As DINKS, we didn’t have the normal expenses that accompany children. And, as you know, we value travel as an educational experience. As such, we have offered all of our nieces and nephews a trip of their choosing when they turn 16. Our latest adventures are with Brynn, Steve’s brother Gary’s sweet daughter.

Brynn told us several years ago that Italy was her choice. Our two week trip takes us to Rome, Cinque Terre, Florence, and the Amalfi Coast. This post will cover our first week.

We flew from Kansas City to Rome with no delays or issues. Our driver was waiting for us in Rome and took us directly to our hotel in the Trastevere neighborhood. From there we wandered a bit, trying to shake off the overnight flight.

Though we were jet-lagged we booked a golf cart tour for our first afternoon to give us an overview of the key sites. We’ll return for a more in depth look at Rome at the end of our trip.

The golf cart was a perfect way to get oriented and see the major sites. From the Trevi Fountain to the Colosseum and from the Vatican to the Spanish Steps, we caught glimpses of the most famous of Rome’s landmarks.

The next morning we took the train to Levanto, a small city on the northern border of Cinque Terre National Park.

The next morning our wonderful guide, Stefano, led us back to the train station and through the two of the five quaint, picturesque, seaside towns that make up Cinque Terre. Our first stop was Vernazza, with its small, protected harbor and its church dating to the 11th century .

After a walking tour up and down the steps of the town, we took the train to the village of Monterosso. Here we wandered the narrow lanes and ancient landmarks until we came to our lunch restaurant.

Pesto is a specialty in this region of Italy, so we took a lesson in pesto making before being served lunch. Steve got the sauce started by crushing fresh basil and pine nuts. Brynn finished, using her muscles to create a fine sauce.

Stefano left us after lunch and we explored two of the remaining three villages on our own. By the end of the day we had walked over 20,000 steps and climbed over 40 flights of stairs. We felt like we earned our gelato!

Our second day in Levanto was just as active. In the morning we borrowed bikes from the hotel and rode north on an old, seaside, rail trail to the villages of Bonassola and Framura. We couldn’t pass up a stop on the beach for a little dip.

After our picturesque ride, we met up with our guide Luca for a paddling trip down the Ligurian coast. The cliffs that make these ancient villages so pretty also make for a scenic paddle. Since the water is still a bit cool in late May, our wetsuits were appreciated. This was Brynn’s first time paddling in the open ocean and she did great!

We moved on from the beautiful Cinque Terre for a quick stop in Florence. We only had a day and a half in the city, but we crammed in as much as we could.

Even though we are early in the season the crowds in Florence can be overwhelming. Our museum guide, Fillipo, made it easy to skip the lines and the crowds at the Accademia. He guided us through the galleries, providing just enough detail and background to understand the most important works. Of course, we were most interested to see Michelangelo’s David. Considered one of the most important works of art on the planet, it truly takes your breath away.

After our museum visit we spent most of the rest of the day wandering the streets and alleyways of Florence, stopping frequently to shop, eat, or check out a market.

We found our way across the Arno River to the Piazzelle. Michelangelo where Steve, my mom, and I visited in 1999. It was fun to recreate our photo of mom in her honor. Steve gets credit for both photos.

We celebrated our 38th wedding anniversary while in Florence with a great meal and a bottle of wine. Thanks to Brynn for being our photographer!

We’re heading south and will post a recap of the second half of Brynn’s Italian adventure next week.