Trip to Italy in 2024
Posted by Grace on January 16, 2024
13 years ago, my husband and I visited Italy and fell in love with the country. We always talked about Italy with our kids and wanted to show them.
In 2024, we fulfilled that promise by embarking on an 8-day journey to Italy. Eager to share our past experiences, we were excited to introduce our kids to the beauty, arts, and history of Italy.
(Check out my article on good eats from this trip.)
Contents
- The Overall Route
- Rome
- Florence
- Venice
- Pisa, San Gimignano, Siena: A Wine Tasting Tour
- Other Things to be Mindful While You Are In Italy
The Overall Route
Upon arriving in Rome, we took the train to Florence, using it as our base for exploring nearby cities such as Siena, San Gimignano, and Pisa. We also took some time to explore Florence, known as the capital of artists. Afterward, we took the train back to Rome and visited all the famous historical sites before flying back home.
This article will list the cities we visited, not necessarily in chronological order.
Rome
Imperial Fora
We signed up for a walking tour, the best way to learn about this area. The guide showed us what all the buildings used to be and the stories behind them.
We could see the prints by the chariots and the original bricks on the streets (the ones marked with the letter V).
The rock under your feet, marked with a “V”, indicates the original rock from the Roman Empire era.
Imagining what it used to be like made me wonder how great these buildings could be still here now. However, if they had stayed, there might be less history and no progression of humanity. Where we are today is a result of the rise and fall of kingdoms.
I appreciate Italy preserving the history of Europe and the entire world.
We booked the walking tour "Historical Tour of Ancient Rome" via Guruwalk.
Colosseum (“Amphitheatrum Flavium”)
Do you know that the Colosseum on your mind may not be the real Colosseum? The elliptical amphitheater for watching gladiator fighting in ancient Rome is called Amphitheatrum Flavium. The name Colosseum came from a gigantic statue next to the amphitheater, called Colossus of Nero. Unfortunately, it was destroyed during the Sack of Rome in 410 or collapsed in the fifth-century earthquakes.
You would hardly learn about this until you are in Rome. A local tour guide told us about this.
We were fortunate to get the tickets to get to the third level. Very few people knew about this, so you don’t see many people on this level. I felt like only we were there, as the base level was crowded.
We got a better view of Colosseum, with special tickets.
As we walked along the exhibition on the 2nd level, we learned that the third level, the level we felt extremely privileged to get to, was where the people of the lowest class were inside the Colosseum in ancient Rome.
Pantheon of Roma
Despite the 2nd time to visit Rome, this was the first time to get into the Pantheon, and for free (it is free to visit on Sundays).
The Pantheon is the oldest surviving building in history over 2000 years. Built by Agrippa between 25 and 27 BC, the Pantheon was a temple dedicated to the twelve Gods and the living Sovran. Later converted into a church.
It felt unreal to be inside a building that has stood for more than 2000 years.
Inside the Pantheon, we found tombs of Vittorio Emanuele II (the first King of Italy) and Umberto I (the 2nd King of Italy), Margherita (the queen of Umberto), as well as the famous Renaissance artist Raphael. The fact Raphael requested to be buried inside the Pantheon showed his status in that era.
As I read along the description about the tombs, I also learned that the queen Margherita was so loved that Italians named the pizza after her — “Margarita”.
Last year, we also visited the Pantheon in Paris. Despite sharing the same name, the two are very different.
Vatican City & St. Peter’s Basilica
One thing that you can’t miss while in Rome is entering Vatican City, the smallest country in the whole world, located in the center of Rome. The head of the country? It is the Pope.
Vatican City has open borders, meaning anyone outside the country can visit it. St. Peter’s Basilica is a monumental part of Vatican City. It is a breathtaking example of Renaissance architecture, with its iconic dome dominating the skyline.
While crossing the border, my daughter made an extravagant claim: “I’m already feeling the jetlag.” It cracked us all up!
I must mention that right outside Vatican City, there is a Leonardo Da Vinci museum. Although not large, all the artifacts are copies; however, both my kids and I learned a lot about Da Vinci, gaining a deeper understanding of this genius. Da Vinci excelled in painting, sculpting, and engineering. I was amazed by his ability to achieve so much in so many domains. The Mona Lisa, one of his most famous paintings, is a testament to his brilliance. Many modern inventions, such as airplanes, textile machines, and bicycles, find their roots in or were inspired by his work. I cannot wait to delve into his biography by Walter Isaacson!
Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls
We rode a bus to the outskirts of Rome to the Basilica of Saint Paul. This place is relatively unknown to many tourists, but it holds immense significance for pilgrims and people who love the history of Christianity. The basilica is home to the tomb of the Apostle Paul. Yes, you read it correctly. It is the same Paul who wrote many letters in the New Testament.
As I continued my quest for truth in my beliefs, witnessing Paul’s tomb and the chain he used to carry made the experience incredibly real.
The chain that Paul carried.
In addition to the tomb, the Basilica is exceptionally grandiose and beautiful. Every painting, every sculpture, every door reveals a rich tapestry of history and faith. Specifically, Paul’s stories in the Bible are intricately depicted on the paintings and sculpted doors.
Florence
Michelangelo’s David
We took the kids to the Accademia Gallery, to see the original masterpiece of Michelangelo — David. It was a humbling and awe-inspiring experience standing in front of the statue. You start to notice all the little details when you see it in real life: the toes, the rock in his hands, his face. It makes you wonder how Michelangelo did it. Did he use any models? Did he draw any sketches? How many tries did he have?
The original Michelangelo’s David inside Accademia Gallery
Side note: It was my first time really looking closely at David’s face. Don’t you think he looks like Trump’s son Barron? 😉
Ponte Vecchio
The Ponte Vecchio, or the “Old Bridge,” is the oldest bridge in Florence crossing the River Arno. Right now, many jewelry shops line this bridge. In the past, butchers used to be on this bridge, but the Medici ordered them to be replaced with jewelers, as butchers threw meat into the river.
We lived in an Airbnb near the center of Florence. All the places we wanted to visit were within walkable distances. That was a great strategy. The downside is that the building we lived in was old. Sound isolation in the historic Florence buildings is pretty poor. We could hear drunk people walking by very clearly. I guess that is the most authentic feeling in Florence.
Venice
Venice is my favorite part of the trip to Italy. I love love love Venice, because:
- Unique: a floating city built on the top of tree trunks
- History: how this city was built, the origin story of St Mark’s Basilica
- Safe: no cars
- Clean: much better than any other cities we visited in Italy
- Great and cheap food: cicchetti (the Venetian version of tapas) only cost 1.5 euros each. A cup of cappuccino costs 1.7 euros.
Venetian Canals
Basilica di San Marco
St. Mark’s Square is enormous, and the Basilica di San Marco within it is where the Apostle Mark was buried.
Venice was built around 400 AD. This made you wonder why Mark’s body was buried here. The time did not check out. It turns out there was a story behind it. Two Venetian merchants smuggled the saint’s body from Alexandria by hiding it under layers of pork to deter Muslim customs officials, as pork was forbidden in Islam. The relics were then safely transported to Venice, where they became a symbol of the city’s identity.
The entire city, whether public buildings or residential areas, is well-protected, allowing us to witness the original charm of Venice.
Chiesa di San Vidal
While exploring, we stumbled upon a music hall called Chiesa di San Vidal. The ancient violin display accompanied by violin music resonated through the hall, and I learned that musicians are buried inside. Closing my eyes, I realized the greatness of having talented musicians create music that lasts forever. Though the people are gone, their spirits endure in the timeless music.
Inside Chiesa di San Vidal, where the musicians’ tombs were on the side.
On the plane back from Italy, I couldn’t help but watch the 2023 movie “A Haunting in Venice” to relive the unique atmosphere inside the Floating City.
Pisa, San Gimignano, Siena: A Wine Tasting Tour
My husband discovered an excellent tour that allowed us to board a tour bus to explore the cities we desired, all while indulging in local food and wine.
In Siena, we saw the world’s oldest bank, Monte dei Paschi di Siena, founded in the 14th century. The city’s center hosts annual bull races, adding a unique cultural touch to our visit.
San Gimignano is renowned for its medieval towers, along with the tempting wild boar sandwiches and delightful gelato. The town’s center boasts shops claiming to house the best gelato in the world. Unsure but curious, I couldn’t resist giving it a try!
Pisa, famous for the leaning tower, left me with the impression that it had leaned even more since my last visit over 10 years ago. Not sure whether it will fall one day, we all did a big round of posing as other tourists, to remember this place!
My mandatory tourist pose at the Leaning Tower of Pisa. 😉
We booked the tour through Viator, named "Pisa, Siena and San Gimignano Day Trip with Lunch & Wine Pairing".
Other Things to be Mindful While You Are In Italy
Book Your Train Tickets
We booked all the tickets we needed for the trips from Rome to Florence and from Florence to Venice in advance. The tickets included assigned seats, which saved us a lot of hassles at the stations.
You can purchase your tickets at Trenitalia.
Pickpocketing
Pickpocketing is very common in Italy. Watch your belongings carefully.
On the first day when we had just arrived, we took a long train ride from Rome to Florence. My husband and I were so jetlagged that we dozed off, and a group of people opened one of our bags, took an iPad, and then quickly exited the train. Experiencing this on the first day of our trip was disheartening, leading us to be extra vigilant for the rest of our journey.
Fortunately, we had travel insurance that covered theft during travel. We quickly reported to the local police (despite struggles to explain what happened since the police did not speak English at all), and submitted the report to our insurance company. I hope they can cover this! We will see.
No Much Great Asian Food
So in Italy, eat as much Italian food as you can, and forget about Asian food. I don’t recommend Asian food in Italy. They taste very weird.
We tried 3 different Asian restaurants in Rome, a Vietnamese one, a Korean one, and a Chinese one. For all three places, the food looked ok but had an unexpectedly bizarre taste. I once blamed the cook for the food after the first restaurant, but I later concluded it must be a limited supply of authentic ingredients for Asian food in Italy.
So, just forget about other cuisine! Pay respect to Italians and eat their food every day!
No Eye Contact with Street Peddlers in Rome
Our tour guide in Rome told us a trick: do not make eye contact with the street peddlers in Rome. Why? Once you are engaged, they will follow you around and get your money eventually. Some may even offer to give you a souvenir for free, but it’s a trick. Once you accept one, they will quickly upsell you more and continue following you.
Initially, I found this warning a bit ridiculous, but I was immediately convinced when I witnessed a family falling for the trick right in front of me.
