Traveling Abroad this Fall

TRAVEL

Sep 6

written by Nada Jones

Last Fall, my daughter studied abroad for the semester, which was the perfect excuse to visit Italy. Autumn is a great time to travel—the streets are less crowded and the air has cooled, but the food and wine are just as good.

My daughter took me to her favorite spots in Florence. Then we road-tripped through Tuscany, around Parma, and up to Portofino. It was soul-stretching and beautiful.

x, Nada

Florence + Tuscany

Where to Stay: Our first stop was in Florence, Italy. Florence is a beautiful historic town, home to many famous Renaissance art and architecture pieces. We stayed at Antica Torre di Via Tornabuoni, a medieval tower along the Arno River with individually designed rooms and a rooftop terrace with panoramic city views. Centrally located, it's close to several attractions and the perfect place to relax between sightseeing. And you can’t miss the rooftop bar with the BEST aperitivo! Another great option is the Soprano Suitesprarnosuites.com/ for more of an Airbnb experience.

Where to Eat: Florence is full of incredible Tuscan food. Home to the famous Negroni, Florentine steak, Tuscan bread soup, and more. Some of our favorite spots include Trattoria 13 Gobbi for the bistecca alla Fiorentina, Pizzium, Trattoria Borgo Antico, Coquinarius in Fiesole, La Menagerè for a drink, Panin Toscana for a panini, and La Sorbettiera or Lacarraia for the best gelato.

What to See: The best way to see Florence is to wonder. Get lost in small streets and find your way around the sites while popping into shops, artist studios, museums, and bookshops. But a few places you can’t miss are the Duomo, the Uffizi Gallery, Bolboli Gardens, Piazzale Michelangelo (for sunset), or any incredible ceramics shops around the town. If you need a hidden gem, check out HZERO- Europe's largest indoor train museum.

Parma

The next stop on our road trip was to Tabiano Terme in Parma.

Where to Stay: We could not wait to stay at the beautiful at the Castello Di Tabiano, Antico Borgo di Tabiano Castello hotel. This stunning family-owned hotel is located within an ancient village on the grounds of an 11th-century hilltop stone castle.

Where to Eat: The hotel has two restaurants on the property, with breakfast and dinner served daily. A quick stroll from your room, you can enjoy some of the best food in the area. If you want to explore more, this region has many great wineries a short drive away.

Portofino

We capped our trip with a visit to Portofino, which is in the region of Genoa along the Italian Riviera.

Where to Stay: Located right on the riviera, we stayed at the Hotel Piccolo. Surrounded by the beautiful coastline vegetation, overlooking the sea, and situated right outside the marina, this hotel was the perfect spot for our stay in Portofino.

Where to Eat: Portofino has lots of fresh, decadent seafood options. One of our favorites was I Gemelli for the lasagne “mandilli” al pesto and muscles.