Italy food, history and fun -- from top to bottom in 5 stops!
Italy
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Apr 20 - May 7, 2025
When I started trying to plan my first international trip, I was overwhelmed to say the least. How many days, how many stops, what activities to do? Finding the KimKim website was just whatI needed! I started exploring premade trips for inspiration, then a quiz about the things we like to do, to receiving a custom trip itinerary from Rita. After the initial itinerary, working with Rita to get our trip into the price range we wanted, the dates that worked best, and all the stops and activities we could fit was a breeze (even with time zone difference).
There is so much history in Italy, and so many places to see. We started in Lake Como, which was calmer and helped us to get ready for the rest of the trip.
In Venice we started with a food and wine tour with Beatrice from Streaty Venice. These food/drink tours have become a must do on our trips going forward. Trying the local food, in this case cicchetti, and seeing the area with a guide that is excited to tell you about where they live can't be beat. The food was plentiful and the pairings were nicely done and everyone should be eating (and drinking if you partake) like a local!
In Florence, exploring the city and the wine windows was a blast. Florence was bigger and busier than our previous stops. I can't tell you how nice it was to have our guides pick us up from our hotel. A day trip to the Tuscan hills, Siena and San Gimignano was beautiful and worth a view--maybe even worth a day or two! Hearing the history of the city while walking around and seeing "David" was more of an experience than I expected. (even for an artist). Possibly my favorite activity of Florence was a private (advertised as a small group) Tuscan cooking class, in the home of a local woman named Donatella. Learning to make food like a local is something we will talk about for a long time, and the recipes we look forward to recreating over and over now that we are home.
Making a traditional Neapolitan Pizza from dough to wood oven in Naples, another "small group" that ended up as a private class is another highlight of our foodie, with a side of history trip. We saw Pompeii, had lunch at a winery, and hiked Mt Vesuvius. (don't be fooled in the heat, this is a hike. Wear appropriate clothing and know what to expect-there is little shade in Pompeii or on Mt Vesuvius). Pompeii was a surprise, it was so much more interesting and grand than I could have imagined. Paestum is another interesting spot, though a much longer drive than Pompeii from Naples, but worth it if you like ruins.
Sorrento weather was beautiful and the views and lemons are to die for. We did a Limoncello and Lemon Marmalade activity in Positano with Valenti that was a highlight. Again learning to make limoncello and lemon marmalade was really fun, but learning about the family history and trying some many other lemon flavored goods was out of this world. I can't wait for my delicious treats to arrive from the amazing little shot, we can't wait to make limoncello at home too!
So many memories made, and I can't thank everyone we met or the KimKim team enough. We'll definitely be reaching out for a future trip, but until that happens, it's off to sleep in our bed dreaming of pasta and spritz. Grazie Mille!
Activity Reviews
What an amazing experience this cooking class is. My husband and I have taken many cooking classes in the past and this was the most unique so far. We were not aware before arriving that the class would be in a locals home. We also expected a "small group" but for our class we were the only ones. A private class, learning from a local---making traditional food, that she has made her whole life, what could be better? We started by making pasta dough and letting it rest. Next was desert, each making a tiramisu for later. After that was a type of Tuscan dumpling made of spinach, a small amount of parmesan cheese, some salt and flour. I was so surprised how this turned out. Are you getting tired yet? Cause there is more...next was a potato filling for a tortellini, that we later made by rolling our pasta, cutting to size, piping the filling, and learning to fold into pillows of awesomeness! Donatella took over from there, giving us a glass of wine, water, and tomato and white bean bruschetta. She cooked the spinach dumplings with a simple tomato sauce with garlic, and the tortellini with olive oil, and sage. Simple ingredients, and unbelievable flavors. I was so surprised, and left full and very happy from the experience.
Our guide, Daniela, was on time and personable, providing history and commentary. We chatted on the hike up the hills and through the trees to the castle. (really more of a tower, but still very cool). We stopped and took pictures part way up, also a good time for a rest, drink and to cool off. Once at the top the views were amazing, but we continued on, going inside the tower and climbing to the top. At the top the 360 degree view as promised was worth the hike. It was so pretty. We could see up Milan in one direction, the Lake and valley in the other. We had a nice tasting of a Barbarossa wine and some crackers while enjoying the view before walking back down, and returning to our hotel.
This is up to a 1.5-2 hour drive from Naples each way. It's a long day of being in the car. We started at the Cheese farm for a short tour. We learned how they take care of the Buffalo, and got to see them up close and even got to pet them. After hearing about how the farm is run we tasted some cheese. It's so different in flavor and texture from cow mozzarella, you really can taste the difference. It's a nice place, beautiful grounds with coffee shop, restaurant and pastry shop on sight. (our paperwork said light lunch, and all there was for lunch was the cheese, so be aware and ask your guide to stop someone for food or grab a pastry) The ruins in Paestrum are really interesting, it was less crowded and had a very different from Pompeii if you decide to do that. We had a great guide named Mario who gave us history and commentary, taking us through the museum as well. Not as much to see due to the history of the ruins overall, which again is different from Pompeii but if you like history it's really enjoyable.
