We haven’t had a proper family vacation in years. We used to take international trips every year, but once we all us kids grew up and started going to college, then graduated and got real jobs, it became much more difficult to get everyone together. But this year we somehow managed to pull it off. So off we went to Italy!

After spending two days in Venice we hopped on the train and headed south to Florence . My brother did a summer internship at a bike tour company in Florence which had a wine tour (hello!) so one morning we biked around Florence and Tuscany for some incredible views and delicious wine & cheese.

While in Florence we took a day trip to Cinque Terre, which is a town on the rugged Italian coast. It’s part of “The Five Lands” which is comprised of 5 small villages along the Italian Riviera. Highlights from this trip included the truly unbelievable views and the crystal clear, refreshing water.

From Florence, we headed to Rome! This is the second time I’ve been to Rome (and Florence and Venice too) but I’m always amazed by how many there are ruins in Rome. And they’re all so close together! You can see exactly how the city was laid out thousands of years ago. Gives me the chills every time. 

For the last leg of our trip, we rented a cart and drove south to Sorrento, a coastal town in southeastern Italy that faces the bay of Naples.  

While in Sorrento, one day we hopped on a boat and sailed to the Isle of Capri. Visiting this island was probably my favorite part of the trip. I mean seriously…with views like this how could you go wrong?!

Yes, it was absolutely necessary to have not one, but two croissants while in Paris. Bewildering enough, Paris was actually a chilly 65 degrees for the one day we were in town! Compared to the Italian heat, it was a nice break. Our hotel was right downtown by all the major sights, so we did crammed in as many beautiful things as we could.

A family vacation can prove challenging at time, but memories like these make it all worth it. Until next time!