Hi guys! I actually get this question a ton as Italy is one of my top selling destinations. I figured I would highlight some of my most requested itineraries below to help you get a jump start on figuring out where you want to go on your next trip to Italy. There are so many amazing places in Italy that it can be very hard to narrow down where you want to go but hopefully these will give you a good starting point. If you are ready to start planning your Italy vacation, please feel out my contact form and we can get started! Happy planning!

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ITALY ITINERARIES

Recommended 10-Night Northern Italy Itinerary:

Arrive Venice (2 nights)

Portovenere (1 night)

Florence (4 nights)

Rome (3 nights)

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Total nights: 10

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Recommended 12-Night Northern Italy Itinerary:

Arrive Venice (2 nights)

Lake Como (4 nights)

Portovenere (1 night)

Florence (3 nights)

Rome (2 nights)

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Total nights: 12

**If this one feels too rushed, I would recommend adding a night to Rome and one to Florence if you can.

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Recommended 12-Night Highlights of Italy:

Arrive Venice (2 nights)

Florence (3 nights)

Amalfi Coast (5 nights)

Rome (2 nights)

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Total nights: 12

**If this one feels too rushed, I would recommend adding a night to Rome and one to Florence if you can.

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So what are you waiting for? Pack your bags and get ready for an unforgettable Italian adventure! Contact me to get started today!

Disclaimer: This post contains Affiliate Links for products I’m currently using. By using these links you won’t pay any additional fees, but support me to keep this site running!

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SWITZERLAND ITINERARY: GENEVA, INTERLAKEN &JUNGFRAU, BERN & LUCERNE, Zurich & Engleberg

Recommended 9-Day Switzerland Itinerary:

Geneva (1 night)

Interlaken (2 nights)

Bern (2 nights)

Lucerne (1 night)

Zurich (2 nights)

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Total days: 9

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Switzerland is known as one of the most beautiful countries in the world, and it’s no wonder why. From breathtaking mountains to crystal clear lakes, there are endless activities and sights to see while exploring this stunning country. If you’re planning your first trip to Switzerland, here is a 9 day itinerary that will help you make the most of your visit!

Day 1: Geneva

Start off your 9 day Swiss adventure by exploring Geneva, the second largest city in Switzerland. Take the opportunity to wander through its quaint cobblestone streets and admire its stunning architecture. There are also plenty of museums and galleries to explore if culture is more your thing. For example, take a tour of The United Nations Palace or immerse yourself in history at the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum. There’s also plenty of outdoor activities like kayaking on Lake Geneva or taking a boat ride on some of its many canals. No matter what type of activity you’re interested in, there’s something for everyone in Geneva!

Day 2-3: Interlaken & Jungfrau Region

Next up on the itinerary is Interlaken, which is nestled between two glacial lakes - Thunersee and Brienzersee - making it an ideal spot for outdoor adventures such as paragliding, hiking or skiing during winter months. Be sure to take a cable car ride up to Jungfraujoch – Top Of Europe where you can experience breathtaking views from 11,333 feet above sea level. You can also explore some of the nearby glaciers including Aletsch Glacier and Eiger Glacier for an even more spectacular view! For dinner, try out Hotel Alpenruh’s restaurant which serves some amazing Swiss dishes with local ingredients. Afterwards, enjoy an evening walk around Lake Brienz before heading back to your accommodation.

Day 4-6: Bern & Lucerne

Following two days in Interlaken, it's time to move onto Bern – Switzerland’s capital city - where you can explore its well-preserved medieval Old Town with its picturesque cobbled streets and 15th century fountains. Don't miss out on visiting The Zytglogge – a clock tower built over 800 years ago which still rings out every hour!

After spending three days in Bern head over to Lucerne; its charming old town with its colorful buildings along Lake Lucerne will make for some incredible photo opportunities! Spend a morning exploring Lucerne's Old Town area where you'll find landmarks such as Chapel Bridge and Water Tower as well as boutique shops selling handmade Swiss items like watches or chocolates. One afternoon, take a boat ride around Lake Lucerne for some lovely views of Mt Pilatus and Mt Rigi in the distance before grabbing dinner at Restaurant Weinstube Höfli which serves delicious Swiss-German cuisine with Italian influences.

Day 7-9: Zurich & Engleberg

Before ending your holiday make sure you spend three days exploring Zurich - Switzerland's largest city - where you'll be spoiled for choice with things to do such as visiting museums or taking part in some fun outdoor activities! And don't forget about Engleberg - located just outside Zurich - this ski resort has some incredible slopes perfect for winter sports enthusiasts or those wanting to simply marvel at their beauty from afar. No matter what type of activity you choose here, it's sure to be an unforgettable experience! For dinner, try some traditional Swiss cuisine at Restaurant Kronenhalle.

With so much beauty waiting around every corner it's no surprise why people come back again and again when they visit Switzerland! Whether it's exploring Geneva's cobblestone streets or admiring views from atop Jungfraujoch – Top Of Europe there are endless memorable moments awaiting travelers who embark on this incredible 10 day journey through this stunning country!

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So what are you waiting for? Pack your bags and get ready for an unforgettable Swiss adventure! Contact me to get started today!

The Amalfi Coast is one of the most beautiful places in Italy, and it's no wonder why. From breathtaking views to delicious food and everything in between, there is so much to explore. From its postcard-perfect villages to its sparkling turquoise waters, it’s no wonder why tourists flock to this part of the world year after year. But what many people don’t realize is that the area is made up of several distinct towns and villages, each with its own unique character and charm. Read on to learn more about some of the different areas of the Amalfi Coast and discover which one is right for you!

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Amalfi Town

Home to the iconic Duomo di Sant'Andrea, this beautiful town is full of history, culture and picturesque views. Spend a day wandering around winding streets, taking in the architecture or stopping for lunch at one of many restaurants. Don't forget to grab a photo with Amalfi's famous lemon trees!

Thanks in part to its stunning setting at the mouth of a deep gorge lined with lemon groves, it has been a popular spot since Roman times. Today, visitors come here to explore its cobbled streets, take in its spectacular views from atop the terrace at St. Andrew’s Cathedral, or relax on one of its many beaches. Definitely try some delicious local cuisine like seafood linguine and limoncello while you're here!

Positano

This charming village, known for its colorful buildings and stunning scenery, is a romantic spot where you can soak up some sun.. This picturesque fishing village features brightly colored homes cascading down a steep hillside towards the sea. Stroll along Positano’s main beach or wander through its narrow alleys lined with boutique shops selling souvenirs from local artisans and cafes serving up delicious Italian treats. If you have time, make sure to visit nearby Praiano for incredible views over both Positano and Capri Island!

Ravello

Ravello, known as “The Pearl of the Amalfi Coast”, is home to some spectacular gardens that are sure to take your breath away. The Villa Cimbrone Gardens offer sweeping views of the Mediterranean Sea while Villa Rufolo provides gorgeous sunsets and lush greenery. For a truly unique experience, take a stroll through these gardens during sunset - it will be an unforgettable experience!

Spend your days wandering through Ravello's medieval lanes or admiring works by local artists in one of its many galleries before taking in a performance at Villa Rufolo's outdoor concert hall. Alternatively, if you're looking for something more active, there are plenty of local hiking trails perfect for exploring!

Cetara

This fishing village offers up fresh seafood every day, so if you're looking for an authentic taste of Italy then head over to Cetara! You can also find some amazing beaches here that are perfect for swimming and relaxing on hot summer days. Make sure you try out their famous anchovy pasta too - it's delicious!

Sorrento

Sorrento is one of the most popular destinations on the Amalfi Coast and it's easy to see why; its cobbled streets are full of life and its piazzas provide plenty of opportunities for people-watching or grabbing a bite to eat from one of its many restaurants. While here, don't miss out on exploring Mount Vesuvius or visiting Pompeii - both are incredibly interesting places with lots to offer visitors.

Sorrento is actually considered the “gateway to the Amalfi Coast”. It is perfect for exploring the area and only being 30 minutes from Naples, it’s a short transfer to your hotel as well. This is the best place to find a more affordable hotel option too!

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The Amalfi Coast has something for everyone - whether you're looking for adventure or relaxation, there's always something to do here! With all these different areas offering such unique experiences, it's no wonder why this part of Italy is such a popular destination among travelers. So which area will you choose? No matter what your decision may be, we guarantee that an unforgettable adventure awaits!

Ready to get started planning? Fill out my contact form and we can get started!

Disclaimer: This post contains Affiliate Links for products I’m currently using. By using these links you won’t pay any additional fees, but support me to keep this site running!

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GREECE ITINERARY: ATHENS, NAXOS, PAROS, SANTORINI

Recommended 10-Day Greece Itinerary:

Athens (2 nights)

Naxos (2 nights)

Paros (2 nights)

Santorini (3 nights)

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Total days: 10

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Before I start on this itinerary, I just want to point out that this is very fast paced. Also, it is mostly geared towards US travelers that do not get a ton of time off from work and have expensive flights to the EU. Greece is not like any other European destination. It is about the experience. When you go to Greece, be prepared for down time and relaxation. This can be unlike other European cities where there is so much to see and not a lot of time to do it in so you are go-go-go. If you show this itinerary to a European that has a ton of time off and has 25 euro flights, they will most likely scoff and say that you can easily spend 2 weeks in Naxos alone. That being said, as a US citizen with a full-time job and not as much PTO as is standard for European countries, we don’t have the luxury of flying 14 hours to spend two weeks on one island in Greece.

Any who - off my soapbox! Haha! This is the itinerary that my cousin and I did when we went to Greece this past October. It was amazing and perfect for us! We didn’t feel like we moved too much or too little. This was the end of the season though so a lot of things were beginning to close up for winter. This made visiting the little villages and getting around a lot faster than dealing with the crowds during the high season. It also meant that several of our tours ended up canceling due to weather (too windy). If I were to go back, I would choose to go the first or second week in September when it is the beginning of off-season, but not too windy and you can still swim.

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ATHENS

DAY 1:

Arrive into Athens and get settled into your hotel. If you’re like us, then your flight probably arrives very early in the morning. We were exhausted! I had reserved our hotel room for the night prior so that we could check in and freshen up/nap (who are we kidding?? We we straight to bed haha!) before heading out to explore for the day.

After waking up from our nap about noon, we stopped to grab some lunch at a gyro place (did not disappoint) and then headed straight to the Acropolis to see the famous Parthenon. Fun fact - in Greece, they put fries in their gyros! 😋

The views of the city from the Acropolis are gorgeous! It’s definitely a can’t miss in Athens! We walked straight up and bought skip the line tickets. Although, I’m not sure how necessary that was as we were traveling during COVID so there wasn’t much of a line to begin with. We spent the rest of the time wondering around the city. We tried to go to A for Athens (they have an amazing rooftop bar with great city views) but they were having a private event so we didn’t stay.

We made our way to The Clumsies though which had some super interesting cocktails and tapas options to snack on.

After chilling at The Clumsies and watching the bartenders flare, we walked around and did some light shopping. We had to get a cat shirt. If you’ve ever been to Greece, then you know what I’m talking about! The cats 🐈‍⬛are everywhere! Big ones, small ones, some as big as your head.. 🤪 They are seriously everywhere to the point when we went to Santorini and didn’t really see as many, we didn’t feel like we were in Greece anymore.

For dinner, we were going to head to Cafe Avissinia for meza and live music and then dinner at Kuzina for great city views. We were so exhausted that we decided to have dinner at our hotel that night. We stayed at Academias Hotel Athens and ate at their Nyx Rooftop restaurant, which also has amazing views of the Parthenon. We were not disappointed at all!

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naxos

DAY 2:

The next morning, we woke up bright and early for our quick flight to Naxos. By quick flight, I mean it was about 30 minutes. You land at this tiny airport and walk off the plane via stairs. There is one baggage claim area that is outside. We grabbed our bags and a taxi and made our way to the Naxian Utopia Luxury Villas & Suites. We booked the Two Bedroom Petite Villa Sea View with Private Pool & Outdoor Jacuzzi. This place would be perfect for families as it is a short walk into town and the villa was very spacious.

In order to tour the island, I highly recommend renting a car. The hotel had a local company bring a car over for our stay. This was super convenient as we didn’t have to walk anywhere to pick it up or drop it off.

After checking in for our stay, we walked into town and grabbed lunch at a traditional Greek restaurant called Giannoulis. I had my first real Greek salad. If you didn’t know, traditional Greek salads do not come with lettuce but they come with a huge block of feta cheese. It was yummy!

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For dinner, we ate at Apostolis and ordered entirely too many carbs with cheese haha!

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DAY 3:

Naxos is a great place for people that love to hike! Today, we took our rental car up into the mountains for a quick day hike. We didn’t bring the proper shoes so we didn’t get too far. It had started to rain and the rocks were very slick so we turned around. On the way back into town, we stopped at a restaurant with panoramic views of the valley and watched the sunset. It was gorgeous! If you decide to include Naxos in your Greece Itinerary, make sure to stop here!

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Stay tuned for Part 2 coming soon!

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Contact me to help with your custom Greek Itinerary today!

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I just returned from a 8 day stay in Costa Rica. We split our time between four resorts. The first of which was Nayara Tented Camp in La Fortuna. This property is about 3.5 hours from San Jose or 3 hours from Liberia airports depending on traffic.

The tented camp is on the same property as the Springs (adults only) and the Gardens(family friendly). The tented camp is the newer property located at the top of the resort. Each tent has a hot spring feed floating pool on its balcony facing the volcano. The view is gorgeous!

La Fortuna is one of the main bases for excursions so when planning a trip to Costa Rica, I highly recommend a split stay between the beach and the La Fortuna area so that you are not spending 4 hours in the car every time you want to do one of the awesome excursions Costa Rica has to offer.

When I book your stay at this property, I can get you added amenities like included breakfast, $100 food and beverage credit, and a welcome amenity through my affiliations with the hotel. I can also book your restaurants and excursions for you as well.

Costa Rica is one of my favorite destinations. Contact me at lauren@thatblondetravels.com to book your stay today!