How do you explain to your kids, who won’t let you take a trip to the bathroom alone that you’re taking an 8 day trip to Italy with just their dad?! Jon and I were married in 2012. Our 10 year anniversary trip didn’t happen because, well life was life-ing. Jon pushed hard for this trip and I’m so grateful he did. Planning the trip was very exciting but as the trip got closer I grew increasingly nervous and anxious about leaving the kids.. The night before I truly wasn’t sure I was getting on the plane.
But, like I tell my kids, sometimes the things that scare you the most turn out to be the most fun. That’s what this trip was and so much more. Jon was right, this was an investment in our family because it was an investment in us as a couple. I received a lot of DMs with questions about our trip so I figured the best way to summarize this information was here.
Jon and I have always traveled together. It was something we did early on in our relationship. With Jon living abroad for a few years, flying to Europe became a thread in our relationship. Since he was in Germany, getting to other countries in the EU was relatively easy for us. So, when this trip started to come together, Jon wanted to head back to Paris. Not that we had much more time there this go around than the first time (in 2009? we spent about 36 hrs there). But it was the first time that we revisited a city for the second time. Jon loves Paris. Since the goal was to get to Sicily and direct flights are long and not necessarily easy to come by, we decided to make our own layover in Paris. However, due to our timing, the city was under major construction since they are hosting the Olympics m. I am very grateful that we got to see so much of the city the first time around since much of what people hope to see in Paris was inaccessible this time. So, travel tip - check the Olympic schedule and don’t go. It was hard to see the city tucked behind so much construction and scaffolding. Luckily for me the shopping district was untouched by construction. Something we missed the first time was climbing to the top of the Arc De Triompfe. I highly recommend doing this as the views of Paris and the Eiffel Tower are bar none - beware it’s a ton of stairs. Not stroller friendly at all. I did notice an elevator so it’s possible you could utilize that if you’re traveling with a stroller.
We stayed at Hotel Pont Royal Paris, that offered a balcony and distant view of the Eiffel Tower. It was wonderful but being in the heart of Paris comes with expensive but small rooms. They were so very welcoming with flowers and champagne for our anniversary. They also were wonderful with transportation to and from the airport since our flights were early both coming and going to maximize the time we were at each destination. The biggest win, was the restaurant adjacent to the hotel; Atelier Robuchon is a Michelin star restaurant that offered a unique dining experience with probably the most unique and delicious meal of the trip. 10/10 would recommend and will return given the opportunity.
After one night in Paris we left very early for Sicily. This is a short flight (just over 2 hrs) on a small inexpensive airline. We flew Easy Jet but once you’re in the EU there are so many small airlines to choose from. Once we landed in Sicily we rented a car.
Sicily is large. In terms of physical size it’s only about the size of New Hampshire but there isn’t a direct route anywhere. Most of the major towns are along the coast and there aren’t any major highways that cut through the center. So, just note you will be driving quite a distance from place to place. We embraced this and rented a convertible so we could see the landscape as we traveled.
Our first stop was San Vito Lo Campo. It’s not one of the most advertised places. In fact it was mostly locals or Italian residents on holiday. For Jon and I we seek out these experiences. The beach was spectacular and after long days of traveling the 2 days of rest were welcomed. Upon checking into our first hotel we realized that where the hotel located wasn’t ideal so we made a game time decision and switched. This was a huge trip save. The Hotel San Vito Lo Capo was located right on the beach with a walk out balcony overlooking the water. The service was top notch offering free breakfast and private cabanas you could rent. 10/10 would recommend staying here. We also didn’t have a bad meal. In most places in Italy, my experience is the busier the area with tourists the worse the food is. This is not true in San Vito Lo Capo. We didn’t have a bad meal. Most people spoke English but I truly enjoyed that most conversations began in Italian.
Restaurants we ate at:
Allantica Osteria
Dal Cozzaro
After two days in San Vito Lo Capo where we did much eating and relaxing we were ready to move and explore. We jumped in the car and started a very long travel day. The plan was to pass Palermo and head to Cefalu. We did not have a hotel room here as we were planning to just stop, eat, briefly explore and continue on our way. From San Vito Lo Capo to Cefalu it’s about a 2 1/2 drive along the winding coast. When we got to Cefalu it was very crowded. The beach is narrow and full of so many different beach clubs. They really used every inch of space with chairs and umbrellas. The beach is different - reminded me of a Jersey shore weekend with locals and families there for the day. The sand and water were not as pretty as San Vito Lo Capo but the city had more history and was beautiful to walk through some parts. We walked far outside the beach restaurants since - the more touristy the area the worse the food is.
We made our way to the restaurant Triscele off the beaten path. My “quick check” on food quality is how many people speaking Italian are sitting there. For us - if everyone around you is speaking English it probably won’t be your best meal. After a quick lunch we headed back to the car to continue for another 2 1/2 hrs to Taormina. It was a long long travel day. After seeing Cefalu I don’t think I would have wanted to stay much longer than we did.
Upon arriving in Taormina we quickly understood the allure. It’s like out of a dream. Quintessential Italian romantic movie town. We booked the hotel Una Hotels Taormina and the location was sensational. It sat on a cliff overlooking Mt. Etna on one side and Isola Bella on the other. It’s not located in the city center. But the hotel offers a free shuttle service. They also partner with a reputable cab company.
This is probably an unpopular opinion but Taormina is highly commercialized and because of that I found it a bit disappointing. It’s catered to the tourists that visit and a bad meal is possible. My rule very much applies here. The scenery is spectacular, breathtaking and a once in a lifetime view. But after gaining much celebrity popularity and White Lotus fame, the city has capitalized on that and now it’s crawling with tourists. In my opinion it has lost its authenticity that probably once was. High season doesn’t start until June 20th but you wouldn’t have known that based on the crowds.
We booked a boat tour which I highly recommend. We got to see a different view of the city, get some history and see Taormina from a different perspective away from the crowds and tourists. From the boat I understood the allure and beauty of the city.
Where we ate that was good:
Pizzichella
We got a reservation inside the Grand Timeo Hotel but ended up bailing on it. We ate aperitifs and gelato for dinner instead because we are adults and we can sometimes have ice cream for dinner.
After the 2 days we made our way back to Palermo. Not a short double back as it took us 3hrs by car. We opted for a different route hoping to see more landscape, which we did.
Being the major city center on Sicily we felt like we had to see it. Spoiler alert - if we had a redo we would have stayed an extra night in Taormina or moved to Catania and then flown out of there. But since our flight to Rome was out of Palermo we had no choice but to double back. Palermo unfortunately was a miss. It’s a city stuck in the past, dated and very poorly maintained. You have to watch yourself and belongings. As a seasoned traveler I’m aware of the games that are played and even so I had a bracelet swiped from my wrist. We did walk and see some of the sights but in my opinion the few beautiful pieces of history don’t outweigh the condition of the city. The one highlight was Jon was meeting a friend and we ate at a spectacular local spot called Osteria Ballaro. It was tucked away, a hidden gem, down a small street. Clearly a local spot. Grand Hotel et Des Palmes was stunning in Palermo. Also, immensely accommodating and welcoming. This was a bright spot in our short time in the city.
Back up for an early morning flight we left for Rome the next day. Direct flights from Sicily to NYC are really hard to come by and they are expensive so we cut Sicily short by a day and headed to Rome so we could fly from there. Sicily to Rome is at most an hour and ten minutes flight. We were in Rome before 10am giving us the full day to explore. Side story - I lived in Rome in college for a short stint over a summer semester. It was so great to be back in such a beautiful city but this time with Jon. I was so excited to experience it with him. Well, much like Paris the first and second time Jon was on a power tour with me leading the way. Since Rome is as big as NYC in terms of physical size with probably 1000x more history we were well aware that we wouldn’t hit everything. But I’m pretty darn proud that Jon got to see the “must sees” of the city.
Trevi fountain
Pantheon
Spanish steps
A full tour of Vatican City, Sistine Chapel, St Peter’s square and St Peter’s Basilica (please google appropriate attire for this visit as they are very strict knees and shoulders must be covered or get stuck buying a scarf from the street peddlers)
The coliseum
The Roman forum (from a distance - I would have liked to take Jon back at night when it was lit)
The shopping district (duh!)
For the second time in my life I got to celebrate a birthday in Rome. It is not lost on me how special that is. Since it was our last night and my birthday we asked the hotel for a dressier restaurant recommendation from the hotel we were staying at (Hotel Barocco - very expensive clean but so so so tiny - we would look to stay somewhere else next go around given the opportunity). Rome is 100% a place where you can get a really crappy meal. If it’s near a major tourist attraction you want to avoid. This also goes for gelato. I am a gelato snob and I’m ok with it. The color of the gelato is important (if lemon is yellow you want to avoid that place. It should be white. Same with banana or mint. If they are neon colored, find another place), the container they serve it out of is important, and if the mounds of gelato are very high it’s full of air and other junk which you want to avoid. They recommended the hotel restaurant across the Piazza Barberini, Ill Vizio. Upon arriving I was a bit confused why one hotel would send us to another for food but then I got it. It was a roof top restaurant and the views were unreal. We could see every major site from our seat. We had fun naming the rooftops and sites we saw earlier in the day. We watched the sunset on the day and our trip in the most magical way possible. Full warning - it’s cold up there. Jon ran back to get me a sweater and we requested a heater which was necessary. They were also handing out blankets; so dress accordingly. The food - was chefs kiss - not a traditional Roman restaurant but only in Italy can you get phenomenal pasta and sushi at the same place.
Up and at ‘em early again to catch our flight home to our babies. It will be a long time before we do a trip of this magnitude again and an even longer time before I leave our kids for so long. But as our 10+2 trip was one for the books. If I’m not completely exhausted at the end of a European vacation then I didn’t do it right!
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