The Valenci’s Italian Adventure

Mindy and her family ventured to Italy in August 2014.  Here are some of the trip highlights and photos:

The family stayed opted for a B&B in the Jewish Ghetto (Cannaregio), a quiet and residential area.  With easy vaporetto service to the main attractions, the family explored all parts of Venice by foot and by boat.  They hired a private water taxi to meet them at the airport and take them to the hotel– an absolute must especially after a long flight and total lack of orientation upon arrival.

They took a private gondola ride on the day they arrived then went to bed early to catch up on the time difference and begin fresh the next day.  On day two they went to Doge Palace where Mindy had prebooked a Skip the Line Secret Itineraries tour.  This small group tour included the underground of the palace including the prison cells, dungeons and torture chambers.  They learned all about Casanova, the Palaces’ most infamous criminal and his infamous escape.  Immediately after the tour they met up with Andrea of Litera Tour who is a private historian/musician.  This walking tour included the city’s main attractions along with interesting, historical commentary.  They then boarded a lovely private water taxi (that looked like a limousine) for a tour of the Grand Canal followed by a cruise to Murano where the finest glass blowing factories of the world are located.  A private glass blowing demonstration at a 4th generation family owned glass factory was a highlight.  They got to meet the owners and witness a 3rd generation glass blower at his craft.  Not your typical tourist glass blowing experience!  The kids even got to try their hand at blowing glass.

On day 3 they picked up a rental car and drove to Tuscany to their apartment at Il Paluffo, outside of Certaldo (in Chianti) on the site of a former 17th century olive mill. Il Paluffo has a particular historical interest because it is one of the oldest building in Certaldo area. The property has 4 hotel rooms and 4 apartments.  They stayed in the largest apartment with two bedrooms, a loft, 2 baths and full kitchen.  With breaktaking views and other guests from all over the world, it was an incredibly special stay.

A small group pasta making lesson one evening with other travelers from Vienna and Frankfurt was a highlight for all.  They got to make pasta from scratch and prepared three different types of raviolis, two of which they had never heard of before! After the prep, everyone enjoyed a lovely meal with  local wines and new found friends.

They enjoyed Florence for the day from Il Paluffo taking the train to and from a local station.  Mindy prearranged a small group Skip the Line tour of The Accademia and in one hour they experienced an incredibly interesting tour of Michelangelo and his magnificent work.  It was fascinating to learn about the artist’s life from the time he was four years old and his rivalry with Leonardo DaVinci.

One important note when traveling by train in  Italy is to validate your tickets at the station even if purchased in advance with a stamped time and day of travel. If you do not, you are subject to a 80 euro fine per ticket.

Mindy’s favorite day in Tuscany was spent with a local private tour guide, Giancarlo.  He picked them up at the apartment in the morning and  they spent the next 12 hours together touring Southern Tuscany.  Giancarlo spent 16 years in the US; so his English is perfect. But is it his personality that made the trip so enjoyable.  He showed them his favorite small hill towns where they got to taste wine, cheese, olives, gelatto and other local delicacies.  He taught them about local life (simple and rustic), local culture, art, history and of course, wine. They discussed politics, sports, religion, art, and every other topic under the Tuscan sun.  They saw fantastic views of the Val D’Orcia.  Some of the towns visited were Monteregioni (a fortress town built to protect Siena from invasion by the the Florentines), Montepulciani (for great wine), Pienza (for Pecorini cheese) and Buonconvento.

They were sad to leave Tuscany, but Rome was still ahead!  The rental car was dropped off outside of Rome and a taxi was used to reach to their adorable home for the next four nights, Albergo del Senato.  The 54 room hotel is centrally and conveniently located across the piazza from the Pantheon. The spacious bi-level apartment had two bedrooms and a delicious breakfast was served each morning.  The staff could not have been more helpful. Their directions, assistance and dining recommendation were spot on!

Mindy prearranged a small group Twilight Walking Tour of the city on their day of arrival.  It was a great way to get orientated to this city that is not so easy to get around!  They visited the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navonna and Campo de’Fiori and took in stories from the past. Of course the tour ended with a stop at a gelatto shop that offered 150 flavors!

The next day the family experienced a truly divine and inspirational private tour of the Vatican including the Vatican museums, St Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel.  Mindy prearranged this private tour with Icon Tours with Skip The Line tickets (a must at the Vatican if you don’t want to wait in line for over two hours just to get in). Their guide was a South African woman who had moved to Rome 12 years earlier to study art history and religion.  Her expertise and knowledge blew them away!  She presented the information in such a way that the teens were just as enthralled as the parents.  The Vatican Museums contain hundreds of thousands of masterpieces of painting, sculpture and other works of art collected by the popes through the centuries. The Museums include several monumental works of art, such as the Sistine Chapel, the Chapel of Beato Angelico, the Raphael Rooms and Loggia and the Borgia Apartment. The number of tourists here is intense… so many groups from all over the world.  Mindy was so thankful she had arranged a private visit. To stop where they wanted to and linger was worth the additional cost.

Another amazingly fun day was spent touring ancient Rome by golf cart!  They used our long time guides to experience what we often recommend for clients.  It was great to have a personalized the tour to visit attractions they had not yet seen and to discover new ones they would have missed otherwise.  The carts are permitted to go where cars can’t go including Borghese Gardens, Circus Maximus and many piazzas. They got to visit a few markets, the Jewish Ghetto, the Coliseum, Forum and Palantine Hill and other historical monuments.  They even got to see an Andy Warhol exhibit that happened to be in town!

So after walking miles and miles of cobblestone streets and consuming way too much pizza, pasta and gelato, it was time to say arrivaderci to the Eternal City of Rome and to Italy.  But as they wished when they threw coins into the Trevi Fountain, they know will return one day.