Grand Canal, Venice

Italy truly is a bucket list destination. You can visit dozens of times and always find something new to see or do. The major cities are perfect for lovers of art, history, and culture, but make sure to go off the beaten path too. Italy’s many villages hold a unique charm and offer some of the best views. But let’s be real, any traveler to Italy has pizza and pasta on the brain.

Top 10 Things to See in Rome

When I’m planning my travel itineraries, I’m always looking for a short list of the most important things to do or see. Rome is so full of history and culture, that it would be easy to write a list of the top 50 things to see! For those of you looking for the absolute must-do…...

Headed to Italy? Book These Tickets Ahead of Time

When planning my vacation to Italy last summer, I saw the option to buy tickets to many of the famous attractions ahead of time. For some, you have to plan the exact time of your visit which can be difficult if you don’t have your itinerary pinned down. I didn’t buy all of my tickets online…...

Italy Part 5: One Night in Milan

After two wonderful days in Venice, we took the train to Milan for our last night in Italy. It’s sad to see such an amazing trip come to the end, but Milan was the perfect place to relax and get ready for our journey home. I’ve heard complaints about Milan, but I think people need…...
Park Hyatt Milan

Hotel Review: Park Hyatt Milan

The Park Hyatt Milan has been at the top of my “churning bucket list” for a while now. Previously, the Hyatt credit card sign-up bonus offered two free nights, and at 30,000 points per night, the Park Hyatt Milan was a great redemption option. Unfortunately, you now only get 40,000 points with the Hyatt credit…...
JW Marriott, Venice

Hotel Review: JW Marriott Venice 

As part of our Italy vacation on points and miles, we decided to spend two nights in Venice. Venice has lots of luxury hotels, so it was difficult to decide where to stay. I finally settled on the JW Marriott Venice. It was a better value than other hotels at 40,000 Marriott points per nights…...
Grand Canal, Venice

Italy Part 4: 48 Hours in Venice 

In Part 3 of our Italy vacation, I discussed our day trip to Tuscany. After Tuscany, we had one more day in Florence before we took the train to our next destination, Venice! Venice is a place like no other. The winding streets, picture-perfect canals, and vast lagoon were everything I wanted and more. However, Venice…...
View of Tuscan countryside

Italy Part 3: The Best of Tuscany in One Day

This is the third installment of my Italy vacation where I spent 11 days in Italy for only $150 using points and miles. We stayed in Florence for three nights and used a full day to take a day trip to Tuscany. While Tuscany has so much to offer and I could’ve spent my whole vacation…...
Duomo in Florence, Italy

Italy Part 2: Florence in 48 Hours

This is the second installment of my Italy vacation where I spent 11 days in Italy for only $150 using points and miles. After spending four days in Rome, we took the Frecciarossa (aka the high speed train) to Florence. Florence is a lot smaller than Rome, and while there is no shortage of things…...
Rome Cavalieri Pool

Hotel Review: Waldorf Astoria Rome Cavalieri

We recently spent 10 nights in Italy while managing to only spend about $300 on hotels and transportation. Our first stop was Rome where we got to stay at the luxurious Waldorf Astoria Rome Cavalieri. This hotel is part of Hilton’s portfolio and we were able to book it using our 2 free night certificates…...
Colosseum

Italy Part 1: Four Days in Rome

Over the past year, I’ve earned tons of points and miles by strategically opening credit cards, taking surveys, and using online shopping portals with one goal in mind…get the cost of my trip to Italy as low as possible. You can read more about how I got our 11 day trip to Italy down to…...

How I’m Spending 11 Days in Italy for Less Than $150

At the end of the week, I’ll be on my way to Italy for 11 days. This is my first trip planned entirely with points and miles. I’m excited to share how I booked an 11 day/10 night trip to Italy for my boyfriend and me for $292. That’s less than $150 per person! This…...