Buon Viaggio! Visiting Italy

It's that time of year.

Everyone is starting to plan 

their spring break travels

and begins to dream 
of a summer vacation somewhere fabulous.

I love that we all have this in common.

One of the most common places people want to visit is Italy.

Duh.

It's incredible.

I get a lot of questions asking me logistics 
about traveling to this amazing place...
and I'm flattered to have you associate me
with such an amazing place.

I'm happy to answer specific questions for your planning,

but general "advice" for an entire country or multi-day itinerary

is a little tough for me to field at the moment.

There's just so much to say

and because it's such a loaded question,

 it takes me about an hour to reply to each email.

In efforts to help make my travel posts a bit easier to find

and to prevent you from waiting weeks for a reply

while planning your own trip to Italy,

I thought I'd put them all here

in a central location.

Look at these sexy blogger husbands (liz's corey, my tyler & megan's stephen in florence.)

So if you aren't sure about my opinion on training somewhere

or if you are looking for a particularly special souvenir,

email me and ask!

For the rest of it,

I've put down most everything I know in these links

in efforts to help you out.

Happy Planning!

ROME | FLORENCE | VENICE

CINQUE TERRE | TUSCANY DAY TRIPS | MILAN

Other great places you might be dreaming of are:

LONDON | ENGLISH TOWNS & DAY TRIPS |  EDINBURGH | IRELAND

PARIS | FRANCE DAY TRIPS

*images original to Aspiring Kennedy & Liz Denfeld
**if you saw the original version of this post, sorry. it was written before delivery.

Pack Your Bags: Cinque Terre

Last summer, 

I posted about Cinque Terre

and gave my recommendations for a trip 

to this gorgeous chunk of heaven

that sits dotted along the Italian coast.

This time I just want to hit a few of the highlights

and show you some gorgeous pictures

from the rebuilt town of Vernazza.

You might remember that last year

the Cinque Terre was more or less wiped out

by severe flooding that swept down from the hillsides.

My cousins visited Vernazza in June

and described it as a ghost town 

compared the vibrant place that it used to be.

Mi non piaci.

The idea of going back was a little scary to me...

I wasn't in the mood to see one of my favorite places in deserted shambles.

But we had a free day with Megan & Stephen before our flight

and decided to give it a go.

Besides the 45 minutes of sun-tannings & relaxing that we had on the pier,

I was so glad to go and see that life was, basically, back to normal in the Cinque Terre.

The people of the 5Terre have worked tirelessly

and, to my delight, rebuilt the town.

The same places have come back and are now freshly standing where they once were.

For those that asked if the Cinque Terre is worth visiting after the floods,

I can now say, yes!

I give my blessing for you to go back to Vernazza...

because you were all, obviously, waiting for that, right?

It's alive!

{And ready for some tourists to get it back in business!}

*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy

Italian Prada Outlet: How & Where

While my parents were here,

my mom & I got a bit fixated 

on the notion of finding some good Italian outlets.

We had heard through legend that these buried retail treasures exist, 

but other than this luxury folklore-
 we had no other information.

We googled and we searched...

and we found a few clues.

With only a few random addresses

and our trusty Fiat Panda we had been loaned,

we set off in search of some great deals.

And fortunately-

we got lucky!

So, in case any of you ever find yourself in this same spot-

here is my breadcrumb trail

in hopes of helping you on your retail journey.

The Prada Outlet

This was a result of trying to find a Williams Sonoma outlet.

Apparently, the vague address we found in Montevarchi, Italy

was for only  their buying office

-which though full of very nice people-

didn't have any pretty finds available for purchase.

Luckily, our new friends at the buying office

pointed us down the street in that same small town

to the famous-yet-elusive Prada outlet.

We went.

We loved.

We cried.

{Not really, but it was amazing.}

The Prada outlet shone like a luxury oasis

in the midst of a remote, industrial dessert.

Here's what to expect:

Glossy retail displays and high security.

Prada's last season goods.

Previous merchandise from sister brands like Miu Miu, Jil Sander, Church's

(though Prada & Miu Miu make up 90% of the store)

Prices about 1/2 of retail.

Most handbags are priced around £400/$750

Shoes range from £50/$75 to £300/$500

Clothes range from £30/$50 to £600/$900

So will you be scraping through dirty shelves finding rare steals?

No.

But will you be able to find a great pair of shoes for $100 that would have cost you $400 at Saks?

Yes...


and you will also squeal with delight!

Here's how to get there:

There were taxis waiting for shoppers, 
but I'm assuming that you'll be coming with your own car.

So these are my directions.

Google Montevarchi and start trucking that way.

Drive the most goregous drive ever
through the Tuscan hills.

Google maps will get you the correct address,

but the tricky part is that the store is unnamed.

It used to go by the original name

"i pelleteria di Italia"

but has since changed to

"SPACE."

{I know, this may sound a bit confusing, but it's actually easy.}

Look for the random signs that point you to "SPACE"

and drive all the way back to the end of the alley,

park your car,

and sprint walk through the cement walls around the end of the building.

It's important that you notice the ticket dispenser by the door.

You must have a ticket number in order to purchase anything,

so grab one on your way in.


From that point,
it's all up to you...

*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy

Tuscany Day Trip: Lucca

For all of you dreaming & planning a trip to Italy,

here is the continuation of my favorite day trips from Florence.

This one, though, is my favorite. 

Tyler & I call it "our" town...

which it, obviously, is not,

but whenever we walk it's sleepy streets drenched in sunlight,
 it feels like it was built just for us.

Lucca is about an hour and a half northwest of Florence,

and- in my completely insignificant opinion-
represents all that is wonderful in the world.

Clean, rich, romantic...

this walled-city offers the best in dining,

relaxed days riding bikes along it's ancient walls,

and evenings with Puccini's famous operatic tunes

floating through the windy towns idyllic streets.

(Puccini was born in Lucca and nightly concerts are consistently available.)

If you go to Lucca, please let me know.

I would love to hear how you spent your day in "our" town.

To see:

Lucca's uniquely shaped Anfiteatro.

This oval-shaped piazza now serves as a social base

for restaurants, shops, and prestigiously priced apartments,

but it was once home to the town's small coliseum.

Il duomo di Lucca

Set centrally in the city, the main church in Lucca

shows off the city's unique architecture.

Most days, the piazza is full of daily markets selling clothes, honey, and meats.

To eat:

Trattoria da Giulio

I first found this restaurant through an article in Virtuoso Life,

and since then- it's a guaranteed stop every time we are in Lucca.

Though the restaurant sits near the city walls,

and almost as far away from the tourist zone possible...

once you see the wall of celebrities that have dined there, 

 you'll know you've come to the right spot.

With first and second courses ranging between 5-7 euro, 

you'll be happy to have moved out of the city center

for this local gem that serves Tuscan (and Lucchese) classics like

tortelli Lucchese (a rich tortelli filled with veal, beed, and pork)

salsiccia e fagioli (don't be fooled by it's simple look- this is tasty!)

or mixed antipasti full of polenta, vegetables, and meats.

Shop:

Lucca has great shopping,

but for a local find-

look out for the copper bakeware and pots.

Made in Lucca, these are gorgeously hand-crafted

and reasonably priced around 40 euro each.

 Do:


Rent bikes near the walls of the city
{these should cost you around 3 euro per bike per hour)
and take the path around the city on the walls.


This is a popular route for locals and tourists alike,
as this high walls offer an easy path 
set along the Tuscan hills.

{You're gonna love it there.}

*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy

Tuscany Day Trip: Cinque Terre

Ok... another day trip that isn't technically in Tuscany,

but is easily do-able from there...

so, don't fret about it.

Thanks to Rick Steves, 

this hidden paradise has become a hot spot

for American tourists over the past decade.

While Cinque Terre may be loosing a bit of it's secret charm,

it's definitely not shedding any of its beauty.

We went with friends for the day,

and decided to take it easy.

As the five towns 

("Cinque Terre" = "Five Lands")

are connected through a hiking trail,

you can spend several hours taking the gorgeous walk

along the sparking Mediterranean sea.

However, if you are feeling a bit lazy,

like we were,

you can also take the train. 

It's about $1.50 to take the train between each town,

and takes about 5 minutes to reach the next spot...

which means, it's a great option if you're ready to relax.

While each town has it's unique charms,

my favorites are Manarola & Vernazza.

Manarola wins for it's amazing swimming right off the marina

and Vernazza shines for it's perfect sunsets and idyllic dining.

Liguria (the region that the Cinque Terre is located)

has a few famous dishes that are great companions

for your time in the Cinque Terre:

Foccaccia & Pesto!

My recipe for the perfect day in the "5Terre:"

Hit the beach in Manarola first.

The earlier you get there, the better position you'll have for the day.

Grab a slice of (cheap) pizza from the shops above the natural marina.

One should never lay out on an empty stomach...

heaven forbid your tummy look flat. :)

The theme of Italian beaches is to wear as little as possible...

so be prepared to see a lot of skin.

The Mediterranean sun is very intense, 

don't forget your sunscreen & a hat
or you may end up looking like an Italian meatball...

In case you're in need of good sun protection,

I personally use

Susan Posnick's ColorFlo.

{Brush-on powder, foundation, sweat=proof, &... SPF 26!}

There is a refreshing shower at the marina
 that is nice for washing off salt water stickiness

that you'll be feeling after your (glorious) swim in the sea.

When you've had enough sun for the day,

head to Vernazza via the train

and for the evening.

Many of the small groceries will provide you 

with anything you could dream of having at a seaside picnic

along the town's iconic rocky harbour...


....olives, fresh mozzerella, meats, fresh bread, sun dried tomatotes....

It cost us $15 to get drinks & (a lot) of salty goodies

to enjoy between the four of us.


I just love cheap pleasantries like that.

For the rest of the daylight,

we just lounged and watched the cutest Italian kids swim

by us in the harbour.

It was one of those moments that makes Italy... Italy.

If you're looking for a good dinner,

head to the middle of the main drag in Vernazza

and try Trattoria Da Sandro.

It's a staple spot for us,

and the owners are just so nice.

The local special, fresh anchovies, are pretty amazing...

even for those of us that would typically be a bit squeamish at the thought.

I would definitely recommend hiking at least one of the trails-

after all, it would be a shame to go all that way 
and miss out on the area's scenic views and lush landscapes.

The path between Riomaggiore & Manarolo is the most famous,

and probably the least difficult. :)

Whatever you decide to do while you are there

or which town you decide to spend your time in,

the good news is:

you'll still most likely have the time of your life!

*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy

Tuscany Day Trip: Civita Di Bagnoregio

For anyone looking to experience Tuscany,

and I mean the real Tuscany

(not just downtown Florence),

this weekend I'm happy to share my favorite day trips with you.

Maybe you have been here earlier,

or are planning a trip there soon,

or maybe- it can just serve as inspiration 

for a "someday" trip.

Either way, these are all very obtainable 

-and budget friendly-

day trips you can take from Florence

that seem to provide consistent enjoyment.

Civita Di Bagnoregio is a visual feast.

From it's dramatic position situated in the middle of Tiber river valley

to it's scenic views,

this town is a pleaser for both the men & the ladies.

the tiber river valley. at the edge of bagnoregio, at the start of the crossing to civita

To be honest,

"Civita" is technically not in Tuscany, it's in Lazio...

but as it is easily drivable from Florence,

as well as totally stunning,

 I've added it to our list.

The city was founded by the Etruscans over 2,500 years ago

but like another beloved Italian city...

is literally disappearing gradually over time.

Though unlike Venice's problem of sinking,

Civita loses it's city from landslide and shifts.

Beyond the shrinking city,

The town's population is also shrinking.

In the winter, the town population sits around 12 people.

In the summer, it explodes to almost 100.

To get to Civita,

you'll have to head to Bagnoregio.

You can either drive there

or train to Orvieto and take a bus to Bagnoregio.

Once you arrive in Bagnoregio,

you walk across an amazing bridge into the tiny town.

It is definitely an experience!

There isn't much to do in this small town

other than gawk and eat,

but it's absolutely perfect.

The streets of Civita are quiet & lonely, 

with only a handful of Italian tourist sharing the city with you.

Visiting Civita is ideal for the late morning,

before the day gets too hot 

and to allow you the lunch setting of a lifetime.

The local restaurants are exceptionally good and well-priced,

which is most towns should be expected.

But in Civita is actually quite amazing...

 after you consider that all food & drink has to be carried in 

across the bridge, every single day.

Once you have walked the town, 

had lunch in one of Civita's sleepy piazzas,

head back to Bagnoregio (where you crossed the bridge)

and make your way 30 minutes up the road to Orvieto

to complete the perfect day trip.

*images by Aspiring Kennedy & Rob Garey