Il Caffè in Italia

Coffee isn’t just a beverage in Italy, it’s part of their culture.  Just like in America, Italians make their coffee at home or stop at their favorite spot to grab a cup.  The main difference between their morning coffee and ours is the different types of coffee and the culture that goes along with it.

Culture

Every morning, bars throughout the cities of Italy are flooded with all types of people looking to grab a coffee.  The two most ordered drinks are espresso and cappuccino which I will discuss more in detail later on.  Many Italians order ‘un cornetto’ to accompany their espresso or cappuccino.  Some of the more popular bars around the cities can be more crowded with Italians along the edges of the bar so you have to be more assertive if you want to get your coffee.  Experiencing a bar like this will give you immersion into an Italian morning in a bar.  

Although many Italians prefer to go to a bar to get their coffee, many make a cup of espresso before they leave the house.  Generally Italians wait to get their cappuccino or any other milky type drink for the bar and they make their cup of espresso at home.  The typical way to make an espresso at home Italian style is through ‘la macchina’  which is a small metal coffee maker used on the stove top.  Above is a classic Bialetti macchina

L’Espresso

L’espresso is the most popular among the Italian population.  Many Italians order an espresso all throughout the day.  An espresso is like a shot of rich, strong coffee.  Many Italians take it black or with sugar while some of the elderly ask for a splash of milk.  Many bars offer one brand name of coffee such as LavAzza, Kimbo, or Illy and is advertised outside the bar.  L’espresso is usually drank fast and can be accompanied with a cornetto or pasta (pastry).  Additionally, many Italians take an espresso before going out at night.  They usually take this after dinner with their shot of liquor (which helps with digestion).  

Il Cappuccino

Il cappuccino is generally served only in the morning hours of the day and mostly ordered if you have time to sip for a while.  Almost all the time Italians will order a cornetto or pasta to go along with their cappuccino.  A cappuccino is one part espresso, one part steamed milk, and one part milk foam.  

Il Macchiato

Il macchiato is similar to the cappuccino beverage but serve in a espresso cup.  Il macchiato consists of one part espresso and one part foam milk.  This would be perfect for someone who wants an espresso with a dash of milk to make it less strong.

Il Caffè Americano

Il Caffè Americano is the Italian interpretation of the way we make coffee and personally I enjoy an espresso way more.  Il Caffè Americano is a shot of espresso along with boiling water to dilute the strong taste of espresso.  This is perfect for someone who doesn’t like the strong taste of espresso and prefers a less rich coffee taste.  

Il Caffè d’Orzo

Il Caffè d’Orzo translates to barley coffee.  This drink originated in Italy, and is a ground barley drink made from roasted grains.  Il Caffè d’Orzo is naturally caffeine-free so this would be an option for people who prefer caffeine-free drinks or for an after dinner drink before bed.

Florence, The Birth of the Renaissance

Firenze from the Bell Tower

View of Florence from Piazzale Michaelangelo (March 2011)

Florence, the heart of Tuscany, is one of the most popular spots in Italy.  When visiting Italy, most tourists include it in their itinerary even if they have already been.  In all the time I’ve spent in Florence, I still haven’t discovered it all.  Although countless amount of tourists flood the city, you still get that city that hasn’t changed since the Renaissance.  Florence is located in Tuscany which means Wine Country.  Be prepared to taste the best Chianti, maybe even go on a wine tour.  It’s really hard to narrow down the best things to do in Florence but i’ll give you a few of my favorites!

The most important part of visiting Italy is the food.  if you don’t have the opportunity to eat at some of the countries best restaurants, it could ruin Italy for you.  I have compiled a list of the top restaurants I’ve tried and approved!

Yellow Bar – Via del Proconsolo, 39r

Yellow Bar is one of the more touristic spots I will recommend but it has the most amazing pasta it’s definitely worth going.  Upon entering the restaurant, the hostess takes you by the fresh pasta being made while your assuring yourself you will be ordering it.  At Yellow Bar, one of my favorite pasta dishes was everything (sorry I couldn’t choose!).  Additionally, they have an amazing steak dish with a bed of arugula topped with parmigiano cheese.  When in Florence, a majority of the restaurants require a reservation, but at Yellow Bar, you don’t need to worry.  Yellow Bar has two floors and a large dining room upstairs that you almost never have to wait for a table.  

Osteria Vini e Vecchi Sapori – Via dei Magazzini, 3 (next to the Gucci Museum)

I tried to get a reservation weekly at Vini e Vecchi Sapori because of my love for the restaurant, the food and the staff.  The staff remembered me once I came for my second time and continued to give me a reservation when others seemed to find it impossible to get a reservation there.  With that being said, this restaurant is difficult to book so I recommend having your hotel call right away upon arrival in Florence because this is one restaurant you do not want to miss out on.  The wait staff is all family and they have a fun time joking around with the patrons.  As for the menu, the owner frequently changes their dishes but I recommend any pasta dish that appears on the menu.  One thing that always is on the menu is the Raspberry Tiramisu which I advise trying because it will be the best dessert you have while you’re in Italy (I still dream about it to this day).  Additionally, be prepared to sit with other patrons because this restaurant is small.  If you’re looking for classic Florentine cuisine this is your spot!  

B. Ice (Gelateria) – Borgognissanti 150/r

I can’t take credit for discovering B. Ice.  My Cross-cultural Communication professor introduced my class during an assignment while visiting this cute little families Gelateria.  This spot is a bit out of the main part of the city, but definitely worth the walk if you want some gelato, just think of it as walking off your cone!  (The walk is roughly 17 minutes from the Duomo).  All of the bins aren’t overflowing with crazy artificial colors like you find in the heart of Florence.  Each flavor is only made if the specific ingredients are in season to assure the best tasting gelato flavors.  All of their flavors are all natural, making the taste so unique.  I have no other suggestions of Gelaterias because I was so loyal to B. Ice.  

Things to Do in Florence

Il Duomo – The ticket costs €10 and covers the Duomo, Bell Tower, Museum, and the Baptistry.  Make sure you get to the duomo and campanile early in the morning to avoid the long line the curves around the building.  You will be able to get the best views of Florence from the Duomo or Bell Tower, so this is a must!

Tuscany Bike Tour – There are a ton of other tour companies for biking around Florence but I have to admit, this is definitely the best group around.  The tour guides are young and fun making the day super enjoyable.  They’re well informed and speak great English!  The tour includes a roadside van, bike, helmet, complimentary water bottle you can take home, lunch (wine), wine tasting, olive oil tasting, and a winery tour.

Florentine Soccer Game – Try and attend a soccer game if you can.  Soccer is such a big part of the Italian culture that it’s definitely worth witnessing all the craze at a soccer game.  I was lucky enough to be able to attend the Roma vs. Fiorentina match and I can highly recommend going to it.  Stop by the When in Florence office where they can help you find tickets for the game.  (When in Florence can help you with booking other things as well and they’re a good reference for things to do when visiting!)

Uffizi Gallery – The first time I stepped in the Uffizi Gallery, I didn’t see the exit till 6 hours later (yes, 6 hours).  The Uffizi has more rooms than you can count of thousands of famous pieces.  Try and reserve you tickets to the Gallery in advance to avoid long lines outside.

Giardino delle Rose – This is a lovely little garden on the walk up to Piazzale Michaelangelo where many tourists and Fiorentini spend time laying around the garden on a sunny day.  The smells of the flowers fill the air around Springtime.

Viterbo, The Ancient City of Lazio

Porta Fiorentina

San Pellegrino, MEDIEVALE Section

I previously talked about the city of Viterbo in my Terme del Papi post but I felt that its such an amazing city that it deserved its own post.  I lived in Viterbo for nine months back in 2010/11 and it was absolutely the best experience in Italy thus far. The heart of the city is surrounded by an mediaeval wall built in the 11th century.  The Viterbese take pride in their wall because of their great efforts to preserve the wall and its appearance.  The only entrances into the main city are through multiple city gates throughout different corners of the wall.  In the photo below you can visualize the city wall with multiple entrances and exits to the city center.

How to Get to Viterbo

Viterbo is located in the northeast region of Lazio, closest to the region of Umbria.  The best way to get to Viterbo is through Fumicino airport in Rome or Ciampino airport if you’re traveling between cities in Europe.  From these airports, you can take trains or cab to arrive at the following stations station: Roma Aurelia (Valle Aurelia), Tiburtina, Trastevere, or Termini.  If you’re already staying in Rome, Valle Aurelia and Termini are connecting to the metro so these would be you best station options.  Trains to and from Viterbo run almost hourly depending on the time of day.  When arriving in Viterbo, you can exit at Porta Romana or sometimes Porta Fiorentina.  Depending on where you’re staying, you may want to research which station is closest to your destination.  

Accommodations

Mini Palace Hotel

Via Santa Maria della Grotticella, 2/b, Viterbo, Italy

Mini Palace hotel has earned a four star rating and is one of the best options for being almost virtually inside the city center.  Mini Palace Hotel is more modern hotel with a 5 minute walk to the main entrance of the city walls, Porta Romana.  If you arrive by train, Mini Palace Hotel is about a 7 minute walk from the Porta Romana station.  This hotel I found while looking throughout the city to find a clean, quality hotel for my parents to stay in while visiting Viterbo.  The hotel includes a free continental breakfast, free wifi, conference rooms, and 24H concierge service.  

Tuscia Hotel

Via Cairoli, 41, Viterbo, Italy

Tuscia hotel has come in handy a lot when I come back and visit Viterbo.  I’ve stayed here multiple times that they hotel reception has made an effort to show that they remember me.  This hotel is definitely not the best of Viterbo, but the prices run about €50-65 per night.  Additionally, the customer service from the hotel staff is amazing for a three star hotel.  The hotel looks like it came out of the 80s so it definitely needs updating but the price is right.  This hotel is located in the center of the city(in the city walls!) and can be best reached from Porta Fiorentina station.  Tuscia hotel offers free wifi, air conditioning(not all hotels offer AC in Italy), conference rooms, free continental breakfast, free coffee from 7am-11pm, and TV SKY Vision Gold.

Dining

Viterbo’s city center offers various dining options throughout the city for lunch and dinner.  Keep in mind that Viterbo isn’t touristic so the restaurants won’t be open for dinner until 7:00-7:30pm and you should have you’re hotel concierge make reservations for you to ensure you get a table.  Everyone has their favorite places throughout the city so listen to where the concierge prefers to eat.  I’ve eaten at more that 30 restaurants in Viterbo, so I’ve narrowed down the list.

La Spaghetteria

Via Aurelia Saffi, 61, Viterbo, Italy

La Spaghetteria’s menu will take you about twenty minutes to skim through.  They offer 240 different spaghetti dishes.  I’ve tried a lot of dishes at this restaurant and I can reccomend the “Alla Cinizia” which is cherry tomatoes, basil, eggplant, and mozzarella.  Additionally, the “Il Professore” is a fan favorite if you like gorgonzola.  This dish includes pasta surrounded by a creamy gorgonzola sauce with walnuts sprinkles around.  The restaurant has inside seating with two different sections as well as an outdoor garden seating open during the summer.

Taverna Etrusca

Via Annio, 10, Viterbo, Italy

I discovered Taverna Etrusca through recommendations of the Viterbese.  They ranted and raved about their pizzas so I had to try it at least once…or a couple times.  The pizza most order allows you to get four different sections of toppings, allowing you to try different flavors.  The pizzas come big with thin crust making it something one person can eat themselves.  (Etiquette Tip: Don’t share one pizza in Italy, they think of pizzas as being an entree for one)  Also, by getting you own pizzas, you can switch slices around the table so you can try all types!  Taverna Etrusca is knows for their flavors so don’t be afraid to try a crazy flavor.  If you have any room left after dinner, I recommend trying the gorgonzola ice cream.  Overall the wait staff is friendly and welcome to their cozy atmosphere.  

Il Monastero

Via Fattunghieri, 10, Viterbo, Italy

Il Monastero, located in the center of the city, crowds with Italian young and old every night for their famous pizza.  People wait in line to be seated to try their pizzas served on two large plates.  If you’re in the mood for a pie, stop by Il Monastero! 

Attractions & What to Do

The first this I would recommend doing in Viterbo is getting lost within the city walls.  There are such picturesque scene that you have seen in the movies, yet they have come alive.  San Pellegrino also known as the mediaeval section, is where I found the best pictures and felt that I was practically in a movie.  

Palazzo dei Papi, or the Papal Palace is one of the larger attractions of Viterbo and definitely worth checking out.  The gothic arches of the palace have become a symbol of Viterbo.  Papal Palace is located adjacent to the Cattedral di San Lorenzo, the Roman Catholic cathedral of Saint Lawrence.  Next to the Cattedral di San Lorenzo, stands the campanile or bell tower.  The Campanile still rings its bell throughout the city that you become used to sound of the soothing bell.  

La Macchina di Santa Rosa, takes place during the beginning of September.  This festival’s purpose is the celebration of the patron saint of Viterbo (Santa Rosa).  The ‘macchina’ is the 30 meter high tower that is carried around the heart of the city by 100 Facchini di Santa Rosa(porters or carriers) for 1 mile starting at Porta Romana.  The Macchina makes frequent stops throughout the city in the major areas such as piazzas.  The Viterbese claim their spots early in the day and tailgate all day until the Macchina makes its way through the city.  After the Macchina travels through the narrow roads of Viterbo, fireworks flash through the sky in Valle Faul.

 100 Facchini holding the Macchina

 La Macchina

Aperitivo in Viterbo can be found throughout the city.  Many locations offer an great aperitivo with a large selections of different foods.  I used to get aperitivo at this one spot named Novecento but they’re not located in Viterbo anymore.  Blitz Bar has a great aperitivo with a retro atmostphere.  They’re really welcoming to Americans and have great drinks.

Bagnaia, a city inside Viterbo and just a 10 minute bus ride away is the home to Villa Lante.  Villa Lante is known for their spectacular gardens and pristine grounds.  Villa Lante’s manneristic garden includes grottos and cascading fountains around the site.  The entrance into Villa Lante is around €10 and can be less for students and senior citizens.  

Villa Lante (below)

Il Bagnaccio, the free hot baths of Viterbo, lay right around the corner from Terme dei Papi.  These baths are the real deal.  You can smell the potent sulfur and feel the mud below your feet.  Many fear that this may not be the most sanitary but I’ve visited many times with friends and we’ve never had problems.  Experiencing both Il Bagnaccio and Terme dei Papi would definitely be worth it!

Roma, The Eternal City

                        View of Via del Corso from Piazza del Popolo

Through my travels across Italy I always find time to come back to my favorite city: Roma, the eternal city.  I’ve visited this city countless times while discovering that I love it more and more each time.  Rome’s center consists of tons of touristic spots that are definitely worth exploring during your stay in Rome.  Rome has so many places to get lost and capture that picture perfect scene you imagine Italy to be.  There is so much Rome outside of the touristic areas that I believe you need at least a week to conquer somewhat of Rome’s entirety.  I say somewhat because I’ve been there countless amount of times and discover tons of new areas every time.  

Getting Around the City

The best way to travel through Rome is walking, but don’t be afraid to use the metro, bus, or tram.  The metro is safe and easy to navigate.  The metro consists of the A Line and the B Line which cross at the Termini train station.  

Rome has various tours with a ton of different means of transportation.  You can tour in a vintage Fiat 500 to an electric car.  Check out Fodor’s list of Tours!

Corso and Spagna

Via del Corso and Piazza di Spagna will be among some of the first places you visit when in Rome.  Via del Corso runs parallel to Tiber river and connects Piazza Venezia all the way to Piazza del Popolo.  In the middle you’ll find the famous Spanish Steps filled will tourists from all over the world.  Here you will find the famous Via Condotti which encompasses stores of the highest luxury brands such as Buglari, Gucci, and Prada to name a few.  Via del Corso carries more economical stores such as Zara and H&M.  Piazza di Spagna is my favorite for taking a break from walking around the city and sit or even climb the steps to get that picturesque view of Via Condotti.  

Restaurant Recommendations

Gusto

Via della Frezza, 16, 00186, Rome, Italy

Gusto has many different components to the restaurant.  The downstairs includes a buffet style where you weigh and pay, a cheese shop, and a pizzeria.  The upstairs is the restaurant with full wait staff and menus.  When eating at Gusto, I recommend eating downstairs in the buffet.  This isn’t your normal buffet.  Everything looks fresh and delicious that I always end up paying a bit extra to try as many things as I can from their selection.  Check out this unique dining experience here!

Trastevere

Trastevere is one of the most picturesque areas of the city.  You can get lost for hours walking through the small roads that intertwine around the neighborhood.  During the day it is lively with the bustle of restaurants and tourists while at night it transforms into a attraction of partygoers.  

RESTAURANT RECOMMENDATIONS

Mario’s

Via del Moro 53, 00186, Rome, Italy

Mario’s restaurant menu encompasses the classic Roman cuisine.  I preferred ordering two primi of pasta e ceci and bruschetta di pomodoro.  When I dined at Mario’s I was currently studying abroad in Florence so this was a nice Roman cuisine I was missing while living in Florence.  If you’re looking for a traditional Roman cuisine, you must visit Mario’s in Trastevere, you won’t be disappointed!

Piazza Navona & Campo de’ Fiori

Piazza Navona is my favorite spot in Rome, especially during the holidays.  Piazza Navona during Christmas is surrounded with tourists, street performers, and vendors, yet it’s still the most beautiful piazza in Rome.  The area around Piazza Navona includes Campo de’ Fiori, a piazza that encompasses a ton of bars and restaurants popular to American and Italian students.  

RESTAURANT RECOMMENDATIONS

Navona Notte

Via del Teatro Pace, 44, 00186, Rome, Italy

From the outside, Navona Notte looks like a tourist trap.  Personally, Navona Notte was one of the best tourist traps I fell into.  There was no cover charge, as well as amazing food.  Sure this restaurant is located in a tourist section with a ton of tourists, but it was the cheapest food for the best quality you’ll find.  The one con of the restaurant that some people may find is that there isn’t a lot of space between tables which didn’t bother me at all because most restaurants are just as crowded in Italy.  You won’t spend more than 25 euros for two people including wine.  I always tell people to check out this spot when visiting Rome for the first time.