Ciao! Our Italian Cruise

September 21, 2018

Stripe Yellow Dress (no longer avail) – similar HERE

Ciao! Last month Eric and I went to Italy + Croatia without the kids and it was such an amazing trip. Sure, I missed the kids, but 10 days without them was a nice little break. 🙂 It was good to spend quality one on one time with my husband without being interrupted a million different times to change a diaper, get a snack, make a bottle, etc.

Last summer we went to Italy to visit the Amalfi Coast, Florence, and Rome but this year we went back for an Italian cruise, courtesy of my husband’s work. Eric’s company has a trip every year for their top producers in sales. If the employee meets above and beyond a certain percentage of their quota then he/she (and their significant other) gets to go on an amazing trip. We’ve been to Barcelona, Whistler, Park City, and now Italy because of his job. And if it sounds like I’m bragging about my husband, it’s because I am! I am so proud of how hard he works to support our family and these trips are just the icing on the cake.

The cruise was on Celebrity Cruise line and it was amazing. The ship was HUGE and beautiful and the best part was we had it all to ourselves with just Eric’s fellow coworkers. The stops were Naples, Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica.

Naples

On our first stop, Naples, we did a tour that included a visit to a beautiful farm that grew everything from lemon trees to peaches to olive trees. We got to watch the cutest little old Italian lady make fresh mozzarella and then we got to eat it and it was to. die. for. The farm also made limoncello, lemon marmalade, and lemon soaps.

From there we went to Pompeii and did a guided tour. It was fascinating to learn the history of the city and how the people perished. If you’re not familiar with the history, Pompeii was the city at the base of Mt. Vesuvius, a volcano, that erupted and covered the city in about 18 feet of volcanic ash and debris. This happened in 79AD and the city was essentially preserved this way until it was discovered in the late 16th century.

This is a plaster mold of someone that died in the city of Pompeii. When excavators found the remains of people that had long ago decomposed, they filled the voids with plaster casts and you are able to see what these people looked like when they perished.

Sicily

Our second day of the cruise was Sicily and it was one of our favorite stops. We took a taxi to the clifftop village of Taormina and it was one of the most charming places I’ve ever seen. Everywhere you looked there were little alleyways filled with beautiful flowers or unique artwork. There were adorable Italian cafes and breathtaking views all around.

Pink Cateye Sunnies | Gingham Dress | Sandals

Sardinia

Sardinia was our least favorite stop of the trip. We went to the beach and had a relaxing day in the water with a good lunch, but we weren’t impressed with the quality of the beach. And from what we heard, the towns in Sardinia weren’t anything spectacular either. But that didn’t stop us from having a good time.

Red Swimsuit

Corsica

This was hands down the best stop on the cruise. And did you know that Corsica is a part of France, not Italy? Our stop was in the port of Ajaccio and it was such a beautiful town. I loved that nobody spoke English because we felt entirely immersed in the culture. There were so many great shops and boutiques to buy unique gifts. We had one of the best lunches while overlooking the ocean. And then ended the day with a walk along the beach. I would totally go back to Corsica!

Pink Purse

We also had so much fun on the boat– going out to dinner, playing blackjack in the casino, going to Eric’s award ceremony, hanging out with Eric’s coworkers, and ending the night like we were 21 again in the ship’s nightclub. 🙂