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Ruins, gardens, museums, trails — the sights that earned their spot on the itinerary.
An orchestra playing Vivaldi in a Venetian church, on the recommendation of a museum worker.
Twenty-five minutes up the whole length of the Grand Canal — the gondola we decided against, and better.
Tatiana photographed the basilica and the piazza on our one evening in Venice.
One for the next trip — the market is a morning thing and we only had an evening.
Stumbled across on a walk — a room of beautiful string instruments, and the tip that led to the evening's concert.
One for the next trip — the islands need a day we didn't have.
One for the next trip — our single Venice evening went to the canal, a concert and dinner.
Four hours through the hills above Florence on ebikes, with a guide who stopped to explain the city the whole way.
We got lost walking and ended up outside it, too late and without tickets — so we admired the architecture instead.
The ride we actually did was the We Like Tuscany ebike tour in Florence.
The church at the top of the hill — a Romanesque facade, an inlaid marble floor, and a gold mosaic apse.
The owner took us upstairs and showed us the studio where they measure your feet and hand-paint sneakers to order.
A little arched hatch in a wall with its own bell — something we had no idea existed.
The whole of Florence from the top of the hill at sunset — plus a DJ, food stands and a basketball tournament.
We admired it from the piazza — the ticket queues, and then the entry queues, beat us.
A pre-trip plan we didn't end up doing.
A huge music shop full of every instrument going — our musician son was not leaving quickly.
Tatiana's photographs of the old bridge and the Arno at dusk on our first night in Florence.
Open-air sculpture under the Loggia dei Lanzi, the carousel in Piazza della Repubblica, and street musicians on nearly every corner.
Forty-five minutes around the historic centre on a little road train — a surprisingly good way to get oriented.
Every inch of the ceiling is gilded and frescoed. 'I can never get enough of the artwork — just unbelievable.'
The beach, the boardwalk, the ferry ride in — and almost no shade anywhere.
Where the taxi dropped us off, at the bottom of La Rambla — the start of the walk up into the Gothic Quarter.
The Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia — 'what can I say… just wow.'
Extraordinary. We took a ton of photos and they still don't do it justice.
The neighbourhood our taxi driver told us about — hours of streets, restaurants, cafes and gelato after dark.
The political and religious heart of ancient Rome — temples, basilicas, and arches scattered across a flat valley between hills. The Colosseum combo ticket gets you in.
The original imperial residence above the Forum — Romulus's legendary founding spot. Bonus: the best views down over the Forum and Circus Maximus.
The Flavian Amphitheatre — 50,000 seats, two millennia, and still the most iconic ruin on earth. Visiting on a guided tour combo with the Forum and Palatine Hill.
Rome's most famous baroque fountain — Bernini-inspired, Salvi-designed. Plan: throw a coin, take the photo, get out before the crowds.
138 steps from Piazza di Spagna up to Trinità dei Monti — a Rome classic. Heads-up: you can't sit on them anymore.
Rome's most theatrical baroque square — built on a Roman stadium, anchored by Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers. Doing a guided walking tour to get the story behind the statues.
The best-preserved Roman temple — 2,000 years old with its open-oculus dome still intact. Planning a late-afternoon visit for the soft light.
The long flight over. We upgraded to Premium Economy and it was completely worth it.
