Rome was as bustling as I remembered it to be.  But it didn't seem to bother me so much this time.  I found solace in our cozy AirBnb apartment at the end of every day.  While Dannie loved the historic sights, I enjoyed walking the cobblestone streets and taking in the city and relishing every bit of this wonderful vacation.

First stop - Vatican City.  

So thankful we ignored the naysayers who called Cinque Terre a tourist trap.  Our stop in Riomaggiore was without a doubt my favorite part of our trip. 

Onto Florence we went.  I wish we had more time to explore Florence and the Tuscany countryside but this was a quick stop on our trip.  My favorite moment in Florence was watching the sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo.  It's breathtaking! 

Our Italian adventure began in Venice.  For anyone thinking about visiting Italy but wonders if Venice is too touristy or too crowded to be worthy of a visit, please go anyway.  Admittedly, my first time in Venice wasn't the best experience.  I visited Italy as a part of a multi-country tour so that was tiring in itself.  Having just a day to explore Venice, I only remembered the long lines, hot sun, and rude vendors.  This time around, I skipped the tour group and saw Venice very differently.