Everywhere we went in Italy, part 1
All the Google Maps links for Venice, Bologna, and Florence.
Italy is a country that I’ll probably never get tired of visiting. Each region is so different, and yet the food is universally excellent, the people are warm and welcoming, and there’s never a lack of things to see and do. I hadn’t planned on going to Italy two years in a row, but two dear friends independently decided to go there for their respective 50th birthday celebrations, so of course I was in. Last year we went to Rome, the Amalfi Coast, and Puglia; this year, Sean and I decided to spend a week in northern Italy first, followed by a week with friends in southern Puglia. Since it’s still early in the summer vacation season, hopefully my recommendations will come in handy for your upcoming travels. Here’s everywhere we went in northern Italy; because this one is already so long—and you may need to click through to Substack to read it all—Puglia will be coming next week!
Venice
People tend to either love or hate Venice, but I have a feeling if you’re in the latter camp, you probably didn’t veer too far away from the main attractions (e.g. the Rialto Bridge and St. Mark’s square)—because once you do, the city is full of so many magical nooks, you can’t help but fall in love. It’s like no other place on earth. That said, two days is probably enough, which is how much time we spent there.
Where we stayed
I’d definitely recommend our hotel, Bloom Boutique Design B&B. The location is very central (the Rialto Bridge and St. Mark’s square were both about a 10-minute walk, if that) but feels quiet and tucked away from the general tourist madness. The hotel itself has a beautiful roof deck and smaller yet well designed rooms; like most hotels in Venice, however, be prepared to walk up multiple flights of stairs to get to your room.
Where we ate
Terrazza Aperol: Why not have a spritz and some cichetti (think Italian tapas) in the official Aperol café? This was right by our hotel.
Osteria Bancogiro: Cichetti at the bar in front or outdoor dining alongside the Grand Canal in back (we opted for the latter).
Ristorante Riviera: Waterfront terrace with views of Giudecca island. Very fresh seafood and friendly service.
El Sbarlefo: A great stop for cichetti and aperitivo, nestled away from the tourist throngs. This place seemed popular with food tours too.
Il Paradiso Perduto: It’s worth going to the Cannaregio neighborhood—it was far enough off the beaten path to feel like “real” Venice, and the food here was my favorite.
Where we shopped
Libreria Acqua Alta: A must-see if you like books, cats, and/or TikTok-famous things; this bookstore is accordingly mobbed but worth a visit.
Madera: A well-edited selection of gift-friendly goods from all over Italy.
Legatoria Polliero Venezia: Affordable, hand-printed notebooks and stationery, made in house!
Kiko Milano: I forgot to include my sunscreen haul in last week’s newsletter! This is a must for me (I LOVE their sunscreen).
Where we sight-seed
The Peggy Guggenheim Museum felt like a modern oasis in the middle of so much history, as did Espace Louis Vuitton, which is free(!). I am generally not a church person, but I popped into Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari to see the Titians. Also, yes, it is incredibly touristy, but I highly recommend doing a gondola ride—it is an incredibly unique experience!
Bologna
Several acquaintances had gone to Bologna recently and enthusiastically recommended it; we figured it was a logical stop between Venice and Florence. Knowing what we know now, we would have just done a day trip from Florence (or maybe even skipped it altogether). Bologna is nice to see, but there’s not a ton to do, and if you’re a vegetarian, good luck. That said, if you like mortadella and bolognese sauce, this is the town for you.
Where we stayed
B&B Il Viaggio was spacious, modern, clean, and a quick 10-minute walk to the central square. Roberto, who runs it, is incredibly helpful and lovely (he ended up giving us a ride to the train station when we couldn’t get a taxi). Bonus points for the ginormous fresh pastry we had for breakfast every morning.
Where we ate
Sette Chiese: I thought I didn’t like Mortadella until I had it here; they serve it thinly sliced on toasted bread with ricotta and it is delicious.
Va Mo Là: Recommended by a friend, with a bookish atmosphere (it’s in the university district). Deliciously rich, and the lasagna bolognese almost killed me.
Il Caffè della Corte Bistrot: We needed salads after the previous day’s meat-and-carb extravaganza, and this was exactly what the doctor ordered, in a cute courtyard too.
La Taverna di Roberto: No relation to Roberto from our B&B, but recommended by him, and definitely my favorite meal in Bologna. Lovely service too.
Where we sight-seed
Piazza Maggiore is the main square, with the famous Neptune fountain (water shoots out of the ladies’ nips), city hall, and Biblioteca Salaborsa, which has ancient Roman ruins underneath (it’s free!). My favorite part about Bologna was the porticoes, which are a UNESCO world heritage site and stretch for over 40 kilometers throughout the city. I thought the prettiest ones were along Via dell’Archiginnasio.
Florence
This was, hands down, my favorite city of the entire trip. I had been to Florence about 10 years before and did most of the touristy things; this time, we “flanneured,” as we like to call it—we just kind of wandered and let the wind carry us, and it was fantastic. We took a lot of recommendations from our hotel, which really made a difference. I really wish we had another day here, but I guess that just means I’ll have to go back again someday!
Where we stayed
I cannot say enough good things about Velona’s Jungle Luxury Suites. I chose it for the aesthetics—the décor is a mix of antiques and jungle prints—but the personalized service blew us away. We basically took every recommendation the hotel gave us, from where to eat to where to shop, and I can’t imagine we would have had as wonderful of a trip as we did if we had stayed anywhere else. I would stay here again in a heartbeat.
Where we ate
Santarosa Bistrot: Again, we needed salads after the excess of Bologna, so our concierge sent us across the river to this lovely indoor-outdoor space in a more residential neighborhood.
L’Osteria di Giovanni: If you’re going to do steak Florentine, do it here. You will likely be seated in a room with all the other Americans, but the service more than makes up for it (and they will pour you several rounds of limoncello on the house if they like you).
Giacosa 1815: This is where the Negroni (e.g. the best cocktail ever) was invented. I was here last time, when it was just Caffé Giacosa; the space got a glow-up, with price increases to match (these were the most expensive drinks we had on the entire trip).
Berberè Pizzeria: This was the first pizza we had (I know!) and it did not disappoint. They have several locations, and prices are very reasonable.
701 Rooftop Bar: We tried to go to the bar at the Hotel Continentale across the street, but it was totally full, so we ended up here with a bunch of Americans. That said, the view was amazing, the cocktails were top-notch (if expensive), and we were pleased.
Casa Cibattini: This was my favorite meal of the entire trip—we did all of the courses, and everything was a lighter, more modern take on Florentine cuisine. I didn’t want the meal to end!
Where we shopped
I cover this in great detail in this week’s blog post, so I’m just going to list everything here quickly.
Where we sight-seed
You could spend a week going to museums in Florence and still not hit them all; we went to the Uffizi to see the Botticellis but otherwise did not go to any of the major Renaissance landmarks. We did walk across the Ponte Vecchio, although the shops were closing; call me contrarian, but Florence is such a gorgeous city, it almost seems like a waste to spend so much of your time there indoors!
This week on the blog
Sean and I did some feral shopping in Florence, and it was so good, I couldn’t not devote an entire blog post to it. So I’ve compiled the best places to shop in Florence for your VAT refund pleasure. Enjoy!
