Day 0- Off we go!

Sunday afternoon, married x 24 hrs and headed off to our romantic destination of Italia: Tony's never been packed prior to the eve of a trip, but with the wedding and all, he made an exception :) We whisked off to Dulles Airport via public transportation, until we missed the connecting bus. Taxi? No problem. We arrived nicely and awaited our boarding time. Then we boarded. Then we (the plane) sat on the ground for an hour. Then we unboarded, or "deplaned" as they call it in the industry. Apparently one of the many computers (rumored to control the blinky flight attendant lights) required replacement and deplaning. While others pondered if they would miss their connecting flight, Tony called the airline via cellphone to rebook the next flight from Munich to Naples (he's missed planes before and knows this bypasses long airport lines). Eventually we replaned, made it to Munich, and rerouted ourselves to Rome...we just couldn't wait to get to Italy! After traveling by plane, train, and multiple buses, we made it to Praiano on the Amalfi Coast. Phew. After a refreshing shower, we dined on the Hotel Margherita balcony, treating ourselves to delicious food, wine, and dessert + espresso of course. To top it off, we were treated to our first post-meal freebie in Italy- Limoncello from the Amalfi Coast. One sip and Emily was hooked for life. We were in Italy, overlooking one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world under the stars after a wedding weekend of utter bliss...and this is only the beginning!!

Day 1- Amalfi Coast

After hours of travel and a really delicious three course meal (+limoncello!), we crashed onto our comfy Hotel Margherita bed and slept. for awhile. deeply. And then got to wake up to this

(the view from our balcony!) Ahh ... waking up on the Amalfi Coast is lovely, indeed.

We had a relaxed morning, enjoying the free breakfast spread, and then wandered down the tiny streets of Praiano to the grocery store. Tony got to reminisce a bit as we debated which cookies to buy. Ended up going with one of Tony's favorites from him study-abroad time in Italy + bread + salami Napoli + Bel Paese cheese (delicious and true!) + a couple Italian beers.

Back at the hotel we relaxed and read by the pool. A little r&r was definitely needed after our jam-packed (and ohsoamazing) wedding weekend followed by ~23 hours of traveling. Feeling a bit peckish, we made tasty salami and cheese sandwiches. Pairs nicely with a 40 of Peroni :)

Not ones to lay about all day, we headed out to explore our surroundings. Praiano is a small coastal town, not very tourist-y, and full of narrow twisty roads (as is all of the coast).

Beautiful views surround you, the sun warms your body ... life is slow and good. (well except for the driving. that's fast. scarily so.)

We moseyed our way through town, slowly making our way down to the beach.

A momentous occasion occurred during our stroll when Emily got her first taste of gelato in Italy. It was glorious.

We made it down the many steps to the beach where we got to sun on the rocks and swim a bit in the Tyrrhenian Sea (right next to the Mediterranean ... not sure how you differentiate one sea from the other as they are connected ... see! ... but that's another day, another blog).

After lots of lovely strolling, we headed back to hotel, got cleaned up and hopped the bus to Positano for dinner. Our restaurant had sweeping views,

delicious vino di tavola (house wine- better than most wines we buy in the U.S.) and kick-ass pizza

... and once again we got some free limoncello at the end of the meal. Every meal should end with expresso and limoncello! That combination somehow makes you feel just perfectly full rather than over-stuffed (which you definitely felt beforehand as you had bruschetta, caprese salad, pizza, a pasta primi, and dessert).

After such a wonderfully delicious meal, it was time for bed.

Buona notte!

Day 2- Amalfi Coast

So, Day Two- the day of relaxation (aren't they all though, hehe)

We treated ourselves to some reclining by the pool with good books in hand, nibbling as we wished on the trifecta of bread, salami, and tasty cheese. MMM...

We got our exercise for the day by strolling the town of Praiano (very hilly, mind you),

stopping to eat amazing pizza at a restaurant overlooking the sea.

If eating fresh arugula atop pizza is elitist, then Emily and I are the elite of the elite!

Yum.

For the evening, we hopped a bus to the nearby town of Amalfi, which was to be a very different experience than when we had buzzed through tired and dirty on our arrival to the coast. We ate outside the front doors of Da Maria, a homey eatery near the square. As we dined, we tried to guess "tourist vs. native" and created imaginative story lines for each passerby, a favored past-time of ours.

We then tasted the most uppity gelato yet, (tip- the best always come from small, inexpensive gelaterias!) though we were quite satisfied all the same. We ended the evening with a stroll by the pier, pinching ourselves to find that, yes, we are still here :)

Day 3- Amalfi Coast

Day #3 ... more sun and sights and deliciousness? Well okay then!

After another simple and tasty breakfast, Emily & Tony packed up the camelback and headed over to Positano to catch a ferry to the Isle of Capri.

**Before continuing, we should tell you that the camelback is one of the best inventions out there. A backpack that allows you to carry plenty of stuff plus all the water you could need with an easy accessibility and hands-free technology- perfect for hikes in the woods or walks in the city (no, we haven't been paid by Camelback ... though we wouldn't mind that one bit! Until then, our "his" and "hers" camelbacks will do just fine).**

Okay, so we're off to Positano ... though the ferry we planned to catch wasn't running due to "electrical problems" (we were beginning to wonder about the power of our love on electricity) ... so we got tickets for a later ferry and hung out in Positano for a couple of hours.

Roaming the streets, checking out local art, snacking on salami and cheese, and reading and wading by the shore proved to be a fine use of time.

Our ferry showed up (electricity and all) and Tony & Em headed over to Capri.

Capri is a well-known island with two main towns: Capri Town and Anacapri. These two towns, we had read, are bitter rivals, routinely using parts of their patron saints in festivals to ward off evil spirits from the other. Unfortunately we didn't get to see any relics (I believe Capri Town has a femur) or festivals, however Capri did offer some other sights:

~la Grotta Azzurra: Right after we hopped off the ferry, we hopped onto a little speedboat and made our way around Capri to the Blue Grotto. This unique cavern, accessed by a rowboat that skims the surface of the water through a small cave-like opening, has the most brilliant blue water due to light reflecting up under the over-hangs of the rock.

The experience is enhanced by the rowboaters who sing Italian opera while rowing you about the grotto. It's really quite beautiful in both sight and sound- and while a bit of a tourist trap price-wise, we would highly recommend it!

~Anacapri: the smaller and quieter of the two towns, it's an enjoyable place to explore. Tony and Emily wandered around the back streets, enjoyed a bit of gelato, and Tony had the best espresso of the trip. We also were entertained by the taxis of Capri ... a little too expensive to ride in, but picture-snapping is free!

~the ferry itself: The views from land in the Amalfi Coast are beautiful but it is quite a treat to see the area from the sea. The environment is rugged- stone and scrub brush rising sharply out of the water, towns nestled in the safety of valleys in between high rocky hills- and out on the ferry, we could really appreciate the big views.

Plus we just enjoyed some time on the water!

After a day packed with sight-seeing and walking and exploring, we were ready to get cleaned up and have a night in ... so we chose to eat our last meal on the Amalfi Coast at our hotel's restaurant. Mmm that was a good decision. We dined on gnocchi with home-made pesto, two fresh seafood dishes, and house wine.

A delicious end to the Amalfi portion of our trip :)

Day 4- A Roma!

However much they relished in the sun, seafood, and limoncello of la Costiera Amalfitana, Emily and Tony were ready to experience more of Italy together. Next stop- Rome. But first, Tony decided it would be lamentable to pass through Pompei a second time without seeing its wondrous ruins.[upon request, Tony will tell the story of how he and a fellow study abroader stood at the gates of Pompei in 2002 measuring their wallets against the value of another historical venture. In their defense, they had to catch a ferry for Sicily later that afternoon. Had they entered Pompei, they surely would not have their deadline by hitchhiking with off-duty police officers...but that's another story!]

Emily and Tony relished their audio-guided tour of this ancient city,

though they were a bit disappointed in the relatively few preserved ashen corpses that bring millions to the site each year (okay, so maybe people flock to Pompei for other reasons as well). Emily tried out her gladiator skills while Tony played the role of the wild beast. Surprisingly, attendance was low at the event.

After an enjoyable train ride (this time without electrical difficulty),

E+T found themselves in Rome, again, and made their way to the Costaguti Palace B+B. Constructed in the 1500s for the Pope's treasurer and located mere blocks from the forum/colliseum area, this building was an absolute gem to stay in...except if you arrive after 2pm, in which case you have to wait outside for an hour to get your keys :) Once inside, Tony and Emily drank the potion to enter their bedroom, after which point they got cleaned up and ventured out for some grub. This evening was a night of surprises at the table, as their restaurant had a "no-menu" policy. This means that once you sit down, they start pouring wine and serving the first course! Fortunately T+E are quite adventurous (unlike others that night), and went with the flow. After prosciutto, lentils, pasta carbonara, and a tasty meat dish (of unknown origin) the bellies were quite satisfied. Later that evening in their renaissance palace, Tony and Emily thought, "this was a good day."

Day 5- Roma

Day 5: All Rome, all the time!

This was the only full day in Rome, so Tony & Emily had a quick breakfast and set out to explore and take advantage of all that the capital city has to offer. We decided to join up with a bus tour both to see many of the famous sights and to have easy transportation around the city.

Our hotel was conveniently located mere blocks from the Colosseum and the Forum, so we strolled down there right after breakfast. 

It was surreal to be in the midst of a modern city and to see ruins dating back thousands of years. The Colosseum and Forum (well, fora ... there are a couple ... learn more about them here!) were just sitting amongst avenues crowded with cars, scooters, and tourists. The way ancient architecture and art were mixed in with present day life was incredible.

After strolling around the ruins, Tony & Emily hopped on the tour bus to head toward the western part of the city. The views from the second open-air level of the bus were fabulous. We listened to the audioguide and made our way toward St. Peter's Piazza and Basilica. The piazza was a sight in itself. Expansive, with lovely fountains, a (stolen) obelisk, and neat archways, the piazza didn't feel crowded despite the hundreds of visitors in it. Certainly that is different during Easter and other major Catholic/papal events when thousands come to the square. We wandered around the piazza and then stood in line to see the basilica. 

Once the largest cathedral in the world (now #2, with the largest built recently in Cote d'Ivoire), St. Peter's Basilica is a bit of an optical illusion- it seems somewhat big from the outside, but once on the inside it becomes apparent just how enormous it really is (i.e. letters in the dome as taller than Tony or Emily!). Full of papal graves, famous paintings and sculptures (la Pieta, etc), and ornate altars, there was much to take in as we made our way through the large church. 

All this touring about and sight-seeing made T & E quite hungry. Following a tip from the Lonely Planet guide, 

we headed to a restaurant just around the corner from Piazza Navona where the guide recommended we try the homemade pasta with a truffle cream sauce. People, we don't want to exaggerate here, but truffles just might be the best food. ever. Seriously though, our lunch was delicious. A fresh arugula + parmesan + pine nut salad followed by pasta carbonara and pasta tartufo ... plus a mezze of vino di tavola. We were in food heaven! While we both loved the meal, it did lead to Emily becoming obsessed with all things tartufo and constantly trying to eat at restaurants solely because they had truffles on the menu.

Well-fed and needing a little movement to work through the food coma, E & T walked through Piazza Navona (checking out the many lovely fountains) and over to the Pantheon. Quite possibly Emily's favorite building, the Pantheon is an amazing dome with its height equal to its diameter- plus it's over 2,000 years. and still standing! 

Once used as a temple for all Roman gods (hence, pan meaning 'all' and theon from theos meaning 'gods'), it was later converted into a Catholic/Christian church. The simplicity of the architecture really caught our eyes- especially after seeing many ornate baroque structures- this dome was impressive without being showy.

We continued the bus/walking tour of Rome- highlights of which included: watching the sunset on the top of a double-decker bus, the Spanish Steps, seeing the city all a-glow at night, 

and Trevi Fountain (where Tony and Emily followed tradition and each threw in a coin in the hopes of returning to Rome one day), 

and more gelato naturally!

After seeing much of the city and realizing just how much more there was to see in Rome (spending a weekend is lovely but definitely not enough time in this impressive city), T&E decided to call it a night.  They ended the evening splitting a pizza and people-watching at a sidewalk restaurant.  Not a bad way to end the day. :)

Day 6- A Toscana!

Day Six. Tension was building at this point in the trip. Six whole days into the Italian adventure, and Emily had yet to experience that which is old, quaint, and lovable. Where Chianti and Montepulciano ARE the house wines, made behind that house! That's correct...I'm talking about Toscana (Tuscany). Not to say that the Amalfi coast, that Rome weren't spectacular and wonders of their own...but to one biased writer, nothing speaks of la bella vita like Tuscany.

And so, after circling the Colosseum and forum one last time, 

we made ourway to the train station where we picked up our new ride. 4 letters for you, F-I-A-T. No, not the dusty convertible hiding in the (Hershey) Battista driveway, but a small little "Punto" representing the Ford of Italy. 

Never rented a car or drove the Autostrada of Italy before? Got your lovely, navigational expert wife next to you? No problem!

Without (much) problem on the highway, we made our way across the border into the tuscan countryside in the mid morning. By early afternoon, we were pulling into Il Sole Del Sodo, 

our villa where we would spend the next 4 nights (and They said there were none left in tuscany!). 

Anywho, after settling in, we drove up the hill to old-Cortona to take in our first hilltown together. It was everything Emily had hoped for and more...with dinner reservations over an hour away, we had to try the town's gelato, which was the best yet. 

We then perched above the main square to people-watch and comment on all the activity going on- the old men gossiping on the benches, the teens gathered by gender daring each other to talk to their crush, and one or two people who wandered the square appearing quite lost.
Dinner was exquisite (though we don't remember what exactly we ate) and the wine was quite...fulfilling (that's why we don't remember what we ate). We nestled down in our room with a view that evening thinking, we're here...now, we're really here :)

Day 7- Toscana

Tell you what- waking up to Tuscany outside your window in the morning is one of the best feelings, aside from waking up to your newly official life-partner, of course. 

We enjoyed a delicious breakfast spread including muesli, yogurt, breads, and espresso

 drink of choice. Tony took the reins of the Punto,

 learning to tread smoothly via the winding paths in the gorgeous landscape leading to Montepulciano. 

Once, he appeared to accidentally drive straight onto a gravel driveway when the paved road curved sharply, 

but only to the untrained eye. 

You see, he was merely getting their first closeup view of a real Italian vineyard :)

Montepulciano afforded the traveling couple a chance to peruse enotecas as they trailed up the steep streets (they do call them HILLtowns), 

and the opportunity to glimpse the surrounding vista of the countryside between each building.

 

The decision of lunch locale was difficult (ever since Emily's first taste of truffle-sauce, she prioritized restaurants with this item), but we landed in a quaint place serving us coniglio (rabbit) and anatra (duck) along with the best table wine of the area.

Later that day, we ventured to Arezzo, a well-known hilltown made (more) famous after the filming of "Life is beautiful." Emily drove for the first time, and got us as far as the border of historic Arezzo, at which point she proceeded down a one-way street in the wrong direction. Apparently only taxis and buses can enter the old-city- lesson learned. We were finally successful at entering the city center, finding a great parking spot for free outside the wall, and ate at a tasty, packed hotspot near the main square. [Emily would later watch La Vita E Bella back in DC, remembering well the moonlit night she and her husband strolled that old town square]. There were no (minor if any) difficulties navigating out of the city and back 'home' to our villa. Night-driving is best left to experts, but novices succeed if their will is strong, as we discovered :)