Goofy selfies in Pisa and arguing with belligerent shopkeepers in bustling cities… we really had a supreme touristic experience together.

My parents (Ken and Gay McCray) joined us for a month touring around Italy. It was their first trip to Europe, and we had a great time fast-traveling through some of the highlights of this amazing country!

Naples & Rome

Our whirlwind Italian tour started in Naples with visits to the main attractions: old town city center and Pompeii. It was a nice introduction to ancient life in Italy and the Italian way.

We stayed at a fabulously welcoming and elegant hotel in a an industrial and dirty neighborhood. At least they offered a free shuttle to the city center! Highly recommend Gold Tower Lifestyle Hotel for other folks passing through Naples. Service was outstanding, as was their breakfast buffet. We booked through an online travel agent as the price was better than on their website.

From there we boarded a fast train to Rome. Over a few days we walked through the heart of Rome and toured many of Ancient Rome’s attractions: Coliseum, Forum, Pantheon, Castel St. Angelo, and a number of churches along the way. 

With all this walking, we worked up an appetite and eating in Naples and Rome were the culinary highlights. Pizza, pasta, steak, and spritzes!! Oh and the gelato! Delish!

We shared a nice Airbnb near the Vatican that we really enjoyed. It was a nice spot for the four of us. Even though we did not have time to visit the Vatican Museum or St. Peter’s Basilica, we did walk through the Vatican grounds and see everything from the exterior. And the apartment was conveniently located to the Rome Metro and a fabulous gluten-free grocery store. (Ken and Gay typically eat gluten-free.)

We left Rome on a train but after a last-minute platform change, we ended up running with our bags to make it to the train. And of course, our train car was the furthest away! In the mix my dad got stuck behind a lot of people and lost us, and I was barely able to spot him before the conductor cleared the train to depart. In the meantime Corey tried to delay departure by placing one foot on the train and the other on the platform. The conductor threatened to call the police on him! At the last moment Dad and I boarded the first train car and had to walk through eight cars, dodging throngs of tourists and their large suitcases while the train lurched from side to side. Eventually we all met up at our seats, a bit sweaty and stressed. We feel for anyone disabled when there are scant minutes given from track announcement to all-aboard announcement!

La Spezia: Gateway to Cinque Terre (and Pisa!)

A few hours later we arrived in La Spezia and were ready for a week of quaint seaside walks around Cinque Terre. We rented a cute Airbnb but I made one huge mistake with the booking. The unit was on the fourth floor with no elevator. This was a surprise to all of us. Fortunately the host was kind and the balcony views exquisite, so we sucked it up. We spent most of our time exploring the colorful villages up and down the coast.

Over the course of a week we were able to see almost every town in Cinque Terre and explore La Spezia, Porto Venere, Levanto, and Pisa.

To visit the quaint touristic villages of Cinque Terre, we used a combination of the train and the local ferry system. On our previous journey, we had only been able to visit four of the towns. So we were happy to finally explore Riomaggiore. Corniglia is still my favorite city because of the narrow streets and great views. But the beach by Monterosso is pretty nice. You have to see them all to really appreciate the nuances of each.

Porto Venere topped our list of favorite coastal cities! It’s difficult to pick a favorite when touring the Italian coast but the charming streets, small sandy beach and laid-back vibes soared this city to the top. The only downside was the bus ride from La Spezia: curving to-and-fro around tight corners over a windy 30-minute ride. But the lack of train service helps keep the crowds under control.

In La Spezia, our favorite family activity was eating gelato at Wow Emotional Food! This vegan-friendly and gluten-free gelateria knocked our socks off with their delicious variety of flavors and friendly service. It is located next to the outdoor market in La Spezia, and we visited whenever we were in that neighborhood (which was almost daily).

We even made a day trip out to Pisa to see the leaning tower and enjoy dinner. Pisa is a picturesque city that often gets overlooked. The piazzas thin out around 6 PM as the tourist buses leave, and the sunset illuminates the Arno river. It’s all just so pretty! 

Pisa is a great place to lean into fun touristy activities. Don’t be afraid to look silly every once in awhile!

Lake Como

After a week, we again boarded a train and headed further north to Lake Como. We rented a small villa near the west shore of the lake in the tiny village of Sala Comacina. The rental experience was just okay, but the lake views were spectacular! We spent almost a week relaxing on the shore of the idyllic lake. (As I sifted through my photos to create this post, I was taken aback by how gorgeous the scenery was! Probably one of the prettiest places I have ever seen.)

Corey and I walked the entirety of the Lake Como Greenway, a loosely-delineated path on the west side of the lake. Hardly a greenway, it often required walking along the slender road without a sidewalk. The pathway goes through multiple municipalities and the signage is not consistent. Exploring the route takes you along the lake as well as through some of the hillside villages with ancient construction and stunning views. Where ever you end up in Lake Como, take a walk!

Sala Comacina has a ferry stop that was a one-minute walk from our rental house. As a group we enjoyed riding the ferries up and down the lake. One day we rode just about as far north as possible to the town of Domaso. Once the ferry passes Bellagio, the crowd dwindles and the ride becomes more relaxed. The bus also connected towns, but the narrow road was busy and slow, making bus timing inconsistent. Plus the instant car-sickness that I felt on the windy roads, Blegh! It was a gorgeous day and we all loved the 360-degree amazing views.

We celebrated Father’s Day by touring the Villa Carlotta and the elegantly manicured gardens. The day closed with a nice dinner at the Restaurant Giglio at Albergo Lenno. Though we were staying down the road, the town of Lenno ended up being a place we all adored. A nice seaside stroll, cute buildings, and more going on than Sala Comacina.

We steered clear of busy Bellagio, Varenna, and Como town. But we explored Menaggio and many other villages on the western shores of the lake. Gluten-free meals were a little harder to find so we cooked some dinners at home too. There was a butcher across the street from our villa, so it was easy to buy fresh meats.

When it came time to leave Lake Como, we left in the early morning for one final thrilling bus ride. It was so satisfying to board our train on Platform 1 and not have to worry about lugging luggage around the station. 

Venice

Our train took us all the way to Venice. When we were there earlier (just for one day), we found it difficult to figure out the difference between the various boat services offered in the town: gondolas, traghettos, water taxis, and water buses! This time our Airbnb was next to a water bus stop, so we made an effort to figure out that system. We bought a 72-hour pass for €45 and made sure that we got a high value from it!

Rick Steves offers an audio guide for the Grand Canal using the water bus. We listened to that as we went down the canal, and also did plenty of walking around to see the city.

Over the 72 hour period we managed to ride the water bus through the Grand Canal, circumnavigate the main island of Venice, and crossed to the island of Guidecca.

One day we took the water bus north to the outer islands: the cemetery island of San Michele, Murano, Burano, and Torcello. Brightly colored Burano stole all of our hearts and was a fun day trip from the busy canals in Venice.

The water bus was often crowded, the routing was wide-ranging and the schedule frequent. It was a great way to both get around the city and sightsee simultaneously.

The other highlight of Venice was sharing a sunset gondola ride. We found a jovial gondolier and finally checked that item off our bucket list! I was a little scared at first because the trip started in the Grand Canal and the boat felt wobbly! But after a few minutes to cross, we entered the narrow, peaceful side canals where I could relax and enjoy the calm waters.

The other touristy place we enjoyed was the glimmering St. Mark’s Cathedral. We went when it opened at 9 AM but then were able to secure tickets online so we could avoid the line and go get coffee instead. The golden mosaics, long history, and great views from the roof made it a great excursion!

Farewell Italy

Venice was our last Italian city on the itinerary. We took our last Italian train to the port town of Ancona, where we boarded an overnight ferry across the Adriatic Sea to Split, Croatia. 

We were concerned how that ride was going to be after the awful experience on Grimaldi Line from Tunisia to Palermo. This ferry was operated by SNAV, which is a subsidiary of MSC. Although this ferry is old and well-travelled, and no one would mistake it for a cruise ship, our experience was more luxurious than anticipated! The staff were helpful and friendly, and they all spoke English well. After grabbing a spritz across the street, we were able to walk through security and onto the ship without any waiting.

The rooms were small but nicely appointed, and felt cleaner than our Grimaldi Line experience. My parents had a king-bed suite which was a little larger and boasted a small refrigerator and a larger window.

The ferry also included a cafe, restaurant, and loads of outdoor space. Some of the amenities (like the movie theater) appeared to have been closed for some time. Most of the passengers without cabins had recliner-style seating. Without people camping in the hallways, it was much easier to get around and explore the ship.

The ship pulled into Croatia early in the morning, but there was no loud knocking at the door to pull us from our rooms like our Grimaldi experience. As we went outside we found badly-polluted skies and the beginning of a scorchingly-hot day. We could still make out the spires of the churches in old town Split from the top deck of the ferry. It was an easy walk off the boat, again without any lines or delays.

The docked ferry marks an end to the Italian portion of the Mc-Barr Family Euro Vacation. From Split we began another water journey, renting a catamaran to explore the Croatian Islands. That experience is so different from the Italian tour so we will cover it in a separate post. Ciao for now!