Verona, Venice, Bologna, Florence, Lucca, Pisa, San Miniato, Volterra, San Gimigmano, Montepulciano, Siena.
My husband and I spent our 25th wedding anniversary in Italy this July. We enjoyed 11 full days traveling in northern Italy and soaking up the best that Italy has to offer.
BEFORE YOU GO
ADAPTER: You will need an adapter to plug in your electronics if you are traveling from the US. Know the wattage of your electronics before you go, so that you know if you need a converter, adapter or both. I have a universal wattage flat iron. It saves me the hassle of needing a converter. Most hotels and Airbnbs provide a hair dryer, so just make sure whatever you bring has Worldwide Voltage, or you will also need a converter.
PHONE: Contact your cell phone provider to see what is included. T-Mobile gives unlimited data and texting, but charges $0.25 per minute per call. I have read other companies require you to get a SIM card, so contact your provider for details. You can also download WhatsApp to your phone and call using Wi-Fi to call others who also have the app installed.
CONTACT YOUR BANK AND CREDIT CARD COMPANIES: It's important to let the bank know when you will be out of town so that you won't have any problems withdrawing your money when you get to your destination. You also may need to notify your credit card company of the travel dates. We like to withdraw local currency when we arrive at our destination from a bank ATM in one lump sum. This avoids extra fees for multiple transactions. You can get away with using a credit card almost everywhere, but having some local currency is always a good idea. Some credit cards charge fees for use, so ask about fees for both your ATM and credit cards.
WHERE TO STAY: Central locations are pricier, so if you are trying to stay on a budget don't be afraid to stay on the outskirts near a train or bus stop. Group the sites you want to see within each city and make a decision from there. Things to consider are parking fees if you have rented a car, easy access to metro if you are not staying close to the city center, and if you are in the city center, a walkable location to your sites.
We decide a lot of our stays based on rewards points. If there is a way to stay somewhere for free that is a reasonable distance from where we want to visit, we will stay there. Many times, we stay just outside of the city, which usually includes free parking and sometimes free breakfast. Here are the hotels we stayed at for this trip:
Crown Plaza Verona: link to website
This hotel is outside of the city center, but offers clean, comfortable rooms and free parking. Since we were driving for parts of this trip, we opted for free parking when we could. This hotel was free as we paid with points, so a no brainer decision for us. There is a great cafe not far from the hotel to grab a croissant and espresso before starting your day. They also have a shuttle that can take you to the city center, but we opted to drive ourselves and park there. We stayed one night at this hotel.
Hotel Aquarius Venice: link to website
We stayed three nights in Venice at this beautiful hotel. The decor is stunning. Breakfast was included with a large selection to choose from. There was a huge festival going on all of the nights we stayed here that they did not inform us of ahead of time. It wasn't a deal breaker; we still enjoyed this hotel very much. Also free with points!
Wyndham Garden Florence:
link to website This was a nicely priced hotel outside of the Florence city center with free parking. There is a laundromat just down the street, which we took advantage of at the halfway point of our stay in Italy. New hotel with clean, comfortable rooms. Great location if you plan to day trip from Florence like we did.
IL Tornabuoni Hotel Florence:
This was the most stunning hotel we have ever stayed in. We were lucky to get to use points for our entire stay here! It is in the city center of Florence. If you have a car you will need to find a garage, or you can have them park for you (€40/day I believe). The room was so spacious as was the bathroom. We had a dining area, couch, coffee bar and two huge beds.
WHEN YOU ARRIVE
CURRENCY: You can find a local bank ATM to take cash out. The currency in Italy is the euro, but cards were accepted everywhere we went.
TRANSPORTATION: We rented a car for parts of our trip since we would be taking several day trips. We planned to visit some vineyards in Tuscany too, so a car was necessary. We used Hertz rental cars this trip and booked directly from the app.
We took a Vaporetto from the airport to Venice. This is probably your cheapest option. From the Venice airport (or rental car drop off), follow the blue signs for water transportation. We purchased a round trip ticket (€27/person). We took the orange line to the San Stae drop off. The Alilaguna Vaporetto link will give all of the information you need to plan your transport to the island. It takes about an hour to get to Venice from the airport. Then it was a short walk to our hotel. You can also take a private water taxi. Just keep in mind that it will be more expensive.
SIGHTSEEING
Verona really is a hidden gem that may not be on your "must do" list for Italy, but it really is a stunning city. We parked along the river and searched for a place for dinner.
You can park in the parking spots outlined in blue. Take your license plate number with you to enter into the pay machine and place the ticket in your dashboard. Credit cards were accepted at all the parking stations we encountered.
We found a great place with indoor or outdoor seating with fantastic pasta. I had the pasta carbonara and my husband had the pasta with clams. Definitely get a Spritz when in Italy. It became my favorite drink on hot days many years ago. You don't see a lot of ice in Europe, so this cool drink with ice is very refreshing on those hot summer days in Italy.
The Piazza dei Signori is filled with stunning architecture. There is a statue of Dante in the center. From the plaza you can spot the Lamberti Tower coming from Palazzo della Ragione.
The Piazza delle Erbe is fantastic both in the day and evening. Definitely check out the frescos on the building in the daylight. In the day tents are set up with vendors for shopping.
From the Piazza della Erbe we walked to the Arena di Verona. Here you can watch shows inside an actual Roman arena.
The Scaligar Tombs are located next to the Basilica Saint'Anastasia (which was closed when we visited). The tombs are located outside in a courtyard. The Scaliger family ruled Verona from the 13th to the late 14th century.
The House of Juliet is a fun tourist destination for those interested in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet story fictionally based in Verona. It was also made famous by the movie Letter's to Juliet. It's a fun stop if you are in the area.
Basilica Saint'Anastasia is the largest church in Verona. The walls of the basilica are mostly painted with frescoes and embellished with altars, chapels and funeral monuments.
Verona Cathedral is stunning. We weren't able to view all of the areas on our visit.
Take the Ponte Pietra bridge over the river to the Piazzale Castel San Pietro. This stone bridge has some of the best panoramic views of the city.
Once you cross the bridge you can chose to take the stairs to Piazzale Castel San Pietro or make a left to purchase a ticket to take the funicular to the top.
Before heading off to Venice, we grabbed some pizza and gelato. Focacceria Ponte Pietra had a number of options to choose from and was cheap and tasty. Gelateria Ponte Pietra was right around the corner. The first of many delicious gelatos to come on this trip.
We dropped off our rental car at the Venice airport and took a Vaporetto to Venice. Details of how this process works is in the TRANSPORTATION heading above.
Once you get to your destination drop off, you are responsible for carrying and transporting your luggage off the boat, down cobblestone streets and over many bridges to get to your hotel. I did see some luggage transporters carrying luggage, so that may be an option if you have multiple, large suitcases. Ask your hotel if you need help with your bags.
Saint Mark's Square is a popular attraction in Venice. There are several restaurants along the piazza with live bands playing. It's beautiful and relaxing. You will pay top dollar for the experience. I think just the two drinks and snacks cost €40.
We enjoyed wandering for a bit and then stopped for dinner.
San Zanipol Church
Scuola Grande di San Rocco is known as the Sistine Chapel of Venice. Don't miss it.
Across the street you will find the Leonardo da Vinci Museum. This interactive museum has replicas of Da Vinci's inventions made of wood as well as his manuscripts and drawings.
The Church of San Rocco is in-between the Scuola Grande di San Rocco and the Di Vinci Museum. It's a small church worth a look inside.
It's okay to have cappuccinos, pasta, pizza, wine and gelato every day. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise!
If you are traveling in the summer, there will most likely be a festival of some kind in the city you are visiting. We saw tons of them while exploring. The one below was right outside our bedroom window in Venice. Luckily the band was enjoyable.
The Rialto Market is a large canal front covered market with stalls trading in fish, seafood & vegetables.
Chiesa di San Giacomo di Rialto has a 15th century clock on the side.
The Libreria Acqua Alta is a used bookstore that is a fun stop in Venice. In the back you can walk up a book "staircase" and take some fun photos. The books are stored in gondolas and things that float so that when it floods the books are safe.
Saint Mark's Cathedral is a must see in Venice. We did a quick trip inside, but due to a mistake in booking we weren't able to go to the museum without purchasing additional tickets. It was enough for us though. You must have your shoulders covered to enter. If you do not have a scarf you can go purchase one from one of the touristy vendors on the square.
A quick stop for lunch.
The Rialto Bridge is very busy. The views from the bridge are stunning. The sides have boats and gondolas that you can take to other islands or take water taxis around the island.
Oke San Giacomo is a great little spot close to our hotel. Don't be fooled by the American themed restaurant. It has authentic pastas and wonderful red table wine.
Near Rialto Bridge you can get in line for a gondola. Rides cost €80 in the day and €100 at night for a 30-minute ride. They only take cash. Our guide told us about the history of the buildings and really made it enjoyable for us. It is definitely a "must do."
We took the Vaporetto to the airport and picked up the rental car to head to Bologna for lunch. We chose Bologna as the halfway point on our trip to Florence, our next destination.
We learned that Bologna is known for mortadella and tortellini, so we made sure to order both of those. We stumbled upon Osteria delle Donzelle. They offer traditional Bolognese specialties. The house red wine was delicious as was everything we ate here.
We stopped inside the Cathedral of San Pietro before heading on to Florence. There is so much to see in Bologna, it really warrants more time here. I hope to return.
We arrived in Florence and walked around to explore the city.
The architecture is stunning in the city of Florence.
The David statue at the Galleria dell’Accademia is a must see in Florence. We have seen a number of sculptures all over the world, but nothing compares to this. It's much larger than I anticipated, and the details are amazing.
Be sure to place a coin in the boar's mouth. If it falls through the grate underneath you will have good luck. Tourists rub the snout in hopes to return to Florence one day. Take in the sites in the evening. It's beautiful.
We used Florence as our base for several day trips. We stayed outside the city center to save money on hotel stays as well as parking. While exploring the city of Florence, we stayed inside the city center. If you will be doing a lot of travel in the Tuscany region, I'd encourage you to stay in one of the smaller towns. I wish we had done this. There is so much more to see and taking a day trip just scratches the surface.
DAY TRIP 1: LUCCA and PISA
Lucca: We parked outside the walled city in a close paid parking lot. We stopped at a bakery for our usual cappuccino and pastry for breakfast. Then we started exploring the beautiful city of Lucca.
Some of the stunning churches not to be missed include the San Michele in Foro , the Chiesa di San Giusto and the Basilica of San Frediano. It's a great city to wander about.
Piazza Anfiteatro is built on an ancient Roman amphitheater.
You can rent bikes to ride around the top of the wall surrounding the city. We walked a little and then decided to find the beautiful gardens we saw from the viewpoint at Punto fotográfico. There were also painters set up painting this beautiful landscape.
We found the Pallazo Pfanner and the entrance fee is worth it to tour the beautiful gardens. There were spots to stop and rest to fully enjoy the garden.
Pisa: We stopped at the Piazza del Duomo which includes the Duomo (the Cathedral), the Baptistry and the Campo Santo (the monumental cemetery). You can order tickets to go into all of these online via your phone and use the QR code to enter.
For us the highlight was the Campo Santo. The walls of the vast structure are covered in over 2600 meters squared of frescoes.
The Cathedral is also stunning.
We didn't go up to the top of the tower as you need a time slot, but if you want to go inside make sure that you book your ticket in advance.
We stopped in San Miniato on our way back to Florence. Most things were closed so we headed back to Florence.
With only taking carry-on bags for our two-week trip, it was time for laundry. Luckily it was just down the street from our hotel (literally a minute walk). They had a machine and dryer for larger loads, so we only had to do one load. It only took about an hour. As we were leaving it got busier, and by the time we headed out of the hotel for dinner it was packed when we drove by. Great option for keeping your travel bags lighter, or for long vacations where you just need to wash clothes. Some hotels and Airbnb's have washers too.
We had the most delicious dinner at L'Osteria Dell'Ok. My husband said that the seafood gnocchi was one of his favorite meals on the trip. We also stopped for gelato at Gelateria Carabè Firenze. We found that the places that had the gelato covered with the round tin lids had the best gelato. We even tried the pecorino romano cheese gelato!
DAY TRIP 2: VOLTERRA and SAN GIMIGNANO
We stopped at a local bakery for breakfast and then headed out to explore. There are several tunnels like in the photos below that you go through. It's beautiful everywhere you look. If you get the opportunity to drive in Tuscany, I highly recommend it.
On our way to the city of Volterra we spotted a sign on the road for Agriturismo La Mirandola. We asked if we could do a wine tasting and she was so kind and accommodating. The view from the tasting area was breathtaking, and we were the only ones tasting at that time. We also learned that you could rent cottages on the property.
Volterra: This is by far my favorite city we visited. The walled city of Volterra was formed in 7th century BC. Volterra is known for its Alabaster stone. You can get great gifts made of alabaster and olive wood here. The Chiesa di San Lino was one of our first stops. This small church is located on the edge of the city and has a beautiful view from the top of the wall.
We ate at a restaurant in the Piazza dei Priori and walked the streets of Volterra. While my husband went to the barber, I walked the city and got some gelato. The views and the city itself were just stunning.
The Cathedral of Volterra and the Baptistry are stunning. You can purchase a combo ticket to see these as well as the museum in the same piazza.
Teatro Romano are the remains of the old Roman amphitheater. We didn't go into it, but passed it as we walked outside of the city walls back to the car.
We stopped at Pietralta as we passed on our way to San Gimigmano. They were very accommodating, and it was a nice stop to break up the drive. We tasted several reds before settling on our purchase. There were also villas available to rent here if you are interested.
San Gimignano: This beautiful medieval town has 14 towers still standing. We had dinner in the Piazza della Cisterna. This main square has the town well, city hall, and cathedral. There are several restaurants and a couple places for gelato to enjoy as well. I would skip eating at Le Terrazze. Neither of us enjoyed our meals or drinks. The setting is lovely, the food is not. We didn't have enough time to really explore this city. It's a very beautiful place.
DAY TRIP 3: MONTEPULCIANO
A quick breakfast at a local cafe and we headed toward Montepulciano, stopping at Icario for a wine tasting. There were several options for tastings and a beautiful view of the vineyards to sit and enjoy the tastings. We enjoyed the wines very much and the information that the winery attendant provided. I highly recommend this winery.
Montepulciano: When we arrived, we had lunch at a Bistrot Del Tribunale. We enjoyed pici pasta (our new favorite), which is a thick, hand-rolled pasta, like fat spaghetti. I got the cacio e pepe with pistachios and my husband got the classic dish recommended by the owner.
Walking around Montepulciano was wonderful. Of course, never enough time.
Piazza Granda is the old town square that has the Cathedral of the Assumption, Town Hall, Palace of the Captains of the People, Palace of the Nobles Tarugi, Contucci Palace, and the Well of the Griffins and Lions. When we visited it was set up for a concert, but was still stunning, nonetheless. From the overlook you can see the church of the Madonna di San Biagio which is outside the city walls. With more time we would have loved to explore this area.
We checked into our hotel that we would be staying at for the remainder of our stay during our anniversary trip. The IL Tornabuoni is beautiful. I know I mentioned it above, but it was really a highlight of our stay. The staff and room were amazing.
Around the corner from the hotel was a wonderful restaurant that we went to twice! The staff and the food were delicious. Fattoria Rossi Firenze is definitely a must do in Florence.
DAY TRIP 4: SIENA
We enjoyed a pastry and cappuccino, and then stopped at Castel Pietraio for wine tasting on our way to Siena. The grounds are stunning and although we did not have a reservation, the receptionist was very kind to allow us to do a tasting at the table on top of the hill overlooking the vineyards along with small snacks. Very calming and beautiful views.
We saw a few guests of the hotel going out to the pool. You can look into reservations if this seems like an accommodation you would enjoy.
We were happy to pull over to take some photos when leaving the vineyard. There are many opportunities to get photos of huge fields of sunflowers throughout Tuscany.
Siena: We followed google maps prepared to park at Parking S. Caterina, but we found an alternate parking area just across the street. We followed the steep road ahead to where the escalators began. We were very happy for the multiple escalators that took us all the way to the top and right into the historic city center.
Here's a website that can give you some information about parking in Siena as well as the escalators available: Mobility – Si.Ge.Ri.Co. (sigericospa.it).
Siena Cathedral is stunning. (I know I keep using that word, but honestly Northern Italy is breathtaking.) We purchased tickets to the Cathedral, Baptistry and the Crypt. All of it was worth the purchase.
We stopped for lunch at Trattoria i Barberi. It was delicious. I had the wild boar pici pasta and my husband had a truffle dish.
We also visited the crypt, museum, baptistry.
The architecture outside of the buildings is just as beautiful as the inside.
Clantenova Vineyard is in the Chianti region, and a wonderful stop for wine tasting and a charcuterie board. We also enjoyed getting a tour of the vineyard.
Florence: We started exploring Florence the following morning. Piazza della Signoria holds the Palazzo Vecchio (medieval town hall with art frescoes, secret tunnels, and Roman ruins), Neptune's fountain, the Loggia dei Lanzi (an open-air sculpture gallery), and the Uffizi Gallery (art museum).
Palazzo Vecchio: Just outside is a replica of the David statue. To the right is Bandinelli's Hercules and Cacus statue. The original David statue by Michelangelo was moved from this location to the Galleria dell'Accademia. Walk through the doorway to view beautiful frescoes on the walls. If you want to see more, just purchase a ticket and you will be in awe of the magnificent works of art inside.
Views from inside the Palazzo Vecchio.
Cathedral of Santa Croce is the resting place of both Michelangelo and Galelao.
The Santa Croce Leather School is behind the church and a great place to see how leather goods are made and pick up some souvenirs. You can get your purchased items personalized with your initials too.
Wine Windows of Florence: Wine windows came about in the 1500s as a way for the wealthy wine makers to sell wine from private cellars. This allowed them to avoid paying taxes as they were selling wholesale through the windows. Citizens were happy to buy cheaper wine this way. During the plaque of 1629 these windows allowed them to avoid direct contact and created a socially distanced method of buying and selling wine.
We stopped at three windows to experience the wine windows of Florence. To find others you can type "wine window" into google maps while you are in Florence. How does it work? You simply knock on the window, give your order and pay. Osteria Belle Donne is the first window we visited. We ordered the house red. They give you a full glass of wine that you can enjoy standing in the ally. It was the busiest. The Babae was the next window we visited. And finally, we stopped at Il Latini. It was closed, but it's in close proximity to the other two, so hopefully it will be open when you go.
We had lunch at Fattoria Rossi Firenze on our last day in the city since we loved it so much. Then we just wandered and took in the beautiful sites of Florence.
That's it. That was our wonderful two-week trip to Northern Italy. We did so much, but there is so much more to do! I can't wait to return and explore more.