Trip to Italy: Day 11 (Back to US)

We spent the afternoon downtown doing some sightseeing and shopping. The next day, we took the Malpensa Express to MXP, which leaves every 30 minutes from Milano Centrale. It costs 13 EUR and takes about 50 minutes.  

Another option is the bus shuttle from Milano Centrale, which costs 10 EUR and takes about 80 minutes. You can buy tickets here. By comparison, a taxi/Uber ride to MXP from our hotel was 155 EUR.

The Alps

General tips

1. I’m a bit paranoid about losing my passport abroad. Rome—like most big cities in Europe—is known for pickpocketing in crowded areas. To protect against that, I bought these boxers, which turned out great. They have two side pockets that can easily fit a passport and a wallet each, and they’re comfortable to wear.
2. You can use Uber to order a taxi in large cities such as Rome and Milan. In Rome, the minimum fare was 9 EUR, and the maximum fare shown in the Uber app was honored. In Milan, the minimum fare was 14 EUR, but the maximum was not guaranteed, so we ended up paying more compared to the Uber Black fare.
3. You can pay for pretty much everything using Apple Pay with your phone or watch, so there’s no need to carry a physical card. Unlike other countries where some small shops have a card minimum, that wasn’t the case here. The only things we had to pay cash for were the gondola in Venice and church donations.
4. One thing we didn’t realize is that the next train stop after Lake Como San Giovanni is a city called Chiasso, which is just six minutes away—in Switzerland! A fun bonus if you want to add another country to your visit.

Hope you find this guide useful—and let me know in the comments if you have any questions or other tips!

<< Day 10 (Papal Audience) | Trip Itinerary |

Trip to Italy: Day 10 (Papal Audience)

We learned that the metro was the quickest and most reliable way to get to the Vatican from our hotel. We departed a little after 7 a.m. and had a quick (typical) Italian breakfast—cappuccino and cornetto—at a café across from the hotel. We then took the metro and arrived at the Vatican around 7:50 a.m. We were in line for about 30 minutes. Before the security checkpoint, they checked our bags and asked us to leave any metal water bottles aside. I didn’t mind losing mine, but my son had a Hydro Flask with multiple stickers that were meaningful to him. Since we were both using metal bottles, we lost our entire water supply—and it was hot!

Line to enter Papal Audience

When you reach the seating area, we recommend sitting next to one of the wooden barriers if you want to see the Pope up close. We were seated in direct sunlight for about 1.5 hours. Fortunately, we were near a water fountain at the back, so we were able to cool off periodically. I recommend bringing small rags or towels that you can dampen at the fountain. It also seemed that plastic bottles were allowed, so definitely bring disposable bottles that you can refill. And bring some wipes—many of the chairs had bird droppings.

Before Papal Audience

Pope Leo XIV came out on the Popemobile around 9:50 a.m. He circled through all the wooden barriers before starting the Papal Audience, which lasted about an hour and concluded with a blessing.

Pope Leo XIV

We then made our way back to the metro station, taking our time to avoid the crowds. By the time we got there, the metro wasn’t crowded. We returned to our hotel, picked up our luggage from storage, and then took a train back to Milan.

<< Day 9 (Rome & The Vatican) | Trip Itinerary | Day 11 (General Tips) >>

Trip to Italy: Day 9 (Rome and The Vatican)

I had booked tickets for the Vatican Museums, which include the Sistine Chapel. Because I booked within a week of our visit, only guided tickets were available. I strongly recommend purchasing tickets in advanced, as the walk-in line was over 2 hours long in the sun!

The guided tour was worth it, but it’s 2 hours long, so only book it if you have the time. Also, note that the entrance to the museum is not the same as the entrance to St. Peter’s Basilica. The museum entrance is on the right side (toward the Ottaviano Metro station).

The Gallery of Maps

Make sure that everyone (including children) has identification that matches the online reservation. They accepted our U.S. driver’s licenses, but most people were showing passports. This isn’t required for security reasons, but to prevent scalpers from reselling “skip-the-line” tickets.

School of Athens by Raphael

I had also booked tickets for the Papal Audience back in February via the Prefecture of the Papal Household.  You book them online and wait for an email confirmation containing your reservation number and the number of tickets requested. We noticed tickets were still available even two days before, and we learned the next day that in most cases, you don’t even need to show the ticket to enter the Papal Audience, but better to be safe than sorry.

After the visit, we met with a priest friend who lived in Rome for five years and recommended a nearby restaurant Hosteria Ago e Lillo, which was pretty good. We then headed over to the Bronze Door to pick up our tickets for the Papal Audience on Wednesday. You can pick up the tickets from 3–7 p.m. It’s the same line for “online reservations,” but only one person per party can enter (at least during the Jubilee).

From there, we walked over to see Castel Sant’Angelo, which is a block away from the Basilica, toward the Tiber River.

Castel Sant' Angelo

Then we took a bus to visit the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls. This is a beautiful church that hosts the tomb of St. Paul. It also features a painting of all the past popes, now including Pope Francis.

Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls

<< Day 7-8 (Rome & The Vatican) | Trip Itinerary | Day 10 (Papal Audience) >>

Trip To Italy: Days 7-8 (Rome and The Vatican)

To get to Rome, we took a regional train from Assisi Station to Roma Tiburtina Station. We stayed at the Best Western Globus Hotel which is near the station. To get around Rome, we purchased the 72-hour bus/metro/tram ticket for 18 EUR. On our first half-day, we had reservations for the Pantheon, which you can—and should—book here. 

The Pantheon

From the Pantheon, we walked over to the Fontana di Trevi, which was crowded as expected. 

Fontana de Trevi

Then we continued on to the Spanish Steps, and from there we took the subway back from Spagna Station.

Spanish Steps

Most of the restaurants in that area feel like tourist traps, but we found one that was surprisingly good: Taverna del Seminario.

On our first full day, we headed to The Vatican. We took Subway Line B and transferred to Line A, which was really packed around 10 a.m. The line to enter St. Peter’s Basilica wasn’t too long—we got in within 15 minutes. We saw La Pietà, attended Mass, and then headed down into the crypts, knowing we’d return the next day.

The Piety

Afterward, we took a bus back into Rome to visit St. Mary Major Basilica. This church hosts the tomb of Pope Francis, the Nativity Crypt, and the Salus Populi Romani, one of the oldest Marian images in Rome:  

St. Mary Major Basilica

It was past lunchtime, so we ate at Sapporo e Delizie which was a good choice. Next, we walked to the Basilica di Santa Prassede. This small church, a block away from St. Mary Major, hosts the Column of the Flagellation of Christ.

Basilica di Santa Prassede

From there, we walked south toward the Colosseum to see it from the outside. Then we took a short bus ride to Saint John Lateran—but we first stopped at the Pontifical Sanctuary of the Holy Stairs, which is right across the street.

The Colosseum

We then walked 500 meters to the Basilica di Santa Croce, which hosts relics including pieces of the True Cross, thorns from the Crown of Thorns, and part of a nail.

Basilica di Santa Croce

This concluded our day as we headed back to our hotel via tram.

<< Days 6 (Assisi) | Trip Itinerary | Day 9 (Rome & The Vatican) >>

Trip to Italy: Day 6 (Assisi)

Our next stop was Assisi, a town we wanted to visit on our way to Rome. We took a train from Venezia Mestre. It’s a 2-hour ride to Firenze, where we transferred to a bus that took us to Assisi in another 2 hours. We stayed at Hotel Moderno, which is within walking distance from the train station.

To get to Assisi (up in the hills), you need to buy tickets for the Assisi Link bus. These tickets cost 1.30 EUR at the shop across from the station, or 2 EUR if you pay with your card/phone when boarding. The bus runs approximately every 15 minutes throughout the day.

Porta San Francesco

From the bus stop, we walked to the Convent of San Francesco d’Assisi. We first visited the lower church, which hosts the tomb of San Francesco. Then we visited the upper church.

Convent of San Francesco d'Assisi

From there, we walked to the Basilica di Santa Chiara. This church hosts the tomb of Saint Clare and also houses the original Cross of Saint Damiano.

Basilica di Santa Chiara

We then visited the Church of Santa Maria. This church hosts the remains of Carlo Acutis, who is set to be canonized in September 2025.

Blessed Carlo Acutis

There are many places to eat nearby—just make sure to check the bus schedule, as service becomes less frequent after 8 p.m. Despite being visited by many people, Assisi feels very peaceful, and the town is beautiful to walk around.

The next morning, we walked to the Basilica di Santa Maria, which was near the hotel. Inside is the Porziuncola. This chapel served as the headquarters for Saint Francis and the Order of Friars Minor (the Franciscans).

The Porziuncola

<< Days 4-5 (Venice) | Trip Itinerary | Days 7-8 (Rome & The Vatican) >>

Trip to Italy: Days 4-5 (Venice)

We took a train from Milano Centrale to Venice Mestre, which is about a 2.5-hour ride. Our Meininger hotel was 500 meters from Mestre station. The hotel room was very spacious. Even though the hotel is a bit minimalist, it has a full-service bar and breakfast buffet. It is also conveniently located one block away from the bus stop to Venezia Santa Lucia.

To get in and out of the Venice islands, we bought the 48-hour bus + boat pass for 35 EUR. There’s also a 24-hour pass for 25 EUR. You can download their app here for more information. Unfortunately, you can only buy the pass electronically via WhatsApp. Otherwise, you can purchase the physical pass from shops in the train station, but they only took cash, so we chose to use the automated machines located at the bus stops outside the train station. I strongly recommend buying the pass because it allows you to use the water buses that take you to any of the Venice islands.

Once we reached the bus stop on the main island (Piazzale Roma), you walk to the water bus platforms and look for the one that takes you to San Marco. For instance, you can take Line 2 and get off at the Rialto stop, then walk over to San Marco Palace. Google Maps will help you find the best route, including which water bus lines to take.

St Mark's Square

We visited the Basilica di San Marco and also took the lift up to the Campanile di San Marco for 10 EUR. I was surprised there was very little line, as the view from the top is amazing. If it’s too crowded, you can buy skip-the-line tickets for specific times here.

View from Campanile di San Marco

We walked around San Marco, took some pictures, and then headed back to our hotel—which felt like leaving Disney World: walking to the water bus stop, taking the water bus, and then the bus to our hotel. In our case, the bus was always standing room only.

The second day we did the same to return to the main island. We visited Murano by taking Line 4.2. At Murano, we visited the Original Murano Glass Factory. This was really worth it. You have to pay 5 EUR for the tour, but there are many other factories you can visit as well.

Murano

From Murano, we headed to Giudecca, also using the 4.2 water bus. From Giudecca, we took Line 2 to the island directly across from San Marco. From there, we took Line 1 to return to the San Marco stop. We then walked to the Gondola San Marco stop in Bacino Orseolo (right next to Hard Rock Café). There are many locations where you can take gondolas, but we chose this one because it goes mainly through inner canals that are shaded. It does go through the Grand Canal but doesn’t pass under the Rialto Bridge—just next to it (at least on the 30-minute ride). Gondola San Marco seems to be the most common service and charges 90 EUR for a 30-minute ride for up to 5 people (increasing to 110 EUR after 7 p.m.). You can identify them by the signs with their published rates and they only take cash.

Gondola San Marco

In many ways, going to Venezia feels like going to Disney World. It can get very crowded. We visited in early June, and it wasn’t too bad. Except for a couple of water buses—especially the ones from Piazzale Roma or Rialto—we were able to find seats. It can also take a while (~1 hour) to get in and out of the main island, especially from San Marco. The alternative is staying in a hotel on the island itself, and there are many to choose from. I just didn’t want to deal with luggage transfers, but a lot of people do it.

Venezia feels like a maze—it’s fun to walk around, and we only covered a small portion in 1.5 days. You could easily spend 2–3 days if you want to visit it more thoroughly.

Also, don’t forget that even though you’re exempt from the Venezia Tourist Tax if you’re staying at a hotel within the Venice metropolitan area, you still have to fill out an exemption form.

<< Day 3 (Lake Como) | Trip Itinerary | Day 6 (Assisi) >>

Trip to Italy: Day 3 (Lake Como)

As a Star Wars fan, I wanted to visit Villa del Balbianello. Unfortunately, even though tickets are free, they were sold out when I tried to book them—so I recommend booking at least two weeks in advance.

Tickets to Bellagio via ferry were also sold out. We weren’t too keen on going there anyway, as it takes two hours by ferry. Instead, we found a lake and train promotion for the First Basin, which includes four villages you can visit, up to Torno. The promotion is offered through Trenord. You can take any Trenord train; however, the ticket can’t be validated at the gates, so you’ll need to request assistance from the staff—at least at Milano Centrale. Otherwise, it was a great deal: 18.5 EUR for a round-trip train (to Como San Giovanni or Como Lago stations) and a ferry ride.

Lake Como - Cernobbio

When you reach the Como dock, ask for the dock number to the Primo Basin. In our case, it was dock 4. Be prepared to show your ticket any time you hop on the ferry. It takes 30 minutes to get from Torno to Como, and you can get off in any of the four villages, which were really worth it.

Torno

On our way around Como, we stumbled across this Gelateria Rossetti, which was likely one of the best gelatos we’ve had on this trip—and maybe ever.

<< Day 2 (Milan) | Trip Itinerary | Days 4-5 (Venice) >>

Trip to Italy: Day 2 (Milan)

In Milan, we stayed at BB Aparthotel Desuite, which we booked via Booking.com. The area doesn’t look particularly fancy, but it appeared to be safe—mostly residential apartments. It's conveniently located near a grocery store and just two Metro stops from Milano Centrale. The apartment was in excellent condition: clean, modern, and seemingly new. We really liked it and recommend it. Just note that it’s not a traditional hotel—the lobby is open during specific hours, and you’ll need to notify them if arriving outside of check-in hours (2–6 p.m.).

To get around Milan, we bought the 3-day ticket for 15.5 EUR, though a 24-hour pass is also available for 7.6 EUR. For more information, download the ATM Milano app, where you can also purchase electronic tickets.

In the afternoon, we booked tickets to the Duomo. The stair tickets were sold out, so we purchased lift tickets instead. The view from the top is absolutely worth it, and it’s fascinating to be able to walk on the roof of the cathedral.

Milano Duomo

View from top of The Duomo

<< Day 1 (Turin) | Trip Itinerary | Day 3 (Lake Como) >>

Trip To Italy: Day 1 (Turin)

To get from Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) to Turi we took the Flibco bus to Turin. It costs 22 EUR, departs about every hour, and stops at Porta Susa near downtown in Turin.

From there, we took the metro to Porta Nuova. The daily pass for metro/bus cost 3.7 EUR, which you can buy at the station. We stayed at the Best Western Crystal Palace, which is right across from Porta Nuova station.

The receptionist recommended having lunch on Lagrange Street, which offers several options. We ended up eating at Pastificio Defilippis, which turned out to be a great choice. We then visited the Basilica di Maria Ausiliatrice, which hosts the remains of San Giovanni Bosco.

Basilica di Maria Ausiliatrice

Next, we stopped at the Cattedrale di San Giovanni Battista, which hosts the remains of Pier Giorgio Frassati (soon to be canonized) and the Shroud of Turin, which unfortunately was not currently on display.

Cattedrale di San Giovanni Batttista

The next day, we took a stroll along the Po River and visited Parrocchiale della Gran Madre di Dio.

Parrochiale della Gran Madre di Dio

To head back to Milan, we took a train from Porta Nuova to Milano Centrale using Trenitalia.

<< Trip Itinerary | Day 2 (Milan) >>

Trip to Italy: Day 0 (Itinerary)

In June 2025, my family of four took a trip to Italy with a custom itinerary. In this blog series, I'll share some tips and suggestions in case you are venturing on a similar trip. 2025 was the year of the Jubilee for the Catholic Church. We had originally planned to attend a Papal Audience with Pope Francis, who passed away in May, so we were blessed to be able to meet Pope Leo XIV.

We flew out of Dulles Airport into Milan (MXP), with a layover in Frankfurt. It was more affordable than flying directly into Rome (FCO), and we also wanted to visit some cities in northern Italy. We found parking ($10/night) using SpotHero at a nearby hotel. Specifically, we parked at the Fairfield Inn Dulles, and their shuttle service was very convenient and fast since it's only a short drive away.

View of The Alps

Day 0: Washington Dulles (IAD) – Milan (MXP)  

Day 1: Turin

Day 2: Milan

Day 3: Lake Como

Day 4–5: Venice

Day 6: Assisi

Day 7–8: Rome and The Vatican  

Day 9: Rome and The Vatican

Day 10: Papal Audience

Day 11: Milan (MXP) – IAD

Day 1 (Turin) >>