buongiorno! the hunts have some fun news: late summer, we’ll be flying abroad and staying… for three months!!! this trip has been a long time coming (we’ve been saving and hoping and talking since 2010 when we took this trip). and we’re finally doing it! the occasion is steve’s sabbatical, so while there he’ll have some research and writing to do but otherwise, we’ll be hanging out IN ITALY! our home base will be orvieto but we hope to take both day trips and overnights in all sorts of places.
now, we’d love to have your recommendations. (it was a blog reader who first clued me into cinque terre, which ended up being one of our absolute favorite places on our 2010 trip.). great lodging, places to see, places to eat, things to do, savvy travel tips of all kinds. we have our work cut out for us to figure it all out and so far we’ve… gotten passports and booked flights. our to-do list is about two pages long! we are flying into milan and, three months later, flying out of london so we’ll be doing italy, hopefully some france, maybe some switzerland, and definitely some england while there. so… tell me everything! we need your help!
thanks so much for any advice. you guys rule.
xo!
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Three months?! Wow, that is so exciting! I think my head would explode with anticipation. 🙂
I live in Switzerland (in Lausanne, in the French-speaking region),so if you have questions specifically about Switzerland – let me know. Or anything about Europe really – we have traveled quite a bit. I can help with England too – my fiancé is British!
thank you!! we have friends in zurich who we may stay with for a bit, but if i have any other questions i will definitely reach out – thanks claire!!
Public transportation is great in these countries. Make sure to get the basics on the language. Perhaps key phrases and vocabulary. Cinque terre was great and in the summer it is hard to book a room so plan with time. Don't be afraid to use airbnb in europe. I have had great experiences. The food is great in all the countries you have mentioned. I live in Paris,France. If you need any help on choosing places to visit, don't hesitate.
is there a specific neighborhood i should be looking into for our paris stay?! i don't know paris AT ALL.
Oh my! This sounds like the best adventure ever. My two cents:
1. If you end up in Venice, get up crazy early (like 5am), grab some pastries from a bakery and head into the city before the crowds. The whole place gets swarmed during the day, so take advantage of the quiet morning.
2. Salzburg. It's seriously one of the most magical places. And because it's built into a mountain, it's all really compact and easy to walk for a day trip. If you end up going, I'd have way more tips, but you should totally check it out.
thank you! that early venice morning sounds dreamy (as long as i've had my cappuccino.)
Just forewarning- in Italian "latte" literally means hot milk. So, when I ordered one in Venice, I got a weird look and steamed milk in a cup. If you are going to Rome, which I really recommend if you'll be there that long, make sure and go to a restaurant called "ristoccico." I tell all my friends about it and they always rave about how it was the best food they had in Italy. It's near the Vatican, but FYI they are closed on Sunday's. http://www.ristochicco.it/en/ In Paris, go to this little crepe stand to the right of Notre Dame cathedral (in front of the nice cafe). It's the best crepe you'll have in your life. Lots of places are tourist traps and they'll up charge for cheaper food. This stand is seriously amazing. I guess it's true that whole in the wall places are the best! Have a blast! I'm jealous! My husband and I traveled abroad in college and I can't wait to see your pictures!
Will the big kids be coming with you? (ie Lindsay & William?)
Can you bring back pasta/italian pastries for all your American readers?
yes they will!
and yes! chocolate croissants for all!
So, so cool! Gosh, I loved everything about Italy. I'm so jealous. Cinque Terre is the best suggestion ever. Venice is awesome for a few days, though water with kiddos might be rough. Florence, goodness, you have to see Florence. A bit lesser known of, Bologna. Known for their pasta, so obviously it's amazing! It's been a couple years since I went, so the particular names of restaurants and such escapes me, but I'm sure there will be no problem in finding wonderful places!
bologna! thank you!
That's so amazing! I love that you are going to do it as a family. It's really inspirational actually. Life doesn't ever have to stop being an adventure 🙂 My husband and I quit our jobs and backpacked Europe for a month last year, and it was the best adventure we ever had. I can't think of any recommendations off the top of my head right now…I was mostly in survival mode the whole time…find food…find toilet..lol. I am sure you will be much better off than I was 😉 And please, please blog while you're over there!
Morgan. x.
i'll be blogging as much as i can while there! and we can't wait to go over w/ the kids. lindsey has been telling her friends and learning italian on an iPad app for weeks! needless to say, they're excited!
good for her. that's adorable that she's learning! will they miss school? still a totally worthwhile experience if they do!
haha, no. neither is bummed to be leaving school for a few months. (i think they're more bummed that they won't be missing more of the year!!)
i meant will they miss it, like as in will they be out of school when they should be there! – no one actually MISSES SCHOOL!
saw this and thought of you:
http://acoest1984.blogspot.ca/2015/04/10-surprising-tips-for-traveling-in.html
duh! mom brain. yes, they'll miss school for two months! thanks for the link!!
WOW!! OH MY WORD!! This is awesome!! 🙂 How absolutely exciting!! 🙂 I adore Italy and can't wait to see and read about your exciting adventures!!!
🙂 Rebecca
this is so fun! we've been living in london since july and have done some really fun trips in europe and the UK…
Interlaken, Switzerland: just GORGEOUS!! we went at a weird time (in March) which was right in between the winter/spring season so not much was open (planning fail!) but everyone, including our airbnb hosts told us how incredible it is to visit the area in summer. there are lakes for swimming with the alps rising up all around. lots of farms to visit… this one in particular i was dying to bring our two year old to visit (http://www.interlaken.ch/en/open-air-museum-ballenberg.html) but it wasn't open at the time. lots of hiking trails… and really good chocolate 😉 i wrote a couple of blog posts (mostly pictures) from our time there…http://www.erinmareemucha.com/2015/04/lake-brienz-schilthorn.html and http://www.erinmareemucha.com/2015/04/around-interlaken.html
so as not to turn this into an epic comment, you can also click on the travel tab on the side bar of my blog to check out our other trips (Deal/White Cliffs of Dover + Paris). we are heading to the dalmatian coast of croatia at the end of May… which might be something you guys could look into! feel free to get in touch with any questions!! xo
ooh, thank you for the links!
Ill second a Croatia vote, amazing and incredible. I feel like its still a bit of a hidden gem – you have to see Plitvices lakes
So exciting Bridget.
We did Italy last year – Venice, Florence & Positano. We wish we had more time in Positano. There were so many little day trips, hikes, excursions, etc we wish we had time for. Switzerland was also really lovely. Lucerne is stunning and we had a really great time in the tiny town of Grindelwald. We've talked about going back in the summer. Switzerland was also really easy to drive in – great highways and simple signage so good for a Hunt family road trip 😉
Also, while I normally detest tours, Context Travel has been a must for us whenever it is available. They are so, so good and the docents, really knowledgeable. They do family programs and are available in Italy, Paris & London for sure. Highly recommended!
road tripping through switzerland would be a dream!!
Just don't speed! We got a ticket for doing 3 km/hr (THREE) over the speed limit!
wow what a dream!!!! so excited for you guys!
Hi Bridget, I am a long time reader, yet I've never wrote here.
I am coming out of the so called "lurkedom" because luck would have it that I am italian and I've seen quite a bit of my country.
Feel free to ask me everything it pops into mind, I would really like to help you as a thank you for all the hours of entertainment you've gifted me with your blog.
thank you so much vittoria!
Slovenia!
Wow! I studied abroad in Italy and Cinque Terre was my favorite. For day trips, Cortona and Assisi are very charming. The Amalfi Coast and the island of Capri would be wonderful for a little longer trip.
What a trip! It's going to be so amazing. I am originally from Poland so my suggestion is to visit Krakow and especially the Wieliczka salt mine!
I'm so genuinely happy for you.
The Aeolian Islands are really beautiful, if you like it quiet and rural – I really love Alicudi and Salina – at night, with stars above you it's the best. It is mostly car -free though.
The tuscany coast is also really beautiful, like Orbettello, Follonica, Castiglione della Pescaia and if you ever get tired of the sea, Siena, Pienza, San Gimignano, Val d'Orcia are worth a visit too.
thank you SO much licia.
Positano, Italy is a must see!!! (besides obviously Rome). Slovenia and Croatia are both beautiful in the summer as well.
I'm so jealous I could cry. WAH. Instead I'll live vicariously through you. I rarely comment.. but my husband and I went to Italy last year- and I posted some recaps. We hit all the big sights in Rome and Florence (and capped it off in Vernazza), but there's a restaurant we ate at in Florence that was one of the coolest experiences ever. I posted about them under my travel tab. http://kellybjd.blogspot.com/p/travel.html – In Vernazza if you go back to Cinque Terre you should eat at Gianni Franzi. It's a restaurant and hotel and they have this cliffside patio where we had breakfast (and I think they have other meals up there for non hotel guests) and it's seriously the most insane views ever. We wanted to stop in Lucca on the way from Florence to Cinque Terre but didn't have time- I've heard nothing but incredible things. It's a walled city and the walls are like a park and you can bike on them.
if you want a more ambitious and unknown destination, I'd train down to Sicily. Actually, here's a good resource in general. I found this girls' blog because she's living in Malta (30 minute boat ride off the coast of Sicily in the Med) where I studied abroad in law school.. she's got some incredible travel stuff on here: http://www.blog-jess.com/when-in-sicily . This was clearly all over the map but I just so excited.
i wonder if that's the same place we ate in vernazza?! i can't remember the name, but it was definitely a cliffside patio! under the old castle!
thank you for the link!
We spent a few hours in Lucca and wished we had more time! Biking around the wall was such a cool and unique experience (the whole wall was MAN.MADE. my mind was seriously blown!) and the architecture throughout the town was so neat in large part to being a walled town!
Oh my gosh three months what?!!!!!
That is going to be AMAZING! Wow. So cool.
If you get a chance, go to Prague! It's a small enough city that you'll feel like you get a hang of it, but it's also so, so beautiful. Perfect for a weekend trip, or something. I went there after visiting Italy a few years ago and I loved both places. 🙂
Always, Anita
oh i would love to see prague. maybe!
This would be my dream come true! Spending months in Europe and touring all those places I only heard about. You have yourself some fun chica!
It's not easy traveling with little kids but you will have so many memories
Happy Medley
AWESOME! Where in Italy? I'm just taken by Rome still and the little islands around Venice are some of the most amazing!
No suggestions here….but please feel free to IG and blog the shiz out of your time over there! 🙂 i'll be over here living vicariously!
Hey Bridget! I used to live in northern Italy for a few years with my husband. You can see those blog posts at the beginning of my blog. Anyway, northern Italy is stocked with castles. In fact, it is the area in Europe with the most and has amazing white wine vineyards. If you are going to check out Venice, see castles in the area: Sirmione, Lazise, Soave. Basically anything along the track from Venice-Verona-Milan will be chock full of castles. 🙂 You will feel like a princess!
Oh! One last suggestion. If you go north you have to see Ravenna. It has the most spectacular mosaics. I blogged about them here. http://burgersgelato.blogspot.com/2011/12/mosaics-of-ravenna.html
If you have time while visiting London, take a day trip to Cambridge. Stop at the Orchard Tea Garden in Grantchester for tea/scones/pims. Then go punting on the River Cam. One of my greatest memories of all time!
Hi Bridget!
I live in Italy in padua, a town near Venice.
I'm happy for you!!!our country is wooonderful!!!
You should visit Venice, of course Rome, Tuscany and get lost here because it's wonderful!!!
If you want, take a look here, where I describe our little journey ( in the bottom you'll find the one we did in Italy!)
http://leavventuredellapice.blogspot.it/p/travel.html
Ciaoooooo e buona giornata! 🙂
thank you!
NO WAY! that is the best news!!!! maybe I will get to see you over there!! so therefore my advice for Italia (I lived there for over a year and actually do have a lot to tell you… maybe in lengthy email form!) is to come to Croatia. Ha! How's that!?
PS. Matera. It's somewhere that most people never go to, but you cannot cannot miss it. and about 1,000 more of those coming…
gimme all your knowledge! (and hey! who knows! maybe croatia will happen!)
There are so many great suggestions on here! We frequently visit Italy and if you want to try and hit Switzerland too I would suggest Stresa on Lake Maggiore. We've gone several times and the lake is lovely, the little town has several great restaurants and you can take a boat cruise up to Switzerland and back or drive around the lake! Plus you will be in the Piedmont region which will have different wines and different food 🙂
Hi Bridget!
Until now, I've never commented on your blog, but I am European and I've been to Italy more than 20 times, so here are some tips:
1.) When you are in Florence, go to Fiesole (20 minutes by bus). I have been traveling a lot, bus this is maybe the most beautiful view I have seen in my life (google it!).
2.) In Bologna, I recommend walking up to Santuario della Madonna di san Luca (take some water with you). There is a monumental roofed arcade from the late 17th/18th century up the hill.
3.) Lucca, Siena, Ferrara. Also, the Italian Lake District.
4.) In Rome: On top of the Aventin Hill, there is the Giardino degli Aranci (orange garden). Beautiful view over Rome, beautiful churches.
5.) If you want to visit Venice, it would be better to go there off-season (not in July and August), there are too many tourists.
I've also lived in France (Paris) and Austria, if you intend to go there I could give you some more tips.
Have a beautiful trip!
i've heard amazing things about fiesole! i will definitely get there!!
thank you so much for your tips!
(for paris – which neighborhood would you recommend if i were looking into an airbnb?)
In the southern part I would recommend to stay in the 5th, 6th and 7th district (= arrondissement), but also in 13th and 14th. For the northern part, in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 8th district and in the southern part of the 9th district.
There are other (more multicultural) parts of Paris which I like a lot, but I probably wouldn't stay there with small children. If I had a family, I would prefer to stay in the Quartier Latin (5th and 6th district) or in the Marais (3rd and 4th district), but this might be a bit pricey (but it's safe, the parks and squares are beautiful, you can stroll along the Seine).
Don't hesitate to ask if you have any other questions!
Greetings from Europe!
Crap, I just had a comment typed up and I think the internet ate it! Anyway, 3 months in Europe…this sounds amazing!!!!
I am planning a trip to Italy this summer (only 2-3 weeks, sadly) and have settled on staying mostly in Vernazza thanks to a suggestion from a friend who went last summer and I just read your post about your last trip and now I'm super excited!!!!!
I'm trying to settle on an itinerary… can you help? Basically we want to fly into & out of Rome & Venice (no flights booked yet, so it's flexible). I was originally thinking:
fly into Venice (stay a few days) > train to Florence (stay a few days) > train to Pisa on the way to Vernazza (stay at least a week) > train to Rome (fly out from here)
Does that make sense or do you think there's a better way to do it? It seemed like you hit most of these cities on your last trip, so I was wondering what you thought? Thanks!!!
I don't have many tips for your trip… I haven't been to Europe in almost 10 years!!! Italy & Spain are my favorites over all. If you have a chance to go to Spain, I would. I went all over that country and loved it all. Especially Barcelona. I was underwhelmed by Paris, but I'd go back. I loved London but didn't have much time there. You'll have a blast no matter what!
hi lynn! i think what you're doing sounds fabulous–we didn't get to venice while there, in part because it was too out of the way for the other things we were doing–but i don't think you can miss with that! the only thing we really really loved that you're not doing is positano. very different feel from cinque terre, but also an amazing coastal area! but its a little ridiculous to get there (trains/buses/subway) so it might not be worth your while…really theres no way to see it all! you just have to go back again!
Ah Bridget this is so exciting!! I can't wait to read about your adventures. I just posted over on my blog today actually asking for European travel tips as well! I've been saving up and am headed over there for the first time this June – my boyfriend and I will be traveling Ireland, England, France, & Spain for a month.
If you have any tips for those places to share, I'd love to hear! Italy is on my list for the future, so if I gather any insights I'll be sure to let you know! 🙂 xo Dayna
Ohmygosh I had typed you out a novel and the internet ate it. It's my first time commenting (well I guess second if you count the one that disappeared…)
Just for background I studied abroad in the UK, backpacked all over Europe for 6 weeks afterwards and traveled almost every weekend I was there, and now I go to Europe 3 or 4 times a year for work and try to squeeze in a mini vacation over the weekend each time.
I rely heavily on Rick Steve's guidebooks for traveling in Europe. Even if you don't take one with you, they are good for trying to map out the trip, since he gives good advice on where you might want to go in each country and how long you might want to stay there to hit the highlights. You can also download audio guides to go along with his self-guided walking tours for neighborhoods and museums. They might be especially good for the older kids if you don't want to pay for the museum provided audio tours in places like the Louvre and the Vatican.
Cinque Terra is possibly the most beautiful place I've ever been (but you know that already). Rome and Venice are great, make sure you go to Murano if you're in Venice. Tuscany is beautiful – you could rent a villa and just relax and take in the scenery/drink wine. I also spent a long weekend on Ischia (Capri's little sister) several years ago and it was lovely/much quieter (and cheaper!) than Capri. You can take a boat over to Capri and visit the Blue Grotto (kids will prob LOVE it).
If you go to Paris take the day trip to Versaille. It's totally worth it, especially if the weather is nice and you can hang out in the gardens. Southern France is also gorgeous, but it depends on if you fill up on country vistas in Italy/Switzerland.
Both Paris and London are FULL of things to do. You could spend at least a week in either one, so it definitely just depends on how much you want to do/what your personal preferences are for museums/churches/relaxing. I can provide more specifics depending on what you would be most interested in.
The trains in Europe in general are great, and you should look into Eurorail passes (http://www.eurail.com/). In the summer time Switzerland runs scenic train routes through the mountains that are supposed to be really beautiful (I've never gotten to go bc I am usually there in March, just before they start running for the season). If you (or the older kids) are interested in extreme sports/general outdoor stuff I would suggest a weekend in Interlaken (they have hang gliding and sky diving and all sorts of stuff).
That's most of what I can think of off the top of my head, but just let me know if you have questions or anything.
train ride through switzerland! sounds amazing.
Oh girl, I am so excited for you and the family (and super jealous too)!!!! I was going to ask about Lindsey and William but I see you answered that….how fun for all! If you don't blog much you best be on ig all the dang time cause I am going to want to see this!!! Eeeeks, just awesome!!!
What?!?!? This sounds amazing!!!! How wonderful!!!
I'm from Berlin, Germany, and I think you would love it here. The city is full of parks, playgrounds, kids and cool neighborhoods that feel completely untouched and tourist-free compared to Paris, London and Rome. Especially in the warmer months, Berlin is incredibly friendly and welcoming. Also, it was just named the greenest capital in Europe, which doesn't surprise me at all! I live in Kreuzberg, a part of town that's very central but still extremely relaxed-it's full of families, little shops and cafés and fun things to do 🙂 If you need any tips on where to stay and what to do if you go to Berlin, let me know!
Also, to support my reasoning, a buzzfeed list of all the awesomeness in Berlin! http://www.buzzfeed.com/antwaunsargent/things-berlin-does-better-than-new-york#.gbZPb9jOk
I believe you! Just not sure we'll be getting there this trip 🙁 Oh to see all of Europe.
Wow, Bridget! That is awesome news… what a wonderful gift you are giving your children (and yourselves)! Jealous!! I have to remind myself often (when that travel bug hits), that my husband and I were very lucky to get lots of international travel and living abroad under our belts before settling down… In fact, we were both living and working in Florence when we met and fell in love!
I could spend hours writing tips and memories and suggestions about Florence, and I do hope you get to bring the family back there for a day or two… but instead, I'll focus on one thing, arguably the most important. Please, please promise that the only gelateria you'll visit in Florence is Gelateria dei Neri! It's tucked away on a little side street (via dei Neri) between Piazza Signoria and Santa Croce, and is hands down the best shop in all of Florence, dare I say all of Italy… believe me- in 1.5 years there, I believe I tried all of them! 🙂 The ice cream is all house-made, they have delightful flavors like spicy dark chocolate and coconut hazelnut cream…. and the owners are so kind.
Have a wonderful time, and in bocca al lupo!
barring any sort of emergency, I WILL BE THERE. I'll even instagram it. You're so nice to share this little morsel with me. Wish I could bring some to you!
So jealous! My husband and I spent some time in Italy and LOVED it there!
I highly recommend Special Places to Stay: Italy by Sawday if you want to stay in some unique places!
Enjoy!
I still remember giving you Cinque Terre tips about 5 million years ago (it feels so long ago!!!) This is such amazing news, and what a great experience for your family!! I am so jealous of all the food you'll be eating.
Thank you for having this dream and making it happen! If you can do it, I can do it! I can't wait to read your posts and adventures. I plan to start saving for our family to do the same for a summer because you have inspired me! Thank you!
Check out Volterra!!! It was my favorite while traveling through Italy (even more then Cinque Terre believe it or not!) due to it's rich history and quaint vibe. What an amazing experience for your family – I'm so happy for you guys!!!
Yea, i was pretty sure i had commented on this but i guess not. LAME! Awesome newst, you guys are lucky! Totally LOVE italy and ive spent countless weekends and vacations over there. Hubby and i toured Tuscany last summer for our honeymoon so here are a few tips from us 🙂
1. When in Florence/Firenze you have to book a table at "4 Leoni". Such a nice locations and their pear pasta is to die for!! We ate there with Brooke Shields last summer, and it’s been my "go to" place every time ive been to the city. You have to go!
2. Lucca – such a cute little place. Only and hour or hour and a half from Florence by train. Rent a bike and bike around the city on the old wall and visit the tower with the trees on top – really cool!
3. Viareggio – If you want to do a beachday on a long and stretchy beach this is the place. Its a pretty calm place, but used to be one of the posh places on the coast. You can also bike all the way to La Spezia if you want – we didn’t bike that long, but you get pretty far on an hour.
4. If visiting Venice, do it after the summer heat has passed and make sure you drink PLENTY of water. I fainted when I was 13, just from walking around. There is no circulation in the tiny streets so it gets flaming.
5. If you head down the coast I know you love Positano, but Sorrento really isnt too bad either 🙂
6. You mention you might go to Switzerland/Zürich. If you go there is a small German village about two hours from there by train. It’s called Lindau and its right on Bodensee. Such a cute place and they even got palms. From there you can go on a boat that takes you to Switzerland, Austria and Germany which all lay around the Bodensee. You can get off in Switzerland and take the gondola up the hills to see the fantastic mountains as well. Oh, Lindau has awesome Gelato as well.
Obviously I think you should visit Norway as well, as we Europeans don’t think Europe is that big and can be seen in no time. BUT, totally get that you want to stay in and around Italy. I don’t blame you.
Here's my notes from our trip in November. We didn't have kids along so no promises 🙂 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G2VDgeytXxVf65OcDQSR050foowQdB5AAdHB3ZKy_1g/edit?usp=sharing
Sorry for the long link-it's a google doc 🙂
Hi! Sarah Tucker linked to your wardrobe for a long trip post, so I just had to check it out. and then I had to find out more about your amazing trip and ended up here. Oh my!! What an opportunity! Here are my two recs:
1. I think another reader (or 2) mentioned Sicily, but I will go ahead and recommend it again and again! Especially with your little ones, I think all the archaeological sites are great because everyone can run around among ancient Greek ruins. Pretty cool! Here are the two we visited and loved: Valle dei Templi in Agrigento and the Archaeological Site in Selinunte. We also loved Modica, a little mountain town in the south. We never made it to Taormina, but I hear it's amazing! I used this blog for ideas for our recent Sicily trip: http://beccagarber.com/6-favorites-sicily-worth-trek-1-hour-sigonella/
2. In Switzerland: The Bernina Express train ride is a spectacular day-long trip through the mountains. Not sure of the dates of your trip, but plan ahead because it only runs until the end of October. Here is my post on it: http://quesosuizo.blogspot.com/2010/06/magical-bernina-express.html
Also, I noticed in the comments that you may stay with friends in Zurich, so I am sure they have plenty of ideas for you, but I found this blog that has awesome ideas for activities with kids: http://www.momstotszurich.com/ (I have it bookmarked because I daydream about going back to Switzerland with my kids someday!)
Wishing you and your family a wonderful trip, from a new follower!
that moms/tots zurich website is awesome! thank you so much!!
Thank you for having this dream and making it happen! If you can do it, I can do it! I can't wait to read your posts and adventures. I plan to start saving for our family to do the same for a summer because you have inspired me! Thank you!
touring ireland by car