Arrival at my first Italian destination

I chose to fly with Ita Airways from Ezeiza to Milan with a layover in Rome, and it was a great choice: impeccable service, tasty meals and free snacks on board. The overnight schedule was ideal — I landed in Milan at 10:30am with no trace of jet lag. I decided to travel with just a backpack and carry-on: with so many hotel and train changes ahead, packing light was essential.

Leaving the airport, I found a direct bus for 5 euros, with wifi on board. The hotel was 5 blocks from Milano Centrale — I always recommend staying near the main transport hub. There's nothing nicer than waking up in Italy and having a coffee with a cornetto, which is basically our medialuna, but filled.

I booked entry to the Duomo in advance through the official website — it's cheaper and you avoid lines. You can have it on your phone, they just scan the QR code. Watch what you wear: no low necklines or shorts, or they'll sell you a plastic cape at the entrance.

In the afternoon I did a Spanish-speaking walking city tour that started from the garden of Sforza Castle. It was a beautiful experience — our guide knew a lot and you could tell she loved her job. Since that day, every monument has a story behind it for me — it's not just looking at architecture, it's feeling what history left behind.

Getting around is easy on the metro: the line colors guide you. Important tip: to get to Navigli, take the M2 line (green) and get off at Porta Genova — make sure to double-check before heading out, especially at night. And remember Italians eat dinner early: after 9pm it's hard to find a kitchen still open.

A fun fact worth knowing: in Piazza Mercanti there's the so-called Whispering Gallery, a real acoustic phenomenon where you can whisper into a hole in the column and be heard clearly on the other side. Medieval merchants and spies used it. Try it, it's amazing.

I went straight to the Pinacoteca di Brera for "The Kiss" by Francesco Hayez, an 1859 painting that's an icon of Italian Romanticism. It shows a couple in a passionate kiss that hides a political message about the Risorgimento. I sat and looked at it for a long while — art is meant to be appreciated.

Another must-see: the Cenacolo Vinciano Museum with Da Vinci's Last Supper. The visit lasts only 15 minutes and tickets sell out months in advance — book ahead. If you're a Leonardo fan, the National Museum of Science and Technology is also well worth it.

Visiting this place was one of my biggest dreams: I spent months watching Instagram reels, imagining myself walking those colorful streets and tasting Italian delicacies by the water. When I finally got there, it didn't disappoint one bit

I visited Villa Melzi in Bellagio and Villa Carlotta in Tremezzo, traveling by ferry between each of these villas — impeccably kept, with gardens that invite you to slow down: to relax, to quiet conversation, to that feeling Italians call "dolce far niente" — the pleasure of doing nothing.

I stayed 3 days, but I would have stayed longer. I chose a hostel, Ostello Bello, very close to the station, with a small evening bar that draws both tourists and locals. Breakfast included, plus coffee and snacks available all day at no extra cost — the friendliness and cleanliness were a 10/10.

As you already know I love doing, I took a walking city tour to learn the local secrets, and I picked up quite a bit: in Como's central square stands the monument to Alessandro Volta, the physicist who invented the electric pile (the precursor to the modern battery), and the city is also known for its Gothic cathedral and the funicular that climbs from Como to Brunate.

There's plenty to see, and plenty of local food to enjoy — and why not, an Aperol Spritz with lake views, watching the swans go by.

Recommendations

Take the bus from Lake Como to reach the area's other attractions: you'll get a nice view along the way. Leaving early saves you from the crowd in the ferry line, since there's only one company (Navigazione Laghi) and you need to watch the schedules. If you board from another port — Tremezzo or Menaggio, for example — it'll be easier to get on.

I got to this beautiful city by train from the Lake Como station, with two connections: Como Camerlata and then Milano Centrale to Verona. At first I wasn't sure the timing would work out, but I downloaded the Omio app and everything went smoothly — Italian trains are very punctual and it's easy to find your way around each station.

It was about a 15-minute walk from the station to the hotel, since downtown is very well located. That same afternoon I had a city walking tour booked.

The tour in the rain and the Verona Arena

In Piazza San Nicolò our guide was waiting for us with a colorful umbrella. It rained through almost the whole tour, but that gave a nostalgic, special tone to every corner. The stories she told us were fascinating, though it was a shame we couldn't visit Juliet's House, which was closed for renovations.

That night, after the tour ended, the Verona Arena hosted a Jovanotti concert — a very popular act in Italy. I listened from outside while having gelato, and the night was simply perfect.

Excursion to Lake Garda from Verona

The next day I set off from Verona Porta Nuova station toward Lake Garda, getting off at Desenzano del Garda–Sirmione. The regional train takes about 25 minutes.

From the station you can take a bus to central Sirmione, or do what I did: walk along Via Dante, a street lined with picturesque little houses, reaching the harbor in about 10 to 15 blocks. There's also the option of walking down Viale Marconi, the main street, to Desenzano's marina, where boats leave for Sirmione. Along the way, depending on the season, you might see gardens in bloom and even nesting swans.

How to get around the lake

Once you're in the area, you have several options. The most intimate is a small boat with room for up to 6 people to see Sirmione Castle from the water without stepping ashore. You can also book an excursion that includes the boat trip and castle entry, or do it on your own with the Navigazione Laghi ferry — the same company that operates on Lake Como.

The ferry website can be a bit confusing, so my recommendation is to buy the ticket directly on the day you're sailing. It was quick, easy and hassle-free: they give you a timetable and you get about an hour at each stop before the next ferry.

I visited the villages of Sirmione, Lazise, Cisano, Bardolino and Garda between 10 am and 6 pm. If you have more time or are staying in the area, it's worth going as far as Limone, one of the farthest but also one of the prettiest.

The most magical city I visited: walking through Venice is like being inside a painting. A maze of streets showing off a rich past and a present full of art, with Gothic, Renaissance and Byzantine façades whose balconies seem to "hang" over the water. The stone arches that span the canals — like the Rialto, or the ones around St. Mark's Square — are the star of every corner.

It's built on an archipelago of 118 small islands within the Venice Lagoon, in the Adriatic Sea, between the mouths of the Po and Piave rivers. That canal-city condition, with no cars or bicycles, makes it unique in Italy and in the world.

One afternoon I went to a supermarket in the Cannaregio neighborhood, very close to where I was staying, and bought a beer to sit by the canal and watch the sunset with some cicchetti and suppli (a typical Italian bite: a small ball of rice cooked in meat broth, mixed with egg, coated in breadcrumbs and fried). To my surprise, I wasn't the only one — half the neighborhood was doing exactly the same thing. Good food, a calm moment and a good wine have everything you need to recharge on vacation.

As far as actual excursions go, I only did a walking city tour and a classical music concert at the Santa Maria della Pietà church: Vivaldi's Four Seasons, performed in the very church where he taught and composed, designed to maximize the acoustics for his own works.

To get to this wonderful city I took a train from Venezia Santa Lucia station to Firenze Santa Maria Novella; the ride takes about 2 hours 30 minutes. I stayed just 4 blocks from the station, at Hostel Archi Rossi: comfortable, with free coffee and a very homey vibe.

This city has the charm of love at first sight, with its narrow streets, its classic bars and the central market with street stalls selling leather goods. But when the Duomo appears in all its grandeur, with its dome designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, you feel like you're inside a movie. If you can book a guided tour of the Duomo, you'll get in faster and understand the place better — the austere interior looks nothing like the façade.

My first tour, as you already know I love, was the walking city tour. That's where I learned Brunelleschi wasn't originally an architect but a goldsmith: he lost the competition to design the Baptistery's doors, but won the one for the cathedral's dome with architecture so innovative for its time that he himself had to supervise the work day by day. With that, he became the founder of Renaissance architecture.

Walking around the city you'll find outdoor sculptures: a replica of Michelangelo's David in front of the Palazzo Vecchio, and Perseus with the Head of Medusa in the Loggia della Signoria (free entry, with closing hours).

At sunset, I went up early to Piazzale Michelangelo to grab a spot on the steps: the city views with live music in the background are worth the walk.

The day I enjoyed the most of the whole trip: Tuscany

For a full day, I booked the Siena, San Gimignano and Pisa tour with lunch and wine tasting through the agency Ciao Florence, and without a doubt it was my favorite experience of the whole trip. We left early for rural Tuscany: green hills dotted with cypress trees, endless vineyards and that particular light that makes everything look hand-painted.

In Siena we walked through Piazza del Campo, considered the most beautiful medieval square in Europe, with its black-and-white marble Duomo. San Gimignano, with its medieval towers competing in height, looks like a small 14th-century Manhattan — that's where we tried one of the best gelatos in all of Italy. Before lunch, wine tasting at a family-run winery in the region: Chianti served alongside local cheeses and cured meats, with views of the vineyards. Pisa was the last stop, with its leaning tower and the full Piazza dei Miracoli.

It was one of those days that makes the whole trip worth it. If you only have to pick one excursion from Florence, make it this one.

It's a vibrant, bustling city. Just remembering my stay there, the longing I feel for this beautiful place hits me straight in the soul. The day I arrived at Termini station, I knew this would be a part of the trip that would mark me for life.

Following in the footsteps of Roman Holiday

My favorite movie is Roman Holiday, starring Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn, so I built a good part of my itinerary around the places they visit. The Mouth of Truth (Bocca della Verità), in the portico of the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, is famous for the scene where Joe pranks Princess Ann by putting his hand inside and pretending it gets bitten off. The Spanish Steps (Piazza di Spagna), where the princess sits eating gelato on the steps, is still one of the most photographed spots in the city. Castel Sant'Angelo, at whose base the film's floating party on the Tiber takes place, also has one of the best views of Rome from its terrace. And the Palazzo Colonna, whose gallery served as the setting for the royal palace hall where the final press conference is filmed, is only open certain days of the week — worth checking the schedule before going.

The Colosseum, the Forum and the Palatine

First on the must-see list: the Colosseum.

To get in, I bought my ticket a month in advance through the official website. You have to be up before dawn (Argentina time) to snag the best slots, like the Gladiator's Arena visit, which sells out instantly. I only managed to get tickets for the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine, which at the time was cheaper to book directly on the website. You can also book with a guide, which makes the tour much richer.

I did the visit on my own, early in the morning. The Palatine Forum is enormous — I recommend comfortable shoes and plenty of water. That day I got sunstroke from wanting to see absolutely everything without skipping a thing.

After that long walk under the sun, I took the metro downtown and found a quiet bar with good music. I ordered something to recharge and they gave me a complimentary Prosecco: a sparkling white wine, fresh and fruity, perfect for cooling down the Roman heat.

Wandering Rome without a map

Rome isn't a city you understand in a day, but if you arrive with some context, every corner starts to speak for itself. I walked without a map for hours, and something new appeared on every corner: a Baroque fountain that in any other city would be the main monument, a 16th-century church with the door open and no one inside, a little square where Romans had their aperitivo as if time didn't exist.

The Trevi Fountain: by day and by night

I visited the Trevi Fountain by day and by night, and they're nothing alike. With light rising up from the water, the sculptures take on a completely different dimension after dark. I threw three coins — one to return to Italy, another to fall in love with an Italian, and the third to get married there — knowing full well it's a cliché. And I'd do it again.

Trastevere: authentic Rome

What surprised me most was Trastevere. I went in looking for dinner and ended up walking around for two hours. It's the only neighborhood in Rome where you feel Romans still truly live: laundry hanging between buildings, cats sleeping on the steps, trattorias with the day's menu handwritten on a chalkboard. No English menu, no photos on the menu — a sure sign the food is going to be good.

The pizza fascinated me, and the Carbonara was one of my favorites of the whole trip.

The Vatican and the Holy Door

For the Vatican, book months in advance, especially if you want early entry to the Vatican Museums. The difference between entering with a reservation and waiting in line on the day can be three hours.

In my case, I traveled during the Jubilee and entered alongside the pilgrims through a special section, reciting the Our Father and carrying the cross. Passing through the Holy Door left me with an inexplicable sense of harmony. It was the most powerful thing I experienced on the whole trip — a spiritual, inner shift that stayed with me for the rest of my days in Italy.

After this leg of the trip I was ready to head off to my next adventure, the Amalfi Coast. If we're talking movie-like, unreal scenery, these destinations fit the bill perfectly. I left early in the morning from Termini station toward Salerno on the Intercity train, which took longer but was the cheapest option.

I used the train ride to relax, read and enjoy the scenery. Salerno has an elegant-city vibe, with lots of boutique shops — it's not the cheapest destination in the area, but it has its charm. I dropped my things at a well-located Airbnb I had booked.

I went out for a walk, found a great spot for an Aperol Spritz, and discovered a little bar near a square, perfect for slipping into "last days at the beach" mode.

I ended up meeting some Dutch siblings at the bar, and we went bar-hopping to a few well-rated spots on Trip Advisor before heading to dinner. It was one of the most fun nights of the trip — we even ended up at a club to see what Italian nightlife was like.

How to get to Amalfi

The next day I got up early to make it to Amalfi. You need to take the Sita Sud bus line; it's best to board it from Salerno's station, since if you try boarding at other stops it likely won't even stop — everyone gets on at the station and it fills up fast. I went in early June and that's exactly what happened to me.

Tickets are bought at tabaccherias, as they call them there, and cost about 2 euros per leg — cheaper than the ferry, though the ferry is more direct and faster. That said, the bus winds through very tight curves on narrow streets — if you like a bit of adrenaline, it's part of the experience.

As the route goes on, and if you're paying attention to the view out the window, you'll pass through Vietri sul Mare, Cetara, Maiori, Minori, Amalfi and Positano — each stop better than the last.

If you want to visit Ravello, get off a bit before Amalfi and catch another bus: not all buses leaving the terminal go there, and the system is quite confusing if you don't speak the language. If the bus leaves full (which happens often in high season), the simplest alternative is to take the ferry back to wherever you're staying.

Amalfi and its lemons

Amalfi has its Cathedral of St. Andrew the Apostle on the Piazza del Duomo, very close to the bus terminal. Climbing the stairs and seeing the magnificence of its architecture is moving: it's Neo-Romanesque, with strong Neo-Gothic and Arab-Norman influences, and dates from the 19th century. The interior is just as beautiful, with carved, gilded details, large canvases depicting religious scenes, and painted wooden ceilings that make it impossible not to look up.

Walking out through Amalfi's little streets, you'll see stalls selling lemons cut in half and filled with lemon gelato, and entire shops dedicated to this citrus fruit — from liqueurs to perfumes — which is the absolute star of this region.

Positano, the postcard you already knew

The fastest and most efficient way to get to Positano is by ferry: companies like Travelmar and Positano Jet are the most common for this direct route.

Positano is exactly like the photos and videos: steep streets full of stairs, perfect for admiring the immense beauty of the landscape and the colorful, terraced architecture from above. I arrived, ate something facing the sea, and took a long while just to look.

The beach, I have to warn you, is pebbly, like almost the entire Amalfi Coast, but it's still fine for a couple of dips. Afterward you can lie back to sunbathe and listen to Italian music while enjoying a tiramisu… a 100% recommendable plan.

Sorrento and Pompeii, if you have a spare day

If you have time, it's worth adding an excursion to Sorrento, although it's quite far from both Amalfi and Positano. Plan the boat schedules carefully: if you miss the last return, the only way back is by connecting trains, a much longer and more uncomfortable trip if you get the timing wrong.

And one stop I don't want to forget to recommend is Pompeii, the Roman city buried under volcanic ash after the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. Walking through its almost perfectly preserved streets, houses and shops is one of those experiences that changes how you understand history — nothing you read beforehand prepares you for seeing it with your own eyes. It's visited on a half-day excursion from Salerno or Naples, and I recommend going with a guide to fully understand the context of what you're seeing.

This is a trip you won't regret taking — you'll come away with countless experiences and lifelong memories from a country rich in good food, warm people, unforgettable places, and who knows, maybe you'll even find love.