Today’s theme: 28 Hours.

So, it wasn’t our most efficient travel day, but after 28 hours we successfully made it from Cola>LAX>London Heathrow>Naples. There was some logic to the illogical itinerary, promise.

The travel was long but delightful and our first \240with British Airways. It was also our first double-decker experiene (the A380, according to Wes) so that was cool and also 🤯. Still not sure how it got up in the air but she was smooth. The food was delicious (maybe best plane food yet) and the bathrooms were shockingly huge. It’s the small things…

Our bodies don’t know heads from tails, but we each managed to get a few hours of precious sleep. We took full advantage of the lounges. Made new friends. Met a moth that started its day in London and ended it Italy. 😳 And we finished with a rooftop nightcap overlooking the city and port with some Rick Steves research on Naples. We’re basically experts now…

Today’s Theme: Poseidon, god of the sea

We woke up after a delightful night of sleep in a real bed, grabbed a quick breakfast + espresso and headed for the port. After some ticket confusion and wildly inefficient queuing, we finally made our way onto the ferry and settled in for a beautiful ride over to the island of Ischia.

At the dock we met, Andrea — our driver, local guide, and unofficial hype man for Ischia. He insisted on giving us a tour of the volcanic island’s highlights on the way to our destination - including a mushroom shaped rock ☺️. We enjoyed his commentary while thanking the Lord we weren’t the ones driving those narrow, winding, steep roads where a constant game of chicken between cars, scooters, buses, and the occasional pedestrian is clearly a way of life. Andrea pointed us to a beautiful spot for lunch, where we enjoyed fresh seafood, a stunning view, and of course wine (because #Italy).

Then he dropped us at Terme di Poseidon, a thermal spa paradise with beach access, bars tucked into caves, and pools on pools on pools — all requiring swim caps. We donned our caps, we dipped, we sipped, and we delighted in Mother Nature’s hot tubs until it was time (unwillingly) to meet our ride back to the ferry. We managed a spritz before boarding, because #priorities.

The ride back was uneventful (read: Meghan fell asleep), and we polished off the evening with wine and bites on the rooftop of the hotel. All in all? A winner of a day one.

Today’s theme: Bigger than I expected…

We woke up in Naples, fueled up (with espresso), and met our driver Fabio — who by the end of the day felt less like a driver and more like our new best friend. 🚗

First stop: Pompeii. Our guide, Franco, was an absolute legend. Thirty years on the job, zero tolerance for rookie guides messing around, and not afraid to let everyone know it. We watched him get into two heated “tour guide turf wars” — and yes, he won them both. The Godfather of Pompeii.

The site itself? Mind-blowing. We had no idea Pompeii was such a sprawling metropolis. Running water, lead pipes, snack bars, flashy domus houses, and yes… a surprisingly large number of penis carvings pointing toward the red-light district. (Turns out ancient marketing strategies were very direct.)

Highlights:

• The freed slave turned millionaire who built his own luxury brothel inside his mansion.

• The haunting plaster casts of those who stayed behind — ghostly reminders of that terrible day.

• The realization that Mount Vesuvius wasn’t “just a mountain” to the Pompeiians… until it blew its top and rained volcanic debris from two miles up in the sky.

Out of ~20,000 residents, 2,000 stayed behind and perished, mostly from poisonous gases the day after the eruption. Chilling and unforgettable.

From there, we rolled on to a vineyard in the shadows of Vesuvius for lunch with a view. Wine, food, scenery = perfection. 🍷

The drive from Pompeii to Amalfi? Let’s just say it was a winding, white-knuckle ride with a few near-death experiences sprinkled in. But Fabio delivered us safely, with a quick pit stop at a market to load up on groceries. The locals / tourists doing it on scooters are crazy.

Finally, we arrived at our fab apartment in Amalfi City, settled in, and took an evening stroll for drinks. After a day that massive, it was an early night.

Today’s theme: The Great Rest Day

After a string of jam-packed travel days, today was all about doing absolutely nothing. Wes wasn’t feeling great, and to make things more exciting, Maybelle gave us a scare too. (Huge shout-out to Stevie, who stepped in like a hero — all is well now. 🙌)

So, we leaned into it: laundry, yoga, meditation, naps, and general lounging. Exactly what the doctor ordered. We wrapped the day with a light dinner and were tucked in early.

Not glamorous, but much needed. Sometimes the best travel days are the ones that let you actually rest.

Day Six: Lt. Dan - that’s my boat…

Can’t pass up a good Forest Gump reference, even in Italy.

We started the day simply — eggs and toast in the apartment, then a quick espresso to go from the square. Our “pick-up” arrived… a golf cart that carried us all of two minutes down the road. #LazyAmericans.

Then came the magic: we met our boat, our captain, and guide, and spent the day touring the Amalfi Coast from Amalfi City to Capri and back. Absolute joy. We swam in the Mediterranean - salty and glorious - slipped through the Green Grotto (absolutely dreamy), and even gave in to the tourist temptation of the Blue Grotto. Was the Volare’ singing on repeat annoying? Yes. Totally worth it? Also, yes.

Somewhere along the way we boated into Nerano for a coastal lunch (plus not pictured doggie pets, bonus points 🐶), then cruised past Positano and the other cliff-clinging towns on our way home.

Important to note the multiple outfit changes and looks. Meghan doesn’t do high-fashion well (read: at all) so she did her best not to disappoint. Big prints were a gamble. TBD on whether it paid off…

Back on land, we rewarded ourselves with the ultimate refreshment: an Aperol spritz slushie while soaking in the views. Meghan snuck in a Power Nap (actually… several) before we wandered out for dinner.

The night ended with a rainy stroll and a cozy, delicious dinner in the cellar at Da Gemma. Pure Amalfi magic, from sunrise to spritz.

Day Seven: When Life Gives You Lemons… 🍋

After a string of up-and-go days, we got to sleep in and it was glorious. Then we ventured out for a walk to explore the neighboring town and stopped for cafe with a view.

We went back the apartment for a quick get ready before the main event, lemon farm tour and cooking class.

It all began with an unintentional golf cart tour of Amalfi City, courtesy of a location mix-up. We sat back, enjoyed the sunshine, and watched the Italians passionately attempt to figure out where we were supposed to be. Eventually, someone resolved it, and off we went.

Our destination: a family-owned, organic lemon farm tucked into the hills above Amalfi. The family has been in the lemon business for nearly 200 years, though this particular plot was purchased by Granddad Luigi back in the 1960s. He’s still the boss — shuffling around with quiet authority and doling out hand kisses to guests like the citrus godfather himself.

The whole operation was a family affair:

• Dad picked us up.

• Son led the farm tour.

• Cousin ran the cooking class.

• Mom and Aunt commanded the kitchen.

• Daughter handled the museum and limoncello factory visit

And somehow, they almost all live together and still seem to like each other.

We made a three-course meal featuring, shocker, lemons — fresh pasta with lemon and herbs, eggplant parm (because not everything needs lemon), and a lemon tart with homemade custard that made us real happy. .

We ended the day with a slow passeggiata through Amalfi and called it an early night — smelling faintly of lemon, carbs, and happiness.

Today’s Theme: Traffic jam 🚗🍋

We thought Devine Street was tight — turns out it’s got nothing on the Amalfi Coast.

We were up and out early enough to grab a quick caffè and pastry, still hoping that one of these mornings, the waiter will recognize us and say “the usual?” Hasn’t happened yet, but we’re laying the groundwork and holding out hope.

We met our driver, Giuseppe, who radiated pure joy. The man was thriving. Within minutes we learned he has not one, but two golden-ticket sons — one a genius, the other a professional basketball player. Didn’t know God gave with two hands like that.

First stop: Positano. It took us just as long to get there as we actually stayed, but wow, was it worth it. We power-shopped, explored, and immediately agreed we’ll need to come back someday, preferably with more time (and maybe fewer people).

From there, we climbed back into Giuseppe’s joy wagon and wound our way toward Ravello, stopping for lunch at a cliffside spot popular with motorcyclists. The view was unreal, the air smelled like the sea, and the meal (grilled veggies, seafood gnocchi, and meatballs) was simple perfection.

In Ravello, we met Pascal, the town’s resident entrepreneur / ceramics whisperer / mayor of good vibes, who helped us pick out beautiful pieces for the house. We wandered cobblestone streets lined with art, music, and mountain views and quickly understood why every Italian we’ve met insists Ravello is their favorite Amalfi town.

Eventually, we zigzagged our way back down to Amalfi City, where we had dinner on the balcony. It wasn’t fancy, just fresh ingredients from the market because honestly, it doesn’t need to be more complicated than that.

We wrapped up the night with gelato and grappa to go (#Italy), enjoyed on our terrace before drifting off to sleep without a care in the world.

Day Eight: Long Way Up and 2000 Years of Capri Magic ✨

We started the day with what’s becoming our favorite morning ritual - caffe by the water. The waiter made a guess at Wes’ drink which felt like a real victory. #progress

Caffeine secured, we caught the ferry to Capri for a hiking tour of the island. It was a perfect morning—lots of sun, \240turquoise water, sea breeze, and new friends met along the way.

Once on the island, we caught a ride with the coolest taxi ever — basically a chopped-off car turned convertible for the cruise through Capri’s winding road on the way to the town center.

Our guide, Annamaria, a true Capri-lifer, led us on a hike with even better conversation. We climbed (and climbed… and climbed) to Villa Lysis, perched high above the sea with views that make you understand why those with means have been drawn to this island for two millennia. Turns out her great-grandfather did all the original iron bannisters in the villa — because of course he did. Capri’s the kind of place where lineage and family matters for those few who’ve called it home for generations.

Annamaria knew every secret viewpoint and photo angle, and naturally, we took advantage of them all. From there, we continued to Villa Jovis, once home to Caesar Augustus but more famously the Emperor Tiberius from 27 to 37 AD — whose paranoia drove his desire to remain well out of reach of any enemies. Legend has it he also threw rivals, house guests with whom he was bored and women from the cliff. So, risky host to visit and gives new meaning to the to-die-for views.

After six miles of hiking, we were ready for food and a chair — in that order. Annamaria led us to a lovely little lunch spot, and just as we sat down, who did we see but our EOS pal, Mike Cotsis, traveling through Greece and Italy with his family. A completely random and perfect #EOSLife moment in Capri, of all places.

We ferried (and Meghan napped) our way back to Amalfi, did a quick change, and headed out for dinner worth remembering — prawn risotto and lamb chops, absolute perfection.

Day Nine: A “Let’s Just See…” Day

Our last day in Amalfi greeted us with steady rain, so we traded in adventure plans for something slower — and honestly, it couldn’t have been better.

We slept in, then wandered over to Pansa Amalfi, the famous pastry shop and café that’s been around since the 1800s. It was packed, but we figured we’d just see what we could find and we somehow scored a cozy corner seat and settled in for two glorious hours of cappuccinos, homemade pastries, prosecco and world-class people-watching. If there’s a better way to spend a rainy morning in Italy, we haven’t found it.

After our caffeine-fueled contentment, we decided we’d go see the Amalfi Duomo and museum, and it did not disappoint. We basked in the history and the hush of ancient stone, including the resting place of Saint Andrew (one of the 12 disciples). The church is also the home to 79 other saintly relics, a testament to former influence of the Almalfi kingdom.

From there, we knocked out one final round of power shopping and with our bags a little fuller, we decided to just go see what laid beyond the main thoroughfare. We got ourselves intentionally lost, wandering the quiet residential backstreets high above the main drag. Rain-slicked steps, hidden courtyards, and laundry fluttering in the mist — it was pure Amalfi magic.

Later in the day, we took a long shot on a special dining experience we hadn’t yet tried. Luck was on our side: Sensi, a Michelin star restaurant, had a last-minute opening for two. We went back to the apartment, packed, got ourselves organized, and readied for one last night out

Dinner was nothing short of spectacular — a multi-course tasting menu filled with bold flavors, local ingredients, and the kind of creativity that makes you stop mid-bite just to appreciate what’s happening. The service was flawless, the wine perfectly matched, and the experience… unforgettable. Hands down, the best tasting menu we’ve ever had.

Then back to our apartment, full and happy and a little heartsore to be leaving this slice of paradise. Amalfi gave us everything — beauty, chaos, warmth, and wonder — and we couldn’t have scripted a more perfect ending.

Theme: The Ultimate Napoli Passeggiata

Our last morning on the Amalfi Coast started the only way it could — with one final stop at Pansa, because why not? A perfect cappuccino, flaky pastry, and the sweet hum of Amalfi life winding up around us. And then, in one of those full-circle moments travel loves to hand you, we ran right into the entire Sensi team — the restaurant where we’d had our extraordinary dinner the night before. Even better, the sommelier actually remembered us, greeted us warmly, and wished us safe travels. A perfect send-off.

Back at our apartment, we packed up and said goodbye to our little Amalfi home, before catching our ride north to Napoli — our last stop before heading home.

The afternoon was all about an unhurried passeggiata through the heart of the city. We wandered from the Quartieri Spagnoli’s narrow, mural-lined streets, up to the Galleria Umberto, across to Piazza del Plebiscito and the grand Royal Palace, and into the layered chaos of the Centro Storico, where history, horns, and holy shrines collide. It was the ultimate walking tour of Naples — no plan, no rush, just following whatever caught our eye (and nose).

Dinner was pure Neapolitan joy at Ristorante Pizzeria Al Cucciolo Bohemien dal 1963, where Wes finally got to live out his Naples pizza dream — a bubbling, blistered masterpiece straight from the oven, perfectly simple and impossibly good.

We capped off the night on the hotel rooftop, sipping nightcaps with a view over the city’s glittering lights, one last pasticceria souvenir from Pansa in hand. It was an unstructured day of unplanned exploration — a fitting, deliciously chaotic finale to this Italian adventure. Exactly right in every way. 🇮🇹✨

Final Theme: Long Way Home

Today was one of those travel days that still managed to feel like a gift. We started the morning in Napoli, sipped one final espresso, said farewell to some fav-but-worn-out travel sneaks and off we went.

By afternoon we found ourselves touching down in London for a quick but lovely overnight on our way home. This stop was a special one for Wes — a pilgrimage of sorts to check off a long-standing item on his cigar bucket list: an evening at the legendary Sahakian Lounge.

Most of the day was spent in transit, but the night more than made up for it. We landed, checked into a beautiful hotel room, and celebrated survival of another travel day with a perfect gin martini, a simple but delicious dinner, and a few incredible Cuban cigars to end things in style.

It turned out to be the best cigar lounge experience we’ve ever had — sophisticated but cozy, indulgent without being pretentious. Definitely not something we should get used to 😳 — but the perfect note to end this journey on.

Here’s to safe travels, full hearts, and being blessed beyond measure. ✨