Lily & Bubbie's Italian Adventure

 July 3, 2025 - Marietta to Venice

We actually kicked off our adventure by having a delicious dinner last night at LaStrada!  Today, we took Lyft to the ATL airport, breezed through TSA, and eventually arrived at the Delta Sky Lounge to relax before our flight.

While hanging out there, a delightful Delta employee treated her to some profound life affirmations. We enjoyed lunch, boarded the plane, and crossed the Atlantic for Venice.

July 4, 2025 - Happy Independence Day - Venice, Italy

We arrived in Venice on a gloriously sunny, toasty-warm day. We went to our hotel to store our luggage, have a quick wardrobe change, and head out to explore. First stop was the train station, located directly access the canal to buy our tickets to Florence and Rome.  Then, we enjoyed breakfast at the train station, bought our water bus ticket, and boarded to travel over to San Marco Square to check where we would meet our Viator guide for the Ghost Tour we've booked.

We had a lovely stroll around the Government Gardens, enjoyed lunch, and headed back to the hotel to check into our room, unpack, and take a little rest.

We took the water bus back to San Marco square, enjoyed a fabulous dinner of four cheese gnocchi at Leone D Oro, and joined our Ghost Tour. We learned so much about the history of Venice.  After our amazing tour, we enjoyed a delicious gelato, and traveled back to our hotel.

July 5, 2025 - "Venice in a Day" and more

After another awesome breakfast at the train station, we joined our "Venice in a Day" tour. We started with the central market, and a few of the numerous back alleys of intriguing Venice.

We then found our way to the Rialto Bridge.

We stumbled upon the mask section where the official masks for carnival have been made for years.  I found a fascinating mask for Robert Hicks.  Yesterday, we saw a wedding, today we saw a funeral.

Next we went on a fabulous gondola ride!

After a wonderful lunch on San Marco Square, we toured the Dodges Palace, followed by San Marco Cathedral. We walked back to our hotel, took a nap, then went out for dinner in our little local neighborhood.  We found a really terrific chocolate store.

July 6,2025 - Burano, Italy

We slept in a little this morning, then decided to take the first water taxi over to Burano before the predicted storms blew in. The water taxi ride from Venice to Murano to Burano was absolutely lovely.

Once there, we immediately began exploring this charming island.  First stop, the bead maker that has been in business in Burano for over 50 years.

We shopped, explored, and enjoyed a fabulous lunch.  Lily finally understood why I loved Buranco so very much. It was time to head home, so we wandered back through the alleys of Burano, purchasing some adorable glass figurines.

We stopped by Murano on the way back home.  Lily found some fabulous glass figurines. We arrived back in Venice and enjoyed another delicious dinner in our little "Hood".

July 7,  2025 - Venice to Florence

We enjoyed a delicious breakfast at our hotel before heading out to the train station. We hired a "canal porter" to take our luggage over the large canal bridge to the train station. Luckily, we had purchased our train tickets for Florence BEFORE this morning.  We boarded our train without any problems, but storing our luggage proved to be a significant obstacle. Fortunately, a kind American gentleman close by offered to store our luggage in the overhead compartment.  The rest of the short trip was uneventful.

We arrived in Florence, and set out to find our hotel Domas Florentae.  Unfortunately, Google Maps wasn't our friend, and after many re-starts, we found are terrific hotel where we stowed our luggage, and headed out to explore.  We enjoyed a delicious HUGE gelato.  Aftera little rest, we went to an amazing dinner at ZaZa's. The steak covered in gorgonzola and truffles was beyond delicious.  Like Lily said, "I'm going to dream about those truffle fries.

July 8, 2025 - Florence in a day

Because we scoped out where to go to see Michaelangilo s David. Our wait was minimal. We enjoyed every moment of our time there.

July 9, 2025 - Florence to Rome

Although, we were a wee bit worried about our luggage and the train, that was a needless worry, because it was an older train with plenty of luggage space.

True to being wonderful Tauck, the representative spotted us immediately in the Rome Terminal and loaded us into a taxi.  As our taxi approached our hotel, I noticed SOOOO many police cars and yellow caution tape.  I commented to Lily that either something really bad had taken place in our hotel OR someone really important, like the president of a country, was staying there.  Well, turns out that President Zelensky was staying there. Meanwhile, we LOVED our room.

After a little rest, Tauck began our memorable tour. We rode to the Coliseum, as well as the tracks where chariots used to race.

Back at the hotel, we got ready for tonight's Welcome Party.  Lily immediately attracted friends, and I enjoyed chatting with the parents and grandparents. It was a lovely gathering, and a fabulous kick off to our tour.

July 10, 2025 - Rome, Italy

Today, we're off to Gladiator School. It was so much fun to watch the students!

I enjoyed watching as much as Lily enjoyed being a participant.

Next, we went to the catacombs.  It was fascinating, scary, and very educational.

After a delicious lunch in town, we returned for some quiet time.  Of course, security at our hotel was still crazy with President Zelensky up on the fifth floor.  Lily and I had to hike up the stairs because no one could use the elevator since "He" was coming down. Crazy......

Our evening event featured a private "after-hours" tour of the Borghese Art Museum. The art was charming.

We ended our day with a delicious pizza at a local restaurant. We walked back to the hotel, only to be told that we needed to walk around the block, then wait for 23 cars to exit the hotel, before returning to our room.

July 11, 2025 - Vatican City

Another gloriously gorgeous day in Rome, with, STILL no crowds. We began our day with pictures in front of St.Peter's Basilica. Our time in the basicial was amazing.  Lily and I heard this angelic type voices, and was told that it was the Vatican Choir singing for a mass in the back. So, we took our headphones off,  left our tour group, and snuck back to listen.  It was so engaging.  We were a captive audience for as long as we dared.  After we rejoined our group, we watched two different pilgrimages walk through the special door only opened during the Jubilee.

After our Vatican tour, we did a tour of historic Roome, and then enjoyed a delicious lunch. Next stop, the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. We had a fast pass, and in no time, we were in the beautiful chapel, AND there was a marriage proposal.

Back at the hotel, Lily went to hang out at the pool with her new friends, and I relaxed in our room.  Actually, I was re-sending paperwork to Arlington National Cemetery for Rob's funeral. Once Lily returned, we took a taxi to Trevi Fountain, which was super crowded, so we opted to give our coins to charity. We walked over to the Spanish Steps for a quick picture. Lily wanted to eat dinner at McDonalds, so we did!

July 12, 2025 - Rome to Naples to Pompeii to Sorento

Bright and early this morning, we boarded the high-speed train from the Rome Station to Naples. Lily and her new friends had a great time on the short ride.

Our bus took us from the Naples Station to the entrance of Pompeii where we made a quick stop before entering our tour of the excavation site. We had an amazing tour guide who taught us so much about the Mt Vesuvius eruption.

After a delicious luncheon in Pompeii, we boarded the bus for the Hilton Sorrento Palace.  Our room was incredible with the most amazing view of Sorento and the Bay of Naples. Lily went to the pool to hang out with her friends, while I got us settled in.

Our bus took us to a lovely working farm where we learned how ricotta and mozzarella cheese are made. Next, we all made our own pizzas under the direction of a charming Italian chef.  We were also entertained by Tarantella dancers who encouraged lots of audience participation.

July 13, 2025 - Sorrento - Capri - Ana Capri - Blue Grotto

Today, was an iconic Italy day, starting with the perfect blue sky and balmy weather. We rode the ferry from Sorrento to Capri, where we boarded our classic convertibles to ride to Ana Capri to first ride the chairlift to the very top of the mountain.  The view was spectacular!

After our wonderful ride, Lily and I grabbed a gelato and shopped!  Lily found a perfect Capri bell for her charm bracelet and another cut charm.  We hopped back in our convertibles to ride to the restaurant in Capri right on their most exclusive road, sort of a "Rodeo Drive" place.  Lily and I both ordered a fish that was probably the best we've ever eaten, After lunch, Lily and I left our group to catch a tour a boat to the Blue Grotto. We were very lucky, and the next boat to the Blue Grotto was leaving in ten minutes. The ride over was breathtaking but the trip in the Blue Grotto was enchanting! The color of that water was beyond description. On our boatride back to the Grand Marina, some young man was definitely flirting with Lily!

We took the ferry back to Sorrento, changed our clothes, and took a taxi to my favorite restaurant in Sorrento, Leo Rossa. As always, it was fabulous! On the way back home, I got to do my ONLY (shock) shopping!  After I purchased a few scarves, two pair of shoes, and some wallets, Lily declared that I was "out of control" and ended my shopping spree!

July 14, 2025 - Positano-Amafi-Sorrento

Another "Chamber of Commerce" day with beautiful, sunny skies. Our bus driver did an amazing job navigating the crazy, winding roads of the Amalfi Coast. We stopped by for photo ops, and Lily enjoyed a fresh lemonade.

Our first stop was Positano, where Lily and her friends swam and enjoyed the beach.

We boarded a boat that cruised along the Amalfi coast, which was even more beautiful from a different perspective.  We stopped in the charming town of Amalfi, enjoyed a fabulous lunch, which one of our fellow travelers generously treated us to. After lunch, Lily and friends went down to the beach, so I had a few minutes to window shop, as well as purchase European medication that works on my golfers' vasculitis. Our bus took us back to our hotel so everyone could get ready for tonight's farewell dinner.

Lily and her friends immediately went to the pool, so I started re-packing for the trip home. Our farewell dinner was held in the hotel's gorgeous gardens, complete with lots of lemon trees.

Several of us decided to walk down to Sorrento for one last gelato! 

July 15, 2025 - Sorento - Naples - Paris - Atlanta

Unfortunately, our trip home started off with a stressful situation. Our pre-arranged transportation should have picked us up from our hotel much earlier. Once at the Naples airport, Lily and I had to run to our gate because our flight had been boarding for quite some time. BUT, we made it, and our trip was ending.  We had a short layover at Charles De Gaulle Airport. I did a little shopping, purchasing my favorite perfume, Shalimar!  Soon, we were back on another plane traveling to Atlanta. Going through immigration and customs was easy, and in no time, we were in our Lyft headed home after a trip of a lifetime, packed with memories to treasure.