Italy
I have to admit Italy 100% lives up to the hype it has received over social media
This last October/November I had the opportunity to travel to Italy for a two week trip. Visiting this beautiful place had been on my bucket list for years but not something I dreamed possible until later in life so this trip was quite literally a dream come true. With how special this was I knew I wanted to remember everything in a manner of exactly how it was so I chose to document the trip solely using film. I brought a small duffle bag for a few pairs of clothes that would be easy to carry for all of the flights/commuting as well as my gear backpack with 3 cameras and 38 rolls of film - I had read horror stories about hand checking film through certain international airports but thankfully had a very pleasant experience for each airport I traveled through with no issues for checking film.
The images here in the post will highlight some of Italy’s breathtaking scenery and history in places such as Capri, Rome, and the Amalfi Coast.
A few locations at which I stayed at had some of the most stunning views that I highly recommend to check out if making a trip to Italy :
AMALFI COAST
Borgo Santandrea - out of all of the travels hands down my favorite hotel I have ever stayed out. Every day I dream of traveling back and staying at this location again. 10/10
Hotel Luna Convento - Such an unique hotel located right in the heart of the Amalfi. It is an old church converting into a hotel with only a handful of rooms. Everything has been preserved so you are able to see the original designs with the stunning hand painted tiles, rooms that open up to a rooftop terrace with the BEST view of the Amalfi , ceilings with murals, and a beautiful courtyard. The real highlight is a a pool that is located directly above the ocean. This is the only pool in the Amalfi with this unique view of Atrani.
Excursions
HIGHLY recommend going out on a boat on the Amalfi Coast. We booked a boat day to view all of the Amalfi Coast as well as revisit Capri which was absolutely incredible ! The company we went with was Capasecca Yacht. The absolute best !
CAPRI
Hotel La Floridiana - If you are a fan of interior design this hotel is for you.Located right in the heart of Capri next to the best shops and restaurants is this gem. The views and the design are jaw dropping ! As if it could get any better the staff ( truly all the staff at each locations we stayed at were incredible ) go over and beyond ! Our room was kindly upgraded and due to a storm that had canceled our original ferry trip out the manager out of the kindness of her heart found us an alternative to get us from Capri to the Amalfi. Can not recommend this hotel enough !
** Something for the ladies to check out in Capri is to have a pair of sandals custom made while visiting. It was one of most unique experiences. I also recommend making your own perfume at Carthusia. The bottles we made were able to be flown back on 4 flights to the states with us and smell delightful.
ROME
Palm Suite - Apart of a small boutique luxury hotel chain is this hidden gem. Again fan of aesthetics this one is for you. Not only is each room designed out of this world BUT you are located RIGHT across from the Colosseum !! It’s surreal. Once you step out of the courtyard and look to the left without anything blocking the view is the Roman Colosseum. An absolute fantastic spot to stay as well as so convenient for walking to all of the sights Rome has to offer.
A few tips that are helpful if planning a trip to the coast of Italy are the following :
Do not bother renting a car. Trains or taking a cab are the way to go ! Also the driving in Italy is WILD. If traveling from the states even with being used to LA traffic nothing prepped us for the chaos of the roads in Europe. You can schedule a train ride or car ride through apps on a smart phone. We used Transfeero for booking private drivers and it made getting from point A to point B stress free with great tips of what to see/do from the local drivers. * Also recommend having a car already booked and there to meet you for each arrival as well as departure from plane, train, or ferry. This will save the headache of something possibly not being available.
EAT EVERYTHING. The food there is out of this world. Everything is fresh and a work of art ! Eat everything during your travels from $2 sandwiches from street vendors to fancy dinners.
If traveling in the fall before tourism closes for the season keep an eye on the weather ! SUPER important. If there is a storm brewing ferries will cancel and most cancellations are not made aware until 24 hours after the trip was scheduled to go out. Keep an eye on weather and be ready to pivot if needed. I highly recommend befriending the locals which are on it for letting you know if you need to pack up and go due to any possible cancelations.
Kindness goes a long way. Living in a tourist destination it means so much when met with kindness from tourists. Remember even if a dream trip this is home to those who are helping make that dream trip possible so be respectful and also ask them to share stories/knowledge of the area. Getting to know the people while traveling on this trip was one of the best experiences and we left with many new sweet friends.
If there are certain restaurants that are popular you would like to check out try to book reservations as far out as possible. Same goes for activities especially in Rome where tickets are required for some of the main historic sights. Though this trip above was all planned in 24 hours one month before departure. If there is something you want to do that is booked out keep an eye out for any cancellations. Touring the Colosseum was high on our list but the tickets were sold out everywhere - 30 minutes before our train departed Naples to Rome I was refreshing the booking sight and BOOM private tour tickets of the main arena as well as underground popped up for just $30 each ! Moral of the story all is not loss if you cannot get something in the get go.
If booking a package deal for flights make sure you have HOURS in between. Each flight we had there was max 30 minutes for a layover. Leaving Italy our 6AM flight from Naples was delayed by an hour meaning when we arrived at Paris we had 30 minutes before our flight back to the states took off. Customs had a line that was worse than Disneyland with no end in sight ! We had to exit the airport, take a tram, re-enter the airport, run run run, and re-enter another line for customs with honestly no hope to make our flight. Thankfully by some miracle they held the gate open for us but we had to SPRINT to make it. LAX layover was 15 minutes and Seattle was 25. Not something I would wish on anyone traveling a 24 hour travel day so make sure to have time in between your flights ( especially Paris for connections ) no matter how good of a cost a package flight deal might be.
Less is best when it comes to packing. Its easy for luggage to become lost with multiple flights. Also there is A LOT of walking in Europe ( mainly Capri ) so make sure to pack what you can carry.
Take the time to enjoy being there. It’s easy to be go go go in order to see/experience everything but this is such a gorgeous place so take the time to “just be” and soak it all in. :)
No matter where you go or what you see while during your visit you will leave Italy with your heart feeling so full ! And since this is my business site if you decide you would like some photos during your time there or are planning a destination wedding in Italy where film photography is your jam….my bags are ready to go and my passport is in hand…just shoot a message my way, I am 1000% in for documenting this time for you !
