Italy 2018 – Rome & Amalfi Coast

I always love going to Europe – especially Italy. When I learned that I was going to be speaking at our customer event in Rome, I jumped at the chance to go and bring Deb along. After a few days working in Rome, we vacationed along the Amalfi coast in Sorrento.

“Rob Tour” of Rome

On Sunday, we were asked to recreate our 2014 waking tour of Rome for some friends. We were excited to share our experience witnessing the city sites through our friends’ eyes for the first time.  That said, this is a 7+ mile journey not for the faint of heart.  The bus dropped us off downtown Rome, on the Tiber river looking up at the iconic St. Peters Basilica.

We worked our way up to the Piazza Navona where we caught shots of the obelisk and fountain art then from there walked over to the Pantheon. From there, we found Trevi Fountain.

Then we made our way to one of my favorite places in the city, the Altar of the Fatherland where we took the €10 per person elevator ride to the rooftop. From there we enjoyed a panoramic scene that every human on earth should see – the city of Rome.  We were able to look down at the ruins of ancient Rome and over into the timeless Vatican City. One cannot describe in words the experience you have from this venue. You will have to see the pictures for yourself.

From the top of the Altar of the Fatherland, we walked to Romes’ ancient ruins and the Colosseum then walked back to the Pantheon and stumbled into St Maria Sopra Minerva Basilica. By the time we were done, our Fitbit told us we had walked over 15,000 steps.

Girls Vatican City Tour

On Monday, while we worked, the girls took a “skip the line” tour of Vatican City. Deb captured some really nice shots with her iPhone.

Amalfi Coast Tour

After busy work in Rome, it was vacation time and off to Sorrento. Our friends brilliantly arranged a driver to Sorrento. Our driver, Francesco, not only made the three-hour ride  a pleasure, he was a wealth of information and entertainment.

Along the way, we saw Mt Vesuvius. Yes, that killer mountain that wiped out Pompeii. It was a surprise to see how many modern citizens have struck up residence on the mountain’s base. The final 10-15 miles into Sorrento was indescribable. I wish I would have stopped every 500 feet to take pictures at the incredible views back into Naples and overlooking Mt Vesuvius.

Our post for the week was the Hilton Sorrento Palace, high on the hills above Sorrento. From our base, we explored the ancient, rocky coast. On Thursday, our friends once again struck gold hiring a drive to guide us along the famous sea villages. Check out my video.

Check out more of the shots I took in Sorrento, Ravello, Amalfi, and Positano. Please enjoy the rich features of the gallery, which includes full-screen mode.

Driving in Sorrento – Foreigner’s Observation

From a foreigner’s point of view, driving through the narrow, winding roads in and out of Sorrento is like a symphonic collective stream of consciousness. Racing motor bikes dance through the busy traffic like a hot knife through butter and only slow when the road narrows too much to squeeze between cars going both directions. Intersections never actually stop traffic in any direction as drivers slow down just long enough to size each other up before continuing their orchestrated movement. Pedestrians walk across the street amidst the coordinated chaos casually as traffic slows just enough to allow them to cross. When I asked our guide, Francesco, to explain he simply said it was the Italian way. Everyone manages to move along well without getting too upset.

Italian Dining

If you’re still reading, I have a treat for you. Dining in Italy is perhaps the best reason to visit. Yes, I quite love the historic sites and breathtaking scenery but there is simply something about the food in Italy that sets itself apart from anywhere else I’ve been in the world.

Donna Sofia – Wild Ride

Check out our adventurous ride from and dinner at Donna Sofia

Dining in Rome and on the Amalfi Coast was memorable.

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