When we decided to go to Italy for 12 days, we quickly understood that in such a short time we would not be able to visit the whole country. So we chose for this first Italian trip to visit only Rome, Naples and the Amalfi Coast.

Why these 3 destinations?

Rome, because it is a must-see and because AS Roma plays there.

Naples, because it is the birthplace of Neapolitan pizza and it is close to Pompeii, a place we absolutely wanted to visit.

The Amalfi Coast, because a vacation is not a vacation if we do not go to the sea.

Our itinerary

Day 1 : Departure from Montreal in the evening

Day 2 à 5 : Rome

Day 5 à 8 : Naples

Day 8 à 11 : Amalfi Coast

Day 11 :Back to Rome

Day 12 : Departure from Rome to Montreal via London

Our 3 favorites

Herculanum

We had high expectations for the visit to Pompeii. Of course, it is worth seeing, but the site is very vast. It takes a long time to go around the whole thing. Several visits are necessary if you really want to see everything, in our opinion. In addition, Pompeii was almost entirely destroyed by the ash during the eruption of Vesuvius and by successive looting over time. Even if the site is magnificent, it takes imagination to get an idea of ​​life in ancient times.

On the other hand, we were very pleasantly surprised by the site of Herculaneum. Much less known than Pompeii, there are fewer people who visit it.

Unlike Pompeii, it was not destroyed by the ash, but rather by the lava flow. The ancient city is buried under part of the current city of Ercolano. It is estimated that only a quarter of the ancient city of Herculaneum is currently uncovered. The rest is under modern buildings. The site is much more concentrated than Pompeii and the houses are better preserved. We really liked it.

Gastronomie

When you think of Italy, you think of pizza, pasta, gelato, vino… Well, it’s true!

The pasta is homemade. The pizzas are cooked in a wood oven. The gelato flavors are all equally delicious. The red or white wine is excellent.

But the gastronomic range does not stop there. The risottos are divine, the fish and seafood are succulent. The cheeses and cold cuts are delicious. The rum babas are a real sin. It’s hard to choose, everything is so good and there is something for everyone.

Everywhere we went we ate very well. The dishes are prepared from fresh products and they are cooked on site.

At the end of the meal, it is not uncommon to be offered a small glass of limancello, a more or less strongly alcoholic lemon-based liqueur.

In short, we do not go to Italy without making the most of Italian cuisine. It is part of the experience and the dolce vita.

Football match (or soccer for Americans)

Attending a Serie A soccer match in Rome is quite an experience. Football is a religion. All week, we prepare for the match the following weekend. We then meet at the stadium with family or friends to live the 90 minutes of the match intensely.

In Rome there are two teams, AS Roma and Lazzio. There is a real rivalry between the supporters. We are either for AS Roma or for Lazio, no half measures.

We were not able to attend a Roma-Lazio derby, but the atmosphere was still at its peak. Throughout the match, the crowd dances and sings. Everyone knows the words. Except us of course!

Our travels

Plane

Obviously, when leaving Montreal, it was difficult to do otherwise than take the plane to go to Rome. At the time we left, there were not many direct flights. We had to go through London and make a stopover of several hours.

Metro and walking

Whether in Rome or Naples, the most touristic places are relatively close to each other. A good pair of shoes is essential because you walk a lot.

The metro is also very practical. We used it especially for our transfers with the suitcases when arriving and leaving Rome or Naples.

Train

For our round trip Rome Naples we used the train, about 1h30 journey, the most practical and economical solution. Several companies offer trips several times a day. We traveled with Trenitalia and Italo.

Car

To visit the Amalfi Coast, there are not many solutions. You need a vehicle. There are organized group excursions from Naples for example. But that's not our style. We prefer to have our freedom of movement and go at our own pace. So we rented a car for a few days from the Naples train station to go and spend our few days at the seaside.

Boat

To spend our day in Capri we took the ferry from Naples. Several round trips are made per day which allows a complete visit of the island in the day.

Our accomodations

In Rome, we stayed in 2 different establishments, apartments renovated into tourist accommodations.

The first is a guesthouse a stone's throw from the Piazza di Spagna:

Maison d'hôtes D.R.Rome Spanish Luxury Suites Rome (Maison d'hôtes D.R.Rome Spanish Luxury Suites Rome - nouveaux prix de 2024, avis, réserver immédiatement (italyromehotels.net))

The second is a B&B a few minutes walk from the Vatican: A Peace Of Rome (bbapeaceofrome.it)

In Naples we stayed in a B&B, also an old apartment renovated into tourist accommodation in a popular area not far from the historic center (centro storico), the Puteca Napoli (La Puteca Napoli (beb.it))

Finally on the Amalfi Coast, we booked into a seaside hotel, the Mega mare hotel (Hotel Mega Mare Vico Equense, Sorrento Coast - 3 star hotel with sea view and pool).The hotel is a bit dated, but the stunning views of the bay are magnificent. It's simply magical at sunset.

See you soon !