Italy & Croatia

So I created a thread several months ago here:
First family international trip in nearly 8 years...

Figured I'd create a thread to describe my experience and document the trip here.

We just got back from the trip yesterday, and I have to say, it was an awesome experience.

12 people (including our 3 year old and 7 year old)
5 cities
2 countries
11 full days (not including travel)

This was our Itinerary:


The TLDR on this trip is:
Overall, it was an excellent trip, but there were a few surprises. One of the biggest was the food in Italy — we found it surprisingly underwhelming. Aside from a few solid spots, much of it lacked flavor. The biggest letdown was the pizza. It’s not that I dislike Neapolitan style — I’ve had better versions in the U.S. than any we tried in Italy. I had pizza five times at different places in Italy to try and rule out potentially not going to a good spot, and each time, it fell short.
The other big surprise was how much we absolutely loved Croatia — we truly fell in love with the country. Its natural beauty, friendly people, delicious food, and overall cleanliness far exceeded what we experienced in the Italian cities we visited. What amazed me most was that, unlike many countries where beauty is scattered and separated by miles of dull landscape, Croatia was stunning throughout. Even our drive to the airport was filled with incredible views.



The itinerary may have seemed hectic — and at times it was — but we intentionally limited ourselves to one planned activity per day. This gave us the flexibility to explore or relax as we pleased, which helped reduce the overall stress of the trip.
Bringing our nanny made a huge difference. From helping with morning routines and bedtime to watching the kids while we went out, her support made the trip significantly more enjoyable.


Day 1 - Rome - Vatican City

After a tiring day of travel, I had booked an evening tour of Vatican City for the following day to allow ourselves time to sleep in and rest beforehand — my first time using a professional tour guide, and it turned out to be a great decision. The guide was excellent, and we were able to skip the long lines for immediate entry. The Vatican grounds were beautiful and well worth the visit.





After the Vatican, we took common advice and walked a bit to find a less touristy restaurant. We landed at Osteria Dell’Angelo, where we had pasta and steaks. It was a solid choice — not exceptional, but definitely decent.




Day 2 - Rome - The Colosseum

We began the day with a guided tour of the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. Unlike our Vatican guide, this one was less engaging — there was too much standing around listening to detailed explanations, when we would’ve preferred more time simply exploring the sites. A more balanced approach would’ve improved the experience. That said, skipping the long lines at the Colosseum was a major plus.



That evening, we had one of our best meals in Italy at Osteria da Fortuna. The pasta was outstanding, and I’d highly recommend the restaurant. It was a bit crowded, so we had to wait, but it wasn’t too long.



After dinner, we walked by the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain — both are definitely worth a visit. I hadn’t expected much from the Pantheon, but it turned out to be a pleasant surprise, especially in the evening.

Day 3 – Florence – Travel Day

The next day, we took a high-speed train to Florence, booking business class — which I highly recommend, as the price difference from economy was minimal. Just an hour and a half later, we arrived, and it didn’t take long for Florence to become my favorite of the three Italian cities we visited — by far.
The atmosphere was immediately more relaxed. It was less crowded, quieter, cleaner, and overall more peaceful than Rome. The food was also noticeably better. While we had a few good meals in Rome, much of the food there was underwhelming. In contrast, Florence impressed us right away. Even the people seemed friendlier.
That evening we had dinner at Ristorante Buca Mario. I had made this reservation several months in advance, and to our pleasant surprise, they booked us in their private VIP room which was quite separated from the main dining area. The service was fantastic, the ambiance was great, and the food….. well it was decent. We had a giant Florentine steak split amongst us along with many appetizers. The steak was good, but not amazing. Overall the food was decent but I felt the service and ambiance far outshined the food.





Day 4 – Florence – City Tour and Museums

We hired a tour guide to show us Florence’s highlights, ending at the Galleria dell’Accademia to see Michelangelo’s David. Ultimately, the tour felt unnecessary — Florence is best explored on your own. Still, we saw some interesting spots, and viewing the statue of David was a surreal experience. We wrapped up the day with excellent affogato at Vivoli.






Day 5 – Naples – Travel Day and Underground Naples

The next morning, we took a train to Naples. As soon as we exited the station, it was clear Naples would be our least favorite of the three Italian cities. It felt like a worse version of New York City. We needed three taxis to reach our hotel, leading to arguments among drivers over who would take us. At the hotel, there was some false advertising — we were assigned five rooms, but two were in a separate, less nice building across the street. The city itself was dirty, with trash and graffiti everywhere. It was loud and chaotic — which some might find charming, but after the peace and calm of Florence, it was a harsh contrast.

That evening, we toured Naples’ underground aqueducts — an incredible experience. A warning though: don’t do this if you have claustrophobia or are severely overweight. The tunnels are extremely tight, forcing you to walk sideways and squeeze through narrow
openings. If you can handle that, it’s a fascinating glimpse into an underground world rich with history.






After the tour, we visited the original L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele, hoping finally for some good, authentic Italian pizza. Unfortunately, it was another disappointment—lacking flavor and leaving the whole group underwhelmed once again.

Day 6 – Naples – Pompeii

The next morning, we took a guided tour of the ancient city of Pompeii — one of the highlights of our Italy trip. Our guide, a PhD archaeologist, expertly explained the history without getting bogged down in details. His charm made the experience even better. Pompeii is remarkably well preserved, and walking its streets while imagining life thousands of years ago was truly unforgettable. Highly recommended.





That evening, still searching for pizza we actually enjoyed, we took a pizza cooking class — a fun and memorable experience for the group. A key moment came when the instructor said to use only one basil leaf, warning that more would “make the pizza in to a salad”. I decided to go against the advice and added six basil leaves. And guess what? it turned out to be the best pizza I had all trip.




Day 7 – Split/Trogir – Travel Day

The next day, we took an early flight to Croatia with EasyJet — which turned out to be anything but easy. We spent a small fortune on luggage fees, and the staff seemed completely overwhelmed by the task of checking in a group of 12.

After an hour-long flight, we arrived in Split, Croatia — and immediately loved everything about it. The airport was clean, the staff noticeably friendlier, and to our surprise, there was no immigration process — we simply walked right through.

For our time in Split and Trogir, I rented a giant Renault Trafic van with a 6-speed manual. As a vehicle, it was pretty terrible — but somehow, the manual transmission made it surprisingly fun to drive.





One of the first things we noticed after landing in Split was how stunning everything was — everywhere we looked was absolutely gorgeous. The view from our cliffside Airbnb was the cherry on top. We knew right then we were going to love Croatia.

Day 8 – Plitvice Lakes

It was a long day — we left at 6:30 AM to meet a larger group in Split for a bus ride to Plitvice Lakes National Park. The guided tour focused more on sightseeing than talking, which we appreciated. Some parts felt a bit rushed, but not having to navigate or plan anything ourselves made the experience much less stressful.

Although Plitvice Lakes was the main destination, we weren’t prepared for the stunning beauty of the drive itself. It was breathtaking from start to finish — mountain passes, tunnels, and high bridges made it a visual treat through the heart of the country.

Plitvice Lakes was a true highlight. Crystal-clear waters, waterfalls everywhere, and wooden walkways that brought you up close to it all — it was a surreal experience and absolutely unmissable.









The drive back had an unexpected hiccup — our bus broke down, and we waited two hours for a replacement. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a public bus, which meant multiple stops along the way. We didn’t make it back to the Airbnb until nearly midnight. Still, visiting the national park was absolutely worth it.


Day 9 – Split

Day 9 was a MUCH-needed day of rest. We slept in, had a late breakfast at the Airbnb, and eventually headed to downtown Split. There, we explored the old town, did some shopping, enjoyed tasty street food, and soaked in the city’s atmosphere.

Great update and thanks for taking the time to do that!

Out of curiosity, I actually really enjoyed most of the food in Italy (there were one or two places that were lackluster, but that's expected) - what was it that you found underwhelming? Would you say you generally had better food in the States?

What was different about the food in Croatia that made it that much better than Italy? Croatia is somewhere I'd like to visit to see at some point, but only when the kids are a bit older.

Watching The World Burn wrote

Great update and thanks for taking the time to do that!

Out of curiosity, I actually really enjoyed most of the food in Italy (there were one or two places that were lackluster, but that's expected) - what was it that you found underwhelming? Would you say you generally had better food in the States?

What was different about the food in Croatia that made it that much better than Italy? Croatia is somewhere I'd like to visit to see at some point, but only when the kids are a bit older.

I think we were expecting the food in Italy to be delicious and flavorful... but it ended up being a bit bland and tasteless. The pizza for example - I get the simplification of ingredients, but I felt it was too simple with minimal seasoning in anything. I would absolutely say pizza in the US is a lot better. Even traditional neopolitan style pizza - I've had better in the US. Another example was Florentine steak. It was cooked well but was so minimally seasoned. In contrast my steak in Croatia was perfectly seasoned and that made all the difference.

Don't get me wrong... I didn't think the food in Croatia was especially great either.... just that I found it slightly better than Italy in terms of flavor.

What no cucumbers on the pizza?

Toddbmw wrote

What no cucumbers on the pizza?

Classic

Did a 1 year tour on Sicily. When I started flying we'd go to Naples, Pordenone and all the stops on the way to Venice. I was also fortunate to be stationed in Germany so a short drive to Italy. Loved traveling and sadly have not visited Bosnia, Croatia or any other of the surrounding country.

Looks like you had an excellent time thanks for sharing.

Nice thorough report! One of the best meals I ever had was in Split Croatia and cost maybe $8.

Great photos of your trip, and detailed description.

Since I live in Naples, I can relate to the "grittiness" of the city, but it's part of the charm. Florence is, by far, my favorite city thus far. I 100% agree with your assessment of Dubrovnik, and of course, flying "not that EasyJet". Split is definitely on my list to visit before leaving next year. So much to see in this area!!

Be careful with your Italian food(s) review. I mentioned before in a thread that my brother in law was in Italy for a couple of weeks and he didn`t like the food, and someone on the forum got upset because she/he loved the food and my brother in law didn`t .

Pauly Wauly wrote

Be careful with your Italian food(s) review. I mentioned before in a thread that my brother in law was in Italy for a couple of weeks and he didn`t like the food, and someone on the forum got upset because she/he loved the food and my brother in law didn`t .

I'd likely double down on my position It's not that I "disliked" the food there... I was just underwhelmed and had expected more based on everything I had heard.

The food tends to be a bit bland but palatable. They don't use anything more than salt and pepper in my experience

DubaiRich wrote

The food tends to be a bit bland but palatable. They don't use anything more than salt and pepper in my experience

I think that's the issue I was having with some of it. I haven't travelled Europe much - most of my travels have been to Asia to countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, etc, where the food is extremely rich with flavor and spice and that's what I'm used to.

I appreciated the freshness of the food in Italy - just wished there was a bit more flavor.

Thanks for the update. We enjoyed Croatia for the scenery, relaxed atmosphere, climate and food featuring fresh fruits, vegetables, cheese and olive oil.

North American food is highly salted and sugared (i.e. "seasoned"), in general. This is noted by foreign visitors to the U.S. with whom I have traveled in the past. You noted the reverse - that Italian food is not salted or sugared, in general.

German food saltiness is closer to American food than Italian food is. British food can be salty, e.g. "English breakfast", fish and chips, etc.

Cheese is fairly salty by nature, and I order it when I see it listed on salads. Many European cheeses are illegal to produce and import into the U.S. because of outdated American food safety laws. These cheeses, on the soft and pungent side, are excellent and should be sampled when traveling in Europe.

Don't forget to use the salt shaker. You can find one on most tables.

chassis wrote

Thanks for the update. We enjoyed Croatia for the scenery, relaxed atmosphere, climate and food featuring fresh fruits, vegetables, cheese and olive oil.

North American food is highly salted and sugared (i.e. "seasoned"), in general. This is noted by foreign visitors to the U.S. with whom I have traveled in the past. You noted the reverse - that Italian food is not salted or sugared, in general.

German food saltiness is closer to American food than Italian food is. British food can be salty, e.g. "English breakfast", fish and chips, etc.

Cheese is fairly salty by nature, and I order it when I see it listed on salads. Many European cheeses are illegal to produce and import into the U.S. because of outdated American food safety laws. These cheeses, on the soft and pungent side, are excellent and should be sampled when traveling in Europe.

Don't forget to use the salt shaker. You can find one on most tables.

Obviously tastes are subjective and individuals have individual taste profiles and preferences. To me, it's an interesting phenomenon that I've experienced.

Within Europe I've travelled now to Switzerland, Italy, Croatia, and Greece. Within Asia I've travelled to Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

In my experience with all of these countries, I have tended to prefer European food in the US vs. the equivalent European food in Europe. However with each of those Asian countries, I have preferred the Asian food in each of those countries over the equivalent Asian food in the US.

We did Italy and Croatia last year, but we did North of where you were. A few nights in Venice and then over to Sibenik. We also did a day trip to Split and spent a day on the Adriatic on a boat which turned out to be awful because our boat was broken, but the owner didn't want to admit that he couldn't go over about 6 knots. he said it was "senic". I wanted to get out and push.

Nonetheless, since you fell in love with Croatia as we did, I would recommend Sibenik highly. It's yet another tier down in terms of crowds from Split, never mind Dubrovnik. It's got all the charm and beauty and about 1/3 of the crowds. Amazing. Our best day was taking a e-bike tour starting from Skradin heading up into the mountains winding through olive groves. We stopped by a local winery https://antesladicvino.hr/?lang=en (Ante Sladic) where we were given a rundown of the current release of wines including a grappa style drink, and served a very european lunch of meats, cheeses, breads, veggies and, of course, their own olive oil. Which we bought a bunch and are sadly about to finish.

Finished the day at Krka national park and the breathtaking falls there.

We ended our trip with two nights in Zagreb. For a capital city, it's small by European standards but again that just meant fewer tourists, not fewer amenities. We got to watch Croatia football play on a huge screen in the main square of town during, I think, a Euro cup match. Amazing.


Definitely will be back again. More Croatia and less Italy.

Needsdecaf wrote

We did Italy and Croatia last year, but we did North of where you were. A few nights in Venice and then over to Sibenik. We also did a day trip to Split and spent a day on the Adriatic on a boat which turned out to be awful because our boat was broken, but the owner didn't want to admit that he couldn't go over about 6 knots. he said it was "senic". I wanted to get out and push.

Nonetheless, since you fell in love with Croatia as we did, I would recommend Sibenik highly. It's yet another tier down in terms of crowds from Split, never mind Dubrovnik. It's got all the charm and beauty and about 1/3 of the crowds. Amazing. Our best day was taking a e-bike tour starting from Skradin heading up into the mountains winding through olive groves. We stopped by a local winery https://antesladicvino.hr/?lang=en (Ante Sladic) where we were given a rundown of the current release of wines including a grappa style drink, and served a very european lunch of meats, cheeses, breads, veggies and, of course, their own olive oil. Which we bought a bunch and are sadly about to finish.

Finished the day at Krka national park and the breathtaking falls there.

We ended our trip with two nights in Zagreb. For a capital city, it's small by European standards but again that just meant fewer tourists, not fewer amenities. We got to watch Croatia football play on a huge screen in the main square of town during, I think, a Euro cup match. Amazing.


Definitely will be back again. More Croatia and less Italy.

Definitely want to go back and explore more of Croatia. Maybe next time I'll do something like a Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia combined trip.

For now though, my next trip I'd like to head back to Asia.

In the eastern Alps and Balkans region consider the Dolomites in Italy and Austria, and the Slovenian Alps with a visit to Ljubljana. Scenery, culture, history and cuisine!

great recap and pictures. And perfect timing, we ( 4 couples) are just a few weeks away from a Dubrovnik and Korcula vacation