Only have 7 days to travel and no idea where to start? I give you my top 5 tips for creating a perfect itinerary when you are short on time in my Take 5 Live Video.

7-Day Itinerary Ideas

I have created a few sample itineraries using either one location as a home base or flying open jaws and staying in two areas. The sample trips below are by no means exhaustive but meant to inspire. Hopefully this can help you get the wheels turning.

Rome

Home Base with day trip options south to Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento or north to Florence, Orvieto, Ostia Antica or with the outskirts to Tivoli for Hadrian’s Villa and Villa d’Este.

Rome and a plus one.
Rome and Florence, Rome and Sorrento

Florence

Home Base with day trip options to Siena, Pisa, Cortona, Bologna, Tuscany.

Florence’s plus one.
Florence and Venice, Florence and Tuscany, Florence and Bologna.

Venice

Home Base with day trip options to Florence, Verona, Bologna, Padua, Vicenza, Trieste, Ravenna, time on all the outer islands.

Venice and a second locale.
Venice and the Dolomites, Venice and Milan, Venice and Lake Garda.

Who we are:

Once in a Lifetime Travel is a passionately run company focused on mindful and fearless travel through authentic experiences and connections. We feature small, fully

guided group tours to Italy for women

. Our

Italian travel consultant

services feature focused itinerary reviews and detailed

Italy travel planning.

Go Travel, and Travel Fearless.

Andi Brown, Once in a Lifetime Travel

©copyright 2019

The post Travel Tips for a 7-day Italy Itinerary appeared first on Italy Travel Planner | Consultant | Once In a Lifetime Travel.

I love Rome. Not everyone does.

The city can be described as dirty, loud, overwhelming and obnoxious. All of that would be true. Rome is also striking, surprising, and addictive.

Many factors determine whether or not Rome will be a hit. Time of year, weather, holidays, where you stay, how you see and plan the sites.

Little tips like seriously, just take a taxi can make or break you day (and your feet).

Most of my clients are introduced to Rome through a first experience in Trastevere. This is a neighborhood just across the river but still in the center of ancient Rome without being on the tourist treadmill.

Trastevere holds my favorite restaurants, bars, a real morning market and a striking church. Trastevere also lets me pretend like I belong while kids walk to school and friends pour from the bars into the square at night.

When your first moments in a great big new city are more “Wow!” and less “Whoa!” you start your adventure off on the right foot.

Things to do in Trastevere:

• Take this foodie tour on your first night.
• Visit the beautiful Santa Maria church, one of the oldest in Rome.
• Have a sit and a gelato in Piazza Trilussa.
• Walk across to the Isola Tiberina or Tiber Island.
• On Sunday check out the Porta Portese flea market.
• Drink from a fontanella like a local.
• Wander.

Where to eat in Trastevere:

• Da Enzo, although you will be rushed through your meal if seated early.
• Le Mani in Pasta
• Impiccetta, and know matter how hungry you think you are do NOT order a large pasta.
• Spirito di Vino, ask to see the cellar.
• Ombre Rosse for drinks.
• Innocenti, the best bakery around.

Where to stay in Trastevere:

• Arco del Lauro is my secret and well priced B&B.
• Arco dei Tolomei is right next store and just a bit fancier with staff that is more available.

Who we are:

Once in a Lifetime Travel is a passionately run company focused on mindful and fearless travel through authentic experiences and connections. We feature small, fully

guided group tours to Italy for women

. Our

Italian travel consultant

services feature focused itinerary reviews and detailed

Italy travel planning.

Go Travel, and Travel Fearless.

Andi Brown, Once in a Lifetime Travel ©copyright 2019

The post Trastevere Rome Visitor Guide appeared first on Italy Travel Planner | Consultant | Once In a Lifetime Travel.

Over the years of traveling, I have been duped on more than one occasion. Each time I’ve learned from my mistakes and grown quite street savvy.

Using my past experiences, I help steer my clients clear of any negative situations.

I have become scam proof.

My last trip to Italy, I was preparing to drop my rental car off at the Rome airport late in the evening. All I had left to do was top off the tank. Gas stations line the roads around the airport making a final fill up very easy. The rates are higher but worth the convenience at this time of the night.

I pulled my sweet ride into the first station spotted. The attendant popped his head into my window, scanned the gas gauge and announced flatly, 20€.

Thank you but no, please fill up the tank.

No fill up. 20€ cash only, he replied.

Are you kidding me? I stood my ground. So did he.

He obviously he no idea who he was dealing with. Not a chance big guy.

I took off down the road full of disgust wondering how many poor travelers had fallen for this appalling sham.

Easing into the very next station, the attendant came to my window and I requested once again to fill up the tank.

He leaned in, glanced at my gauge.

No fill up. 20€ cash only.

What is the great green blazes was going on here. 20€ cash my eye. Nice try boys.

As I ripped out of station number two, the thought crossed my mind that perhaps I was not a pawn in an elaborate airport fueling scheme. Could this indeed be the process when you waited until the last minute to fill up as I had done? I drove further down the road, passing several stations before meekly turning into station number three.

Before the attendant could finish he sentence, I handed over a 20€ note. The gauge promptly pointed to full. Right on the money.

The ride to Hertz was one of humble reflection ending with near uncontrollable laughter.

Maybe I should stick to two wheels.

Who we are:

Once in a Lifetime Travel is a passionately run company focused on mindful and fearless travel through authentic experiences and connections. We feature small, fully

guided group tours to Italy for women

. Our

Italian travel consultant

services feature focused itinerary reviews and detailed

Italy travel planning.

Go Travel, and Travel Fearless.

Andi Brown, Once in a Lifetime Travel ©copyright 2019

The post The Rip Off appeared first on Italy Travel Planner | Consultant | Once In a Lifetime Travel.

Hungry already? The title did me in too. Let’s dive right in.

Carbonara

This is one of the classic dishes in Rome and can be found on almost every menu in the city, but not all carbonara is the same. Amazing carbonara can be hard to find.

There is a teeny trattoria in the Trastevere neighborhood of Rome that served me my favorite plate of carbonara to date.

(I’m more than happy to test out your favorite location on my next research trip. If you think yours tops mine, send me the details).

After exploring Rome all day, we were caught in a torrential downpour walking to dinner. We were too close to find a taxi but too far away to avoid getting soaked. We arrived a da Enzo dripping wet to the horror of dining Italians (more on that at a later time). The waiter put us discretely in a corner with plenty of wine and we began to warm from the inside out.

Maybe it was the storm. Perhaps it was the long day walking in Rome. All I know is that with one bite I was in carbonara heaven. Pure bliss with every taste of the crisped to perfection pancetta.

While I have never been able to make carbonara exactly like this, I’ve gotten pretty good with the attached recipe. The key is homemade noodles, real Parmigiano Reggiano and pancetta. Bacon will work but it won’t be the same.

Buon Appetito,

Andi

Who we are:

Once in a Lifetime Travel is a passionately run company focused on mindful and fearless travel through authentic experiences and connections. We feature small, fully

guided group tours to Italy for women

. Our

Italian travel consultant

services feature focused itinerary reviews and detailed

Italy travel planning.

Go Travel, and Travel Fearless.

Andi Brown, Once in a Lifetime Travel ©copyright 2018

The post My Favorite Carbonara in Rome appeared first on Italy Travel Planner | Consultant | Once In a Lifetime Travel.

Stay tuned for my guide to Rome.  Traveling soon and can’t wait? Contact us regarding our travel planning and itinerary reviews, where our secrets become your secrets.

I love Rome.  I have thousands of photos and I don’t know where to start.

Go Travel, and Travel Fearless.

Andi Brown, Once in a Lifetime Travel

copyright 2016

The post Rome in Pictures appeared first on Italy Travel Planner | Consultant | Once In a Lifetime Travel.

My dad is my great friend and to the disbelief of my old high school self, I have come to realize we are actually quite alike in personality.

Except at some crucial moments when we are traveling.

Over the last few years I have taught my dad the beauty and art of savoring the moment and throwing schedules to the wind.  My dad has reminded me that patience with family and a perfect packing job make for a better vacation.  Here is my list of favorite travel moments with him.  Some good, some bad and some utterly embarrassing.  Hey dad, this is pay back for grilling my boyfriends in the living room before they could date me.

10.  My parents met me in Rome after a cruise.  This was their first time ever in my favorite city on the planet and I couldn’t wait to make the introductions.  One of the first things I taught my dad was how to cross the busy streets; walk out with confidence while maintaining eye contact and never hesitating.  At his first lesson, I told him to stay close and do what I did.  When we got to the other side of the street he turned to my mom and said, “Our daughter has balls of steel!”

9.  I have driven a stick shift most of my life and usually have no problem, but on one particular day I was trying to get up a steep gravel road in our excessively weighted down sardine box of a rental.  I stalled half way up and couldn’t get the momentum back.  My dad saved the day, maneuvering that sorry car up the hill with gravel flying and smoke trailing behind us.  I am sure our hosts were wondering what they had gotten into watching our approach from above.

8.  Speaking of that cracker jack box of a rental, I had accidentally reserved an economy sized car instead of a compact.  Doesn’t sound too bad, right?  Not unless you want to take your luggage with you.  I stood in front of the car and fought back tears.  There was no way we were going to fit four adults, one child with her car seat and our luggage.  Then my dad started putting stuff together like a real-life game of Tetris.  The ride wasn’t the most luxurious but we didn’t have to leave anyone behind.  I know for a fact I could not have done that without him.

Well, hello again

7.  My dad has an uncanny sense of direction, maybe it was all the Boy Scout trips of his youth.  You can blind fold him, drop him in the middle of nowhere and before you can say Bear Grylls he will have found his way home.  Except in Italy.  For some reason his internal compass goes awry and I’m not sure if he would be able to find his head if it wasn’t attached.  Of course, we didn’t discover this until one fateful night in Rome when my dad was leading the charge toward the Spanish Steps.  Instead, we found ourselves repeatedly visiting the Column of Marcus Aurelius.  My dad commented that he didn’t realize Rome had so many relief style columns; I commented that I didn’t realize my dad knew how to read a map upside down.  Not the best night for the two of us.

6.  The issues with directions didn’t end there.  Originally, my dad was to be my co-pilot and right hand man in the car.  Nothing was farther from the truth and the tension came to a breaking point near Milan as I was demanding to know which exit to take for Lake Como.  He was utterly frozen and I was less than kind.  My mom decided to chirp in from the back seat (where her sole job was to entertain my daughter) and ‘help’ which only infuriated both of us more.  My dad balled up the map and threw it in her face, telling her where she could put it.  Mind you, this all happen in front of my four year old and the version found here is toned down for the sake of my readers.  The event made a lasting impression on my daughter, and to this day she will ask me to reenact the day Papa threw that map at Nana.

5.  For the most part though, travel with my dad has been bonding.  One of my favorite things to do with him is go for a morning cappuccino and then spend the rest of the day popping in and out of little cafes for our espresso fixes when my mom isn’t looking.

4.  Another great memory is cooking together with my dad after shopping in the morning markets.  Sometimes we would make nothing more than cheese and meat platters, other times we would go all out.  Once my dad made us steaks cooked over a centuries old hearth in a little villa in Tuscany while I put together a simple Carbonara.  Perfection.

3.  On that first trip to Rome, I took my dad into the Roman Forum.  I can’t explain how touching it was to look over and see him bent down on one knee and weeping over the site of Caesar’s cremation.  I knew then he wasn’t the average tourist.

2.  His love for Italy and travel in general started on that first trip and then blossomed even further when he returned two years later.  Watching him grow to appreciate and love the people and lifestyle of Italy was amazing.

Pants removal not required.

1.  I made sure my parents both traveled with their money belts containing everything of value safely tucked beneath the pants and safe from the fingers of pick-pockets.  They were instructed on the importance of use and what they should keep stowed inside.  What I forgot to mention, because the thought never ever even occurred to me, is that you do not need to remove your pants to access your money belt.  Yes, that’s right.  I happened to walk into the lobby of our hotel and found my dad in the corner with his pants around his thighs trying to pull a credit card out of his money belt.

Sorry dad, but this one was too good not to share.

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Copyright 2012   Andi Brown,  Once in a Lifetime Travel

The post Top Ten | Travel Memories With My Dad In Italy appeared first on Italy Travel Planner | Consultant | Once In a Lifetime Travel.