfortunate. I didn’t go inside so I can’t speak to that but just seeing it while you drive around it is sufficient, in my opinion. We stopped and took photos with the guys dressed up as gladiators but then they demanded 40 euros and I said no and told them they could have 20 euros.
• We didn’t go in any of the big churches but if you want to, they’re literally all incredible so have your pick. I don’t know which ones do and don’t cost money.
• There are one million gelatos places so don’t fret about which one to go to. If Violet loves ice cream, vanilla flavored is called “fior di latte”. There are sometimes 50 or more flavors. The chocolate is usually really really strong and I can’t envision a child liking it at all.
• Rome is like NYC and Tuscany is like … the Hamptons but more spread out.
• Trevi Fountain is a bit like the Parthenon as well, in terms of tourists. It’s a fucking zoo, UNLESS you go crazy early or late. Before the pandemic the fountain used to profit 1 million US dollars in a year, from people throwing coins over their shoulder. You can’t touch the water.
• If you’re parched you will find drinking fountains everywhere. The random fountains on the street with water flowing out of them at all times. That water is awesome and cold and will save your life on a hot day. They are literally everywhere. So I recommend having a hydroflask in your bag.
• Villa d’Este in Tivoli is beyond breathtaking and would be an insane location to do wedding photos. But just going at all is a must. I recommend a good weather day and going in the afternoon. We got tickets online and were able to skip the entire line and entered at 3:30pm. When you go the sun will go down much later so I would say see if you can go later like 5 or 6pm.
• A general tip about Italy: they eat dinner VERY LATE. Even children. They stay up very very late and it’s totally normal for the restaurants to be jam packed at 11pm. Your jetlag will have subsided by then so it may be tricky to make it that late with Violet. So actually, it should be much easier to eat out if you’re going at earlier times. Pastas are super cheap and amazing whereas we found pizzas to be much more expensive in Rome than further south in Puglia.
• If you have any questions about anything specific, ask me and I can find out.

FLORENCE

• My Florence advice won’t be very long or in depth. We just spent one day walking around and taking photos and doing the Ponte Vecchio (that bridge thing with all the jewelry shops) and we also ate at a steakhouse place because you hear a lot about these massive T-bones they’re known for, “Bistecca ala Fiorentina”. I think you might be vegan now or something close so I don’t know if you’re even going to fuck with this aspect of Florence but I say this as someone who loves steak and meat in general: Never stray from a perfectly cooked ribeye because someone says you should eat a rare T-bone they’re famous for. It cost us over $115 for a t-bone that was barely cooked and I was just so disappointed.
• My sister Rachel said she loved Florence and it was her favorite city in Italy. I don’t really see it but I think you absolutely have to go into all the museums to see the famous art, to really get the most out of Florence. They have very heavily leaned into the American tourism and added “poke bowl” spots and all that other bullshit you don’t want to see in Florence.
• Be careful driving in Italy, those people are insane and ignore all the rules of the road. You will get passed at any opportunity possible and motorcycles and scooters can basically drive anywhere they want so they’ll sneak up next to you and pass you and you will have thought, “I am going to end up killing one of these guys on accident”. They’ll honk at you sometimes to let you know they’re passing you or that you’re driving too slow for their taste. These are rules that apply all over Italy.

TUSCANY

• Enjoy your drive through the hills. It’s amazing. I really hope your drive is not at night because you’ll want to see it all. If I’m being picky, I’m telling you to drive in the afternoon so the lighting is amazing. One time Hyunjeong and I drove into Hana on Maui at nighttime and we missed the whole special part about the drive and seeing everything. I don’t want you to miss the scenic drives through Tuscany.
• Your Castello is really in the middle of nowhere so I don’t know if you’ll need anything from a supermarket but you’ll want to stop at a CONAD or LIDL when you can find one to pick up supplies. (I have no idea how reliant on the Castello you’re going to be so I say that just to be safe).
• There are many of our top destinations SOUTH of your Castello so I don’t have a lot to offer you between Florence and your Castello. I’m sorry. Montepulciano is south and they are obviously well know for their wine. In Siena there is a really high end wine shop you can find and they sell an entire vertical of Sassicaia (you’ve seen this in restaurants in America, probably sold some at some point).

• Siena is close to your Castello and once you’re inside the old city walls, it’s truly super beautiful. It’s amazing to imagine people living in that way, in that town. There’s a historic horse race that takes place in the town square every year and I haven’t been but it would be a dream come true to witness it. Palio di Siena.

• That is the main town square and we walked around in there and took photos. It’s surrounded by restaurants and gelato shops and chocolate shops and whatnot. I hope we get to visit again someday to see this. (this year the race is on July 2).

I think you’re going to be relaxing most of the time but if you come up with any other questions, just ask.