ITALY
- dreamtravelreflect
- Jul 31
- 4 min read
Finding Our Forever Italy
As a family, we spent four amazing years living in Naples Italy. In our last full year there, we took every opportunity we could to focus on the experiences that we treasured most. We returned to several places that we love, including Rome, the Amalfi Coast, the Dolomites for winter skiing, and the spiritual center of Assisi. We are proud to say that we have visited all 20 regions of Italy, including the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. We have driven the country north to south, and east to west.
Joel and I often dream of moving back and having our own home. The challenge is that with each new place we visit, we say… “we could live here.” We constantly debate whether we would rather live in a historic center with local markets and restaurants, or if we would rather have a historic stone home surrounded by rolling hills. Italy charmed us completely, and it is hard to narrow down the one location we love most.
Centers of History
Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan, Naples, and Palermo each amaze with layers of history, demonstrated in architectural wonders and current-day social patterns developed over thousands of years. We already knew a good amount of Roman history, but what has been fascinating is discovering how other time periods have lent to the cultural differences throughout the country. For example, the Etruscans had a strong cultural base in central Italy at the same time the Greeks were settling the south.
Rome often called the Eternal City is filled with so many historic sites. We love to start at The Collosseum, wander through The Forum, and make our way over to The Pantheon and Trevi Fountain which are near each other.
We also discovered that Naples was a critical location for the Allies to fight back the Germans during WWII. In fact, Naples was the most heavily bombed Italian city during the war, enduring over 200 air raids. The Four Days of Naples (September 27–30, 1943) was a powerful revolt by the citizens against the occupation, which assisted the Allies in liberating the city on October 1, 1943.
Mount Vesuvius is dramatic backdrop to the city of Naples. Just south of Naples is Pompeii and Herculaneum archeological sites that are frozen in time after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.
While Rome will forever make me feel in awe of walking through monuments to one of the most powerful and vast empires ever on Earth, there is something about Venice that completely captivates. To me, as soon as I step foot over the Grand Canal into Venice proper, I feel like I have entered an enchanted, magical land, I love wandering the back alleys.
Venice is captivating at any time of the year, but during Carnival it is magical.
Beach Getaways
Italians love their beach vacations. In the summer months—especially in August during Ferragosto—they flock to the south and set up their umbrellas early in the morning to bask in the sun all day. From the rugged, untamed beauty of Sardinia's wild beaches to the umbrella-lined shores of the iconic Amalfi Coast, we fell completely in love with the Italian way of summer.
There is a distinct rhythm to life by the sea here—the midday gelato runs, the gentle sound of the Mediterranean, and watching local families gather together at the water's edge until the sun dips low. Spending time on these coasts showed us a completely different side of the country's personality, balancing our love for ancient history with pure, relaxed paradise.
Portofino
Vernazza - Cinque Terre
The Amalfi Coast - Positano
Hidden Gem
Lecce - Often called the Florence of the South, Lecce is a a vibrant masterpiece of Baroque architecture in the Puglia region. It serves as a great jumping off point for several beach towns in the area including - Otranto and Gallipoli.
Small Villages
One thing that we loved about living in Italy is the opportunity to drive and explore remote areas that are unreachable by trains. We took several road trips, including to villages that appeared frozen in time. Some of our favorite destinations were Roseto Valfortore, Alberobello, Matera, Cinque Terre, and the villages along Riva del Garda.
From the unique stone craftsmanship of Roseto Valfortore in the Daunian Mountains, the fairytale trulli houses of Alberobello, to the vibrant cliffside charm of Cinque Terre, each destination captured a different essence of Italy. These road trips allowed us to slow down and experience the authentic, everyday magic of Italy that you just can't find in the big cities.
Alberobello
Matera
Castelmezzano
Hidden Gem
Urbino - Is a historic hill town in the Marche region of central Italy. It was a center of Renaissance architecture and thinking in the 15th Century. It is also the birthplace of Renaissance master painter - Raphael.
Our Greatest Takeaway
Ultimately, our four years living in Italy gave us a gift far greater than just beautiful memories; it completely reshaped our perspective on life. Italy taught us the true value of slowing down— of stepping off the fast-paced treadmill of daily routines to simply being present. It showed us how to deeply appreciate the simple things that matter most - a beautiful view, a perfect cappuccino, a glass of wine while people watching, or uninterrupted time with family and friends around the table.
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