Jerusalem is such a unique city with a long history and many holy places for several religions. It’s filled with contrasts like: the old vs the new, religious vs secular, daylife vs nightlife, the old city vs the modern city, and all of these contrasts make Jerusalem even more magical.

Every time I visit Jerusalem, I feel like a tourist; every time I discover new places and every time I learn about history facts that I wasn’t aware of.
Since the are so many things to do there, I wrote about the stuff that I love the most. I’m sure that every time I go, I will have more things to add to the list

Things to do in Jerusalem

Lighting show in City Of David

WOW. This is one of the most impressive shows I saw in Israel and in Jerusalem itself. It is just a breathtaking sight and I’m not talking only about the lighting show, but about the City of David too.
When I walked into the fortress, I felt like I returned to a time thousands of years ago. It’s such a spectacular structure; so big and so beautiful

After a few minutes of wandering in the fortress we sat to see the lighting show.
I was amazed with the entire show that tells about the history of Jerusalem. It combines music and video on the fortress itself.

Words can’t describe this experience. You just need to go there and experience it by yourself 🙂
The show is in an open area so it’s recommended to bring warm clothes with you, especially in the cold months.

It’s forbidden to take pictures there (since I went there during a bloggers’ conference, they gave us a special permission to take pictures, so I didn’t break the law.
After the lighting show you can have a tour in the museum.

Tickets price
Adult: lighting show 55 nis, combined tickets to the show and museum are 70 nis
Senior citizen or a student: lighting show 50 nis, combined tickets to the show and museum are 55 nis
Child: lighting show 45 nis, combined tickets to the show and museum are 55 nis
Soldier or handicap: lighting show 30 nis, combined tickets to the show and museum are 40 nis

Lively nightlife in Machane Yehuda Market

During the day the Machane Yehuda Market is a really great market full of stalls and restaurants. You can find fresh ingredients and a great atmosphere there. Once the daily stalls start to close, the bars and the night restaurants start to open.

This market doesn’t rest for a minute.
When you go there at night it’s such a different experience from in the morning. There are many bars. Each bar puts chairs and tables outside, there are musicians and Dj’s and an amazing atmosphere with fun and alcohol.

You don’t have to make an effort in order to go out, you just need to go to the market and pass from one pub to another.

Another great thing that I loved about the night market is that if you suddenly get hungry, then you have several restaurants that are open until late hours. We ate pasta in Pasta Basta after hanging out in the market’s bars. It was nice because I hadn’t had time to eat dinner before going. It was cheap, filling and tasty.

Eat a great breakfast

Jerusalem is a good place to eat a great breakfast. You can go to a nice restaurant or eat in a hotel. Even if you are not staying in a hotel there are some that offer their breakfasts not only to their guests.
We went to the Inbal Hotel, a 5-stars hotel with a design that combines modern and ancient styles. One of the most beautiful hotels I have seen.

From the moment we entered the hotel I felt like I was in a luxury hotel, and what I liked even more was that the breakfast didn’t disappoint us.
A huge variety of good cheeses, smoked fishes, salads, fresh bread and pastries, and much more. They serve you a great coffee. This is the way to start your morning.

Lovely atmosphere, beautiful design, tasty food, and great service.
The breakfast cost 115 nis per person. It’s recommended to call the hotel before arriving because if it’s fully booked maybe they won’t allow non-guest to eat there.
The breakfast is served every day from 06:30-10:30

Assaf Granit’s restaurants

If you are visiting Jerusalem, you must try one of Assaf’s restaurants. He has several restaurants there (I stopped counting how many);  he even has branches in London. All of his restaurants are amazing and completely different from one another.

We went to Mona, which is a fancy restaurant. We sat on the bar and had a great evening. The bartender recommended us to dry white wine that fit perfectly with our taste. The crab bisque was so amazing that I still think about it once in a while.

On another time we went to Talbiyah which is more of a restaurant bar. Cool vibes and a great design. We also sat there on the bar and ordered wine and some dishes. The polenta is one of Assaf’s signature dishes and it’s really good.

Machneyuda is his most famous restaurant, I haven’t gone there yet but Roman has. And he said that it has a really happy, loud, Israeli atmosphere. So if you are looking for a unique Israeli experience, this is the restaurant to try.

Tours in Jerusalem

In Jerusalem you can find many types of tours. I really recommend to try at least one of them because it will give you another aspect of the city. I wrote a post about the tours that I tried and liked. To read more about the tours

Rome is so gorgeous. Everywhere you look, you will see an amazing Piazza or a stunning architecture.  Rome is full of history, good restaurants, cool bars, Delicious gelato, cute coffee shops and more.
We’ve visited twice – once as a couple and the second time with our two daughters, ages 2.5 and 5.5, in August 2025. If you’re traveling to Rome with kids, I recommend reading the post I wrote about Rome with kids.

One great tip I wish I’d known before our trip is to get a Go City Pass. It can save you up to 90Euro on Rome’s top attractions and includes entry to places like the Colosseum, the Vatican, and over 100 other sites – all with one pass. It’s a super convenient way to explore as much as possible without worrying about buying individual tickets every time.

Eat with the locals

We really love local experiences and when I looked at the “EatWith” website (a cool website for recommendations from the locals) I saw a nice option for a dinner in a local house. The host’s name is Francesca. The meal including the hosting in the local house, a meal and wine. I thought it was a really great idea, so we made a reservation for our second evening in Rome. Link to Francesca’s experience

Francesca’s home is a little bit far from the center (about an hour ride in bus), but it was nice to ride in the bus to a different area that was less crowded in Rome.

When we arrived at her home, we were amazed at the way the table was designed and the smells from the food were so good .The apartment itself was decorated really nicely.

Francesca welcomed us with a smile and she also invited a partner, Pasquale, to join us for dinner. On the table the appetizers were already served, which were very delicious and Pasquale opened a great white wine for us. As a second dish we ate a really good pasta and for the main course, an amazing meat. For dessert Francesca made tiramisu. Everything was so delicious and simple; exactly the way I love it. The atmosphere was very clam and we had a great conversion with both of them.

All the experience was excellent and we loved the combination of good food and good companions.
We are definitely going to try this kind of meal in other destinations that we visit.

Visiting the Vatican at night

The Vatican is one of the places that you must visit in Rome, but I wanted to show you an option that maybe you weren’t aware exists. From the end of April till the end of October, every Friday you can visit the Vatican at night.

Fortunately, while we were staying there, it was the first Friday that people were allowed to visit in the night, so we booked our tickets in advance from the internet.

An entrance + audio + tax for the internet order. The advantage in ordering on the internet is that you can skip the line (which is really good if the line is long).
In our case there was no line but we couldn’t predict it.
We arrived at the Vatican at 20:30

In the beginning we thought of taking a tour but I’m happy that we did it only with the audio. That way we could stop and listen about places that interested us and skip places that didn’t.  Another great thing about visiting it by night is that it’s not too crowded. There were even a few times that we were almost alone in a room.

I must admit that in the beginning I wasn’t sure if I wanted to visit the Vatican, but I’m so, so glad I did. It’s absolutely gorgeous. There were some rooms that left me speechless. What an amazing art. It’s hard to believe that in the past there were people who painted the same wall for 8 years. It’s one of my best art & museums experiences.

If you want to visit the Vatican during the day, then I recommend ordering tickets in advance so that you can also save standing in line. Link to order discounted tickets.

If you plan to visit both the boutique and the Coliseum then I recommend purchasing the combined ticket.
Link to order tickets for a combined visit.

Rose and Orange gardens

One of the places I loved the most in Rome. Why? Because it’s so beautiful and less touristy (at least when we visited).
In the Rose garden there are benches above the stairs which overlook the garden and city. You can sit there for hours and enjoy the beauty. You can also have a little picnic there.

The Orange garden is at about a 10-minute walk from the Rose garden. It’s less impressive than the first, but it’s really nice and the great thing about it, is that it has a great viewpoint over the city.
The gardens are located pretty close to the colosseum (about 30 minutes walking) so you can visit them on the same day.

The entrance to the gardens is free. In the summer they are open from the morning until the evening and in the winter they are open until the afternoon.

Free walking tour

As usual, we booked a free tour (based on tips) in advance. We booked it for our first day in Rome for the afternoon (16:00). We wanted to get to know the city as fast as possible and there isn’t a better way to do so, other than a tour.

We arrived at the tour pretty exhausted because our flight was in the early hours of the morning, so we slept about 2 hours in the night, anyhow the tour was so fascinating that we did all of it and had a blast.

The tour was with the company “Rome’s ultimate”.
There were several things that I really loved about this company.
Their tours are only for small groups of up to 15 persons. That’s awesome because in large groups it’s hard to ask questions and the guide can’t pay attention to everyone.

And because the group is small the guide doesn’t need to walk with an umbrella (as a sign) so it feels less touristic and the best thing was that our guide was amazing. His name is Jobe and he was funny and told us a great story about the places on the way (instead of boring facts). He really described the way it was in the past so it was easy to imagine it.
I really recommend this company. They also have other tours but we only tried the free walking tour.

Bone church

We heard about this church from our guide in the tour. We asked him for  unique recommendations of things to do in Rome and this was one of his recommendations. It sounded interesting so we went there.

There are two churches in the building, so in the beginning we accidently went to the wrong one. But then we went to the right one. The Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini church. The entrance cost 8.5 euro. A little bit pricy but we were curious to see how it looked. It’s forbidden to take pictures there and I think it’s good because it keeps it mysterious and surprising when you go there (so don’t look at pictures from the internet). I can’t say it’s a pretty church, but it’s definitely different from all the churches I’ve seen before and it’s really interesting and impressive. In this church there are more than 4000 bones.

Campo De Fiori market

There is no way we would visit a city without going to at least one local market. In Campo De Fiori we visited one every day and sometimes even several times a day because it was 100m from our apartment (we chose the Airbnb apartment because of its location).

This market is so great/ it’s not crowded it’s filled with local, fresh ingredients. I ate fruits there, Roman bought a sausage and cheese sandwich. In our last day we bought 5 different cheeses in order to have a picnic on our way to Lucca. The cheeses were delicious.

If you are renting an apartment in Rome, this market is a great place to buy local ingredients to cook in the apartment. The market is surrounded with many good restaurants, bars, and coffee shops.
The market is open from Monday-Saturday 07:00-14:00 (sometimes even later) closed on Sundays

Palatine Hill and the Colosseum

After the Rose and Orange Gardens we wandered around and saw the Palatine Hill by accident. It’s such an incredible place. “The Palatine Hill is the centremost of the Seven Hills of Rome and is one of the most ancient parts of the city. It stands 40 metres above the Roman Forum, looking down upon it on one side, and upon the Circus Maximus on the other” (from Wikipedia).

We wandered around there for about one hour and a half and then we went by foot to the Colosseum. All this area was so impressive and huge and so amazing. It is worth visiting for several hours.

To order tickets to the Colosseum

Thai massage

I’m a massage addict 😉 and luckily during our stay in Rome I had my birthday, so it was a great excuse as to why I should so a massage and Rome is so big and every day we walked there so much time that in the end of the day my feet needed a massage.

I searched for a recommended place and I found “Nora Thai massage”. They have great reviews and one of their branches was close to our apartment.
Address: Via Del Gesù 56Roma.

A traditional Thai massage cost 50 euro for 60 minutes. It’s not cheap but it’s a reasonable price.
I really liked the place itself. Very clean, it smelled very good and with calm atmosphere. The room treatment was very welcoming and it even had its own private shower.

The massage itself was fantastic; it was a great present for my birthday.

Eating Gelato

Even though I’m not a huge fan of ice creams, everyone told me I should try it in Italy, so I just had to. And I have to be honest; it was really good. We stopped on the way in Venchi Gelateria that afterwards we discovered that it’s one of the most famous and best in Rome so we were lucky.

I tried the caramel flavour in a cone topped with chocolate and nuts. And Roman tried the mango and strawberry sorbet. They were so good and the Gelateria itself is really awesome. They have a chocolate waterfall wall. Wow.

Wandering around Rome and enjoying its beauty

Rome is so stunning, it’s hard to describe it with words. Every few seconds we would stop and say, “Wow, this is amazing”/ every five minutes of walking you will encounter a beautiful Piazza (where you can sit to relax). Every two minutes you see another impressive structure. Rome is full of great restaurants, coffee shops, shops, wine bars, and people. It’s a city that is a must.

Tips before traveling to Rome

SIM card

I personally recommend using an ESIM, which is an electronic SIM, and recommend Airalo. I was very satisfied with their user experience (simple tutorial videos for operating the SIM card) and everything worked without any special problems. I wrote more about them in an extended post on the subject of taking a SIM card abroad and also about other options such as buying a local SIM card.

Blog followers have a 15% discount code for the Airalo company to purchase an ESIM – to redeem the discount, click on this link. The discount code is already included in the link. See it at checkout.

The biggest drawback at the moment is that some devices do not support an electronic SIM. How can you know if your device supports the electronic card? Very simple: go to this link and you can see. Link to which devices support ESIM.

Where to sleep in Rome?

We slept in an Airbnb apartment near the Campo de Fiori market. We liked the location even though it was quite noisy in the evening (so try not to sleep too close to the market but in a quieter alley especially if you come with children). The apartment itself was small and stuffy so I don’t recommend it 🙂
To search for a hotel or apartment in Rome.

Car rental in Rome

In Rome there is no need to rent a car and it is even better not to because there is excellent public transport and there are no parking spaces. But if you plan to make a trip and leave Rome (like we did), then the most convenient is to rent a car.

You can search for a car in the search engine Papam Papam. Personally, I really like to search through them because they save me time (instead of going to several websites) and they also have the option of filtering out non-recommended rental companies.

Booking tickets for popular attractions in Rome

1. Visiting the Colosseum – booking tickets
2. Visiting the Vatican – booking tickets
3. Vatican + Colosseum visit – booking tickets for a combined visit
4. Visiting the Pantheon – booking tickets
5. Tourist bus Hop-on Hop-off Bus – booking tickets
6. Rome tourist card – booking tickets

I hope my post helped you. If so, I would very much like you to respond here in the comments, and if you have any more questions, then you are also welcome to ask them in the comments or on the blog’s social networks: Facebook and Instagram. Looking for more information about Rome ? I have in the blog more posts about Rome and posts about Italy.

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Rome is so gorgeous. Everywhere you look, you will see an amazing Piazza or a stunning architecture.  Rome is full of history, good restaurants, cool bars, Delicious gelato, cute coffee shops and more.

In Rome we stayed at an Airbnb apartment near to Campo De Fiori market.

Search for other accommodations

Italian restaurants in Rome

Pasta Imperial- A home-style Pasta Restaurant

We came across this restaurant while walking on a tour around the city. During the tour we passed by Pasta Imperiale and our guide recommended it saying it was delicious – or, delizioso.

He mentioned that it was a great place with some great prices. After we finished the tour, we had to go back for dinner. Once we got there, we found out we had a few options: we could either customize our pasta – pick our pasta type and sauce, or choose straight from the menu. My husband Roman ordered spaghetti with tomato sauce and meatballs, and I took a heavenly ravioli filled with ricotta cheese and asparagus in sage & butter sauce.

Both pasta dishes were incredible. They were light, and I especially loved that the pasta is made in-house. The sage & butter sauce was cooked to perfection. It was not too greasy and the ravioli was so flavorful. Roman’s spaghetti was successful and the meat was delicious.

For dessert Roman ordered a tiramisu, but I didn’t eat any just because I don’t like it in general.

Address:
Via dei Coronari, 160, 00186 Roma, Italy
Hours:
12pm-10pm 7 days.

Forno Campo De Fiori

We stayed at an Airbnb and the owner recommended this great restaurant that was right down the street from us. So of course we had to go and check out a recommendation from a local.

We tried the margarita pizza and zucchini + cheese pizza. YUM. They were both amazing. It was made the right way with a thin crust, just like the Italians know how to do it. The zucchini pizza was a great surprize, it tasted like a combination of a quiche with pizza. The margarita tasted really really fresh. (Italians are known for making their own cheese).

It was a good price and they charge by weight. It’s a super popular restaurant so there was a bit of a line.
Roman had to go back, so during those times he just ordered a slice to go since it was so close to our apartment.

Address:
Vicolo del Gallo, 14, 00186 Roma, Italy
Hours:
Monday-Saturday 7:30am-10pm
Sunday: closed.

Casa Savoia – A Luxury Dining Experience

Roman surprised me by taking me to this restaurant on my birthday. It was so amazing celebrating in Rome. He booked it in a advance because it’s super high demand.
We fell in love with the restaurant right away. The design was really nice and luxurious. Everyone were dressed so fancy and it felt like a 5-star restaurant.

We were a few minutes early, so our table was not yet ready. While we were waiting they treated us with some bubbly. A few minutes later, we got our table and sat down.
Roman specifically asked for a table near the window, so we got the city view and it was so lovely.

The dishes on the menu were so unique, that we absolutely had no idea what to pick. There was also an option to pay 50 euros for the chef’s specialty which includes 3 appetizers, a main course, and dessert. It sounded like a great option, but we ended up ordering the most delicious-sounding courses from the menu.

We ordered some octopus, 2 pasta meals and the fish of the day. They were all delightful and we loved the service and the vibes.

I must say that there were other restaurants with more surprising dishes that we found on our trip (at Lucca and Lake Como). However, this was an excellent restaurant if you want to experience a lovely romantic evening with some great food.

Address:
Via Savoia, 68, 00198 Roma, Italy
Hours:
Open 7 days from 12:30pm-3pm and 8pm-12am

Feeling like locals at Trattoria Da Enzo

We went to Trattoria Da Enzo after our visit to the orange garden. It was about a 15 -minute walk. We went to the area because we found a local’s recommendation to a restaurant. When we got to the place she recommended, it was pretty much empty, but the place next door seemed filled with life and the scents coming from the kitchen were incredible.

As you can figure we decided to go to the other place, and I was so happy with our decision. We ordered some appetizers, a ricotta cheese with jam and local olive oil with bread. They were both so good, and the ricotta was the creamiest & best I’ve ever had.

As main courses we ordered the veal and carbonara. The veal was really good; the meat was cooked to perfection and the flavours were subtle. However, the carbonara was not the greatest.

I peeked to other people’s tables and the pastas they ordered looked and smelled delicious.
I recommend going to this restaurant because you will feel like a true local, but just don’t get the carbonara. The ricotta is a must.

Address:
Via dei Vascellari, 29, 00153 Roma, Italy
Hours:
Monday-Saturday 12:30pm-3pm and 7:30pm-11pm
Sunday: closed.

Mercato Hostaria – The home of delicious Carbonara

Right after we landed, we went straight to Mercato Hostaria. It’s located right next to the campo de fiori market, and it was a totally random pick. We had to choose from all kinds of delicious looking restaurants.
I just ordered some salad because I wasn’t feeling too hungry, and Roman ordered some Carbonara (he’s always hungry.)

The salad was eh, or in other words: plain, just a bunch of veggies cut with loads of lettuce and no dressing. On the other hand of the table, Roman ate his dish in less than a minute. I only got a single bite before he devoured it, and I would have to agree with Roman, it was really delicious and unique.

It was the best carbonara of our entire trip. That is why, we gave this restaurant the name of the number one carbonara restaurant.

Address:
Piazza Campo de’ Fiori, 53, 00186 Roma, Italy
Hours:
Open 7 days from 9am-3am
On Sundays they close on midnight.

Universo Vegano – A Vegan Restaurant

We actually came across this cute vegan place while we were on the search for a small birthday cake. They had a few cakes displayed near the cashier. I got my eyes hooked on the vegan cheesecake. It looked really good and the waiter recommended it. It was covered with fruit jello and it had chocolate at the bottom. It tasted as good as it looked.

Since I was not hungry, I didn’t get a chance to eat anything other than cake but the menu seemed good and the prices were low.
They had vegan burgers, pastas and salads. So if you’re looking for a good vegan place then this is a great spot.

Address:
Piazza del Paradiso, 18, 00186 Roma, Italy – They have more locations all across Italy.

Rome is so gorgeous. Everywhere you look, you will see an amazing Piazza or a stunning architecture.  Rome is full of history, good restaurants, cool bars, Delicious gelato, cute coffee shops and more.

In Rome we stayed at an Airbnb apartment near to Campo De Fiori market.

Search for other accommodations

Bars in Rome

Jerry Thomas Speakeasy – Underground Cocktail Bar

This is by far one of the coolest cocktail bars I’ve ever been to, ever…
The bar is hidden behind a large wooden door, and gives the impression that it isn’t a bar at all. At first, we thought we got the wrong address.

It was only after we knocked on the door and discovered a pair of eyes with a huge mustache peeking through a tiny window, asking us for the password to get in. That’s when we knew we were at the right place. We didn’t know what the password was, so he asked us if we were members. We smiled and said that we were not, but it was birthday (which really was.) so we’d love to get in and become members. In hindsight we could’ve found the password on the website and not pay the membership fee. At least now we’re members for life 🙂

As soon as we got a table we were given the drinks menu. We explained the waiter the kinds of drinks that we like and he gave us the best recommendations. The vibes were incredible; sitting there felt like we were in a movie scene from the 1920’s. The waiters and bartenders were dressed in vintage fashion, and the bar had a unique design that reminded us of the 20’s as well.

The only downside to it is that smoking isn’t prohibited, so it got pretty smoky in there. I guess there’s some kind of charm to it as well.

The cocktails were AMAZING. They got it just right. We loved spending my birthday at the vintagey-classic-movie-style bar, and we especially loved the little window at the door. It felt like we actually walked into a movie. We could not have thought of a better way to end my birthday. I highly recommend this place.

Address:
Vicolo Cellini, 30, 00186 Roma, Italy
Hours:
Closed on Sunday & Monday.
Open Tuesday-Saturday 10PM-4PM

Makasar – An Intimate Wine Bar

After our visit to the Vatican, we wanted to go to a cafe. I opened my restaurant finder app to see what’s good and open around us.

There was a nice-looking place 10 minutes away from us, so we decided to go for it. When we got there, we found out that it was more of a wine bar than a cafe, and the decor was super cool… there were awesome chill vibes. We decided to skip the coffee and go straight to cheese and wine.

I ordered Rose by the glass, Roman ordered white wine, and we both shared a cheese platter. We had the best time. The waitress was really nice, and the music was amazing… The cheese was great and the wine was spectacular… What else could one ask for?

Address:
Via Plauto, 33, 00193 Roma, Italy
Hours:
Sunday: 5pm-12am
Monday-Thursday: 12pm-12am
Friday-Saturday: 12pm-2am

Cafes in Rome

Roscioli Caffe – A Standing-Style Cafe

This is a super popular cafe located right next to Campo De Fiori. If you ever feel like recharging with a quick cup of cappuccino and a freshly baked pastry then this is the right place to go to.

We ordered 2 cappuccinos and I took 3 cookies, but ended up eating only 2 because they were too sweet 🙂 Roman ate a sandwich croissant, that he really liked.

The coffee was excellent. There’s usually a line, but it clears up quickly. People just go to grab a quick cup of Italian coffee, maybe eat a little something sweet, and just leave.
There’s also a side room where you can go and sit down, but usually there are events, and besides, if you want to do it like a true Italian then just grab and go.

Address:
Piazza Benedetto Cairoli, 16, 00186 Roma, Italy
Hours:
Monday-Saturday: 7am-11pm
Sunday: 8am-6pm

Martin gallery – A Lovely Gallery-Cafe

After our visit to the lovely rose garden, and on our way to the Platin and the Colosseum, we came across a cafe that we instantly fell in love with.
It is a new cafe that opened just recently, filled with art and vibrant colors, and everything from the dishes to the vases is covered with hand paintings.

The coffee they serve is high-quality Arabic coffee, and they also serve a variety of pastries and all sorts of dishes that are all displayed at the front window.
Usually, the artist himself is physically at the cafe and there is an option to get your own customized mug.

This was my favorite cafe in all of Rome. I love art, and especially in places such as cafes. The vibrant colors gave incredible energy that makes me wish I could visit every day.

Address:
Via dei Cerchi 55A, Rome, Italy 00100
Facebook Page

Winery Buonamico

Wine tasting

About an half-hour drive from Lucca, we discovered Buonamico which is a lovely winery and vineyard. We fancied the idea of wine-tasting and eating cheese with sausage, having lunch and getting a tour of the winery. Plus their prices were some of the cheapest we found. We called in to reserve our spot for 2pm.

The drive there was absolutely breathtaking. You find yourself surrounded with green views at a beautiful scenic drive. There were almost no cars. It was only us and nature.

When we arrived at the vineyard we were super impressed by the stunning view and of the design. It was one of the most beautiful vineyards/wineries I’ve ever seen. We got a thorough explanation of the place from the nice employees. We ordered some wine and cheese with Italian sausage.

We stood by the bar and one of the employees brought us pecorino cheese, salami, and some bread with locally-made olive oil. There were other 2 couples who joined us for the tasting. It is the only local winery that make their own sparkly wines. The lady told us about the process of how it’s made and it was super interesting 🙂 They are also starting to build a resort, I hope their prices wouldn’t be too high and that we could stay there.

Tour at the winery

After the tasting the other 2 couples went to have lunch and we continued with one of the guides for a tour at the winery.

It was super impressive. They have an entire area where they initially ferment the red and white wine, and there was another place where they do the fermentation at a more advanced level. There was also an area filled with barrels.

There is a wine seller of the sparkly wines, and there is another seller of all the wines that they made since they just started the winery. You can’t drink most of the wines since they expired, so you can only get them as a souvenir.

The visit at the winery was so interesting, especially since we love wine and we were fascinated by the facts of how they make the wine, and we loved the decor as well.
Tasting and a light meal is 18 euros per person. Tasting and lunch is 33 euros per person.

Address:
Via Provinciale di Montecarlo 43, 55015 Montecarlo

Montecarlo Village

Our server at the winery advised us to visit the village Montecarlo, and I’m so happy that we went. It was about 3 minutes away from the winery. The village itself lays on the top of the hill and the view from up there is absolutely breathtaking. The village has a fortress, and gorgeous allies with restaurants and cafes. The village and the fortress were built in 1333.

When we just got there, we took a stroll around the village and Roman ordered some pizza at one of the restaurants. Everything about it was lovely. After the pizza we went to the fortress and we honestly wanted to stay and live there.

The fortress

The fortress had a lovely garden that was a great viewpoint as well. We strolled around the garden and walked upstairs, that’s where we found some viewpoints that were breathtaking. We were so happy to have found the fortress, and that it was open for visitors. It was no nice to see it from the inside. It was 5 euros to enter. I recommend going to this kind of trip, it was so so lovely.

Lucca is a stunning city that lies in the Middle-Northern part of Italy. In the medieval times it was the capital of Tuscany.

Among other magnificent things, the city is known for the walls that it’s surrounded by, which were built in the Renaissance between 1504-1645. Despite the centuries that passed, the walls remained standing and since the city has expanded beyond them.

We stayed in the ancient city between the walls, and I must admit that it stole my heart from the first second I laid my eyes on it. There are many old alleys with shops, restaurants, and cafes and a unique vibe that I can’t really explain. There is so much to do and so many people, and during the summer, the locals come here as well.

Bike riding

One of the best things to do in Lucca is to rent a bike and go riding above the walls. The walls are so wide, that there is a biking trail, and even parks for children and lawns. The ride is really convenient and nice, it’s all plain so you’ll be good even if you’re not in shape. You can also ride in the city itself between the magical allies.

It was an awesome experience, and you should definitely do it. We rented our bikes from a store called Tuscany Ride-a-Bike. The cost per hour is 5 euros and 7 for 2 hours, and there is also an all-day option and even multiple days.

Viewpoint from the clock tower

I happen to love towers that have a good view to a city, and I must say that the clock tower did not disappoint me even the slightest. There is a climb, but it’s not that bad. It’s as if climbing 7-8 flights of a building, and it’s totally doable without a lot of effort.

The view is incredible and there’s a great breeze. The admittance is 4 euros, and during November-February the entrance is prohibited. Hours: March and October 9:30am-5:30pm. April-May 9:30am-6:30pm. June-September 9:30am-7:30pm.

Visit the Palazzo Pfanner Gardens

The beautiful Palazzo Pfanner Gardens are a hidden gem within Lucca’s old city. You can stroll among classical statues, fountains, and well-kept flower beds. The palace itself is small but charming, offering a peaceful and relaxing experience. Directions.

Experience the Farmers’ Market

On Wednesday and Saturday mornings, an open-air food market takes place just outside Lucca’s walls – the Lucca Farmer’s Market. You’ll find cheeses, oils, pastries, and fresh vegetables – an authentic local experience and a perfect opportunity for a spontaneous picnic on the city walls. Directions.

Step Inside the San Martino Cathedral

The Duomo di San Martino (Lucca Cathedral) is a stunning Gothic church in the heart of the city, with an impressive façade and rare artworks inside. One of the highlights is the “Volto Santo” (Holy Face) – an ancient wooden sculpture of Jesus and one of the most revered religious artifacts in Tuscany. Directions.

Self-Guided Gelato Tour

There are so many amazing gelaterias in Lucca! A few highlights include:

• Gelateria Veneta – classic Italian gelato
• Gelateria De’ Coltelli – high-quality, natural flavors

Tours in Lucca

We didn’t experience these tours ourselves, but they look cool and are reasonably priced.

• Walking tour in Lucca
• Self-guided bike tour from Lucca to Pisa
• Food tour in Lucca
• Olive and wine tour

Things to Do Around Lucca

Just a half-hour drive from Lucca, you’ll find the Buonamico Winery, one of the most unique and stunning places in Tuscany. The winery offers a variety of experiences, including wine tastings with cheese and salami snacks or a traditional lunch. Upon arrival, we were immediately impressed by the winery’s beautiful design and the panoramic views surrounding it. The wine experience here is not just about tasting, but also about learning and relaxing, with a fascinating tour of the winery’s facilities, including areas for fermentation and aging. The winery also produces sparkling wines, and we learned they are in the process of building a resort, promising to elevate the visit even further.

Not far from the winery is the charming village of Montecarlo, which we visited based on a recommendation from the winery staff. The village, located on a hill, offers breathtaking views of the surrounding area. A visit to Montecarlo includes exploring its 14th-century fortress and wandering through its picturesque streets filled with restaurants and cafes. After strolling through the quaint alleys, we enjoyed a pizza at a local restaurant and visited the impressive fortress, where you can enjoy a well-maintained garden and several viewpoints that showcase the stunning landscape. An extended post about our experience.

Restaurants in Lucca

Ristorante Cantine Bernardini Lucca

This makes the list of our top 5 on our Italy trip. One day we took a trip outside of Lucca, and as soon as we got back we were just a little hungry, and we started looking for a place to eat. We came across Ristorante Cantine Bernardini Lucca, and we read some good reviews. We weren’t too hungry so we decided to eat there when we would enjoy the meal to the fullest. We booked a table for that same night and we just had a small snack.

By sunset we started getting ready; we dressed up and we walked over to the restaurant. It was already almost full, and the design was very romantic. The waiters were really nice. We ordered a sampler of 5 seafoods and we also got some bread.

I’m not a fan of bread at restaurants because I just find it too filling. However, I must say, that this was the best bread that I’ve ever had at a restaurant. It tasted like cake. I also love the seafood platter, it was delicious. For the main course we ordered ravioli filled with fish, and a meat course with beans and polenta, as well as a baked veggies course.

The ravioli was just wow. I’m serious. It was so delicate and flavorful. It was just sooo good. The meat was delicious and did not disappoint. I was already full, but I also tried the veggies, that were well-seasoned. Roman never gives up dessert, so he ordered a tiramisu and I got the panna cotta with fruit syrup. We loved the desserts. The panna cotta was light and tasty, and Roman claimed that it was the best tiramisu he has ever had. Of course, I forgot to mention, we ordered some wine and it was fantastic.
I highly recommend this place. It was one of the best restaurants of our trip by far.

Address:
Via del Suffragio, 7, 55100 Lucca LU, Italy
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 12pm-10:30pm, closed on Mondays.

Directions

Osteria Da Rosolo Lucca

This is a great place if you’re looking for big meals and delicious food. They have good reviews only, and you can be full even if you just order a main course.
The prices are low and the food is great. For a starter, we ordered a fresh calamari salad, which was really good. For the main courses, Roman ordered 2 (he only realized that it was too much when he got them…), he got the spaghetti vengola and a polenta with mushrooms.

I got the ricotta ravioli with vongole, which is a nut sauce. It was so filling, that Roman had only a few bites of the polenta until his fork dropped. Trust me, this does not happen very often ?
Address:
Corte Campana, 3, 55100 Lucca LU, Italy
Hours:
Thursday-Tuesday: 12pm-2:30pm and 7pm-9:45pm. Closed on Wednesdays.
Directions.

Bottega Del Caffe Dersut

Update 2025: permanently closed

This is a lovely cafe with great pastries. On our second day at Lucca, we wanted to rent bikes and ride around the city, but it was pretty cold and rainy. So as an alternative we decided to sit at a cafe and eat something tasty until the rain stopped. We looked, and looked, until we found Bottega del Caffe Dersut. We saw that there was a large variety of pastries and it got some good reviews (we always check the reviews before we visit places.)

We ordered 2 cappuccinos and 2 croissants. It was nice, and it’s been so lovely to sit at this cafe. After a while the rain did really stop. We could finally continue with our original plan.

Address:
Via Calderia, 14, 55100 Lucca LU, Italy
Hours: Monday-Saturday: 6:30am-7:30pm, closed on Sundays.

Q&A About Lucca

How to Get to Lucca?

We arrived in Lucca by car that we rented in Rome. The drive took about four hours, with two stops along the way. We parked the car outside the old city since it’s difficult to drive inside.

You can search for a car using the search engine Paapm Paapm. I like searching through it because it saves me time (instead of visiting several websites), and it also has an option to filter out less reliable rental companies.

It’s also possible to reach Lucca by train from Florence and Pisa. There is also a bus, but it takes longer than the train, so the train option is preferable.

Where to sleep in Lucca?

We decided to go for an Airbnb, which was charming. We would actually live there if we could. The design was beautiful, and perfect for a couple. It had the greatest kitchen of all the Airbnbs we ever stayed at.

Search for other accommodations

Where can you park the car?

Car access to the old city of Lucca is restricted. It’s recommended to park in one of the lots outside the city walls, such as:

• Punto Movieri Lucca Comics
• Parcheggio Campo di Marte

Are there taxis in Lucca?

Yes, but the number of taxis is limited. It’s usually easier to get around on foot or by renting a bike. At night, taxis can be booked via your hotel or a local phone service.

Is it better to reach Lucca by car or public transport?

If you plan to explore the surrounding area, renting a car is more convenient. However, if you’re focusing only on Lucca, taking the train is easy and fast – especially from Pisa or Florence.

When is the best time to visit?

The recommended months are:

• April to June
• September to October
  These months offer pleasant weather and fewer crowds.

What special events are held in Lucca?

• Lucca Summer Festival (July) – A major music festival featuring international artists
• Lucca Comics & Games (Late October – Early November) – One of Europe’s biggest pop culture and comic conventions

Nearby cities and villages worth visiting

• Pisa – 30 minutes
• Florence – 1 hour
• Viareggio – A beach town, 40 minutes
• Montecarlo – A picturesque hilltop village, 30 minutes
• San Gimignano – A bit farther, but worth the visit

Lucca is filled with beautiful buildings, ice cream parlors, cheese and sausage delis, and there are even street artists at the central Piazza. The vibes are incredible. We only spent 3 nights in Lucca, and it’s a shame that we didn’t have more time to explore the city itself.

The location of Lucca is fantastic, it’s only an half hour away from an incredible winery called Viareggio, and a bit of a longer drive to Firenze, 40 minutes away to the village Monte Carlo. If you are ever around Tuscany, you should go for a day trip or even spend a few night. You’re going to thank me.

From Lucca we continued to Lake Como by a car.

I hope my post was helpful to you. If so, I’d love for you to leave a comment here. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask them in the comments or reach out to me on the blog’s social media: Facebook and Instagram.

Looking for more information about Italy? I have more posts about Italy on the blog.

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Lake Como is actually one of the most beautiful places I’ve been in Italy. It is such a scenic and breathtaking location. There is a lot to see, a lot to do, fantastic restaurants, incredible views, and nice people.

Tips before traveling to lake Como

SIM card

I personally recommend Esim, which is an electronic SIM. I like Airalo. I was very satisfied with their user experience (simple tutorial videos for operating the SIM card) and everything worked without any special problems. 

Blog followers have a 15% discount code for the Airalo company to purchase an ESIM – to redeem the discount, click on this link. The discount code is already included in the link. See it at checkout.

The biggest drawback at the moment is that some devices do not support an electronic SIM. How will you know that your device supports eSIM ? Very simply go to this link and you will know.

Where to sleep in lake Como?

We stayed at an Airbnb apartment close to Bellano called Dervio .
A Highly recommnded apartement – link .

Search for other accommodations

How to get to lake Como?

The easiest way is to fly to Milan airport and from there to rent a car and drive to Bellano. about 1.30 hours drive. You can also arrive there by train and a ferry but renting a car is the most recommended way.

You can search for a car in the search engine Papam Papam. Personally, I really like to search through it because it saves me time (instead of going to several websites) and it also has the option of filtering out non-recommended rental companies. 

Attractions in lake Como

You can get ideas for other cool tours you can do on the various attraction sites and even order through them (sometimes at a discounted price). The first attraction site is called tiqets, the second is the site Get Your Guide or via Viator.

Go around the cities and villages around the Lake

It’s really easy to transport either via train, car, or boat. While at Lake Como, we got to visit the city Bellagio, Bellano, Dervio and Lierna. Belano, Verena, and Lierna were on the same side as our little village, so we took a car to get to those places. The shortest way to get to Bellagio was by a boat.

There are cafes and restaurants all over the village. There are many things to do such as going to see the creek, the waterfalls, or even visit the stunning botanical gardens.
I wrote 2 posts about Bellagio and Bellano, where I mentioned attractions and great restaurants.

The Best Restaurant we’ve been in Italy

On the last day of our trip, we decided to go to a higher-end restaurant. We looked for recommendations for restaurants in Lake Como and there a few that got a really high ranking. We had a few options, but we ended up going to Osteria Quatro Pass. We are so happy that we got a chance to eat there, because it was the best restaurant that we ate at on the trip. (The second best was at Lucca, click HERE to read about Lucca.)

The restaurant is downhill from the main street. When we got there, we fell in love with the intimate and romantic vibes. Although its view is not to the lake, the design was amazing and the service was exceptional. There are outdoors seatings as well, but it was quite chilly that night. We happened to sit next to the couple we met at the wine bar in Bellagio. What are the odds?

For appetizers we ordered fish carpaccio, eggplant in parmesan, and fish-filled ravioli. And man, were they delicious. Every single bite was heaven to our tastebuds. For the main course I ordered spaghetti with lobster and Roman ordered ribs. He said that the ribs grilled to perfection, and I was obsessed with the spaghetti. It was so so good but I was too full to finish it all. Like I said, every bite was a touch from heaven.

I was brought an apron for my lobster, which made me giggle, but the truth is you actually need one. When you try to break it the sauce splashes all over the place.

Every dish was served as if it was a painting. Along with the food, we ordered two glasses of wine. It was the perfect ending to our Italy trip.

Address:
Via XX Settembre, 20, 23829 Varenna LC
Open everyday from 12:00-14:20 18:30-22:30

Sentiero Del Viandante: A gorgeous trail between villages

We read that there are a lot of walking trails in Lake Como, and we were happy about it because we love to walk.
We thought of which trail to take, and we ended up taking Dervio, which was 20 meters away from our apartment. There are signs which is really handy.

We had no idea where it was going to take us, but we decided to just go. It seemed like an easy trail, and the view to the lake was stunning. We walked past tiny villages and enjoyed the walk. At some point it was going uphill and we saw that the rest of the trail was the same.

The trail uphill is really neat, and it goes through forests and villages. You can’t get lost since there are signs everywhere. It was not hard, but just exhausting since it was 3 hours of just going uphill.
We came across a restaurant, but unfortunately it was closed, and we ended up going to Pozzallo. We just kept going on the dirt road to the train station Staz di Piona.

It could get a little confusing to get there, so just see which trail you’re on. Keep going straight on the road (don’t make a right, or it will be an extra hour of walking).
If you don’t feel like walking all the way back, you can take a taxi for about 20 euros to the train to get to Dervio.

We took trail B. It should take about 4-5 hours without stopping. We stopped quite a lot to take pictures, so we were done after 7 hours of walking (including a mistake that added an extra hour.)
It was absolutely worth it. It is one of the most beautiful trails we ever took.

Cocktails by the Lake

After our day trip to Belano we wanted to stop by a cafe. We ended up at Lierna village, where we found Pizzeria Riva Bianca that is right on the lake. We got some cocktails. I ordered campari and roman ordered aperol spritz. They were both refreshing and it was so nice to drink them overlooking the gorgeous lake.

I wouldn’t know if the food was good since we just ordered cocktails, but it is a great place to drink some coffee or a cocktail and enjoy the beautiful view. One more thing, there is a bathing area downhill from the restaurant. There are chairs and in the summer it’s the perfect place to go for a dip in the lake.

Address:
Via Riva Bianca, 9-10, 23827 Lierna LC

I hope my post helped you. If so, I would very much like you to respond here in the comments, and if you have any more questions, then you are also welcome to ask them in the comments or on the blog’s social networks: Facebook and Instagram. Looking for more information about lake Como ? I have in the blog more posts about lake Como and posts about Italy.

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Lake Como is actually one of the most beautiful places I’ve been in Italy. It is such a scenic and breathtaking location. There is a lot to see, a lot to do, fantastic restaurants, incredible views, and nice people.

One of our favourite places near Lake Como is Bellano town. During our second day at Lake Como, we decided to spend the night at Dervio, which is near by to Bellano.

We rented a car so we just parked by the entrance of the village and started walking and exploring by foot as well as visited the Orrido Di Bellano creek.

Tips before traveling to Bellano

SIM card

I personally recommend Esim, which is an electronic SIM. I like Airalo. I was very satisfied with their user experience (simple tutorial videos for operating the SIM card) and everything worked without any special problems. 

Blog followers have a 15% discount code for the Airalo company to purchase an ESIM – to redeem the discount, click on this link. The discount code is already included in the link. See it at checkout.

The biggest drawback at the moment is that some devices do not support an electronic SIM. How will you know that your device supports eSIM ? Very simply go to this link and you will know.

How we arrived to Bellano?

The easiest way is to fly to Milan airports (MXP, LIN or BGY) and rent a car and drive to Bellano. About 1.30 hours drive. You can also arrive there by train and a ferry but renting a car is the most recommended way.

You can search for a car in the search engine Papam Papam. Personally, I really like to search through it because it saves me time (instead of going to several websites) and it also has the option of filtering out non-recommended rental companies. 

Attractions in lake Como

You can get ideas for other cool tours you can do on the various attraction sites and even order through them (sometimes at a discounted price). The first attraction site is called tiqets, the second is the site Get Your Guide or via Viator.

How to get to Bellano by train from Milan?

Bellano is one of the stations of the train that departs from Milan. On the line that goes from Meliano to Tirano

From the center of Milan it is an hour and ten minute journey and its cost is: 7.40 euros in normal class and 11 euros in first class.

Link to the train’s website to order tickets and schedules

How to get to Bellano by boat?

You can reach Bellano from various towns on Lake Como. Link to the website for ordering tickets and schedules.

For example, from the town of Bellagio to Bellano there is a direct boat and the sailing time is half an hour.

How to get to Bellano by ferry?

If you have a car and want to travel with it between the different towns on Lake Como, then you have the option of taking the car to the ferry that passes through different towns such as Varenna Bellagio, Menaggio Cadenabbia

How to get to Bellano by flight?

The closest airport to Lake Como is the airport in Milan. And from there you can continue by car or train.

Where to sleep in the town of Bellano?

We slept in a nearby town called Dervio in an Airbnb apartment, but I found some options with good reviews in Bellano that can suit those who want to sleep in the town itself.

• Hotel Meridiana
• Valle dei Mulini – Lake Como
• ORO, 8
• Villa Marina – Como lake
• Patty & Bleto House

Search for other accommodations

Coffee by the Lake

As soon as we got to Lake Como we had to refuel, so we sat at a cafe to have some coffee. It was pretty cloudy, but the temperatures were good and it didn’t rain, so we decided to take our coffees outside. We were the only ones sitting on the porch and it was great 🙂 This way we took loads of pictures and videos without having people looking at us with a weird look.

There are several cafes and restaurants that are aligned along the lake, and it’s so so nice to just sit there and eat, or enjoy a cup of Italian coffee. After we had our caffeine dosage, we started walking around the village and at some point we decided to go to Orrido Di Bellano.

Orrido Di Bellano

The Orrido Di Bellano is a creek that was naturally created around 15 million years ago, that we read of before reaching to the area. We read that it’s worth paying a visit, but we had no clue that it would be so impressive.

There was a beautiful waterfall and the creek itself was just so gorgeous. For an entire hour we just walked around, and admired the beauty. The creek is easy to find. There are signs in the village that point the way. After we left, we decided to explore the hiking trails.

Address:
Via XXV Aprile, 4, 23822 Bellano LC, Italy
Hours: Everyday from 11am-1pm and 3pm-7pm. Entrance is 3 euros.

Short hiking Trail with a viewpoint to the village

We decided to follow the signs and to climb up. On the way up, we passed through a cemetery and we climbed quite a lot of stairs to get to the top. There are signs all the way to the hill, and every time you look up you discover breathtaking view of the lake and refuel with energy. The trail is about 30 minutes overall, and we saw that there were also longer trails.

Beach

If you come to Bellano in the summer then of course one of the things you should do is go to the Public beach Directions

Santuario della Madonna delle Lacrime di Lezzeno

The sanctuary is on top of a hill overlooking the lake. It has an elegant and simple baroque facade with some decorations. Next to the church, on the right, is the bell tower. The sanctuary is open every day between 8:00 and 17:00. Arrival instructions

Restaurants in Bellano

• Italian restaurant Ristorante La Darsena directions
• Che Pasta restaurant directions
• Hamburger restaurant Wonder Cafe directions

I hope my post helped you. If so, I would very much like you to respond here in the comments, and if you have any more questions, then you are also welcome to ask them in the comments or on the blog’s social networks: Facebook and Instagram. Looking for more information about lake Como ? I have in the blog more posts about lake Como and posts about Italy.

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We stayed a Lake Como for 3 nights. We arrived to Dervio town from Lucca in Tuscany.

The city of Bellagio is known as “Como’s Pearl,” and has been known for that name since Roman Times. Bellagio is a city that lies in a beautiful location and is absolutely stunning. It was built on half an island that separates Lake Como into 2 parts. Thanks to the convenient weather, the city has plenty of trees and flowers.

At Bellagio you will find a villa with stunning botanical gardens, a lovely fishing village, variety of restaurants, cafes, bars, shops, and mostly a lot of beauty! We actually took a boat to get to Bellagio since we were at the other side of the lake. It costs 18 euros for the both of us to both directions. We parked in Varenna, where we got on the boat, and parking costs 6 euros from 12pm-8pm.

There is also a boat back at 10pm. You can even get your car on the boat if you wanted to for an additional cost. It was a short sail of 15 minutes, and we viewed all the villages surrounding the lake, and it was absolutely beautiful.

Villa Malzi

As soon as we got to Bellagio we went to Villa Malzi, which was about a 10-minute walk from the boat. The villa was built between 1808-1815. The beautiful gardens lay near the lake. Francesco Malzi Darryl worked with the architect Jokondo Albroli, and asked that he would design a beautiful and extravagant villa.

The English gardens are well-designed. There are so many sculptures and flowers everywhere. The gardens were designed by the architect Luigi Canonica and by the botanic Luigi Villoresi. From the first moment we stepped on the lawns we were amazed by the beauty. We were there at the beginning of May, and the colors were just so vibrant and beautiful! We took countless of pictures, with the beautiful lake in the background.

We walked around the gardens for 2 hours and if we wouldn’t have been hungry, we would probably stay for longer.
Address:
Via Lungolario Manzoni, 22021 Bellagio
Hours: Everyday 9:30am-6:30pm. Tickets are 6 euros per person.

Lunch at Bellagio

After our visit to the villa we continued to the city square and had lunch. We found a restaurant called Bar Caffe Rossi that views the lake. The vibes were great and the food smelled delicious. I ordered spaghetti bolognese and Roman ordered pasta with cheese and spinach. Both courses were good and the prices were decent.

We checked out the coffee and pastries and they seemed really good as well.
Address
Piazza Giuseppe Mazzini, 22

After we finished our meal and got back to exploring the streets, Roman, being usual Roman, was still hungry so he got a salami and cheese sandwich at an Italian deli. It was only 3.5 euros and Roman really liked it.

MICHELE GILARDONI
Alimentari – Salumeria – Rosticceria Via Bellosio,1

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Fisherman village – Pescallo

After the deli we continued exploring, and we started walking towards the fisherman village that we saw beforehand. We took the shortcut. You can either take the road which is longer, or climb up a staircase and shorten the way.

There are signs, just follow them and not Google. Climbing the stairs was not hard, there were just a lot of them. The village itself is really unique. It is very calm and quiet. There are even hotels and apartments, so for those who seek for some peace of mind then this is the place to go. We walked around the village and then got back to the city.

An Amazing Wine Bar at Bellagio

To finish our amazing day in Bellagio, we went to the wine bar that we had reservations for. We got there in the early evening and it was just the two of us. After a little while a few more people walked in. The bar is super romantic and they serve a lot of different kinds of wine. Their menu is just bottomless. We ordered 3 glasses each. Even though we didn’t drink everything, we wanted to taste as many wines as we could, and it was good enough to have just one glass.

I ordered some white sparkly wine and then another kind. I’m a white wine kind of person. Roman started off with a rose, continued with white wine, and finished with some red. For snacks we ordered a cheese platter with the stronger flavors, but the menu also ordered a mild cheese plate. It was served along with hazelnuts, yum. We also ordered a fish platter, and each fish was cooked differently.

I must say that the fish and cheese were the perfect match with the wines, and they were delicious. Our server was really nice, and she explained about each wine and also recommended a few according to our taste. The place was beautifully designed, and practically magical.

We actually met another couple that were there when we were and got back because they wanted to get another taste of the place.

Enoteca Cava Turacciolo
Address:
Salita Genazzini, 3, 22021 Bellagio
Hours:
Thursday-Tuesday: 10:30am-1pm, 6pm-midnight. Closed on Wednesday and during the winter.

Hacarmel Market is one of our favorite market in Tel Aviv.

Chi-Chu sandwiches

Address Rabi Akiva St 20
Opening hours: Sunday- Thursday 10:00-18:00 and Friday 10:00- 16:00

Moroccan sandwiches stall. The stall is designed in a cool, modern way. They offer a varied sandwiches menu that can also be suitable for vegans.

In their options of sandwiches you can find: beef cutlets, lamb cutlets, fish cutlets, chicken cutlets, vegetable fritters and beetroot fritters. With the sandwich you also get a salad on the side and soda pop. The price range is between 32-35 shekels.

We tried the fish cutlet sandwich. It came inside a great bun and with tahini, matbucha (a salad with Moroccan origins), spicy, parsley, tomato, and pickled lemon (of course you can change the toppings if you want). The fish was so delicious and all the flavours combined really well, and the salad was also very good. The meal was filling and it’s a nice option for a light, inexpensive, and very tasty meal.

They also have another branch in Haifa.

Beer Bazaar

Address : Yishkan St 36
Opening hours: Sunday- Thursday 10:00- last customer. Friday 10:00- 16:00

Great bar with a large and varied menu of beers and special beers. This is the place to come and grab a beer and something tasty to eat. In their menu they offer small dishes, medium-sized dishes and large dishes.

Example of dishes from the menu: taramosalata with onion and bread, garlic bread with tahini and tomato, fish dish- hering, Matthias, and smoked Plamida with sour cream, vegetables and bread. The prices range between 9-42 shekels

We tried the taramosalata and it was great with the beer. We tasted some of the beers and really liked a beer that in the menu they call “Dodash’cha” (your aunt).
Every month they have theme days like Indian night, unlimited beer night, etc.

Every Monday they add special vegan dishes to the menu. And on Friday afternoon the atmosphere there is awesome.
They also have a beer stall in the heart of the market. And they have other branches in Habima, Tel Aviv, and the Machane Yehuda market in Jerusalem.

Market restaurant

Address: Simtat HaCarmel 41
Opening hours Sunday-Tuesday 09:00-18:00, Wednesday-Thursday 09:00- last customer, Friday 09:00-16:00

Bar restaurant with Greek and Spanish cuisine. They have alcohol (of course) and a great menu with excellent dishes and specials of the day.
Examples of dishes from the menu: Salmon/Matthias with sour cream and vegetables, shakshuka with goat cheese, stuffed vine leaves on tzatziki, spicy roasted vegetables.

Prices range between 19-46 shekels
We ordered the roasted vegetables and an Asher’s sandwich (the chef’s special sandwich). The two dishes were very good and the sandwich was juicy and spicy with great olives on the side. It’s a great place for a meal and drink

Hachalal (The space)

Address: Malan St 46
Opening hours: Coffee shop Sunday-Thursday 09:00-18:00, Friday 09:00-16:00
Bar Sunday- Thursday 19:00-last customer

It’s a big space that includes a coffee shop, bar, and gallery
We only visited the coffee shop and the coffee was very good. The worker gave us a little tour of the gallery and bar .
The design of the place is really modern and beautiful and the bar is very big with a lot of space.

Uzi-Eli the etrogman

Address: Alenby 60, Alenby corner and Hacarmel st
Opening hours: Sunday-Thursday 08:00-19:30 and Friday 08:00-16:00

Uzi-Eli’s famous citrons shop is a refreshing place in the Hacarmel market that sells varied types of therapeutic juices for the body. They also sell lotions and sprays.

You can choose a juice from the varied options or ask them to make you something else according to the fruits and vegetables that you want.
I like to choose from the ones that have already been prepared and it is also nice because you can choose a small glass for 5 shekels.

You can also ask to taste the juice before you buy it.
All the juices I tried were very good and with unique flavors.
They have another branch in the Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem that has been open for more than 20 years.