6 Random Things I Think You Could Benefit From Knowing if Traveling to Italy for the First Time

Hey guys, welcome Morgan to the site! She’s a great friend + first-time guest blogger to the site. We hope you love this post as much as we do.

As friend to the IOWANDERERS, I am thrilled to share my experience as a first-time international traveler exploring one of the most visited countries in the world. (Google it, Italy makes the top five every time. Interestingly, so does the U.S which is a nice reminder to explore our own backyard.)

Last fall, my husband, Marc, and I spent 10 days (12 with travel) in Rome, Florence, and Venice (with a day trip to Cinque Terre). Where to start summarizing all these experiences? With a list of course! Kids today love a “quick hit” list to scroll through before bed. And so without further ado, I give you:

6 Random Things I Think You Could Benefit From Knowing if Traveling to Italy for the First Time

Not all gelato is created equal. 

Lizzie McGuire ate it in Rome and it’s at every corner. We didn’t encounter any bad gelato, but once you’ve had the good stuff you know the difference. In Florence the good stuff was at Gelateria La Carraia. It’s richer, creamier, and came recommended by a friend who’d spent time living in the city. A rule of thumb (as shared by one of our tour guides) is if you can see the shop’s gelato from the street, it’s not the one you want.

Go to the other side of the Arno River.

Speaking of the gelato shop, it was located on the west side of the Arno River. The Arno runs through the heart of Florence and much of the known tourism takes place on the east side. Venture across Ponte Vecchio (famous bridge, now known for that perfect Instagram shot) and eat your dinner on the quieter side of town. Plenty to see on this side and Michelangelo’s Peak holds the perfect, post card view of Florence. We found a restaurant here that we loved so much we ate there twice: Trattoria Boboli.

Don’t skip the Vatican, even if you aren’t Catholic.

If you value art and/or history, you need to see the Vatican. The Vatican actually owns the world’s largest collection of pagan (non-Christian) art. And regardless of your faith or spirituality, St. Peter’s Basilica is a wonder to behold, the Rafael rooms are four masterpieces, and the Hall of Maps is an unbelievable display of pre-flight cartography. Tip: there are tours that include breakfast at the Vatican, pay the extra for this and the opportunity to get in early.

Take a cooking class.

Italians are known for their carb-loaded amazing food: fresh pasta, fresh bread, homemade sauces. It’s worth seeing how it’s done. The class we took included a trip to the market for produce and meat, a lesson in truffle oil and balsamic vinegar, and homemade pasta, Tuscan ragu, and tiramisu. Fun fact: bruschetta is pronounced bru-sket-uh and is basically a word for toast. Bruschetta al pomodoro is the crispy bread with tomatoes/mozzarella/basil you’re used to ordering here in America.

Be patient in Venice.

While getting lost in a foreign city can be enchanting, Venice is a whole other league. (Seriously, take it from me that springing for international data won’t help you because your GPS can’t get that granular.) Take a guided tour your first day here to get your bearings and gain an appreciation for the 100 tiny man-made islands connected by 400 bridges.

Research before you go – and keep a journal.

This is not specific to Italy. The history to take in in each city was overwhelming. Marc and I have started a travel journal for all our adventures and it’s served as a way to decompress each night after exploring. It preserves our memories (which makes writing blog posts easier) and documents the cities we love learning so much about.