I’ve finally made it to Italy!! It has been such a whirlwind but I’ve been keeping track of each day. So far we’ve been able to explore the South of Italy. Starting with…
August 25th, 2018
We woke up and landed in Rome this morning, and prepared ourselves for a long and hard day of traveling. It is definitely a culture shock to be walking around and hearing so many different languages and not any of them being English. Honestly, both of us were very nervous. We knew that after landing in Rome we would need to find the train in the airport that would take us to Roma Termini. From there, we would get on a train to Napoli Centrale and then transfer to the Circumvesuviana train to Portici. This sounds like alot, and it was, but the hardest part of it all was that we still had all of our luggage. It was a nightmare transporting everything around with us, but we don’t check into our apartments in Rome until the 29th, so we didn’t really have another option. Once we arrived in Portici we met our Airbnb Hosts who are very sweet. The apartment is amazing, and has a huge rooftop with views of Mount Vesuvius on one side, and the Terrhyan Sea on the other. We got dinner along the water, and I think we were ridiculously overcharged. Overall we are exhausted, homesick, and completely amazed that we are actually in Italy right now.
Aug 26th 2018
Today we explored Sorrento. From our airbnb in Portici, we took the Circumvesuviana Train straight there and it was only 3 Euros. The area was beautiful and we explored the markets for hours. Most of my time in the markets was spent drooling over Italian Leather goods. I found handmade leather bags for only 20 Euros. I didn’t buy anything today, but tomorrow we will be passing through the area again so we might go back to pick something up.
When we got tired of walking we found a spot along the ocean to relax. It was so beautiful. The architecture is so different than anything I’ve seen before. It’s hard to describe, but buildings here feel more authentic and more original than buildings do in America. At the end of the day, our phones said we walked 7 miles and went up 22 flights of stairs. Ouch.
Aug 27th 2018
Today did not go as planned, but turned out amazing all the same. My brain is still adjusting to the time change, which means that I get to wake up and watch the sunrise every morning. I can’t say that I mind when I get such amazing views of Mount Vesuvius.
After breakfast with our hosts, we prepared for the day. Our plan was to take the train to Sorrento, and then a bus from there to the Amalfi and Positano coasts. We had already taken this train before and were much more confident this time. Unfortunately, that confidence was not well deserved as we hopped on the wrong train and ended up having to switch, go back the way we came, and then get on the right train to Sorrento. So even though we left an hour earlier than advised for the tour, we ended up thirty minutes late instead. Thankfully, the tour company took pity on us and let us reschedule for tomorrow. We were not at all disappointed that this meant another day exploring Sorrento. There are so many sights to see, and I bought that leather purse I was drooling over the day before (pictured below).
As far as adjusting to life in Italy, I’ve found that many Spanish words mean the same in Italian. While I’m not exactly fluent in Spanish, it definitely helps me understand my host and helps me get around well enough. It also helps that the Google Translate App lets you download whole languages, so that you can translate even when you don’t have service. This feature is also available on Google Maps, so you can download entire maps of a city to be used when you don’t have service.
Another interesting difference from America is that the water here is drinkable from the taps. While I’m not exactly proud of it, I am definitely a water snob. Most water in America tastes very bad to me, unless its filtered well or comes from a bottle. In Portici, the water from the tap doesn’t bother me too much which I think is very interesting.
August 28th, 2018
Today we went to Positano and Amalfi. We woke up early and caught the Circumvesuviana to Sorrento. Thankfully, this time we got on the right train and had no issues. We walked through Sorrento a bit more in the morning, enjoying the peace and quiet before all the stores opened to the regular hustle and bustle.
Later we caught a bus to Positano where we got to explore even more. The city is called the “vertical city” because it is on the side of a mountain/cliff and has stairs all over. It was amazing to get lost and then found again throughout the different alleys. Around every turn was something new, and it was incredible to be so delightfully surprised. After finding some of Positano’s well known custom sandals, and a new dress, I was set to relax in the ocean air. We walked down the city to the beach and stood in the beautiful clear water. This city had been on my bucket list for so long, and just one day there could never be enough. I hope one day to come back and spend more time relaxing in the area.
After the boat, we walked through the city to find a place to eat. I got bruschetta (something I’ve found to be my favorite) and John got a margherita pizza, of course both were delicious. Compared to Positano, Amalfi is a flat city. This doesn’t mean that it was without surprises however. While walking through the small alleys we rounded a corner and found ourselves humbled by this amazingly large church. The piazza (square) that it was located in was lively, and featured a large fountain that everyone was coming up to to drink, wash their hands, or face. The water was cool and fresh- and less expensive than buying from a restaurant 😉
My first few days in Italia have been nothing short of amazing. I am so grateful to be able to experience this culture and the beauty of the South of Italy. I was so scared to leave home, but slowly (very slowly) I find myself adjusting to the time change, the language barrier, and the culture. It helps that there is simply no time to worry myself here. Next stop: Roma!
