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Where to travel in Italy: The ultimate city guide
Italy, a word synonymous with rich pasta sauces, cheesy pizzas, decorated artists, ancient civilization and of course, delicious gelato! It’s no surprise for anyone traveling to Italy that one of the main attractions, apart from warm hospitality and beautiful landscapes, is the vast cultural aspects to this little Mediterranean country.
In a country with so many places to visit it can be hard to sketch out an itinerary that appeases all your needs. Are you looking to explore the remnants of one of the world’s most successful empires, or maybe you’re not a history fan and just want to stuff your face with amazing food.
Understanding where to go in Italy is the most important ways to make sure you make the most of your Italy trip. Each city represents something new and exciting about Italian art, culture and cuisine.
Traveling to Venice
At the Northeast tip of Italy, Venice is a perfect starting point for a trip through the country. Although very touristy, it’s absolutely worth a visit. It’s unlike any city you’ve seen before. The famous canals of Venice are just as charming in person as you’d imagine. Although crowded in the main areas, there are plenty of tiny cobblestone streets and small bridges for you to feel like you have a slice of Venice to yourself.
What to see in Venice
The best thing to see in Venice is just Venice itself. Walk around the streets, follow the canals and get lost. Before you know it you’ll be down some tiny little alley where an old Italian lady is hanging washing out of the window, as the sun begins to set on the glimmering water of the canals.
San Marco square is filled with people, but it’s definitely worth a look. You can enter the basilica, but chances are the line will be long. We skipped it. If you have time, take a boat over to the island of Burano where you can find Venice’s most colorful houses, as well as a taste of local life.
What to do in Venice
Take a gondola ride down the canals. It’s touristy, it’s cheesy but you have to do it. It’s not cheap, about $80 Euro for a 40 minute ride (after 7:30pm that jumps to $100 euro). The good news is that you pay per boat, so if you are on a budget grab 5 friends (or random strangers!) and you’ll pay significantly less than if you did it solo.
Where to eat in Venice
We heard from multiple people that the food in Venice was disappointing. Perhaps we’re just easy to please or got lucky with our restaurants, but we were generally pretty happy with our meals. For a cheap lunch there are plenty of shops selling pizza slices for $1.50 euro. For a quaint sit-down place we loved La Serenissima. Get the homemade pasta with creamy mushroom; it was one of our favorite meals in all of Italy.
Where to stay in Venice
Venice has no shortage of places to stay, but it also depends on your budget. We loved our stay at Plus Hostels on mainland Venice. Although it’s a bit far from the tourist attractions, they have a shuttle that takes you to the island for 4 Euro roundtrip.
Plus has a wide range of options for all budgets. Our deluxe cabin was beautiful and cost a fraction of what you’d pay in Venice proper. We’d recommend saving the money of expensive inner-city accommodation and putting that towards a gondola ride or piles of pizza!
Traveling to Florence
If you only have time to visit a couple cities, you may be considering skipping Florence. Don’t! There is so much history and art packed into this city you could easily spend weeks in Florence alone. Florence is home to some of the most famous artworks in the world and was the spot to be as an artist during the Renaissance. The main plazas are packed with sculptures and installations, both old and new, and the city’s architecture is simply stunning.
What to see in Florence
Two of the most important buildings in Florence are the Cathedral and the Duomo. It’s worth paying extra to make the climb up the bell tower (as long as you’re not claustrophobic). Don’t miss Michaelangelo’s famous sculpture of David in the Galleria dell’Accademia. You can see the replica in the Piazza della Signoria, but it’s worth paying 8 euro to see the real thing.
If you thinking of heading to the Galleria or the Uffizi Gallery to see Botticelli’s Birth of Venus (among many, many other renowned pieces of art), it’s worth noting that most museums are free on the first Sunday of the month, although prepare for lines.
What to do in Florence
Hike up to the Piazza Michaelangelo on the other side of the river for sunset, it is well worth the climb! You’ll be surrounded by a few hundred other tourists, but on a clear evening the view is totally worth it. While you’re on that side of the river, check out the very cool Oltrarno neighborhood and poke your head into the shops to see a demonstration.
Where to eat in Florence
Don’t miss a meal at the San Lorenzo Marcato Centrale located just behind the leather market. This two story in-door market is full of trendy stalls and shops offering just about any Italian food you want. The food is hit and miss, depending on where you choose to eat. Pro tip: avoid the cheapo food and spring for the homemade quality selection. Our personal favorite was the fettuccine with mushrooms and truffle cream!
For an easy to go sandwich, hit up All’ Antico Vinaio (there’s two, right across the street from each other). It gets busy at lunch, so expect to wait in line, but it’s worth it. Another Florence favorite of ours was delicious pizza from Fuoco Matto!
For some of the best gelato in all of Italy head towards Venchi in central Florence. Apart from having a running way of chocolate (think Augustus Gloop in Willy Wonka), their gelato is amazing!
Scammer Alert: Whatever you do, do not get gelato from Caffe’ Maioli on the other side of Ponte Vecchio. They are massive scammers and charge made up prices for gelato. We got ripped off 17 euro for two single scoop gelatos. Don’t just take our word for it, check out their 1 star review on Google!
Where to stay in Florence
We stayed at Plus Hostels Florence which, unlike in other cities, is in a great location and walking distance to many of the sights. Although freezing cold, they have a nice pool and their beautiful courtyard is the perfect spot to relax during a hot afternoon. The restaurant at the hostel is actually quite good and definitely worth a dinner if you’re too tired to go out (also, 6 Euro bottles of wine for Happy Hour!!).
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