Bellissima Italia - From the Amalfi Coast to the Roman Empire

 

• Under the Italian Sun: Sorrento, Rome, and the Riviera (Sep 7 – 15)  Sorrento (Sep 7): An ancient valley with so much charm and some wonderful but scary views. This charming town was filled with unique views and charming streetways. The Sites: Piazza Sant’Antonion, Piazza Tasso, Vallone dei Mulini, Sorrento Cathedral The Tastes: Fauno Bar, Chaplin’s (Irish Bar), Ruccio  Amalfi (Sep 8): We had an extremely memorable day on the Amalfi Coast! We hopped aboard a boat for the Amalfi & Emerald Grotto Boat Adventure Tour—and wow, what a ride. We cruised along the coast, taking in the dazzling blues and greens of the sea, until we reached the famous Grotta dello Smeraldo (Emerald Grotto). Picture this: you climb into a tiny local boat and glide into a cave where the water literally glows an emerald green. The sunlight sneaks in through an underwater opening, making the cave shimmer like something out of a fairy tale. It’s wild to think this place was only discovered in 1932 - you feel like a real explorer! Back on dry land, we wandered through the winding streets of Amalfi, popping into little shops and, of course, stopping by the grand Cathedral and its mysterious crypt, first having to walk up the grand staircase.  And then, a classic Amalfi moment: we spotted a bride and groom taking wedding photos when we were at the cathedral. Later, they strolled down to the very beach we were relaxing on. The bride was struggling to walk on the pebbles in her heels (Meghann has had these struggles too!), so Meghann did the only logical thing—you guessed it—she offered her my trusty Birkenstocks to the bride. The bride slipped them on and was so grateful. Who knew Meghann’s sandals would be part of a wedding story?  The air in Amalfi smelled like lemons everywhere (no exaggeration—lemon trees grow on every corner), so we had to sample the legendary Limoncello. Let’s just say it packs a zesty punch! Just another magical day on the Amalfi Coast! The Sites: Grotta dello Smeraldo, Duomo di Amalfi; Cattedrale di Sant'Andrea, Amalfi Beach      The Tastes: Lido Delle Sirene, Amalfi T’ama Rome - A Journey Through Time (from Civitavecchia Sep 9-10) After just over an hour in the car from the port, we found ourselves in Rome with a jam-packed five-hour window to soak in as much as possible! Ripa Neighborhood: We kicked things off with a stroll past the ancient ruins of the Circus Maximus (imagine wild chariot races echoing through history!), gazed up at the mysterious Mouth of Truth (Piazza Bocca della Verità)—yes, we wanted to test the legend—and admired the imposing, round Temple of Hercules right nearby. The Colosseum: No Roman adventure is complete without a peek at this grand arena. It's easy to picture gladiators battling for glory beneath the iconic arches. Truly epic! Spanish Steps: We climbed the famous staircase alongside stylish locals and tourists, basking in the energy of the bustling piazza below. Perfect spot for people watching! Trevi Fountain: We joined the excited crowd, tossing coins over our shoulders into the sparkling water – well, we didn’t have any coins so we pretended. Legend says that guarantees a return to Rome—fingers crossed! Vatican City: With just enough time for a whirlwind visit (walking 4 miles through the city), we marveled at the grandeur of St. Peter’s Square/Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, and soaked in the heart of the Catholic world. Roscioli: Our grand finale? Sinking our teeth into what might just be the best Roman-style pizza in the city. My brother told me it was a must, and even our private driver agreed—Roscioli’s Roman pizza is legendary! The Sites: Ripa Neighborhood (ruins of the Circus Maximus, Piazza Bocca della Verità and the Temple of Hercules), The Colosseum, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Vatican City       The Tastes: Roscioli: The best Roman Style Pizza (recommendation from my brother – our private driver agreed that this was the best in Rome) The Isles of Sardinia (Sep 11):  Our epic mission in Olbia: conquer McDonald’s. After a heroic (yet suspiciously aimless) wander through town, we gave up our battle and returned to the ship where we indulged in a dramatic afternoon of cribbage. The stakes? Bragging rights and eternal glory—well, at least until the next sea day. Current scoreboard: Chris leads Meghann by one game, but the battle is far from over. Rematch pending—may the best cribbage warrior win! Portoferraio/Elba (Sep 12) We bravely tackled yet another sky-high town that seemed determined to transform our legs into jelly. Our adventure had us huffing and puffing uphill to Napoleon's old pad—yes, the very place he called home during his first go at exile. Not content with that, we staggered up even more hills to Forte Stella, but quickly decided admiring it from afar was smarter (and much less painful) when we spotted a beach below. Beach over fort—easy choice! Down we went, crossing the island in search of sweet relief for our overworked muscles. At last, we hit the sand (I mean pebbles), blissfully pain-free (until walking into the water), claimed some beach chairs, soaked in the glorious sunshine, and treated ourselves to a well-earned snack—because surviving all those hills obviously deserved a reward. The Sites: Forte Stella, Salita Napoleone, spiaggia delle ghiaie (Beach)      The Tastes: Bar Le Sirene  La Spezia (Sep 13) Pisa Highlights (La Spezia Day): We hopped on a bus with our chipper English-speaking tour guide and set out for Pisa, ready to have our minds blown by a bunch of buildings that are hundreds of years old—and still standing (well, mostly). Our local guide led us through the legendary Square of Miracles, where everything is made of blindingly white marble and every monument means something deep about life, death, and questionable engineering choices. We got to peek inside the fancy Baptistery and Cathedral, while the Leaning Tower gave everyone a solid Instagram opportunity from the outside—because, apparently, gravity is just a suggestion in Pisa. After soaking in all that history (and resisting the urge to push the tower straight), we capped off our cultural adventure in true international style: with a triumphant meal at McDonald’s. Pisa: checked off the bucket list, fries included! The Sites: Piazza dei Miracoli: Torre di Pisa, Duomo di Pisa, Battistero di San Giovanni, Camposanto Monumentale   The Tastes: McDonald’s  Portofino (Sep 14) We learned on this cruise that tender means taking the emergency boats to shore – today, the waves were large and I am glad we were in the safety boat. Portofino practically screamed “Instagram me!” with its lineup of colorful houses clinging to a lush hillside—so flawless, it made us suspicious that some painter had a little too much fun with the saturation slider. We meandered into the iconic Piazzetta, where the cafés and restaurants looked so chic that even ordering a coffee felt like we should be wearing sunglasses and pretending to be famous. Our guide dropped some serious history knowledge, telling us how Portofino started as Portus Delphini back in the Roman days—apparently, dolphins were the original influencers here. Our next challenge was hiking up to the Church of San Giorgio, perched way above the marina. Whoever said “the view is worth the climb” was probably thinking of this exact spot. The church, rebuilt after World War II, is home to the relics of St. George—the town’s ultimate celebrity. We tried not to look out of breath as we admired the place (and pretended we worked out regularly). Then, we stormed Castello Brown, a fortress surrounded by Mediterranean gardens so perfect they could’ve been ripped from a movie set. Inside, we oohed and aahed over ornate decor and bas-reliefs, but let’s be honest—we were mostly here for those jaw-dropping bay views that made us contemplate a quick career change to “castle caretaker.” For our grand finale, we trekked to the Faro di Punta del Capo lighthouse: a bright white tower still keeping watch over Portofino’s harbor. If the panoramic views didn’t take our breath away, the uphill walk definitely did. We snapped a million photos, half-convinced that if we stared long enough, George Clooney would appear on a yacht below. No luck this time, but Portofino had already made us feel like stars as we did admire a couple of many Villa’s that the Dolce and Gabbana family owns. The Sites: Church of San Giorgio, Castello Brown, Faro di Punta del Capo lighthouse The Tastes: Bar Mariuccia Final Italian Port, Savona:  Today’s weather was a bit moody—think “Italy does Seattle”—and honestly, we weren’t too heartbroken that we hadn’t packed a jam-packed itinerary. Turns out, Monday in Savona is like hitting snooze on city life, with most things closed for a well-deserved nap. Undeterred, we took a brisk stroll around the Fortezza del Priamar (because at least ancient fortresses don’t take days off), soaking in the misty views while the museums snoozed behind locked doors. With rain clouds still lurking, we decided it was the perfect excuse to retreat to the ship and lounge by the pool—waving a soggy arrivederci to Italy as stylishly as possible (swim floaties optional).