Italy Travel Guide: Venice, Rome, Capri
I’ve always wanted to Visit Italy.
It was high on my travel list and in August of 2018 I finally went. It was a relatively last minute decision and I didn’t plan/ book everything until June-July. The trip lasted for nine days with Venice as the starting point. Since it was my first time visiting the country and planning such a long trip by my self some mistakes were made along the way but I had the time of my life and I’ll definitely be visiting again.
I used European Destinations to plan my trip which I recommend for those who want to be able to book their flights, hotels, and activities all at the same time for a really good price. I spent $1,792.41 USD for a 7 day trip. Otherwise, if you don’t mind putting the work in definitely look up transportation and lodging separately and see what deals you can find. There’s no such thing as too much research when visiting another country!
Since this was a long trip and I had never been to Italy an itinerary was a must. We were spending a few day in each city so of course I wanted to maximize my time where ever I went. For a day trip like Capri it was especially helpful. An itinerary is a great budgeting tool, it gives you an idea of how much you’ll spend in a day for activities, sightseeing, tours, transportation etc.
Venice (Day 1-3)
Venice was our first stop and we arrived in the morning at Venice Marco Polo airport. The airport is actually on the mainland, which can be a boat or bus ride away from Venice. We opted to take the Alilaguna boat which was right outside the airport. A one way ticket cost about 15 euros and the ride lasted a little over an hr. Now it’s not as simple a taking a boat to get to Venice. You have to make sure you get on the right one depending on where your hotel/ Airbnb is. Once we arrived in Venice it was a fairly quick walk to our hotel. I stayed at Casa Nicolo Priuli Hotel which is a quaint boutique hotel. The rooms are furnished in traditional Italy fashion, and they served delicious continental breakfast with tons of options. My favorite thing about the hotel was it’s location. It was situated right in front of a canal not far from food options. It wasn’t over run by tourists but still close enough to the main tourist attractions.
I would recommend you book tours for the historical spots to avoid waiting in long lines and get a greater understanding of the background stories behind these structures.
Things we did:
St Mark's Campanile - Amazing aerial view of Venice
The Jewish Ghetto Museum
Rialto Bridge
St Marks Plaza
Rome (3-7 )
After Venice we traveled to Rome by high speed train. I left Venice by boat to get to the Venezia Santa Lucia Railroad Station. A first class (Prima) seat on Italo was less than 50 euros. The journey was approximately 3hrs 45 minutes and we arrived at Roma Termini station which was in central Rome, close to the hotel and other tourist attractions. We stayed at the FH Grand Hotel Palatino. They provided free Breakfast, it was centrally located which means walking distance to the Coliseum, a metro station and authentic restaurants.
Things we did:
I recommend doing a walking tour the first day you’re there. It was so helpful to be guided by a local who gave us historical information about we known and lesser known landmarks. He explained to us the evolution of architecture in Rome which helped us to understand that Rome is built like a lasagna with layers. Which explains the unevenness of the terrain and the randoms inclines. He also gave us suggestions on where to eat!
Skip-the-Line: Guided Colosseum Tour Including the Ground Floor and Second Tier
Still some line waiting to be done but not as much as those who didn’t go with a tour. The tour guide also gave us amazing historical recap of the Colosseum.
Friday Night Vatican Museums Tour Including Sistine Chapel
I’m not Catholic but wow the Vatican museum and the Sistine Chapel is beautiful. You first have to go through security and they require you to dress modestly so no shoulders showing, and no knees visible.
If you can’t tell already I love me some history and the amount of it that lives within those walls is amazing. The museum is HUGE and theres no way you’ll get through it in a day. But we had a great tour guide that walked us through the “important” and more known parts. The Sistine Chapel is just… I can hear the choir. One you enter the chapel they’re very strict. No phones out!! No taking pictures. No loud talking. They literally have security watching from high checking the phone situation. If it gets too loud they won’t hesitate to quiet everyone down and possible ask you to leave.
No Wait Dedicated Access: St. Peter's Basilica Self-guided Tour
Spanish Steps
Capri (day trip)
Capri was my favorite hands down. Now to get to Capri is a journey that requires a high speed train, metro to the port of Naples and a ferry to the Island of Capri. You tired yet? A day trip is great if you’re pressed for time butttt I would recommend staying at least one night, which is something I wish I had done. The island just screams luxe and living your best bougie life. Best believe she will see me again.
Anyway, buy ALL tickets ahead of time because they sell out quick! Get there EARLY because lines get long and it’s cooler in the morning so the more energy intensive activities can be done before the sun peaks and send its unbearable heat rays. You’ll arrive at Marina Grande and might feel a little overwhelmed because where should you start? Well I wanted to do the Blue Grotto but the lines where way to long with an estimated wait time of two hours for a cave that shines blue. lol nah I wasn’t doing that. The next best thing was a boat tour that took you around the whole island and give you mini history lessons (yes I know, another history thing lol) . The boat tour lasted a little over an hour .
Next we unknowingly took on the challenge of HIKING uphill halfway to Anacapri. Trust me this is not necessary and will only make you hot, sweaty, tired and will make you realize how out of shape you are. A great alternative is to take a bus from the Marina which is just a few euros. From Anacapri we went to Piazza Vittoria. One there you can take chair lift up to the top of Mount Solaro. You’ll find beautiful views of the island and the Bay of Naples. You’ll also find a bar and lounging area to enjoy the view and drinks.
This Italy trip was amazing and honestly there’s so much to do that you’ll want to come back to do more. Italy is just charming and picturesque with good food, great architecture and unforgettable experiences. I hope this post is helpful in giving an idea of what to look forward to. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!