A 4-Day Trip to Italy With a Twist
My husband and I embarked on a 4-day adventure, not confined to just one seaside hotel. Our plan was to explore Milan, Rome, and Pompeii within this time frame.
And so, we jetted off from Germany, Frankfurt am Main, to Milan. The flight only took 1 hour and 20 minutes — far more convenient than enduring a 13–15 hour train ride.
In Milan, we had a mere hour to catch the train to Rome. Initially intending to take a swift tour of the city and its fashion, we realized we were running low on provisions. With 2–3 hours on the train ahead of us, we hastily made our way to a store, snapping a couple of photos en route.
After our store visit, we rushed to catch the train, took our seats, and joyfully headed for Rome. We had pre-booked our accommodations to save on costs. However, one hotel, ‘Jukebox&Rooms B&B,’ presented a hiccup. I wrote: “I have topped up the card, try again.” That happen when i was in Germany. Unfortunately, they chose to ignore me, clearly to their advantage. Additionally, they levied an extra €20 for checking in at 20:00. Ultimately, we ended up paying €260 instead of the originally quoted €199. It left us disheartened. We had booked the hotel for a two-night stay, and the silver lining was the in-room food and breakfast.
The following day, we rose early to catch the train bound for the ancient city of Pompeii.
Founded in the 6th century BC, the ancient city of Pompeii faced annihilation in 79 AD due to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The entire city was engulfed in a colossal layer of volcanic ash. Had it not been for this cataclysmic event, Pompeii would still stand not far from Naples. Now, it stands as ruins, acknowledged by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
t proved to be an immensely educational experience for us. We dropped our bags and immediately set out to capture everything in sight with our cameras. The site was bustling with tourists. My recommendation would be to avoid visiting in the summer; cooler weather is more conducive to appreciating this remarkable place.
Naturally, we were famished after the excursion and headed to a local restaurant.Also, our phone’s charger was running low, and we still had to return to Rome.Upon entering the restaurant, we promptly inquired about charging, and thankfully, they allowed us to charge our phone. We ordered a medium Margherita pizza for two, for which we were charged €14. It felt quite pricey, and we suspected we were overcharged for this pizza.
It was time to board the train once again. We found our seats, and the journey commenced. Twenty minutes later, I discovered that my passport and card were missing from my bag. Panic set in as I frantically informed my husband that I had been robbed. He reassured me, ‘Calm down, your passport is at the hotel — all is well.’ Briefly reassured, I then remembered the police check for passports when we traveled to Pompeii. At that moment, anxiety gripped us as we pondered how we would return home, considering we had plane tickets.
We returned to Rome, reached our hotel, had a light meal, and rested. At 20:30, we went to the police station to report the loss of our passport and bank card. The officers greeted us with expressions that made me regret seeking help. Moreover, they raised their voices, asserting, ‘We only work until 18:00, and we’re not accepting any reports now.’ We had to return to the hotel and wait until morning.
The next morning, we before had plan in motion for Rome — to see all the landmarks, if i didn’t lost my passport. We woke up early, grabbed a bite, and hurried to the police station. Luckily, there was another officer on duty. We explained our situation and were asked to complete a form detailing where and when the items were lost, our address, and names. Following that, they printed a copy for us, stamped it, and signed it. Armed with this document, we proceeded to my embassy to request a temporary passport, enabling me to fly back home. We visited my embassy, where I sought a temporary passport, only to learn it would take a considerable amount of time.Regrettably, with this police document regarding our lost passport, we were restricted from flying to Germany. Our only option was to travel by land, incurring additional costs, which we couldn’t afford.
Subsequently, we were advised to travel by land with the police-issued document. This was a disheartening revelation.
Post these incidents, my husband and I had precisely two hours to catch the train to Venice. In this time, we managed to take the metro to the city center, catch a glimpse of the renowned Colosseum, and briefly explore other attractions. Before boarding the train, we needed to restock on water and food, managing to do so with ample time.
Now, as we sit on the train bound for Venice, I contemplate — will our reserved hotel accept us for the night, given the reservation was in my name?
Upon arriving in Venice, we checked into our hotel, B&B Corso Venezia, for which we paid €89 for a night — a sum inclusive of breakfast.”
They began to process our check-in and asked for my husband’s and my passport. We asked the receptionist if it was possible to send a photo of the passport via WhatsApp, and she allowed it. But then we explained our problem, and she was understanding. We were given a large and bright room with a beautiful design. We really liked it here.
The only thing is that towards the evening, I started feeling unwell, right up to 23:00 — I was screaming in pain. My husband was running around not knowing how to help me. We called for an ambulance, and the doctor said to take certain medications. If they didn’t help within an hour, they would take me for surgery. My husband was very worried about me. He gave me the necessary medicines, and we waited for an hour. I remember it was very painful, and I was screaming throughout the hotel. Much to my relief, the medications helped, and my husband and I could sleep peacefully.
The next morning, I felt much better, and after having our breakfast, we headed into the city to see all the beauty it had to offer.
We had time in Venice until 14:00, so I asked my husband to buy me a bracelet as a memento of the amazing Venice. He agreed, and we went shopping.
Many Venetian masks were being sold in the shops, along with interesting statues, gold, silver, and handmade toys. Below, you can see what I photographed.
And of course, my husband bought bracelets. One bracelet featured religious motifs, and the other one seemed unusual to me, so we purchased them.
You know, what disappointed me was that there are no soups in restaurants in Italy. Only their famous pasta and pizza… and every restaurant has the same menu, with very expensive dishes.
Once again, we stocked up on food for the train and headed to the station. We boarded the train and set off to Bergamo, which is near the airport. Upon arrival, we had previously checked how to get to the hotel and realized that we would have to walk for about an hour since the bus didn’t go there.
We reached the bus stop around 18:30 from the station and witnessed a lot of drunkards, swearing loudly — it made us uncomfortable. We waited for the bus, got on, and got closer to our hotel, but then we had to walk for another hour. When we stepped out and began walking, we saw many interesting private houses, families with children — the place exuded positivity.
Just 15 minutes from our hotel, we spotted a large shopping center. We bought food for the evening and for the morning before our flight, then headed to the hotel. We really liked it here too. The hotel is called Cozy Living Bergamo, located at 54 Via Brusaporto, 24068, Seriate.
In this hotel, there are touch-sensitive buttons on the mirror to turn on the lights. The location of the hotel is exceptionally beautiful. In the background, there are mountains, houses on the hills, green fields — it’s stunning. The air is fresh and clean.
We started planning how to get to the airport in the morning. It showed that it would take about 1 hour and 30 minutes to walk, there’s no direct bus, but by car, it’s only a 10-minute drive. Of course, my husband went down to the reception and booked a taxi for the early morning to the airport. Then we went to bed.
The next morning, we woke up early, had breakfast, packed our belongings, and went downstairs to wait for the taxi. We didn’t have to wait long, just about 5 minutes, and the taxi was already there. The taxi for two cost €25. We didn’t have much luggage, only two backpacks.
We arrived at the airport and started going through the baggage check. Everything was fine, we passed. However, what came next was nerve-wracking… I had photos of my passport on my phone, but we forgot to make a photocopy in advance.
And here we are inside the airport. We started approaching the small shops and asking if they could print. Fortunately, they offered us this service; we paid €2 for two sheets. With a photocopy of my passport and a document from the police, we joined the queue for my flight. We could see they were checking passports, and we started praying to be allowed through. Finally, it was our turn. First, we showed my passport photocopy and the police document. The woman asked, ‘Have you flown with this airline before?’ We said — yes. The woman called her superior to confirm information about me, which was approved, and they let me and my husband through.
I remember crying tears of joy that I could return home!
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