From Ancient Ruins to Coastal Hikes
Rome
We began our Italian adventure with two nights in Rome, staying at the charming Hotel Abruzzi directly across from the Pantheon. The location could not have been better for exploring the city on foot, although the lively neighbourhood made for some noisy nights.
We spent our days wandering endlessly through Rome’s historic streets, with highlights including the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the ever-busy Trevi Fountain. Our first dinner was at Armando al Pantheon, and it absolutely lived up to the hype.
Jet lag caught up with us the next day, so our planned early start quickly disappeared. Instead, we toured the Vatican Museums in the afternoon. While the experience was unforgettable, the crowds were intense, and if we were to do it again, we would definitely choose an early morning tour instead.
That evening we treated ourselves to the chef’s tasting experience at Marzapane. Every course was incredible and it ended up being one of our favourite meals of the trip.
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Puglia
Puglia completely stole our hearts. Compared to other parts of Italy, it felt far more authentic and untouched by mass tourism. We encountered very few North American visitors, and English was not widely spoken, which only added to the feeling that we were truly immersed in Italian culture.
We took the train from Rome to Bari and picked up a rental car. We were incredibly thankful for the advice we received to rent a small vehicle because parking throughout Italy can be unbelievably tight. Another important thing to know: most rental cars are manual transmission.
Our first stop was Polignano a Mare, a stunning seaside town perched dramatically on limestone cliffs above the Adriatic Sea. The views were breathtaking, and the town itself felt postcard-perfect.
We stayed in one of our all-time favourite Airbnbs, a beautifully restored apartment inside an old monastery with a rooftop hot tub overlooking the ocean. Our host, Vittoria, welcomed us personally and quickly became one of the highlights of our trip. She, her husband, and her mother hosted a private cooking class for us at the apartment where we learned to make fresh orecchiette pasta and stuffed eggplant. It was one of those travel experiences that felt incredibly special and personal.
Having a rental car in Puglia felt essential because there were so many beautiful towns to explore. We especially loved Monopoli, wandering through its maze of medieval streets and waterfront alleys.
One of Vittoria’s recommendations was the Torre Guaceto Nature Reserve, and it ended up being one of our favourite beach days of the trip. We spent hours hiking along the coastline before relaxing on the gorgeous beach.
Another highlight was taking a boat tour along the cliffs of Polignano a Mare. We explored sea caves, learned about the town’s history, and had the chance to swim directly off the boat. Out of ten guests, Dan and I were the only ones brave enough to jump into the cold water. Everyone else thought we were completely crazy, but we never pass up an adventure.
We also visited Alberobello, famous for its iconic trulli — whitewashed stone huts topped with conical roofs that have earned the town UNESCO World Heritage status. We booked a private guided tour with Valeria, which added so much depth and history to the experience.
On our drive north toward Pompeii, we stopped in Matera, and it became one of the most memorable places we visited in all of Italy. Famous for its ancient cave dwellings known as the Sassi, Matera is one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the world.
While exploring, we wandered down a small path and unexpectedly discovered an old monastery. An elderly man was offering tours in Italian, and despite the language barrier, we joined. We are so glad we did. He explained that his family’s roots in the monastery stretched back hundreds of years, and the passion he had for sharing its history made the experience unforgettable. Matera is built into the hillside, so by the end of the day our legs definitely felt all the stairs.
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Pompeii & Naples
From Matera we continued on to Pompeii. To be honest, our first impression of the town itself was disappointing. It felt overly touristy and lacked the charm we had found elsewhere in Italy.
Thankfully, our guided tour of the Pompeii Archaeological Park the following day completely changed our perspective. The ruins were extraordinary and absolutely worth visiting. If we were to do it again, though, we would visit Pompeii as a day trip rather than stay overnight.
We then drove to Naples to visit the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. Finding parking in Naples was an adventure in itself, but the museum was fantastic and well worth the stress.
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Capri & the Amalfi Coast
After returning our rental car, we boarded a ferry to Capri. Capri was every bit as beautiful as we had imagined. We stayed near the town square and spent much of our time hiking the island’s scenic trails on our own, which we highly recommend.
Unfortunately, our planned boat tour around the island was cancelled due to bad weather, but Capri still ended up being one of our favourite stops.
From Capri, we had planned to ferry directly to Positano on the Amalfi Coast. However, rough weather closed Positano’s port, so we had to reroute through Sorrento and share a van with another stranded family. The drive along the Amalfi Coast was both spectacular and slightly terrifying, and it confirmed we had made the right decision not to rent a car there.
Positano itself is stunning but incredibly steep. Our Airbnb was down near the beach, which meant hauling luggage through winding pedestrian pathways and endless stairs.
Our favourite activity in Positano was hiking. The famous Path of the Gods absolutely lived up to expectations. We arranged transportation to Bomerano and hiked all the way back to Positano through breathtaking coastal scenery.
Another day, we attempted a mountain hike above Positano using an AllTrails route. Naturally, we got lost, but after meeting another couple with a paper map, we managed to turn it into a five-hour loop hike. The scenery was spectacular, although by the end we had completely run out of food and water and were more than ready to collapse back in town.
We also spent a day visiting Amalfi by bus and ferry. While the cathedral was beautiful, we personally found Amalfi less charming than Positano.
One of the highlights of our stay was a private cooking class at Casa Mele where we made stuffed zucchini flowers, homemade pasta, and a flourless chocolate torte.
On our final full day, we rented a small boat from the Positano pier and spent the day exploring the Amalfi Coast from the water and swimming in the Mediterranean Sea. It was the perfect way to end our trip.
To avoid dealing with buses and train connections, we hired a driver back to Naples and then took the train to Leonardo da Vinci International Airport, where we spent our last night before flying home.
While we enjoyed the beauty of the Amalfi Coast, we ultimately found ourselves drawn much more to the slower pace and authenticity of Puglia.
Chasing Epic Adventures 