October 25, 2020 at 2:00 PM
Topics: why use a travel agent, First Time Tips to Italy, LOVEITALY, Italy Vacation, Italy Travel, luxurytravel
January 24, 2020 at 9:00 AM
Leaving Florence we boarded a private transfer traveling through the scenic Tuscany region, stopping in the town of Orvieto for a wine & light bite pairing. It was great to get out and stretch our legs and break up the ride into two smaller segments. After lunch we rolled on over to Rome.
Upon arrival into Rome we dropped off our luggage and freshened up a bit before we were met by our local guide to explore this great city through a panoramic walking tour hitting most of the highlights. We started at the Spanish steps,
winding through piazzas, to the Roman Pantheon, stopped to throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain (or trying to, I accidentally hit someone-WHOOPS), and ended the evening in Piazza Navona for some people watching. After our stroll we went to a local trattoria for some aperitivos and some really good red wine. After dinner, we went exploring on our own. I took this time to try quite a few different gelato stands HAHA.
Day 2 in Rome, I woke up early to have breakfast (cured meats, bread, and fresh fruit) before embarking on our journey through Ancient Rome. We boarded our private transfer and headed to our first stop-THE COLOSSEUM! It was much .jpg?width=300&name=Snapseed%20(3).jpg)
bigger than I had anticipated. We entered through the lower section to see where the gladiators were held before entering combat. Then proceeded to the upper decks to get a birds eye view of the arena. It was a site to behold and you could also get a panoramic view of the city from atop the Colosseum. We headed out the back to get a glimpse of the Roman Forum and then onto the Circus Maximus where they held in ancient times the hugely popular chariot races. From there we headed down the Appian Way, one of the oldest and most strategic roadways of the ancient republic. Getting a little extra insight into Ancient Rome we left the hustle and bustle of the big city to Castelli Romani, green foothills outside of Rome proper. Here we enjoyed lunch at a family run fraschettina (trattoria-style, informal eatery beloved by the locals) where I devoured the best carbonara I
have ever tasted in my life along with some delicious Frascati wine. After lunch we had a brief walking tour of the Castel Gandolfo- home to the Pope's summer palace! We made our way back into the city in the late afternoon to have the evening at leisure. I squeezed in a few new hotel inspections and found the amazing LIVE Restaurant (city center and right next to the hotel). This was my favorite meal of the entire trip. For my first course I had the black truffle sea-bass carpaccio (OHH MY GOSH AH-MAZING). Second course was a caesar salad with fresh anchovies that I picked off of course LOL. My entree I had grilled salmon with some type of creme sauce that I wish I could spell, but it was delicious with fresh grilled vegetables. To end this meal we ALL ordered different flavors of gelato, and left with a shot of limoncello which is apparently the only way to end a meal in Roma. After this extremely busy day we called it an early night and went back to the hotel for a good night sleep.
The next morning, day 3, we woke up early again for early access into the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican, and St. Peters Basilica. We started with skip the line tickets 
to the Sistine Chapel which was actually way smaller than I expected, but never the less a sight to be seen. It was breathtaking to see all of the intricate work that was put into this artistic phenomena. Next we went up to the top of St. Peter's Basilica to see inside from above. Then we were asked if we wanted to climb to the top of the dome. It was a trek with over 551 steps to reach the top for an unbelievably spectacular view of Vatican City. I am deathly afraid of heights so I was hugging the walls, but it was an absolutely incredible experience. After reaching our viewing pleasure we descended the stairs to go in St. Peter's to see the many immaculate sculptures and Michelangelo's Pieta. Exiting St. Peter's basilica we walked around St. Peter's Square stopping to grab a traditional Roman pizza for another amazing meal. 
That afternoon we did some shopping and tried more gelato-I JUST COULDN'T GET ENOUGH! That evening we toured the Trastevere neighborhood, the Jewish Quarter, coming across a lot of stumbling stones, golden squares on the ground to remember those taken by the Holocaust. Trastevere is a very quaint residential area that has a charm all its own. For dinner, we joined Barbara, a local, in her home to have a one of a kind experience and ate way too much food and drank maybe too much wine-if that's even possible. We toasted to a wonderful time and to have experienced it with such amazing friends. It was the perfect exclamation point to end this wonderful journey. We laughed, we cried, and relived our time in this magical place.
The most important thing is to enjoy your Italy vacation. Be a a
traveler, not a tourist.
Sharpen your photography skills so you can capture "a snapshot in time" to remember the experience and preserve the memories forever as you explore Venice, the city on water. Looking at my photos BRINGS ME BACK and its always such a beautiful memory!
I truly hope you get to go to Venice. If this sounds like the kind of ITALY trip you would enjoy, call me, I would LOVE to help you plan the perfect Trip of a Lifetime! Please tag us when you show off your Venice Travel Adventure @VIPTravelExperience! (P.S. don't get too caught up in the photos that you MISS the moment).
Topics: why use a travel agent, First Time Tips to Italy, LOVEITALY, Italy Vacation, Italy Travel, luxurytravel
January 17, 2020 at 8:45 AM
Last month I was able to experience my mom and business partner's happy place that reignited such a passion for travel in her. The one and only ITALY. Though Italy is such a vast and diverse destination, a piece of my heart will always be left in Venice. This is the first excerpt of a 3 part email series detailing my time in this magical world across the Atlantic. I spent 4 days getting lost in Venice (which is very easy to do) which is another thing that I believe gives this quaint city a charm about itself. The first day I just explored the main sites- Rialto Bridge, St. Marks Basilica, Doges Palace, and the winding canals ending the day with a cichetti crawl with our very own local friend. Cinzia is very passionate about her home and she took us to some of her favorite spots to enjoy lite bites and an Aperol Spritz (venetian favorite). I hope I get to introduce her to you!!
The second day was one of my favorites! We spent the morning wandering the less touristy parts of Venice and were invited into a local's (Lucia) home for an authentic venetian lunch (TONS OF FOOD ). During lunch we were surprised with one of Lucia's friends who is a poet. He asked us each to come up with a wordand he made it into a poem. My word was Love and my poem was "Justin that owns in his eyes, the deep sweetness of a child, a happy & thoughtful child" Italians like to call it a "light" lunch, but it was at least 4 courses. Seared salmon on bread, buffalo mozzarella, 2 types of pasta, and entree was a grilled sea bass (AMAZING). We had the afternoon/evening on our own to explore a bit more. That night we had a private behind the scenes tour of St. Marks Basilica (amazing after all the tourists leave). We walked in and took a seat in complete darkness when all of a sudden the gold inlayed mosaics started to light up with splendor. It was truly a magical experience. After the light show we toured the basilica and the below with a local guide.
The third day we embarked on a traditional venetian boat to explore the Venetians lagoons. We wound through Murano made famous by the glass blowing. Circled around Burano, known for its lace making, which is a photographers dream with its brightly colored building and picturesque canals.
We stopped on the island of Torcello, which was the first of the islands to be inhabited in 452 AD, for lunch. It was another delicious 4 course meal. After lunch we made our way back into the city. On our way back to the hotel we enjoyed a private chocolate tasting with a local chef that makes her own special tiramisu (DELICIOUS). After our calorie intake was met we continued on to a traditional Carnival mask workshop. The master artisan demonstrated 3 different techniques and explained what certain types of masks meant and how it all came to be. It was extremely interesting. After we toured his shop, a few of us left with our very own masks.
On our last day we left the hotel early for a photography tour, stopping at a traditional oar maker's shop, and exploring the Jewish ghetto. Enjoying the wonder of strolling Venice's scenic streets and back canals. Soaking in all that this magical city has to offer and getting one last look before continuing south to Florence to continue our Italian Adventure.
The most important thing is to enjoy your Italy vacation. Be a a traveler, not a tourist.
Sharpen your photography skills so you can capture "a snapshot in time" to remember the experience and preserve the memories forever as you explore Venice, the city on water. Looking at my photos BRINGS ME BACK and its always such a beautiful memory!
I truly hope you get to go to Venice. If this sounds like the kind of ITALY trip you would enjoy, call me, I would LOVE to help you plan the perfect Trip of a Lifetime! Please tag us when you show off your Venice Travel Adventure @VIPTravelExperience! (P.S. don't get too caught up in the photos that you MISS the moment).
Topics: why use a travel agent, First Time Tips to Italy, LOVEITALY, Italy Vacation, Italy Travel, luxurytravel
January 16, 2020 at 11:38 AM
Italy Trip: Part 2
I boarded a morning train ride in First Class Venice to Florence. It was only about 2 and a half hours where they served beverages and snacks. Upon arrival we were picked up by private transfer and checked into our hotel in a perfect city center location.
After dropping off our luggage and freshening up a bit we were brought to
a private cellar lunch with local tuscan delicacies. I had a delicious glass of Tuscan red to start off with the duck confit crostini. The next course was short ribs that was marinated in red wine for 24 hrs- DELICIOUS!
We finished with a pistachio truffle gelato with chocolate. After lunch we joined our local guide
Francesca (AMAZING) for a Private Florentine Artisans tour. We were taken on a behind-the-scenes tour observing local artisans of the leather school, met a goldsmith in a Florentine mosaic workshop, and ended the tour in a jeweler's workshop. We wrapped up the night at a trattoria near our hotel for MORE WINE and lite bites.
My second day in Florence I woke up before dawn for a 15 minute trek to
the Piazzale Michelangelo crossing the famed Ponte Vecchio Bridge to see the AMAZING sunrise over the city. A magical view-DEFINITELY recommended for early risers. After breakfast, we met Francesca again in the hotel lobby and went to visit the Accademia Gallery to see the Statue of David. WOW, he was much bigger than I expected. We were amazed at St. Johns Baptistry doors and went inside to get a closer look of the bible stories on the ceiling mosaics. After visiting the Baptistry we visited the Duomo to see the inside of this magnificent structure, and had the opportunity to climb to the top of the dome for a panoramic view of the city.
I lunched at this amazing little pizza joint right near the hotel, the margherita pizza was so good that I ate the whole thing by myself . I spent the rest of the afternoon just walking around this beautiful renaissance city exploring on my own. Later that evening we attended a cooking class in a locals house where we learned how to prepare gnocchi and were introduced to their typical ingredients & spices used on a daily basis. AMAZING EXPERIENCE- but I am a very picky eater and I don't like potatoes so I didn't eat much.
Waking up my last morning in Florence I had breakfast in the hotel before checking out and meeting our private driver in the lobby. We stopped in the small town of Orvieto at a beautiful vineyard and bed & breakfast, Locanda Palazzone, for a tour of the vineyard and wine tasting paired with lite bites. We sampled 2 whites and 3 reds along with a bean stew, fish, and duck confit crostini. All of the wines were delicious and I brought back 6 bottles (2 whites & 4 reds). We walked around the vineyard enjoying the views and we were on the road again rolling on to Rome!
Topics: why use a travel agent, First Time Tips to Italy, LOVEITALY, Italy Vacation, Italy Travel, luxurytravel
August 20, 2019 at 2:42 PM
I will NEVER forget the MAGICAL moment stepping into the water taxi and
watching the city come to life. Typically you will arrive in the morning and as your water taxi motors you to your hotel, you watch in amazement . . . supplies arriving from the mainland and just the idea that there are NO CARS. It is fabulous . . . the Grand Canal, the quiet hidden canals, narrow bridges!! Travel CAN change your life and it sure did that for me!
Relax, breathe, slow breathing now, you're in the greatest travel destination I can think of!! It's Italy and its slow and easy here. Don't expect FAST service, enjoy the slow eats and slow living. It's part of the Venice charm!! Don't attempt to see all the sights I include on your itinerary . . . This is just plan B, C, & D depending on area you are in. Don't miss the Bellini or Proseco!
gold mosaic St. Mark's Basilica with marble inlays (this time I happened upon the Basilica right in time for mass-it was so beautiful). Soak up all of the history, guides will take you a step back in time to the city's glorious past!! As you walk along the corridors of Doge's Palace, your guide will share fascinating history of the Republic of Venice. Truly, don't skip the guide for St. Mark's Basilica and Doge's Palace. Oh and Cross the Bridge of Sighs and imagine for a moment the sadness of the prisoners taking their last look at beautiful Venice. Ask about the most famous prisoner.
Private, serenade Gondola Ride (most people think they all include serenade, not so). Definitely a highlight for me, the sweetest and most passionate serenade you can imagine--feels like you are the only people in Italy.
The most important thing is to enjoy your Italy vacation. Be a traveler, not a tourist. Sharpen your photography skills so you can capture "a snapshot in time" to remember the experience and preserve the memories forever as you explore Venice, the city on water. Looking at my photos BRINGS ME BACK and its always such a beautiful memory! Justin Murphy shares some cool photo tips in this previous blog article.
I truly hope you get to go to Venice, call me, I would LOVE to help you plan the perfect Trip of a Lifetime! Please tag us when you show off your Venice Travel Adventure @VIPTravelExperience! (P.S. don't get too caught up in the photos that you MISS the moment)
Topics: #girlstrip, #bestvacation, #viptravelexperience, travel planner, planning the right trip, travel concierge, travel consultant, #passportpassion, why use a travel agent, Best Vacation Value, group travel, Italy Vacation, Italy Travel, Italy Photographer, Italy Travel Tips, Anniversary Travel, Honeymoon
August 7, 2017 at 5:45 PM
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Topics: #girlstrip, #bestvacation, #viptravelexperience, travel planner, planning the right trip, #passportpassion, why use a travel agent, Best Vacation Value, Italy Vacation, Italy Travel, Italy Travel Tips, Anniversary Travel, Honeymoon
August 1, 2017 at 7:30 AM
I will NEVER forget the MAGICAL moment stepping into the water taxi and watching the city come to life. Typically you will arrive in the morning and as your water taxi motors you to your hotel, you watch in amazement . . . supplies arriving from the mainland and just the idea that there are NO CARS. It is fabulous . . . the Grand Canal, the quiet hidden canals, narrow bridges!! Travel CAN change your life and it sure did that for me!
Relax, breathe, slow breathing now, you're in the greatest travel destination I can think of!! It's Italy and its slow and easy here. Don't expect FAST service, enjoy the slow eats and slow living. It's part of the Venice charm!! Don't attempt to see all the sights I include on your itinerary . . . This is just plan B, C, & D depending on area you are in. Don't miss the Bellini or Proseco!
gold mosaic St. Mark's Basilica with marble inlays (this time I happened upon the Basilica right in time for mass-it was so beautiful). Soak up all of the history, guides will take you a step back in time to the city's glorious past!! As you walk along the corridors of Doge's Palace, your guide will share fascinating history of the Republic of Venice. Truly, don't skip the guide for St. Mark's Basilica and Doge's Palace. Oh and Cross the Bridge of Sighs and imagine for a moment the sadness of the prisoners taking their last look at beautiful Venice. Ask about the most famous prisoner.Private, serenade Gondola Ride (most people think they all include serenade, not so). Definitely a highlight for me, the sweetest and most passionate serenade you can imagine--feels like you are the only people in Italy.The most important thing is to enjoy your Italy vacation. Be a traveler, not a tourist. Sharpen your photography skills so you can capture "a snapshot in time" to remember the experience and preserve the memories forever as you explore Venice, the city on water. Looking at my photos BRINGS ME BACK and its always such a beautiful memory! Justin Murphy shares some cool photo tips in this previous blog article.
I truly hope you get to go to Venice, call me, I would LOVE to help you plan the perfect Trip of a Lifetime! Please tag us when you show off your Venice Travel Adventure @VIPTravelExperience! (P.S. don't get too caught up in the photos that you MISS the moment)
Topics: #girlstrip, #bestvacation, #viptravelexperience, travel planner, planning the right trip, travel concierge, travel consultant, #passportpassion, why use a travel agent, Best Vacation Value, group travel, Italy Vacation, Italy Travel, Italy Photographer, Italy Travel Tips, Anniversary Travel, Honeymoon
July 27, 2017 at 8:30 AM
So I think what most of us, travellers, stress and dread the most about our vacation is the packing, or at least for me it is. Trying to figure out how many bags to brings, how many outfits, pairs of shoes, jackets, etc. Well I'll give you one tip to right off the back: GET ORGANIZED BEFORE YOU PACK! This usually includes making a check list of everything you will need.
Here is a link for an example of a packing checklist: Packing List
Narrow it Down. Gather all of your clothes that you need to bring, want to bring, and think you mightneed. Now cut your choices in half, and then separate what you'll definitely need from things you want to bring. Now put together different outfits and lay them out on your bed, spare bedroom, or couch, etc. Now time for the tough part, you need to make choices. Choose which outfit goes with each day. A plan saves you time later so you dont have to decide each day what you want to wear. Contrary to what you might think you don't need 3 outfits for 1 day. Now that you've narrowed down all your outfits take what you didn't choose as an outfit and put that back in your closet. (Travel Tip: Pack clothing that be used for multiple things, ex. yoga pants can double as pajama pants or a sarong can double as a swimsuit coverup, or scarf)
Topics: #girlstrip, #bestvacation, #viptravelexperience, travel planner, planning the right trip, different travel styles, travel concierge, travel consultant, #passportpassion, why use a travel agent, Best Vacation Value, group travel, Italy Vacation, Italy Travel, Italy Photographer, Italy Travel Tips, Anniversary Travel, Honeymoon
July 25, 2017 at 8:00 AM
I will NEVER forget the MAGICAL moment stepping into the water taxi and watching the city come to life. Typically you will arrive in the morning and as your water taxi motors you to your hotel, you watch in amazement . . . supplies arriving from the mainland and just the idea that there are NO CARS. It is fabulous . . . the Grand Canal, the quiet hidden canals, narrow bridges!! Travel CAN change your life and it sure did that for me!
Relax, breathe, slow breathing now, you're in the greatest travel destination I can think of!! It's Italy and its slow and easy here. Don't expect FAST service, enjoy the slow eats and slow living. It's part of the Venice charm!! Don't attempt to see all the sights I include on your itinerary . . . This is just plan B, C, & D depending on area you are in. Don't miss the Bellini or Proseco!
gold mosaic St. Mark's Basilica with marble inlays (this time I happened upon the Basilica right in time for mass-it was so beautiful). Soak up all of the history, guides will take you a step back in time to the city's glorious past!! As you walk along the corridors of Doge's Palace, your guide will share fascinating history of the Republic of Venice. Truly, don't skip the guide for St. Mark's Basilica and Doge's Palace. Oh and Cross the Bridge of Sighs and imagine for a moment the sadness of the prisoners taking their last look at beautiful Venice. Ask about the most famous prisoner.Private, serenade Gondola Ride (most people think they all include serenade, not so). Definitely a highlight for me, the sweetest and most passionate serenade you can imagine--feels like you are the only people in Italy.The most important thing is to enjoy your Italy vacation. Be a traveler, not a tourist. Sharpen your photography skills so you can capture "a snapshot in time" to remember the experience and preserve the memories forever as you explore Venice, the city on water. Looking at my photos BRINGS ME BACK and its always such a beautiful memory! Justin Murphy shares some cool photo tips in this previous blog article.
I truly hope you get to go to Venice, call me, I would LOVE to help you plan the perfect Trip of a Lifetime! Please tag us when you show off your Venice Travel Adventure @VIPTravelExperience! (P.S. don't get too caught up in the photos that you MISS the moment)
Topics: #girlstrip, #bestvacation, #viptravelexperience, travel planner, planning the right trip, travel concierge, travel consultant, #passportpassion, why use a travel agent, Best Vacation Value, group travel, Italy Vacation, Italy Travel, Italy Photographer, Italy Travel Tips, Anniversary Travel, Honeymoon
