K.REYNA

Scroll 2 the bottom of this post 2 see pics🌟

This is a Positano post!! I'm going back to an Italy post because I'm not quite done talking about this trip (this is a long one but pls keep scrolling because it's a good one)

Train Mix Up
On our 6th day in Italy, we woke up, went to the train station, and boarded a train to Naples, only to find out that we had mixed up the days for our train tickets. We were supposed to leave the next day for Naples, not that day. We found this out when a family of tourists came up to me and Jocelyn and demanded that we get out of their seats. By the time we realized our tickets were for the wrong day and made our way for the exit, the doors of the train closed and the train started moving. Soooo, we were freaking out, a lot...

What we ended up doing was finding empty seats next to random people and basically hiding in the bathroom for the rest of the trip. We probably could have just tried to explain our story to the person checking tickets, but I wasn't sure that they would understand our English, and I wasn't trying to get arrested, or thrown out of a train, in a foreign country. Thankfully though, we arrived in Naples without handcuffs.

Getting to Positano
To get to Positano from Rome, you basically have two options (from what I know), you can, 1) take a 4-6 hour bus ride, or 2) take a high-speed train from Rome to Naples, from Naples take the metro to Sorrento, from Sorrento take a bus to Positano. Apparently there is also options to take boats from Naples or Sorrento directly to Positano as well. We chose the latter of the two options, which was a bit of a hassle because of all the transfers, but because we were only spending the day in Positano, we had to choose the quickest option. The train to Naples was about an hour and a half, the metro to Sorrento was another 45 minutes, and the bus to Positano took about an hour. So, in total, our travel time from Rome to Positano was around 3 hours (seems long, but trust me it is SO worth it, all you have to do is time it correctly).

Our Day on the Amalfi Coast
The bus drops you off at the top of Positano, which is amazing because you get the perfect view of the entire town and of Spiaggia Grande (the main beach in Positano). From there, we walked down to the bottom of Positano, passing fruit stands, villas, and little churches along the way. Once we got to the bottom, we ate lunch. I had gnocchi with creamy tomato sauce and a glass of peach juice, while Jocelyn ordered a chicken salad and one of the restaurant's specialty smoothies. Best. Gnocchi. Of. My. Life.

Afterwards, we went to the beach and swam in the ocean. The water was perfect, and you get an amazing view of Positano's cliffs from the water. We also spent some time shopping in Positano. I am in love with the style of the Amalfi Coast. Everything is brightly colored and patterned, with lots of yellow accents.

Positano is hands down the most beautiful place I have ever been in my life. If you're reading this, put this place on your bucket list right now. Next time I go I want to take the boat from Sorrento to Positano instead of the bus and spend some more time in Sorrento because the shops there looked adorable. Also, Capri is really close to both Sorrento and Positano, so I hope to plan a trip there and visit some of the coastal restaurants in Positano and Capri!

Major Tips to Know Before You Go
1. Book your train tickets through italiarail.com to ensure a spot on a clean and fast train. If you buy your tickets at the train station last minute you will most likely end up on one of the dingier, slower trains that make more stops along the way.
2. Double check the dates and times for your train tickets!!
3. Bring snacks for your trip.
4. Go to the Tourist Information booth at the Napoli train station if you have questions about where to go or how to get to your desired destination (the workers speak English).
5. Keep track of time!! If you booked your tickets for the train ride back to Rome, you must allow yourself enough time to get to the Napoli train station. Remember that buses run late (like ours did), and the metro from Sorrento does not come often (probably once or twice an hour, but don't quote me on that).
6. You don't want to be stuck at the Napoli train station for too long, and definitely not at night. Plan accordingly.
7. If you are stuck at the Napoli train station for some time, I suggest finding a café inside the train station and sitting there while you wait for your train.
8. Buy your bus tickets back to Sorrento from Positano at the little market right next to the bus stop (there is also an ATM here).
9. Don't go barefoot on the "sand" on the beach in Positano. It's not sand, its black rocks, which get really really hot and burn a lot.
10. Rent a lounge chair under umbrellas on the beach, it's worth it.
11. Bring good walking shoes...or maybe I should say climbing shoes, since you're going to be hiking up tons of stairs at some point.
12. While you're walking down to the bottom of Positano from the bus stop, take pictures along the way of houses or paintings you see, this way, on your way back up, you can refer back to these pictures and use them as a guide to getting back to the bus stop. Trust me, you don't want to get lost going back up, you'll end up walking up more stairs than you need to, and it will be terrible (been there, done that).
13. Stay in Positano for the night if you can, this way you can take your time and enjoy yourself there without having to worry as much about making the bus back on time.
14. Get a window seat on the bus between Sorrento and Positano (unless you're afraid of heights).
15. Don't take a taxi to the bottom of Positano, you'll miss out on a lot of exploring and the whole Positano experience.

Some Snaps from the Prettiest Place

Sneak peak of the beach (keep scrolling 4 more)

Bus ride from Sorrento

Taken near the bus stop

On top

1 out of 100 stairways we walked

Church of Santa Maria Assunta, Positano

Amalfi Magic

Villa Magia

One way streets

Lemons of the Amalfi Coast

Lunch in Posi

Beachfront views

Spiaggia Grande

La Dolce Vita in Positano

Golden Gate Park is one of my main hangout spots in San Francisco. Most people don't realize how large Golden Gate Park is, and because of this, they miss out on a lot of unique experiences the city has to offer. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I love the area surrounding the de Young Museum (the Music Concourse, the Academy of Sciences, the Japanese Tea Garden, etc.), but this area isn't all there is to GGP. There is also Stow Lake, the Botanical Garden, the Rose Garden, the Conservatory of Flowers, various playgrounds, fields, and even a carousel. If you want to get the most out of your time at GGP, I suggest you find a parking spot near the de Young Museum area, use that as your center point, and explore outward from there. There is something to explore in every direction!

One of my favorite places in Golden Gate Park is the Conservatory of Flowers. The Conservatory is basically a greenhouse that contains a variety of plant species from around the world. You have to buy tickets to enter the building, but students get a discount, so I only had to pay $6 as an entry fee. When I went, there was a special butterfly exhibit happening so I was able to sit in a room filled with fountains and plants while butterflies flew around me (would recommend).

Though the inside of the Conservatory of Flowers is beautiful in itself, I think the outside of the Conservatory is what really makes this site a unique must-go. The lawn outside the Conservatory contains dozens of flower beds; there is even a flower bed clock (go, and you'll see what I mean) on one side of the Conservatory. The area outside of the Conservatory of Flowers is the perfect summertime picnic spot. Grab a friend, or 5, a picnic blanket, sandwiches, sodas, and $6-$10, and make a day out of your visit to the Conservatory of Flowers/Golden Gate Park. I suggest going on a warm July day like I did, but, of course, bring a jacket because it's San Francisco, and that fog is always unpredictable, even during the summer months.

ALSO, every night this summer (until October 21), the Conservatory of Flowers will be illuminated with different colored lights/designs. Apparently the best viewing areas are along JFK Drive (where there is also parking), and it's FREE.

P.S. To any couples out there, pls take your s/o here. Perfect date spot, day or night, amirite? (Thank me later)

Below are some pictures I took during my visit to the Conservatory of Flowers, just in case you needed further convincing to go.

Summertime stroll through a greenhouse

Flower Power🌸🌼

Symmetry

The Conservatory of Flowers, Golden Gate Park

A shady spot

Spotted some lily pads

Tryin' 2 play Mother Earth over here

We had lunch at a restaurant called La Taverna dei Monti which is known as a favorite by locals in Monti and for its old-fashioned Roman cuisine. It is located on one of the side streets adjacent to Via Nazionale, and is run by an sweet old Italian man who provides great service to his customers. We ordered a margarita pizza, salad, and a salmon dish (had to take a break from the pasta for a day). Everything, including the salmon, was fresh and delicious!

After lunch, we booked a tour bus through our hotel's concierge. I know, tour buses may seem touristy and unappealing, but in all honesty it is a smart way to get around while traveling to a big city, and even though we had already visited a few of the landmarks on the tour, the tour provided us with further explanation of the significance of each site, which I found to be really interesting. Another pro to booking a tour on one of these hop-on hop-off buses is that you get an opportunity to see neighborhoods you might not otherwise have visited. This allows you to get an idea of sites and areas you feel require further exploration, and areas you feel aren't worth your travel time. The bus also provides great views for photo ops throughout the ride!

Bus Stops

1. Termini Station

2. Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore

3. Colosseo

4. Circo Massimo

5. Piazza Venezia

6. Vaticano

7. Fontana Di Trevi

8. Piazza di Spagna

9. Piazza Barberini

Later in the day, we traveled to different hotel rooftops to get views of the city. We went for dinner near the Trevi Fountain where I had pesto pasta and Jocelyn had fettuccine with a cream sauce, we also shared some focaccia bread that was seasoned with sea salt and rosemary. Afterwards, we sat on our spot on stairs across from the Trevi and watched the sun set on the fountain.

Some tips regarding tour buses & more

1. Book your tickets through your hotel

2. After certain times the tickets are cheaper, ask your concierge about this before booking

3. Go on a tour on one of the first days of your trip. This way you can get an overview of the entire city, and plan your trip around which sites stood out to you the most.
4. Be cautious when eating at restaurants surrounding the major tourist sites, many will be overpriced and unauthentic
5. If the restaurant serves spaghetti and meatballs, it isn't authentic (this is an American dish, the Italian alternative is spaghetti with meat or bolognese sauce)

Views of the Eternal City

The Colosseum!!

Lunch in Monti

Fountain of the Naiads

Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore

Altare della Patria

Roman ruins

The train to Florence from Rome takes you through a beautiful Tuscan countryside. Vineyards and small Italian towns were visible for most of the train ride, which kept me awake for the one and a half hour journey. The train served cappuccinos and pastries to the passengers, and the ride was very comfortable, which I was happy about.

Once we arrived in Firenze, we followed the crowds of people leaving the train station, hoping to run into il Duomo along the way. On our walk, we passed tons of small street cafés and restaurants as well as street markets and vendor stands. Our first stop was at a café near the Cattredale di Santa Maria del Fiore. The church is big, beautiful, and so incredibly detailed. It definitely was one of my favorite monuments we encountered on our entire trip. After we finished drinking our coffee and examining il Duomo, we explored a bunch of hidden side streets, stopping every once in a while in a church or a courtyard to take a break from the heat (we even ran into a wedding party in one of the courtyards we visited!).

We made a stop to explore the Uffizi Gallery. I loved the Uffizi because it wasn't too large or overwhelming yet it still had some really incredible paintings and sculptures from artists such as Giotto, Botticelli, and Michelangelo. It also had some amazing views of the Arno River and the buildings on the other side of the river from the Uffizi, and there was barely a line to get into the museum!

After the Uffizi, we decided to grab some street food. We went to a deli called All'Antico Vinaio, which was packed with customers (a good sign). It was about a 2 minute walk from the Uffizi Gallery. I didn't understand the menu at all so I just told the guy behind the counter to make me the most popular sandwich on the menu. I ended up with a fresh salami sandwich on focaccia bread with spreadable cheese and olives. It was incredible. The salami wasn't hard, overly-salted, or dry, like the salami I am used to, but instead, it was soft and smooth and amazing. We sat on some steps near the deli to eat our sandwiches and later went for some chocolate gelato.

Though Florence is fairly large, it does not have the same big city feel that Rome does. It feels more like a town and is much less commercialized and touristy than Rome (in my opinion). Though there were tons of tourists, there did not seem to be as many stores dedicated to souvenirs as there were in Rome. I prefer buying things from unique little shops rather than throwing money away on meaningless plastic souvenirs at tourist hubs, so it was a lot easier for me to shop in Florence than in Rome. I ended up buying a one-of-a-kind, hand-painted plate for my mom from a short little Italian woman in a shop we found on a side street. I also bought a yellow leather purse and a small painting of the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore.

Everything about Florence is charming; from the old, rustic buildings, to the tile roofs and shutters found on each house, to the grand churches, the plazas and courtyards, and the the gardens and gelaterias. I couldn't think of any reason for someone not to fall in love with Florence.

Some tips for your next Florentine adventure
1. Florence cannot be seen in one day, it deserves a few days of exploration.
2. Go to the Uffizi Gallery! No line, not huge, yet still has incredible art!
3. Book your trains through italiarail.com
4. Eat like a local and try street food!
5. Take time to shop in Florence, you won't be disappointed

Snapshots from Firenze, Italia