Backpacking in Italy: My Top 5 Memories
I don’t write about Italy as much, despite having visited the country seven times on my travels. I’m planning to visit Italy again this year, in June on route to France for the Euro 2016 football tournament to watch Northern Ireland in. Italy is one of the best countries for food. I love pizza, any type of pasta (without mushrooms) and of course Gelato!
More ice cream in Italy
Italy is also one of the best countries for internet – I always find it fast there, internet in Italy has a good reputation and there’s a cool new WiFi rental service for tourists called ExpressoWiFi.com. This is something new and exciting for backpackers and tourists to Italy who want to be online the entire time of their stay in the country. ExpressoWiFi.com is a new portable device that gets you connected online, it’s becoming so popular in the country and I recommend signing up . It’s a high speed product and service and is also well priced so head on over to their site and check it out. As a bonus and because I’m heading back to Italy to check this out in June, any readers of Don’t Stop Living can get 10% off this service. The code to save you money on ExpressoWiFi.com is livingnet – with that code you will get a cool 10% off.
ExpressoWiFi
Over my visits to Italy down the years, including my recent trip to Rome where I also toured the Vatican City State, these are my top 5 memories.
Backpacking in Italy: My Top 5 Memories
1.One Night in Rome
I’ll be honest – the sights of Rome didn’t do much for me. I guess they’re over hyped. However I loved my nights out in Rome. Really great pizza (predictably) and some cool bars.
Night out in Rome
Great pizza in Rome, Italy!
Touring the Colosseum in Rome
2.Carryout in Trieste
Back in 2008 we landed in Italy into the city of Trieste and we spent a night by the fountain watching the sun sink. It was myself, Nial, Graham, John and Andrew some of my travel mates from watching Northern Ireland matches. A cracking city, under-rated. We got a carryout of cheap wine and beer and stood by the fountain drinking.
Drinking in Trieste with the lads in 2008
Nightfall in Trieste – backpacking my way through this gem of an “off the beaten track” city near the Slovenian border.
3.Canals of Venice
I splashed out on a posh 4 star hotel for my Hungarian dancer in 2009 and we spent a week in and around Venice. Despite the sadness, we had a fabulous time there together.
Touring the canals of Venice
4.The Leaning Tower of Pisa
It might be one of the most touristic things to do in Italy and the photo of pushing it is so cliched, but I loved the Leaning Tower of Pisa!
The silly touristy photo where I pretend to push the Leaning Tower of Pisa over…
5.Two Border Crossings – San Marino and The Vatican City State
OK so officially this memory is not actually in Italy itself, but I crossed the border from Italy into San Marino and the Vatican City State, on two separate trips. In 2009, I stayed a night in San Marino City which was epic and we crossed the border from Rimini, Italy. Then in 2015 on route to becoming a backpacking centurion, I visited the Vatican City, crossing the border from Rome in Italy.
Touring San Marino
A night out in San Marino City
Those are my top memories from Italy, like I say I’ll be back again this year!
Safe travels!