Travel :: Packing for Europe

We're already halfway to the weekend y'all! Don't you love short weeks?! Since we're packing up for a little road trip to the Sunshine State this weekend, I've been frantically trying to cross some things off my trusty to-do list.

One thing I've been working on is a photo album of our Europe trip, which is taking me longer than I expected because A) I'm a perfectionist and B) I keep finding myself scrolling through pictures, drooling over the food we ate and wishing I had two weeks off of work again.

I remembered how hard it was for me to pack for unpredictable Spring weather, without completely over-packing and lugging massive suitcases around Italy. I usually lean more toward comfort for trips like this, I certainly wasn't the most fashionable in Paris, but I don't think I looked like a tourist which was a good thing.

Spring Essentials for Europe

Jackets/Blazers: I packed my favorite trench coat and although it was a little thin for the colder days we had in Paris, it was perfect for the majority of the trip! We were so lucky to only have 2 days with a little rain but it came in handy at night when it was a little cooler, even in Italy. If I wasn't wearing my trench, I had a navy blue 3/4 sleeve blazer that was easy to throw on if I was chilly.

Dresses: I love wearing dresses in general so I brought one along for the warmer days. Make sure it covers your shoulders, or bring a scarf to cover them, when you're heading to tour churches.

Pants: I packed two pairs of jeans and two pairs of leggings and it worked great with the Spring weather. I never had to wash my jeans and my leggings were easy to wash and hang to dry.

Tops: I brought two short-sleeve tees, two thin button downs, and two or three shirts with 3/4 sleeves. The longer sleeve shirts were my go-to on most days while we were in Italy so I didn't have to bring a jacket. I also wore a thin sweater around Siena and it was perfect in the morning.

Crossbody Bag: This was the number one thing all of my blog friends recommended and they were so right! I brought one big enough for my DSLR and another smaller one for the evenings when I didn't feel like bringing my camera.

Shoes: I debated taking my boots but was glad that I did because I needed them in Venice and Paris. I saved space in my luggage by wearing them on travel days. Pack a comfy pair of flats and some boat shoes or something similar for a more casual tourist day.

Jewelry: I didn't go too crazy on the jewelry while we were in Europe. I don't like bulky statement necklaces while I'm walking around all day but if you're into that, pack one that matches most of your outfits.

Scarves: These were probably the best accessory I packed! I had 3 scarves that I could mix and match with all of my outfits and with the cooler breeze in the Spring, I found myself wearing one almost every day.

We really got lucky with our weather and didn't need any warm clothes in Florence. Even Rome and Siena were in the low-70s and sunny on some days, so I found myself removing my scarf or blazer after a couple hours.

Camera Equipment: For my DSLR, I just packed my stock lens and the charger. It worked great for me since I'm a beginner and I feel like I captured a lot of great photos with it! I brought three memory cards and switched them out every couple of days. We used our phone cameras for any pictures we asked someone to take for us and my hubby got some amazing panoramic shots with his iPhone!

Don't forget an adapter! We brought two (found here and here) and they worked great in both Italy and Paris. You can use the two-prong adapters even if the wall socket fits a three-prong. Just don't force it and pull something straight out of Just Married.

If you're looking for help on packing your carry-on, make sure to check out my guest post over at Newlyweds:North!

Anyone have anything else to add?! I know some of you are planning trips to Europe this summer, so hopefully this will help a little even though you'll be dealing with much warmer weather than we did!

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Travel :: Rome. Part 2.

Happy April! Today you get the final dose of our Roman adventures!

Our third and final day was both exciting and frustrating. I really wanted to see the Temple of Aesculapius in the Borghese Gardens so we started out with a long walk to the gardens from our hotel. I wouldn't have cared about the walk had we not finally made it up to the Temple to see that they drained all of the water. Ugh.

Just not the same when you have to cut out the non-existent lake.

We grabbed a cappuccino in a little cafe in the park before walking back down the hill and making our way to the bus station, where we hoped to pick up tickets to Siena for the next day.

Rick Steves tells you that a bus is better than the train to Siena, but what he doesn't tell you is that no one in the entire city of Rome knows where to buy said tickets. The whole 3 days we were there we tried to buy them, until finally we opted for the train out of desperation.

And because more shenanigans were in the cards for us that day, next up was a rogue cabbie who kept telling us the Ancient Rome sites were "very close" and wouldn't take us there. So we got out of the cab and walked. Let me tell you, it was a long haul. We were both livid.

Thankfully we managed to make it to the Colosseum in time for our Underground and Third Ring tour. It was an additional 9 Euro per person on top of your entrance fee, but we had the Roma pass so we only paid for the tour itself. We were so happy we made advance reservations because even during the slow season, the Colosseum line was a beast.

Unfortunately there was a good bit of scaffolding on one side of the Colosseum but we managed to cut it out of our photos.

The tour was fantastic and totally lifted our moods. I was geeking out over everything, snapping like 100 photos in the Colosseum itself. Steve used the panoramic function on his trusty iPhone and got some amazing photos as well.

We got to see areas that are off limits to general visitors, including underneath the Colosseum floor where the animals were kept. We also went on the reconstructed floor of the arena and up to the third level of seating. There used to be 5 levels, but this is the highest you can go these days.

FYI ladies... do not, under any circumstance, use the women's restroom in the Colosseum. Steve said every woman who left it came out looking like they had been violated. I assure you, it is that terrible.

That big white building in the background is the Victor Emmanuel Monument.

After the Colosseum, we walked around Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. We were pretty tired by that point so we were glad we didn't do a tour there. It was still so beautiful though and I'm glad we didn't miss out on it.

Finally, we made it to the Victor Emmanuel building and rode the "Elevator to the Sky" to see Rome from the rooftop. It was a gorgeous view, and since I'm scared of heights (but only when combined with steps), the elevator was okay with me. I just closed my eyes. I know, weird.

View of the Forum from the Victor Emmanuel rooftop

We hardly ate that day because there wasn't much time after the cabbie didn't cooperate, so we settled for one of the blah restaurants on the street near the Pantheon and our hotel that I warned you about. We followed it up with gelato though, of course.

Loved the streets of Rome... each was completely different

The next morning we cabbed it to Termini Train Station super early since we didn't know what we were doing. Thank God, because we couldn't find our platform. Apparently there are platforms, 1EST and 2EST, hidden way back behind the regular 1-18 platforms at Termini. Once we validated our ticket in the little machine and got on the train, it was easy, even with the transfer.

All in all, we loved seeing the sites in Rome. It was a beautiful city, full of winding streets, cheap but tasty house wine, outdoor cafes, and delicious gelato. On the downside, the bus/train/cab escapade and the annoying street vendors really hampered my opinion of the city itself. I guess I have the same feeling about NYC. By the end of our 3 days in Rome, we were ready to head to the beautiful, peaceful Tuscan countryside and one of our favorite stops on our trip, Siena! Stay tuned!

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Travel :: Rome. Part 1.

I hope you all had a great weekend! I know Mondays can be a total drag, so I thought it would be a good day to start our Europe recaps. Just pretend you're not at work or that its much warmer outside when you look at these!

I'm doing these recaps for my memory's sake, but no judgement if you just aren't interested in pretty pictures or our trip in general. I'm hoping to share some insights that might help others planning a similar trip. Also, I plan to break up the posts so you get some normal, non-travel posts here and there throughout the next few weeks!

Our flights transferred in Atlanta's brand new international wing before heading to Rome's Fiumicino airport. We upgraded to Delta's "Economy Comfort" seats in order to get more legroom. The seats were by far the most uncomfortable seat I've ever sat in. Did I mention we were right next to the bathroom? For 9 hours we had people lining up (in our extra leg room) for the bathroom. It didn't smell but it did mean zero sleep for either of us before touching down with a full day ahead in Rome.

Once we landed, we took a cab to Hotel Nazionale. It's a beautiful four-star hotel in short walking distance to most sites. It was also directly across from the Italian Parliament building which meant it was a limited traffic zone and a hundred times more quiet (and safe) there than anywhere else in Rome.

The hotel had the old charm on the outside and lobby, but the rooms were all updated, which was a really nice combination. Look for their specials during the off-season, we got one free night! We were allowed to check in several hours early, so we did the most logical thing you would do when you've been up for most of the day. Yep, we took a nap.

Our afternoon on the first day included a walk to the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain, both of which were way bigger than I expected. (I've got some iPhone photos thrown in here. We opted to give our phone to someone to take our photo rather than risk someone stealing my Canon)

Of course we threw some coins in with a few wishes, safely ensuring we would make it back to Rome someday.

We also walked to the Spanish Steps, which was underwhelming in my opinion. Especially because everywhere you walked street vendors were getting in your face trying to sell you the weirdest items, like squishy things that squeaked when you threw them on the ground. Apparently those are hot with tourists or something...

The start of the many too-close-for-comfort selfies from our trip.

We stopped by Giolitti for gelato, which was my favorite gelato place from our trip. It was conveniently located next door to our hotel so we made a few trips. It was always packed and you knew it was good because Italians flocked to in the early evening every single day. FYI, you have to pay for your gelato first then take your receipt over to the counter to pick out your flavors. The fragola (strawberry) was the.best.ever.

Some iPhone photos thrown in here...

For dinner, we headed to Piazza Navona and found an outdoor table about a block away at Ciccia Bomba. I got their Margherita Pizza and Steve got the Rigatoni with Bacon. Both were really delicious, probably one of our better meals in Rome. Of course the ambiance at the outdoor table made it even more charming.

I recommend walking off the beaten path for a restaurant. Anything on the main walkways leading to sites or in front of the sites themselves had just 'okay' food. Stick to just their house wine if you really want to enjoy the view, that is what we did by the Pantheon.

We also found a Steeler bar in Rome... talk about random! La Botticella is a block off of Piazza Navona so we had to stop in. They had Steeler and Pittsburgh garb all over this tiny little bar, and we chatted with the owner before snapping a photo of Jesus with a Steelers helmet and moving on.

The next morning we caught a cab to the Vatican. We arranged an English tour of the Vatican, Sistine Chapel, Museums, the Raphael Rooms and St. Peter's Bascilica directly through the Vatican (here) for 37 Euros a person. Other private tours were as much as 80 euros per person, and we were really happy with ours!

The carbs were already making their way to my face!

Inside St. Peter's Bascilica

Again, the size of everything was just over the top. And the level of detail was just amazing!

Michelangelo's Pieta, which was blocked by glass

Awkward purse placement = Habit of making sure we didn't get pick-pocketed!

We mailed postcards from the Vatican Post Office. They haven't been delivered yet but I think it will be a nice surprise for our parents when they do come!

We walked back from the Vatican, stopping at the Castel Sant'Angelo before having lunch at a small, very authentic restaurant in Campo De' Fiori. (Sorry, don't remember the name of it, but there are tons in that area so I don't think you can go wrong!)

The view from Castel Sant'Angelo... the wall to the right was used to help the Pope escape the Vatican if it was necessary

Campo De' Fiori

See that gorgeous bouquet for only 3 Euros? In my opinion, Italian men have no excuse not to bring home beautiful flowers for their lady.

Next up, Ancient Rome! Here is a sneak peek from our underground tour of the Colosseum!

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Happy St. Patty's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day from Rome!

I hope you all had a great weekend, and maybe some festive drinks or sweets! We've traded in our green beer for Italian wine (and gelato) this year.

I can't wait to share more photos once we get back, but first, we've got a few more cities to explore!

Cheers!

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