My Italian Adventures

Here you will find some essential travel tips, suggestions and recommendations for your trip to Italy. But one essential tip I would have is Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff. Chances are there will be some bumps along the way. We had some, but I kept reminding myself… bumps in Italy or not in Italy… bumps in Italy all day long! We laughed off many of our missteps… our endless walking journey to Ravello, the immense luggage we dragged around, getting a little lost in Rome, losing some people in the train station, but at the end of the day, all of those things were so minor compared to the endless memories we made!

1. Transportation: Trains, Buses, Ubers, Taxis & Ferries:

• Trains: We found the train system super easy to use throughout Italy. Once we booked our Airbnb’s, our next step was booking our trains. It was so easy to book our trains through Trainline (https://www.thetrainline.com/en-us) and we all had the App downloaded to have access to our tickets. From Rome to Salerno we were on TrenItalia’s Frecciarossa (Economy) these seats were no frills, but completely fine. From Sorrento to Naples we were on Campania Express and then transferred onto TrenItalia’s Frecciarossa (Premium) these seats were much more private and comfortable and we were given snacks, water and hand wipes).
• Buses: In Amalfi, getting a bus ticket is no easy feat… We eventually got the information to look for the “guys in the blue shirts” who were standing near the bus depot. You need to buy a ticket from them for €2.50. You can also pay when you get on the bus, but with no guarantee that they will have change! In Sorrento, we found it a bit more difficult to follow the schedule and buses kept driving past us…. after 25 minutes we got and paid on the bus. And in Capri. believe people when they say don’t take the damn bus…they were packed like sardines and so hot. Spend the extra money (and less aggravation) on an open air taxi… they are everywhere and was our choice for our return journey to the docks. No buses in Rome!
• Ubers: Ubering was super easy with the Uber App. We needed more than one vehicle each time we Ubered and they were prompt and there were no issues. It was a bit expensive, however, for the piece of mind, worth it.
• Taxis: Hailing a cab was nothing like you do in New York City. We were mostly ignored and then heard there were certain areas that cabs could not stop as they were not their ‘territory’. After 20 minutes of watching them wave to us, we called an Uber. My sister leaving from the same location, however was able to get one and paid €40 less than we did. So if you are patient, wait, if not, call the Uber.
• Car Services: Only when there was not a direct route on a train we decided to use a car service. Traveling from Minori to Sorrento was extremely easy using Positano Shuttle (https://www.positanoshuttle.com/). It was reasonable at approximately €33 per person. The vans were big, clean, comfortable and air-conditioned with professional drivers dressed in suits who came exactly on time and handled all of our luggage… poor guys!
• Ferries: We used Ferryhopper throughout our stay on the Amalfi Coast (https://www.ferryhopper.com/en/). Talk about easy to use! We all downloaded the Ferryhopper App, and our tickets were right at our fingertips. We booked only 2 trips beforehand. We booked our tickets from Salerno to Minori, as we wanted to be sure to get immediately on a ferry once we got off the train in Salerno. The dock was just about a 10 minute walk from the train station and there were little food and drink places right on the dock. We also booked our trip to Capri before we got to Italy, as there are not as many ferries leaving from our location in Minori. Other than that, we booked tickets to various locations the day of from either the ticket booths at the dock or on our phones, both were very convenient. And just to note, when taking the ferry, be sure to be there on time; throughout the whole trip, the ferries did run on time, and they will not wait… Also sit on the right side of the ferry to get amazing pictures of the coastline!

2. Learn Some Basic Italian: I would have definitely tried to learn more of the language. Italians seem to appreciate when you know some basic words, such as buongiorno (good morning), caio (hello), grazie (thank you), prego (your welcome). In the larger cities, many Italians speak some English, but in the smaller towns and villages, very little is spoke. We saw this first hand when we met with relatives.

3. Make Reservations as Needed: If you are visiting popular landmarks, you really need reservations. We made reservations for The Colosseum, The Vatican & our Private Cruise in capri. Tickets sell out very quickly at top destination spots, so once you book accommodations, start booking any specific tours you hope to go on! Also, we found the visit to the Colosseum at sunset and early evening was unbelievably beautiful and then we went to dinner right from there.

4. Bathrooms: The bathroom situation is so strange in Italy! Since we heard many times bathrooms did not have toilet paper, we purchased some travel packs! (https://a.co/d/0gK4AEzl). All restaurants have them, but if you are out and about for the day, you have to pay to use them. In Positano we were eating at a bar and when I asked where the bathroom was, I was given a coin and directed down an alleyway through a turnstile and into a bathroom! An adventure for sure!

5. Tipping: Although tips are not expected in Italy, they are appreciated. At restaurants you could leave a little extra if you wish, which we did, because it just didn’t feel right! We did put aside money to tip our drivers and captain on our cruise.

6, Drink Local & House Wine: When in a restaurant, ask for their house wine. It is usually fresh and cheap! We also went to package stores and asked for the local wines and never spent over €10!

7. Don’t Forget Gelato! Italy is known for their gelato. No matter where we got some it was always light, creamy and refreshing! The best we had was a little place in Rome, not far from the Colosseum, Glauco-Gelateria (https://www.facebook.com/glaucogelati). The pistachio is to die for!

8. Visit a Beach & Swim in the Sea: Up and down the Amalfi coast there are both local beaches as well as beach clubs. At a local beach you will need your own chairs, etc… but at a beach club, you pay a fee for chair, umbrella, bathroom use, showers, etc… Each place is a little different in their amenities and prices, but we found the one in Minori well worth it. And there is NOTHING like swimming in the Tyrrhenian Sea!

9. Take A Road Trip! We would have never done this if it wasn’t for traveling to meet family. But the absolute most beautiful scenery we encountered was while exploring the countryside. We were lucky, as we followed behind family, but I highly recommend renting a car for a day!

10. Be Sure to Cover Up: If you plan to visit any religious landmarks, you must cover up. Women must have their shoulders covered and their knees covered. Be sure to bring a scarf and either long pants or a long skirt/dress. Men need to wear long pants.

11. Lemons, Lemons & More Lemons: Whenever possible enjoy the lemons of the Amalfi Coast… lemon granita, lemon pasta, Limoncello, Lemon Gelato.. the dishes are endless and fantastic! We were even gifted humongous lemons from our sandwich shop friends from their garden.

12. International Driver’s license: EASY PEASY! I received an email from Hertz car rental 5 days before our trip that I needed an International Driver’s license to drive in Italy. My heart dropped, but cousin Ryder let me know to just head on down to AAA, pay $20.00, picture taken and Viola! get handed an International Driver’s license good for one year!

13.Be Sure to Visit Vatican City: The Vatican is a breathtaking, must-see landmark when in Rome. It is huge with many entrances, so just be sure to know what entrance to go in if you are doing a tour. We encountered an issue with this and luckily we were the first tour of the day and out tour leader waited for us (20 minutes) before embarking on the tour!

14. International Phone Plans: So if you have Verizon…. call them and tell them you’re switching to the International Plan for the month. This will only cost you $20 per phone instead of $10 per line per day for International calling. I thought this was a scam but it absolutely was not and I just changed my plan back right when I got home. Boom! Saved SO much money!

15. Install WhatsApp: This is how you will text people in your group, so everyone should download the App. This is free texting and easy to use. It is also the way to communicate with all services in Italy, such as restaurants, drivers, etc…

16. Have at Least 3 Days in Sorrento: Recommend 3 full days in Sorrento. Leaving this place was difficult and we felt like I did not have enough time to truly explore and take in all the sights. There was so much about this city that we did not see and the shopping was amazing here as well.

17. Luggage & Packing: I can say it once, twice, three times, do not over pack. For the love of God, do not overpack. I did not take this advice, nor did any others we traveled with (except the guys of course). We knew that every Airbnb had washers and dryers, but we could not possibly be seen in the same outfit twice… or so we thought. I did not wear half of the items that I brought. Apparently in June there is NO NEED for sweatpants or sweatshirts… who knew?! Please refer to packing list…not my original packing list of course, but my new and update list.

18. Be sure to visit Bagni della Regina Giovanna: One of the most beautiful water landscapes of the trip. At the lagoon, the waves sometimes come rolling in where it looks as if they could suck you right through the archway out to see. Apparently it looks this way from shore and does not feel like this by those in the water. No one got sucked out to sea! Also, while at the lagoon, apparently if you are yelling, your voice carries and EVERYONE in the area can hear you.

19. Relax at the Dinner Table: At the beginning of the trip, I wasn’t used to lingering at the dining table for a long time once we were done eating, but this is encouraged in Italy. Our dinner experiences lasted 3 hours or more and we were not even a little bit rushed. A good lesson to be sure to spend time enjoying the people you are with.

20. Afternoon Siestas: It is true… places close in the afternoon for siesta, so be sure you have everything you need from about 12:30 until 3:00, or your just screwed.

21. Shopping: If you see something you like and it is a great price, get it! I found myself holding off on some items because either I did not want to lug it around or I figured I would keep browsing. I found that on the Amalfi Coast, Minori prices were way cheaper for the same items that you would find in Amalfi & Positano. Be sure to get some Limoncello in Amalfi and some ceramics in Capri!

22. . Invest in Comfortable Shoes: Yes, blah, blah, blah, people say this all the time, but it is completely true. No one wants to listen to the whiner that gets blisters on their ankles or cries that their feet hurt. We had one victim in our group, but did not make a peep, just suffered through her pain!

23. Attend a Local Festival: If at all possible, when you travel to Italy try to find a local festival honoring a Saint for that region. Attending the Festa was one of the most surreal experiences for us. I would wholeheartedly recommend this, the experience is moving and you will feel so immersed in Italian culture and heritage. Being a part of this traditional ceremony was definitely a highlight of the trip!

24. Dining: Throughout our 11 days, we only made 2 dinner reservations. Most often, we strolled along until we found a restaurant off the beaten path. Lucky for us, this worked out perfectly. We did make the other reservations because we had a large group, which is difficult to accommodate in Italy, however we had no issues when we called. Finding the restaurants that locals would patron was truly what we were looking for and the food was great every time.

25. Some Tips from the Amalfi Coast: There are 13 towns considered part of the Amalfi coast. We were able to visit five! I wish we spent more time in Positano. when thinking back, I would have loved to have arrived super early to be able to really explore the area before crowds of tourists arrived. It was so beautiful and had the most “colors” of the towns we visited along the coast. Next time, I would plan a full day in Positano, with specific destinations in mind. I am definitely one to wander about, but having a clearer picture of specific destinations would have been nice. Also, if you can swing by Minori on a Friday for their open air shopping market you can get some unbelievable items! It runs from 12 in the afternoon until Midnight! Great, unique items at a very reason price.

26. Ignoring the Street Vendors: After reading about street vendors, I just envisioned us being swarmed wherever we went by individuals trying to get us to buy stuff. That was the furthest from the truth, We read EVERYWHERE before our journey about not making eye contact with or interacting with individuals trying to sell you things around the Colosseum…most listened, even the kids, but my husband not only made eye contact, but chatted and did get suckered right in! But €5 and two rope bracelets later, we had our first souvenirs! And my husband claimed they were “very nice” lol

27. Water Bottles: There are countless water fountains along the path to refill. Some of us brought re-usable bottles from home, some just had a regular water bottle to just refill and there was at least one who was paranoid about drinking the water, but dehydration won out and she is alive to talk about drinking “city” water (gasp!) from Italy without catching legionaries’ disease!

28. Walk the Walks

• Path of Lemons: We took the path from Minori to Maiori. The path was easy to follow, marked with beautiful tiles. The steps at the beginning were ALOT, but then it evened out a bit to a slight incline. This ancient footpath is a pedestrian only walkway (besides some cats and the occasional donkey), so there are a ton of options for photos, which you will want because the views are fantastic! The walk is about 1.5 miles and takes approximately 2 hours. Be sure to keep walking until you get to Agricola Ruocco’s for some freshly squeezed lemon treats!
• Minori to Ravello Hike: I’m not even sure if this could actually be called a hike, more of a trek. I need to be honest,  between the steps, steep inclines and hot temperatures,we almost wanted to give up. But it was the beautiful scenery and breathtaking views that we encountered made it completely worth it. I wholeheartedly recommend this hike, however, I would encourage people to start in Revello and hike down to Minori. At Terrace of Infinity, we were surrounded by tourists in beautiful, flowing dresses, perfect hair and makeup. We stumbled out to the patio as if we just rolled out of a spin class. So if you want truly beautiful pictures start your journey there before you are a sweaty, smelly mess.
• Path of Gods: We did not have time in our schedule for this hike, but if you do, I have heard this path is also unbelievably scenic and starts in the town of Bomerano. If you follow it in its entirety you will land in the beauty of Positano. This hike is approximately 3-4 hours round trip.

29. The money situation…. Before we went on vacation, we got a credit card with 0% APR for 12 month and no international fees. We planned this and used this mostly for our dinners. In terms of cash, we went to AAA and converted our dollars into euros (this takes a few weeks, so be sure to go early enough). Having euros was key especially with street vendors, and if you are one for bartering. I wish I could say that I am, but unfortunately I don’t have it in me to barter.

30. Do not over-book yourself! Traveling with 11 people of all different ages, taught us a very great lesson. Our younger crew had requested not having something “officially” booked each day. This is probably the best advice we had taken! We DID book: tickets to the Colosseum, tickets to the Vatican, Precious Cruises in Capri and our train rides and some ferry rides. We always had “loose” plans for each day, with varying options. But it was on these days that we found some of our best adventures. Finding the little lemonade cafe in the hills along the lemon path, the little church built into a hillside village wall on our journey to Ravello, traveling to the natural spring in Sorrento and finding the most beautiful sea glass on the beaches of Minori. We made sure to have time to explore with no destination in mind, sip a coffee, lay on the beach, get lost among little streets, meet the locals and enjoy our time with each other.