Rome, Italy

Happy Monday! Sophie and I spent our last day in Italy exploring Rome before our flight back to the USA. We woke up early in order to take the train from Sorrento to Rome. It was a rainy travel day, but by the time we arrived the sun was shining. After checking into our hotel and changing clothes we were off exploring! 

Our first stop was a walk past the Trevi Fountain before stopping for a late lunch. There were SO many tourists I don't know that I would recommend visiting Rome in mid-July, but we still had a wonderful day. After lunch we walked on to the Pantheon! After taking a few pictures we walked on towards the Colosseum. We relaxed there for awhile enjoying the view, and it was on to the Trastevere neighborhood of Rome for dinner. This was my favorite area in Rome, it was so peaceful compared to some of the more tourist stops and full of charming buildings around every turn. Our dinner was also amazing, if only I could remember the name of the restaurant! 

Thanks so much for reading along about our Italian adventure! I have loved sharing each place we visited, hopefully you gained some travel inspiration. For even more photos take a peek at #sophandallietakeitalia over on Instagram. Ciao! 

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Amalfi, Positano and Ravello, Italy

Happy Friday! I can't believe I am already sharing our final photos from the Amalfi coast. After a quick breakfast at our hotel we were picked up for our bus tour. We were lucky to get seats facing the coast and white it was a bit of a scary ride the views were amazing. (I especially loved seeing all the lemon groves at the beginning of our drive.) Our first stop was Positano! Because Sophie and I had spent a few hours here the day before our main plan was to get a better picture of the beautiful church at the center of town. While it required stepping into a hotel lobby to get the photo, I think we succeeded! After a lemon slush and some shopping we were back on the bus headed for Amalfi. 

Sophie and I were really excited to spend some time in Amalfi since we only were able to see it from the water the day before. Our first stop there was in a beautiful paper shop (Amalfi is known for their paper), and I couldn't help but purchase a few things. After that we took some pictures on the church steps in very windy conditions. We loved walking around and peeking into some shops before heading to the beach. Sophie and I were very sad to get back on the bus after just over an hour exploring beautiful Amalfi. But it was on to our final destination of the day, Ravello. 

Ravello is a small town up in the mountains from Amalfi. It has been popular with musicians for many years, and hosts a special music festival. We choose to spend our time in the famous villa where this festival takes place. The views and gardens were spectacular! Our drive back to Sorrento was filled with classical Italian music and a view of Sorrento, Mount Vesuvius and Naples. Since this was our last night in Sophie and I choose to go out to a nice dinner and indulge in gelato from Puro one last time. After packing we went straight to bed to rest up for our travel day to Rome! Next week I will share how we spent our last day in Italy and a few final thoughts on our entire adventure. Have a wonderful weekend!

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Pompeii

Day 12 of Sophie and I's Italian adventure led us to Pompeii! I was lucky to visit Pompeii when I studied abroad in college, but it was just as impressive a second time. We woke up early and ate breakfast at our hotel before being picked up by our bus driver. We choose to book a day trip through Viator which included transportation and a guided tour of the site. While walking through the city we saw stores with takeaway areas for food, homes, a public bathhouse and the town center. My favorite part of the tour was the inside of the bathhouse where the colorful ceiling remains and really gives a glimpse into how impressive life in Pompeii was. We also would have loved to tour Herculaneum (a separate site near Pompeii), but will have to wait until next time!

During our visit there was a traveling exhibit by Igor Mitoraj placed throughout the site. While the artwork wasn't originally created for Pompeii, I really enjoyed seeing the pieces as we walked along our tour. I would highly recommend visiting Pompeii if you find yourself near Mount Vesuvius! It was extremely hot during our visit, but we enjoyed a lemon slush at the end of our tour to cool off. After our tour we were exhausted from the heat and constant traveling and choose to relax at our hotel for a few hours before dinner. Next up, Amalfi and Positano! 

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Capri, Italy

Hello, friends! Today I'm looking back at our day in Capri. After Cinque Terre Sophie and I  took the train to Sorrento and it was quite the journey. We had to stop in La Spezia, Rome, Naples and then board another train all before arriving. Sorrento became our home for the next few days as we took day trips to several different places along the Amalfi Coast. I'm not sure what I was expecting Capri to be like, but it was just stunning. These pictures can barely capture just how beautiful it was, and we were seriously unprepared when we arrived. For the beauty, and for the beach, since we didn't pack our swimsuits that day. This was probably our biggest mistake of the entire trip, which was solved by buying new suits on the island... 

Before arriving our main plan was to try and see the Blue Grotto if it was open, which luckily it was! When we stepped off the ferry it was difficult to choose which vendor to use to actually get to the grotto. In the end we rented a private boat for a few hours. While definitely a spurge, this was by far the best way to see the island and one of the most memorable parts of our entire trip! Our driver not only got us into the grotto (which is AMAZING if you have a chance to go in), but he also made sure to take us by all the other famous spots around the island (including the Green Grotto and the Faraglioni rocks). He was very knowledgable about the island, and knew all the perfect places to stop (our favorite was snorkeling in the caves)! 

After our boat tour we took the bus to Anicapri for lunch and to ride the chairlift. If you aren't scared of heights this the perfect way to see the island. I got little nervous, especially going down, but the views were worth it. There is also a cafe at the top where you can stop for a drink or gelato before hiking or riding the lift back down. We were only in Capri for the day, so after the lift we had to head back to the harbor to catch our ferry back to Sorrento. This was a day I will never forge. It was a day that made me feel small in the best way possible, sometimes nature is breathtaking. Until tomorrow, enjoy! 

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Monterosso al Mare, Cinque Terre

Happy Monday! I can't believe I am already recapping our last day in Cinque Terre which we spent in Monterosso. This was one of the more relaxing days of our trip, mostly spent at the beach. I truly felt like I had stepped into a Gray Malin photograph as we camped out under a colorful umbrella. 

For lunch we stopped into a beachside cafe and then enjoyed pizza, watermelon and cantaloupe back under our umbrella. In the late afternoon we decided it was time to do some exploring, so we left the beach, ate some gelato, and enjoyed the town. When we arrived Monterosso didn't seem very big, but when we walked around I realized it was much larger than I realized! There are even two different beaches, both of which were filled with tourists enjoying the sun. That evening we headed back to Manarola and enjoyed one last dinner at Trattoria dal Billy, which was recommended to us as one of the best restaurants in town. Cinque Terre was even dreamier than I imagined and Sophie and I are so lucky to have spent a few days among the all the colorful buildings. Next up, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast! 

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Vernazza, Cinque Terre

Yesterday I shared Sophie and I's photos from Riomaggiorie, and today you are getting a peek into our time in Vernazza! It just took a short train ride to travel between the two towns. You can also take a ferry between, but we opted for the day train pass which gives you unlimited train trips between the five towns. When we arrived in Vernazza we were greeted by large crowds shopping and exploring the town. After peeking in a few stores we got (amazing lemon) gelato and then walked towards the water. 

Vernazza has a beach so many people were swimming or eating at the seaside restaurants. We walked all around the big clock tower and then hopped back on the train to Manarola. I know that I will never forget exploring these two towns, Cinque Terre definitely lived up to my expectations! I hope you have a happy weekend, maybe spent on a travel adventure of your own. Monday we will be in Monterosso! 

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