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Italy is one of the most diverse and picturesque countries as it basically has it all, from tall mountains and blooming plains to perfect beaches with turquoise waters. Not to mention that they have one of the best cuisines in the world, I mean: pizza, pasta and gelato!...
And besides all that…they have Rome, an actual open-air museum! It’s hard to walk down the streets of Rome and not be impressed by every corner of the city; either by a small statue or a lovely water fountain.
Without a doubt Rome is worth a visit as it is the perfect destination for a romantic weekend getaway.


We spent 3 days in this beautiful city and here are the things that we consider a must:

THROW A COIN IN LA FONTANA DI TREVI
Unlike other wishing wells and fountains, this one is not meant to grant you a wish, but it’s said that if you throw a coin in the fountain you are bound to come back to Rome one day, and who would not want that? Keep in mind that Rome is a very touristic city, therefore anytime of the year you decide to visit it would most probably be packed with tourists. In this case, you might want to wake up a bit early than usual and catch a glimpse of the city in its whole grandeur.


VISIT THE MAGNIFICENT COLOSSEUM 
There is usually a large queue at the ticket counter so in order to avoid wasting valuable time, I would suggest you buy the tickets online. These tend to be sold out fast, so you might want to get them a few days, maybe weeks in advance.


TAKE A STROLL DOWN TRASTEVERE
This is the most romantic and famous neighbourhood in the city. You might know it from all the movies about Rome. It has lovely buildings and houses, covered with ivy and cute and colorful Fiat 500’s at almost every corner.


VISIT THE HOLY CITY OF VATICAN
People from all over the world come to visit this place, so tickets are usually sold out and the queues are endless. If you do plan a visit to the Vatican I would suggest buying the tickets online with weeks in advance. Even so, you will still need to wait a bit in line to get in. Properly visiting the Vatican, with the museums and churches, can take you an entire day, so plan accordingly.


VISIT THE BRIDGES AND ADMIRE THE VIEWS OF THE CITY FROM THERE
Ponte Umbro, St. Angelo Bridge, Ponte Sisto and many more, will show you a different side of Rome. Equally beautiful!

TAKE A STROLL THROUGH ANCIENT ROME
Palentine Hill and Roman Forum will transport you thousand of years into Ancient Rome giving you a glimpse of the Roman's lavish lifestyle.


TAKE A PEAK THROUGH AVENTINE KEY HOLE
This little keyhole gives you a unique perspective of Rome as it lines up perfectly with Saint Peter's Basilica.


GET LOST THROUGH THE LOVELY STREETS 
Rome is ideal for visiting everything by foot as all the major attractions are relatively close together. It's also a shame to take the bus or tram as you might miss one of the city's hidden gems along the way.


CLIMB THE SPANISH STEPS



PANTHEON & PIAZZA DELLA ROTONDA
The Pantheon is another landmark that requires booking in advance, otherwise you might spend half a day waiting in line.
Piazza della Rotonda would be a lovely place also, unfortunately it's hard to notice all the details due to the thousands of tourists crammed up in one place.

VIEW THE SKYLINE FROM TERAZZA DEL GIANICOLO



INDULGE YOURSELF WITH THE ITALIAN CUISINE
Pizza, pasta, repeat! And then maybe some gelato or some delicious cakes.
There are many great places to eat in Rome, but I would avoid the touristy ones as the food tends to be not that good and overpriced. We made the mistake of taking lunch at a restaurant in a popular square, that kind of caught our eyes, and we managed to have the worst pizza and pasta in the entire country, most probably.
Dessert recommendation: the mouthwatering tiramisu at Two Sizes.

Having this said, keep in mind...La vita e bella!


Ciao,
O

I love Italy! But this is coming from a girl who's favorite food is pizza (besides french fries, but that's a different story).
If you have a romantic weekend getaway in mind, Venice would definitely be the right choice.
If being in the land of pizza, pasta, gelato and Aperol spritz is not enough, just add some lovely buildings, narrow and quiet canals, gondolas and one of the most romantic vibe ever.

For sure you cannot leave Venice without visiting the San Marco square, Rialto bridge or the Grand Canal, but I felt that the true charm of Venice was not given by these famous overcrowded landmarks, but by just getting lost through its narrow streets and canals.


While in Venice I would recommend you dedicate a half day or maybe a full one to visit the lovely islands of Murano and Burano.
Visiting Burano was definitely one of the highlights of our trip to Venice! If you have not yet read our post about Burano you can check it out here.



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I remember while planning our trip to Venice, I was most excited of the day trip to Burano. When seeing pictures of this colourful little town I just couldn't wait to get there and see it with my own eyes.
If you plan a visit to Venice you mustn't forget to include a half or full day trip to Burano, with it being only 45 minutes away by boat.
Getting there has never been easier as there is a vaporetto line (number 12) that goes from Venice directly there. I believe it costs 6,5 euros per person, however we bought a day pass for 20 euros and it was far more convenient as you can hop on and hop off anywhere in Venice or the nearest islands, including Burano and Murano.


I went there with the highest expectations and I was not disappointed! To be fair, I am a sucker for cute little colorful towns, but this one has definitely exceeded my imagination. Each cute house is painted in a different shade of pink, blue, red or yellow with white laundry hanging out the window.


I would recommend that you get "lost" through the streets of Burano and wander to all the narrow alleys, as for some reason the majority of tourists just visit the main street, Via Galuppi, which is a shame as Burano has a lot to offer and there is so much beauty to discover.


The locals here are the friendliest! An old lady came out to collect her laundry right when we were taking pictures with them, we wanted to leave so not to intrude, but she smiled at us and told us to stay and take our time...she then waited patiently for us to finish...It might sound silly, but these kinds of things I remember most from our travels.


The afternoons tend to get a little crowded, so the best time to visit is definitely in the morning. There are some cute little restaurants along the main canal with pretty accessible prices and really good sea food, that goes well with a glass of Aperol Spritz.


Without a doubt...la vita e bella in Burano!

Sending colorful hugs,
O

These cute little towns each have their own charm! It’s pretty easy to get from one to the other with a 5 minutes train ride that doesn't cost much either. A single ticket is 4 euros, however you can buy a hop on/hop off day pass for 16 euros if you plan on visiting more a day, which is more than doable.
There is also a trail that passes through all five towns, but most of the time it is closed, only just a small portion of it being open.
Accommodation can be pretty sparse and expensive in Cinque Terre, but cheaper options can be found in La Spezia which is only 10 minutes away by train from the nearest Cinque Terre town, Riomaggiore.