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Eric and I are currently knee-deep in planning one of the longest trips we’ve ever taken, and I am so excited to share the details.

Last year, we went on about a dozen smaller trips. And by smaller trips I mean weekenders and 4 day trips, trips within the US, and a whole lot of road trips. On top of that we went to Paris (twice), Guatemala, Rome, London, the Cotswolds, Switzerland, and even Mexico just before the year ended. It was a lot of travel and I feel SO lucky to have gotten to see as much as we did. That said? It was a little too much.

Last Summer, in Rome for under 72 hours.

Because we pay for about 90% of our own travel, we fly economy. Often, we take a red-eye flight to maximize the time we have when we land. We saw so many new places, but we were often tired and with little time to explore and relax. So this year, we haven’t gone anywhere yet. Our last flight was in December, and we won’t be getting on a plane until April.

We saw so many new places, but we were often tired and with little time to explore and relax.

But in April? We’re going on the trip for 3 whole weeks. While I can’t share full details just yet, I can share some! And most of all, I need a little help with a chunk of time that we have in the middle of the trip. So here’s a rundown of what we currently have planned:

Where we’re going

  • Los Angeles to Marrakech
  • Marrakech to Rome
  • Rome to Florence
  • Florence to Venice
  • Venice to Marrakech
  • Marrakech to Los Angeles

Woo! I know that sounds like a lot of hopping around, but as we have a job coming up in one of the cities, it was really easy for us to add cheapy quick flights + trains onto the existing travel plans. Last Summer when we visited Rome, we had about 2.5 days. That’s it! And to be honest, I had food poisoning on our flight into Rome, so we lost about a half day thanks to that. That was another mini-trip that we tacked onto a work trip to make it affordable. This time, we’ll get to have about 2 full weeks in Italy. Which for me is a DREAM COME TRUE.

While the Marrakech parts of our trip are pretty much fully planned (we’ll be there for 4 days at the beginning and 3 days at the end), I’m not really able to share any details of that part yet. It’s a bit of a surprise, so I’ll just leave it at that. But the Italy portion of our trip, I can absolutely share!

Where we’re staying

I’ve shared my love of Airbnb in the past, and of course it’s been a huge part of planning this trip. If you’re new to Airbnb, click this link to sign up for an account. You’ll get $40 in travel credit for free. And since plenty of the places on there are real bargains, it can make a real impact on your budget for travel! There’s no code to enter, just click that link, create an account, and when you go to make your first booking, you’ll have $40 in credit ready to go. Just remember, you have to be new to Airbnb!

For our stay in Rome, we will actually be staying in the exact same apartment we stayed at in July. It was small but cozy, centrally located, and since we’re familiar with it, it’ll make the length of our trip feel a little less intense. We will be there for about 3.5 days. It’s a quick stay, but since we’ve been there once before, I know we can see all the things we missed last time, and still have plenty of time for Pasta.

After that, we’re off to Florence by train. This is the part of the trip that I do not have a ton planned, but I do know we will be staying at this seemingly incredibly apartment. Two bedrooms and a bargain via the link here. We’re leaving this part a bit open to really take our time, maybe cook in the apartment, and relax a bit.

After Florence, we will spend 3 days in Venice. From all the advice I’ve received from followers, everyone has said that just a few days is plenty in Venice. It’s small and can be seen in less time than most cities. We’re so excited to see the canals! For that part of the trip, we’ll be staying here. PINCH ME, right?? How insane is that view? We spent a long time hunting, and landed on this spot. A lot of hotels we looked at were just too pricey, and this felt like the perfect retreat / photo location for our stay.

And then after that, it’s back to Marrakech for a bit, and then onto home. So while I have a lot of the trip planned, I do definitely need some tips for where to stay in Florence / Tuscany. I’d love any restaurant recommendations for any of the cities in Italy that we’re visiting. Museums we must see, advice for traveling on their train system (it’s our first time), anything you can think of! And hey, while we do have most of our Moroccan trip planned, maybe we could squeeze in a thing or two of your suggesting? Leave a comment below and let me know!

20 Comments

  • Giulio
  • February 22, 2019

Beautiful website ! great contents!

  • Giulio
  • February 22, 2019

Ps Im based in Florence check @giulioaprin on Instagram. I can help you out with places to go things to visit etcc. Let me know 🙂

  • Jessica
  • February 22, 2019

Florence was beautiful! Walk the steps up the Duomo, see the dome inside and then the observation deck! We loved just wandering through the streets there, too. Oh, and if the line isn’t crazy (it will be) go to the Uffizi Museum. We missed out because we didn’t have time to wait!

  • Giulio
  • February 22, 2019

Sweet. I dm’ed you 😀

  • Cyntia
  • February 22, 2019

Florence is my dream travel destination because of my love for Dante Alighieri, so I’d go and visit everything connected to him, Botticelli and the Medici Family. For specific spots and places you can also follow Dan Brown’s steps in Inferno 😉

  • Hannah Wilson
  • February 22, 2019

Ohh you should stay at Valdirose bed and breakfast just outside of Florence! I bet it would be a great middle spot for exploring both Florence and Tuscany. I met one of the owners, Irene, last year on a job where she was the photographer and she’s so lovely. Their property is also so gorgeous filled with rustic antiques. They have an Instagram!

  • Savannah
  • February 22, 2019

Florence is one of my all time favourites!! I love that you don’t have set plans for there yet – it’s a place that’s best taken in slowly with lots of quiet contemplation over lattes on sunny stone patios and enjoy people watching. Much Love! @savannahpei on IG

  • Lindsay
  • February 23, 2019

My husband and I love Venice! Take a water ferry to Burano. The most amazing little fishing island about 30 min away. Definitely worth a half day trip and one of our favorite excursions in Venice. Go early to beat the crowds for the best photos.

  • Irina
  • February 23, 2019

Your trip sounds super exciting! I am going to Rome next month for a few days–also staying in the Campo de Fiori area. Do you have any must-sees or dining recommendations in the area? I would love to read about your red-eye travel tips as well. Long lights are exhausting!

  • Marion
  • February 23, 2019

Sounds like an awesome trip! We’ve been to Florence a whole week some years ago and haven’t seen all of it – it’s just too much! We did a daytrip by train to Lucca which is just beautiful! Its an hour to get there and absolutely worth it. Pisa is reachable by train as well but probably very crowded. Closer to Florence and just a bus ride away is Fiesole with its Roman Theater. You have a fantastic look over Florence from there.

Venice is like a dream (we’ve spent New Year’s this year in the city). We just wandered around town for hours – every part of the city has a different feel and its easy to get lost!

    • Courtney Halverson
    • February 23, 2019

    Thank you so much for taking the time to give these tips! I feel like there is SO much to see in Florence, but it’s good to know there are some beautiful spots just a train ride away too!

    xoxo

  • Tory
  • February 23, 2019

Have fun on your travels! Love your instagram. @torytrombley

  • Emily Schwarz
  • February 23, 2019

Wow, the new website is beautiful!
Excited to see more about your Italy trip, those places are high on my travel list! IG @schwarzy_emily

  • Colleda
  • February 25, 2019

Italy is on my must see list so I’m very excited to live vicariously through your trip and can’t wait for you to spill all your favorites and add them to my list! Have so much fun planning, I always find that to be somewhat stressful but also exciting part of the process.

  • Alexandra Williams
  • February 25, 2019

I highly recommend the restaurant BORGO SAN JACOPO, which is located along the Arno river. It was absolutely delectable, and there are a few outdoor tables with an incredible view of Ponte Vecchio. The interior decor featured vintage Ferragamo designs! I’d also recommend visiting the Uffizi and the Galleria Academia where the statue of David is housed. We also spent almost an entire morning visiting the Pitti Palace, which can’t be missed! Enjoy your travels!

    • Courtney Halverson
    • February 26, 2019

    Thank you so much! I love love love getting restaurant recommendations – sometimes it’s so hard to research prior without speaking to someone who has been there first.

  • Tanmaya
  • February 26, 2019

My husband and I went to Tuscany and Cinque Terre for our honeymoon! We only spent 1.5 days in Florence, but I think those were the most perfect days of my life! Florence is like a fairy-tale! If you are planning to road – trip around Tuscany, the area around Montepulciano is gorgeous, a mix of countryside and small medieval towns. I have a blog post about that (one of my first posts, and I was inspired by your blog to start my own 🙂 ) https://hertraveledit.com/tuscan-countryside-honeymoon/

  • Tanmaya
  • February 26, 2019

Oh and if you haven’t already, read A Room With a View before your trip! Gets you pumped for Florence

  • Mariel M
  • February 26, 2019

Marrakech is great! Great food, and def a must to see the desert! Love the new look of your blog @marielmd

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