Bryce and I have been carefully reviewing travel sites, Frommer's guides, and recommendations from friends and finally we have a good idea of where we will be spending our time over the next few weeks. As we have been planning this trip it becomes more and more clear to me every day that I will need to "let go" and enjoy this trip as it comes. As I have learned in my current job, I am a strong "J" per Meyer's Briggs which means I have a strong need for control & agenda to my life. To say the least....Bryce is NOT a J. So, I hope I can capitalize on Bryce's strengths in using this itinerary loosely and enjoying Italy as it comes - whether that means sticking to our schedule or not. In general we have a few places we know we want to go, but for the most part we hope to take this trip day by day, enjoy the sites in the moment, and get some much needed R&R. I have come to count on vacations away from work and the last one we took was over a year ago in Tulum, Mexico - so we are MORE than ready for some relaxation away from work! So for those who care to know, here is a loose itinerary of where we will be and when. I hope to blog regularly while we are traveling - this will largely depend on internet connection & ability to post via Ipad....we will see! OH....and if anyone is worried about Russell, he will be loved 24-7 by my parents who "called-it" to take him while we were away back in February :)
Depart: September 16, 2011 (St. Louis - Chicago - Rome)
Arrive: September 17, 2011 (9:15am) - Here's to hoping we get a good sleep on the flight!
September 17 - September 19: Rome
Hotel: River Palace Hotel (http://www.riverpalacehotel.it/hotel-roma-index-en.htm)
We have 2 days in Rome which start on the day we arrive.
- Day 1: We will arrive in Rome around 9:15 & make our way to the train to ride into Rome. From there we will take the Metro to a stop near our hotel. If we make it through this I think the rest of the vacation will be OK....I am a bit stressed by this commute :) From there we will hope to visit the following: Vatican, Sistine chapel, Piazza De Popolo (café stop), Spanish steps, and at night, the Trevi Fountain.
- Day 2: This will be our 1 full day in Rome - we hope to have an early start to see things like Capitol Hill, Imperial Forums, Colloseum, Arch of Constantine, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, Baths of Carcalla, Capitoline Museum (Marcus Aurelius statue), Pantheon, Piazza Navonna or Campo de' Fiori at night.
As you can see this is a big 2 days......this is where the flexibility needs to come into play :)
September 19 - 22: Sorrento
B&B: Casa Dominova (http://www.casadominova.com/)
We will get up early on the 19th to pick up our CAR at the airport in Rome. From there will will drive ~3 hrs to Sorrento which is on the Amalfi Coast, south of Naples. This is where the RELAXING will hopefully start!
- Day 1 - Enjoy Sorrento which could be the inlaid wood factory, limoncello making, or just relaxing around town!
- Day 2 - Isle of Capri - We will take a ferry or some kind of a boat to the island in the morning for a day's visit in the cities of Capri and are looking forward to visiting either the Blue or Green Grotto....an ocean cave that bring in light under the water illuminating the cave in different colors - I mean.....not even Hugh Hef can beat that! This is one of the things we are looking forward to the most!
- Day 3 - Pompeii - This city was destroyed by a volcanic eruption in ~75 AD. We will hopefully see the museams of archeology and enjoy the cities ruins. We also hope to drive the Amalfi Coast on this day...Bryce is especially looking forward to the challenge as its said to be one of the most "trecherous" drives in the world"
9/22 - 9/24: Tuscany: Radda, Italy
B&B: Poggerino (http://www.poggerino.com/)
On the 22nd we will be driving for the last leg on our tour, Tuscany. We have two places to stay in Tuscany and the first is in Radda which is conveniently located on the Chianti trail.....Chianti is Wine :) Should be interesting.....This is also the part of the trip we are keeping the most open - I want to see where the owners of our B&B's take us and where we feel like traveling.
- Day 1: Florence
- Day 2: San Gimignano & the Chianti Wine Region
9/24 - 9/27: Tuscany: Montepulciano, Italy
B&B: II Rondo (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g194833-d1789269-Reviews-Albergo_Il_Rondo-Montepulciano_Tuscany.html)
For the remainder of our trip we will stay in the southern portion of Tuscany in Montepulciano. We hope to get the most out of the last part of our trip and are leaving this part of our agenda open to whatever we think is necessary to see. Likely it will be lots of trips through the countryside visiting wineries, olive farms, and small towns that we see along the way.
Departure: September 27, 2011 @ 11:15am
Arrival: September 27, 2011 @ ~5:30pm in St. Louis
We are just so excited for this adventure and can't wait to see where it takes us!!!!
Love,
Mandy
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