When Nitin and I started chatting about our babymoon our minds were completely in sync with the idea of exploring Italy as this has always been on our bucket list of places to visit. I remember when I first met Nitin I asked him if he could go anywhere in the world where would it be; Italy was his dream destination (no surprise here as the man is obsessed with pizza and architecture). We had a hard time narrowing down where in Italy we wanted to visit, so in true Khosla style we packed in as many cities as possible. We started in Rome where we soaked in the culture, set off to Positano to unwind and enjoy the water, headed to Florence for some shopping and ended off in Venice. From Venice we took a flight to Paris for a few days. All of this in two weeks! I’m excited to share this special trip with you guys over a series of posts, starting with Rome and Positano.

Nitin and I love exploring, but before heading off on our babymoon we decided to take it easy this trip and not push myself. My belly seems to be getting bigger by the day and I’ve been having some pelvic bone pain, so the endless walking and sightseeing we usually do was scaled back.

ROME

We flew into Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Rome where our travel agent arranged for a driver pick us up and take us to our hotel. We stayed at Hotel Lacarno which was the perfect location. It’s steps from Piazzo del Popolo (the “People’s Square” of Rome) and the metro, yet tucked away on a quite street so we weren’t disturbed by loud noises at night.

Our room wasn’t ready when we arrived so we dropped our luggage and headed to Piazza del Popolo where we sat outside at a nearby cafe and enjoyed our first true Italian espresso. We then strolled through the streets, gelato in-hand of course, popping in and out of shops and admiring the beautiful doors that lined the roads.

We packed quite a bit into our time in Rome, and here is a snapshot of things to know, places to visit and where to dine.

What to See + Things to Know + Where to Dine

• Vatican City was one of my favourite places to visit in Rome. St. Peter’s Basilica is absolutely beautiful and I definitely recommend checking it out. It’s free to enter (the line can be quite long but it goes by fairly quick). You can also do the Sistine Chapel and Raphael’s Room (there is a charge for these), which Nitin and I decided to skip out on because I was getting tired.
• The Spanish Steps make for a great stop to sit down and soak in the culture. Nitin and I loved admiring the view from the steps. They’re located close to a lot of designer stores so you can shop, rest, shop, rest. You know, pace yourself 😉. The Spanish Steps were less than a 15 minute walk from our hotel, so we would head there during the day and after dinner.
• Trevi Foundation (remember this fountain from When in Rome?) is another must-see. It’s literally just smack in the middle of the Trevi district, but beware that it is super crowded with tourists, as are all hot-spots in Rome. I recommend getting there by 7am for the best shots, otherwise you’ll be knocking elbows trying to get your picture. Nitin and I kept thinking, if it’s this busy now, imagine how busy things get during the summer!
• Nitin is a huge architecture buff and was dying to see the Colosseum. While it wasn’t on my list of places to visit (for the babymoon), we ended up checking it out. If you love history then this is a great place to see as it is the largest amphitheatre ever built.
• When looking for restaurants be cautious of the tourist traps that line the streets. If a restaurant is ushering you in from the front door or over-selling their dishes, you probably don’t want to eat here. I recommend checking out Rosciolo, Pizzarium Bonci and Il Bacaro (my meal was a bit cold here but it still tasted authentic and flavourful).
• There are gelato joints everywhere you turn. Our friends recommended GROM which was quite good.  I love mint chocolate gelato and honestly didn’t experience any bad gelato in Rome.
• Beware: people smoke everywhere! Unlike Canada, if you’re looking to sit outside for any of your meals be prepared to be surrounded by a lot of smoke. This was probably the only thing I didn’t enjoy about Italy.
• The Metro is extremely easy to use and is your best way to get around Rome.
• There are fountains all throughout Italy which are completely safe to drink from and great to fill up your water bottle with.

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POSITANO

Positano is a slice of heaven. We arrived during the tail end of off season so not everything was open, but we loved the peace and quite and still enjoyed the beautiful views, cute boutiques and delicious food. We stayed at the Eden Roc Hotel which offers incredible views (I recommend getting a room overlooking the sea), modern rooms and great service. The temperature was around 19°C upon arrival (a far cry from the 1°C weather we were used to in Toronto) so we ordered Americanos, sat on our balcony and soaked up the sunshine while enjoying the most breathtaking scenery.

We spent our days in Positano exploring the streets, shopping and eating at small cafes along the way. It’s a bit of a trek to get down to the beach; not the most fun when you’re pregnant, but manageable. I don’t know how older people or those with knee problems make it down though! When you get to the bottom there are tons of stores which remind me of mini Mykonos. There are also a fair number of restaurants, including La Pergola which is home to the best pizza I ate in Italy. I would go back to Positano just to eat that pizza. It wasn’t quite warm enough for us to enjoy the water, but I can only imagine how lovely it would be in the summer.

The temperature ranged between 19°C and 13°C, so my outfits went from dresses to turtlenecks. I love this new SHEIN Chunky Cable Knit sweater which is perfect for spring, fall and winter (bonus points for fitting over my belly). The sweater is comfortable without being too thick, and pairs well with jeans and skirts. I added my Chanel brooch for a little something extra. This was one of my favourite pieces this trip because it was great to wear for dinners and during the day when it was slightly cooler.

What to See + Things to Know + Where to Dine

• Wear comfortable shoes (I couldn’t have made it down all the stairs in my heels).
• You can take a boat out to Capri for the day. Since we didn’t have much time in Positano we unfortunately didn’t get around to this, but it’s something we’ll do on our next trip there.
• Hike the Walk of the Gods if you’re able to. This was recommended to Nitin and I by so many friends (might not be the best idea if you’re pregnant like me).
• Our friends at Burrows recommended dining at Casa Mele while in Positano. It was unfortunately closed for the season during our stay but we did dine at its sister restaurant which was delicious.
• You will see lemons everywhere; embrace and enjoy! From endless lemon trees to lemon ceramics to lemon printed linen, there is no shortage of lemon-inspired items in the beautiful village of Positano.
• There are so many beautiful boutiques around the area for unique finds.  
• Give yourself time to explore and enjoy. We didn’t have much of a plan for Positano so it was nice to leisurely stroll around and just enjoy our surroundings. #thesimplethings

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Stay tuned for my posts on Florence, Venice & Paris!

xo, Kiki