Our Heart of Italy Honeymoon
Married: June 4, 2023
First International Trip Abroad Together: July 14, 2023
Having had an intimate ceremony in Atlanta, Georgia for our wedding, we knew we wanted to do something BIG for our honeymoon. Having grown up watching Rick Steves' on PBS, I had no doubt it would be the trip of a lifetime. Andiamo!
When in Rome...
The tour began in Rome. We treated ourselves to our first pizzas (we couldn't resist). We explored the Piazza Navona, Baroque Trevi Fountain, and Pantheon all on the first day!
Day 2 we toured Vatican City including St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel. It is a world unto itself. You could have spent a week there and still not seen it all!
Day 3 we went inside the Coliseum. Thanks to our tour guide we got in quickly and easily. The views were spectacular! From there we headed to our favorite place of the trip: Volterra!
Viva La Volterra!
Day 4: While the big cities awed us at every turn, we found so much charm in the beautiful Tuscan city of Volterra. This walled city sits atop a mountain and dates back to pre-Roman times. Our amazing tour guide, Annie, was born in the United States but has lived in Volterra for over 20 years after visiting and falling in love with the city and her husband!
We visited an alabaster workshop and got to see a bowl made in real time. Then, we toured the Guarnacci Etruscan Museum. The age of the pieces was mind-blowing.
Cinque Terre HERE WE COME!
Ahhh the five lands, a true vacation from your vacation. Even this place could heat up, literally. Ray was the assistant of 30 minute street performance that ended in a somersault through a fire hoop! We explored all five of the islands in one day then treated ourselves to gelato!
The Florentine's Doorstep
I didn't really understand what made Michelangelo's work so special. Now I know his work, like all of Florence, must be seen to be believed. A picture is worth a thousand words in the city of flowers.
Friends Along the Way
Of all the wonderful treasures we collected on our journey through the birth place of the west, perhaps our most dear were the friendships we developed within in our group, and especially with our amazing guides: Rebecca and Esther, who gifted us an alabaster heart on our final night! This trip was truly a tour of the HEART of Italy.
