Can you plan a last-minute exploration? We arrived in Sorrento late in the day after a five-hour drive from Florence that included a two hour stop to explore Pompeii. We had been forewarned that the roads along the Amalfi coast are narrow and windy, but it didn’t quite prepare us for the reality, so our nerves were rather frayed. We snagged a table at a restaurant near our hotel, ate …

Four Viewings and a Pizza Florence is known for its famed museums, culture, and architecture, especially Brunelleschi’s Duomo. There are a variety of vantage points to view this Renaissance masterpiece that provide the opportunity for outdoor exploration and city hiking.   We had immersed ourselves in art the prior day, so we were craving nature. We pre-purchased tickets online to the Boboli Gardens and splurged on an Uber from our hotel …