In April 2017 my mom, Cindy, and I traveled to Italy. It was her first trip out of the country, and my third time back to my favorite city, Rome. We were able to see SO much during our 6-days. We flew into Rome from Savannah, Ga, then traveled down to Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento, and all along the Amalfi Coast.  

As we prepare for our next trip (Northern part this time), I figured it was finally time to blog these :) Follow along on our upcoming trip through my instagram stories & facebook (we leave February 28th!). 

I hope you enjoy! Let me know if you have any questions about our itinerary or tips/advice as we travel Northern Italy (Milan + Lake Como). I'll cherish these memories forever, she's the best mom and travel/photog companion. 

• Part ONE

• Part TWO

• Part THREE 

• Part FOUR

(If you haven't heard of Rick Steves and you love to travel you're missing out! His books & videos were a HUGE help planning this trip, definitely check him out if you're heading to Europe.)

*MAPS.ME is my favorite offline maps app when traveling, perfect for when you don't have service or wifi. I kept my iph on airplane mode most the time, this app doesn't require internet for step-by-step navigation. 

From Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport we flew to Newark Liberty International Airport then finally to Rome Fiumicino Airport.

April 5, 2017 | DAY 1 -

First - Drop off bags at Hotel Raphaël. (they had the most delicious coffee (much appreciated and needed!) while waited)

Next - EXPLORE! The only thing I had on our itinerary. I love leaving the first day of any trip open for getting lost. Rome is especially perfect for this, there's something beautiful around every corner. 

It's check-in time! We headed up to rooftop before walking around more. (one of the main reasons I booked this hotel is for their rooftop view, ridiculous! A view of the whole city)

Golden light along our walk to the Pantheon. 

Back to the rooftop for sunset & dinner at Hotel Raphaël. 

April 6, 2017 | DAY 2 -

As the sun rose we walked to the Vatican. I booked an 8am, 3-hour tour of the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, & St. Peter's Basilica with City Wonders. I highly recommend visiting early, before the crowd shuffles in.

St. Peter's Basilica - a grand space richly decorated. Including Bernini's baldacchino and The Pietà by Michelangelo. 

We took the stairs to the top of St. Peter's Basilica's dome. 

If you love cats you'll love this spot! These ruins (where Caesar was murdered) are now known as the Roman Cat Sanctuary. 

Next we went to Rome's Jewish Ghetto, an area renowned for its cuisine. 

So delicious!! (with most meals you'll be offered small glasses of limoncello - Italy's famous lemon liqueur, prepare yourself for the bite!)

After a day full of sights we decided to head back to our hotel. For dinner we had gelato in bed and watched the movie Pompeii (cheesy but still enjoyable). A perfect, easy night as we prepared for an early train ride to Naples. Part two coming soon!