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Learn from my mistakes

I spent 10 days traveling through Italy with my Mom before we hopped on a cruise out of Rome.

It was her first time in Italy.

I have been to Italy many times but always in the shoulder seasons of spring and fall. We went in the summer this time because we were invited on a Holland America cruise.

I am so glad I got to experience this with my Mom. The cruise was amazing and totally worth it.

But I'll never do it again over summer.

Summer in Italy is incredibly challenging.It is crowded and brutally hot. Italians don’t care about making money in August either, because they go on holiday too.

But many people can only travel during summer.

So if you are planning a trip, I want to share a brain dump of what we did right, what I got wrong and the gear I didn’t actually need.

What we did right

Packed carry-on only

Every year European airports are overwhelmed with summer tourists. Checking a bag is too risky. One of the cruise passengers I met arrived the day before we embarked but her bag did not. She was in a panic to get her bag before we left the port.
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​But we didn't realize it would also save us returning.

On our return home, there was a baggage handler strike in Barcelona. Travelers were told their bags might not arrive for weeks.

Carry-on requires additional planning, visiting laundromats and drugstores to pick up sunscreen and shampoo but it's worth it.
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Non-negotiable: AC and an elevator

Many older buildings in Europe do not have air conditioning or elevator. These were my two absolute non-negotiables traveling with my Mom.
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We spent a little extra for good budget places this one in Rome but it meant we were never dragging luggage up stairs or sweating through the night.
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Prioritized space over a central location

Italian hotel rooms are notoriously small. We stayed in this Bologna multi-purpose building that had hotel rooms, a kitchen, laundry and large common spaces.

It was a 20-minute walk into the center, but having a big desk and a fridge for our breakfast was so much better than being crammed into a tiny central room.
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Based ourselves in Bologna

I did not want my Mom to drag suitcases up train stairs, or roll over cobblestones every few days.

Staying close to the Bologna train station allowed us to take easy day trips to Florence and Venice without dragging our luggage through the crowds.
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A Neck Fan

I really didn't want to buy this. It screams tourist. But after a friend returned from Italy and said everyone was wearing them and she wished she had bought one I caved.

I spent hours looking for the best one and settled on this one, which had good reviews and folds.

We used it daily.

I wore it inside the sweltering Vatican and even on the plane while we waited for the AC to kick in.

I will never do summer travel without it again.
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A Spork

This sounds silly but it's incredibly handy. We often bought yogurt at the grocery store or brought home leftovers. Having a folding spork makes everything easy.
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Electrolyte powder

I packed a Canadian brand called Organika powder. They have a mixed flavor pack of raspberry, lemonade and my favorite pineapple passionfruit.

In a heat wave drinking water is not enough. If you just chug plain water it passes right through you, and busy cities like Rome make it really tough to find a spot to go to the bathroom.
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Proper sneakers and linen

The cobblestones are no joke and this is not the time for fashion.

I also wore linen pants from Uniglo that I picked up in Vietnam and wore all over Asia. They are better than shorts because they protect your legs from the sun but stay breathable.
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Guided tours

We took the Taste Bologna tour and a golf cart tour in Rome. They allowed us to cover so much ground without exhausting ourselves in the extreme heat.

WATCH THE VIDEO: Why Bologna is my favorite city.
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Locked down digital security

Thieves no longer just want your phone. Now they want everything in it.

They say in London a phone is stolen every 7 minutes and they snatch it from you while you're looking at it because it's unlocked.

I set my iPhone so that all my apps require facial recognition to open. It is the easiest way to protect your identity if your phone is stolen while unlocked.
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eSIM

With only 10 days in Italy and then onto a cruise with stops in France and Spain, it did not make sense to get a local SIM card.
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As you know, I work with Holafly and they have a Mediterranean eSIM that covered me through all three countries.

What I got completely wrong

Assuming August would be quieter

I thought going in August meant we would miss the big June and July tourist rush.

I was so wrong.

August 15th is a massive Italian holiday called Ferragosto. The entire country essentially shuts down and Italians take weeks off for vacation. We were right in the middle of their national holiday.
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Assuming my favorite local shops would be open

Because of the Ferragosto holidays, all of the little mom and pop sandwich shops I loved were closed.

The big tourist spots stay open but you definitely need a backup plan for local joints in the summer.
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Telling my Mom Italians don’t wear shorts

I told her she would stand out. I was wrong. When it is that hot out all the rules fall away. Italians absolutely wear shorts in the summer. Wear what makes you comfortable.
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Thinking chai lattes didn’t exist in Italy

My Mom doesn’t drink coffee or alcohol but she loves a chai latte. I told her she was out of luck. They are actually everywhere now.
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Never eating in famous squares

I always say to avoid restaurants looking out at famous sites. We broke the rules in Piazza della Signoria in Florence.

We sat down for a chai latte, an espresso and a pastry. It was under $20 CAD and we got to rest under a cooling mister with a great view.
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Booking train tickets last minute

Summer trains are incredibly busy and use dynamic pricing. Book in advance.

I loved Italo trains because you can change your ticket up to three minutes before departure. So I booked the return late in the day but when we were done earlier I just went to the kiosk to get the next train.

What I didn’t need

A money belt

I haven’t worn one in 16 years, and I bought one for this trip just in case. I never put it on.

Keeping my crossbody bag on my chest with a hand on it was plenty of security.
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A foldable water bottle

You absolutely need a water bottle because free drinking fountains are everywhere and bottled water is expensive.

Instead of buying another accordion-style water bottle, which I have loved, I tried something new that folded.

Never again.

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​What's next?

In less than a week I'm meeting Andres in Quito, Ecuador to scout comfy hotels, cultural activities and the best food for a small group tour I’m hosting in 2027.

If traveling with me in Ecuador sounds fun, you can sign up here to be the first to get details. There is no commitment when you sign up. It’s just for information.
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Keep Life Delicious

Ayngelina