I have been to Italy twice so far – once to Rome in 2016 and once to Florence with a day trip to Pisa in 2019. Both cities were incredible – I had a thoroughly good time at both, and would return to either in a heartbeat. Both trips were in the summertime, when the Italian heat was at its strongest, but this was mostly manageable (bar a couple of days in Florence where the temperature hit 40 degrees c, which was a bit of a struggle!)

Rome

I found that in Rome, there is something to marvel at around every corner. The city is a real mish mash of old and new – you could pass a modern branded clothes store one minute, and the next minute encounter an ancient fountain or temple. I love the way that this mix all comes together to form a truly unique cityscape, and one that is a joy to explore at your own pace.

Here are some of the places I visited in Rome:

• The Pantheon
• Trevi Fountain
• Vatican City
• The Colosseum

Vatican City was probably my favourite, as I got to see the Pope give a short speech from his balcony in St. Peter’s Square, as well as explore St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums (home of the Sistine Chapel).

The Colosseum was a strange one. The structure itself is astounding, and a real testament to human craft and ingenuity. The atmosphere on the other hand, felt a bit “off”. I don’t know if there is such a thing as lingering emotions or intense atmospheres, but I did not feel quite “right” during my time there – somewhat uneasy and generally uncomfortable. It could just be down to knowing what happened there, and nothing mysterious at all, but either way this led to me staying for only half an hour or so. This was enough time to have a walk around the place and try not to imagine the extensive bloodshed that took place there!

The food in Rome, as in Florence, was top notch. Being a fan of Italian food anyway, this was foody heaven for me, with much pasta and pizza being consumed on both of my journeys. The smooth, creamy gelato was also delectable, alongside acting as welcome refreshment in the heat. Rome was where I first discovered the Italian chocolate and gelato chain “Venchi” (I believe we now also have these in the UK), which did very well out of me on both my trips to Italy!

Florence

The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore was the first landmark that really stood out to me in Florence, just as I stepped out of the taxi from the airport. A monumental, imposing structure, its dome being one of, if not the, largest brick dome in the world. This is also a cathedral which unfortunately I didn’t get the chance to visit inside (due to the large queues in full sun and 34 degrees c heat!), but could admire its exterior to my heart’s content. The cathedral was undergoing renovation works during my stay in Florence, however as you can see from the photo below, it still looks almost as majestic covered in scaffolding!

There also happened to be a religious festival taking place whilst I was in Florence, which was quite the sight! There was a procession through the main streets, ending in a gathering at the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, at which another procession of the clergy took place from the baptistry into the main doors of the cathedral (I believe it is a relatively rare event for the main cathedral doors to be opened like this).

The religious festival culminates with a game of “Calcio Storico Fiorentino” – an ultra violent yet thrilling game of medieval football, which constitutes part football, part wrestling, and part outright combat. I could not attend this in person, since tickets are usually reserved for the locals only. This is fair enough, in my opinion, so I decided to watch it on the TV at my hotel instead. I noticed at one point that a couple of the players were having a punch-up in the corner of the sand pit pitch, uninterrupted, whilst the other players were either writhing around in pain in the sand or (a few) actually attempting to score a goal! It was carnage and rather bloody, but as it is all between consenting participants – highly entertaining!

There are many different museums in Florence, of which I visited the Uffizi Gallery and Accademia Gallery. I am not the biggest fan of art galleries in all honesty, however, as they say, “when in Rome” (or Florence?!)… I would say that I preferred the Uffizi gallery, as the collection felt more comprehensive, however I am not sure that I would pay a second visit to either gallery. This is just because I feel as though I have already seen everything that I wanted to see in both, and I would choose to visit a new gallery or museum the next time I find myself in Florence, for a fresh experience.

Pisa

I took a daytrip to Pisa during my time in Florence, which constituted a pleasant return train journey and a leisurely meander around the Leaning Tower and the baptistry. The day was sunny and scorching hot, so I did not stay long, since the majority of the area around the Leaning Tower is outside, with only a few small shops and cafés dotted around the edge. I would say that it is worth a visit come rain or shine – I actually found the baptistry and cathedral just as impressive, if not more impressive, than the Leaning Tower itself, so I would suggest a visit for more than just the famous tower. I would plan for a half day trip, as the train journey from Florence takes around an hour (give or take, depending on which train you take) each way, and if you wanted to see more than just the tower area, by venturing into the city for example, you would need to factor this in too.

In summary

And this briefly sums up my trips to Italy! Two thoroughly enjoyable holidays, topped off by gorgeous weather, friendly people, and delectable food. Could one possibly ask for more? I would also love to see Sardinia, Milan and Venice in the future, so if anyone has been to any of these destinations, please get in touch and let me know your own thoughts and experiences of these!