After spending time in Spain, we continued our journey through Italy. This part of the trip was especially meaningful because, after travelling together, I stayed in Italy for another three weeks to spend time with my family.
Before Carmel headed back to Australia, we also had the chance to explore some parts of Italy that we hadn’t managed to visit during our trip last year. This time, we decided to spend a few days discovering Naples and the Amalfi Coast, two places that had been on our list for a while.
From wandering through the lively streets of Naples and discovering its incredible food to exploring the beautiful towns of Positano and Amalfi, this part of the trip gave us a completely different experience of Italy. Once our time travelling together came to an end, Carmel returned to Australia while I stayed behind for another three weeks to enjoy some quality time with my family.
DAY 1 – Tuesday 23.06
Woke up at 7 am and headed to the Sagrada Família to take a few more photos while the area was still quiet and peaceful. We brought the sandwiches we had bought earlier and enjoyed them for breakfast while sitting outside the basilica. Afterwards, we took the bus to Parc de la Ciutadella to take a few more photos before returning to the hostel to pack our bags and check out at 11 am. Before leaving the area, we stopped at a small nail salon near the hostel where I had our gel polish removed.
We then went back to La Boqueria to explore the market properly and take a few more photos. For lunch, we chose Column Restaurant, where we tried some traditional Spanish dishes, including jamón ibérico, paella, and crema catalana. It turned out to be one of our best meals in Barcelona. In the afternoon, we took the bus to Barceloneta Beach, where we spent some time walking along the waterfront and enjoying the atmosphere before making our way to the airport by metro. Our flight departed Barcelona at 8:25 pm and landed in Naples at 10:25 pm. Once we arrived, we ordered an Uber to our accommodation. Since self check-in wasn’t available, the landlord met us at the entrance and showed us to the apartment. After such a long travel day, we went straight to sleep.
DAY 2- Wednesday 24.06
( Night at: B&B Caesar, Napoli )
( Take away pizzas from Pizzeria da Michele, Naples )
We woke up at 9 am and headed out for breakfast at DolceAmaro Caffè. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a bit disappointing. The food was nothing special and we felt that it was quite overpriced, especially considering what we received, so it wasn’t exactly the best start to the day. At 10:45 am, we joined a free walking tour to explore Naples. The tour took us through almost every corner of the city, from the ancient ruins and historic streets to some of Naples’ most famous landmarks. We stopped at the Church of the New Jesus, Chiesa del Gesù Nuovo, where we went inside and had a look around before continuing through the lively streets of Spaccanapoli. Along the way, we also stopped for a photo with Pulcinella, the famous Neapolitan character. For lunch, we went to Pizzeria Da Attilio, where we finally got to try authentic Neapolitan pizza. It was absolutely amazing and definitely lived up to what we had been hoping for from Naples. After lunch, we continued exploring the city on foot before taking the metro. The metro stations in Naples are famous for their incredible artwork and design, and we stopped to admire one of the most beautiful stations in Europe. By around 3 pm, we were completely exhausted, so we headed back to the apartment to relax for a while. We were so tired from the morning that we ended up falling asleep for a bit, which was exactly what we needed. In the evening, we walked to L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, another of Naples’ most famous pizzerias. Rather than eating there, we decided to take the pizzas back to the apartment and enjoy them from the comfort of our bed. After such a long day of exploring, it was the perfect way to end our first day in Naples. We ate our pizza, relaxed, and soon fell asleep.
DAY 3 – Thursday 25.06
( Night at: B&B Caesar, Napoli )
( Galleria Umberto I, Naples )
Tour: https://gyg.me/t0AaLJP6
Tour : https://gyg.me/rlYKZvlJ
We woke up at 6 am and started the day early, taking the metro into the city. We began our morning around Piazza del Plebiscito, one of the most impressive squares in Naples, before walking towards the beautiful Galleria Umberto I. From there, we continued along the waterfront towards Castel dell’Ovo, taking in the views and enjoying the quiet atmosphere of the city early in the morning. We then made our way to the famous Maradona mural, although unfortunately, the area was under construction during our visit, so we couldn’t properly see it or take the photos we had hoped for.
At 11 am, we joined a street food tour, which took us through the Spaccanapoli area and introduced us to some of the local specialties. We started at Storica Salumeria Zinzi, where we tried some of the freshest mozzarella we had during our trip. We then stopped at Ó Rre Friggitoria to try pizza fritta, followed by Pizzeria I Decumani, where we tasted fried pasta.
The food tour continued with a stop at Limonè, where we tried limoncello, and somewhere along the way we also grabbed a refreshing Aperol Spritz. We finished the tour at Pasticceria Carraturo, one of Naples’ historic pastry shops, where we tried sfogliatella. It was a great way to experience Naples through its food, with each stop offering something completely different.
By the time we got home, we were completely stuffed and definitely in a food coma. We relaxed for a while and took a nap before heading back out in the afternoon.
At 4 pm, we visited Napoli Sotterranea, the underground tunnels beneath the city. Having already been to Naples three times, I was actually surprised by how interesting I found it. Exploring the underground side of the city gave us a completely different perspective on Naples, and I was really glad we decided to do it this time. After the tour, we went straight back home, exhausted from such an early start and a full day of eating and exploring. We went to bed early, ready for another tour the following morning.
DAY 4 – Friday 26.06
( Night at: B&B Caesar, Napoli )
( Positano, Italy )
Tour: https://gyg.me/7bnqh1PW
We woke up at 7:30 am, got ready, had something to eat in the room, and then walked about 10 minutes to the bus stop to meet our tour. The bus was quite large, and after picking everyone up, we made our way towards the Amalfi Coast.
We arrived in Positano around 11 am. By then, we were already feeling quite tired, and the heat made the day feel even more intense. We had around two hours to explore, so we spent our time walking through the narrow streets, taking photos, admiring the colourful buildings built into the cliffs, and enjoying the views over the coast. Positano was beautiful, but with the heat and how tired we already were, it was definitely a bit exhausting.
At 1 pm, we took the ferry to Amalfi, which was a lovely way to see more of the coastline from the water. Once we arrived, we had until around 5 pm to explore. Having a few hours there gave us more time to slow down and take things at our own pace.
We stopped for lunch and grabbed a simple panino from a small grocery store before wandering through the streets of Amalfi. Of course, we couldn’t leave without trying one of the refreshing lemon sorbets that Amalfi is famous for. It was exactly what we needed after walking around in the heat.
At 5 pm, we took the bus back to Naples. By this point, I was completely exhausted. It had been a long, hot day, and all I wanted to do was get back and relax.
In the evening, we went back to L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele and ordered pizza to take away, just like we had done two nights earlier. After another full day of exploring, eating pizza in the comfort of our accommodation felt like the perfect way to end the day.
DAY 5 – Saturday 27.06.26
( Night at: Casa Roma Affittacamere )
( Last meal in Italy together which ofc is sushi )
We woke up around 6:30 am and slowly started getting organised for the day. I was feeling a little anxious, so I spent some time booking my passport appointment before trying to relax and get a little more sleep. Carmel woke up around 8:30 am, and together we finished packing, had breakfast in the room, and took a few last photos from the balcony before checking out.
Around 10:15 am, we walked to the train station to catch our 11:10 am Frecciarossa train to Rome. The journey was quick and comfortable, and we arrived in Rome at around 12:19 pm. Once we got there, we headed straight to our hotel and, luckily, our room was already ready, so we were able to check in straight away.
For lunch, we went to SushiSun Elite Porta Pia, also known as Sushi Sun Nomentana, where we enjoyed one last sushi meal together before heading back to the hotel for an afternoon nap. After several busy days of travelling and exploring, we were both happy to have some time to slow down.
Later in the afternoon, we walked to Conad to pick up a few things for breakfast the following morning. We had originally planned to go out again for dinner, but in the end, we decided to stay in and enjoy a quiet evening together instead. Back at the hotel, Carmel surprised me with my birthday present a pair of AirPods. It was such a sweet surprise, especially with the trip coming to an end. We spent the rest of the evening organising our luggage and separating our clothes for the next day. As the night went on, we both started to feel a little sad knowing that tomorrow we would be going our separate ways. I would be heading to my mum’s house, while Carmel would be flying back to Australia. After spending the past few weeks travelling, exploring new places, sharing meals, getting tired together, laughing, and making so many memories, it suddenly felt strange knowing that our trip was coming to an end.
It was a quiet and emotional final evening together. We took some time to reflect on everything we had experienced over the past few weeks and all the memories we would be taking home with us. Eventually, we went to sleep, knowing that tomorrow would be the beginning of two different journeys.
DAY 6- Sunday 28.06
We woke up very early because Carmel had a 6:20 am train to Fiumicino Airport. I went with her to the train station to say goodbye and make sure she got on the right train. After we said our goodbyes, I stayed at the station and waited for my own train, which was at 7:05 am with Italo.
Since it was going to be quite a long journey, I decided to upgrade to a class a little above Economy so I could travel more comfortably. The train journey went smoothly, and I arrived in Alessandria at around 12:40 pm, where my uncle Piero was waiting to pick me up.
We got home around 1:40 pm, and it was so nice to finally be back with my family. We had lunch all together with my mum, my aunties Maria Rosa, Sandra, Giovanna and Claudia, Claudia’s husband Piero, his parents Luigina and Camillo, and my cousin Anna.
It was a lovely family afternoon filled with food, conversations, and plenty of time to catch up. We spent most of the day sitting together, eating, talking, and simply enjoying being around each other. There was also a special reason for the gathering, as Luigina was celebrating her 85th birthday, which made the day even more meaningful.
Everyone left around 5 pm, and afterwards I finally had some time to relax. I was completely exhausted after the early morning and long train journey, so I stayed in the living room with my family for a while, chatting and taking it easy.
Later, I tried to get some sleep, but the heat made it surprisingly difficult. I woke up many, many times throughout the night, feeling incredibly hot and restless. After such a long day, all I really wanted was a good night’s sleep, but unfortunately, the Italian summer had other plans.
