I recently got to go to Italy to explore some of the incredible art and architecture in Rome and Florence. My family, friends, and I put together a DIY Catholic art pilgrimage. It was a quick trip, lasting only a week, but it reignited the creative fire in my soul.

Here are some of the places that we went…

In Rome:
The Spanish Steps
The Trevi Fountain
The Pantheon
The Colosseum and Roman Forum
Santa Maria Maggiore
Santa Maria della Vittoria
Vatican City
St. Peter’s Basilica
The Vatican Museums

In Florence:
Santa Maria del Fiore
The Uffizi Galleries
Galleria dell’Accademia
Pitti Palace
Boboli Gardens
Ponte Vecchio
Santa Croce
Piazza della Repubblica
Piazza della Signoria

Places we ate:
Al Passetto di Borgo (i rigatoni alla norcina is said to have been a favorite of Pope Benedict’s)
My Sugar
Pino’s
Retrobottega
Gustapizza
Acquacotta

In Florence, we stayed at this sweet little convent that was within walking distance of all of the places we visited. We highly recommend it!

Resources that were helpful:
Rick Steves’ Pocket Rome travel guide
Rick Steves’ Audio Europe Travel App (free audio tours of every major site we visited)

There are so many great YouTube channels that offer helpful planning tips. Here were the ones I referenced the most while planning:
RomeWise’s YouTube Channel
Kacie Rose’s YouTube Channel
Gregor Brown’s YouTube Channel
Stay Fabulous’ YouTube Channel
Happy to Wander’s YouTube Channel

Filming Gear

Camera: Insta 360 Go 3

(Note: Some of the links provided are affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission at no cost to you. This allows me to continue creating free content for Catholic artists of all ages! I only recommend products that I use and love. Amy Heyse Art is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates)