Italy

Italy Leg 5: Reggio, Parma… and We’re Still Sweating

Day 11 – Travel Day (aka Cardio We Didn’t Ask For)

At this point in the trip, we’ve learned something important: travel days in Italy are not casual. They are events.

This one looked innocent enough:

  • 10-minute walk to the train

  • Three trains

  • 15-minute walk to the hotel

What it actually was: 84 degrees, 59% humidity, and dragging our entire lives behind us like pack mules with tired feet.

By the time we got to Reggio Emilia, we were fully melted.

The hotel? A little older. No restaurant. Free breakfast. But half a mile away was a pizza place that would become a core memory.

We started with a welcome drink (bless them), unpacked just enough to function, and I immediately washed underwear in the sink because we are now those people. We’re trying to stretch things so laundry day number two isn’t until Day 14, and frankly, it’s getting pathetic.

Quick walk. Pharmacy stop for ibuprofen (bulk quantities) and makeup remover that didn’t feel like punishment. Then we grabbed a drink and waited for dinner because Italy runs on its own schedule and hunger is not part of the decision-making process.

Dinner was at Pizzikotto, a local, authentic pizza spot. And here’s how you know:

  • No English anywhere (except the online menu)

  • You are the only tourists

  • It fills up in five minutes

We didn’t just like it. We mentally committed to it.

Then, our first real gelato. The kind with metal lids covering the containers. Apparently that’s the sign, and I will never look at gelato the same way again. The chocolate was the richest, darkest chocolate I’d ever laid eyes on and it was worth every step.

Back to the room. Shower. Absolute collapse.

9,677 steps of “we earned that pizza and gelato.”

Day 12 – Parma Day Trip (Unexpected Favorite)

Two trains later, we landed in Parma.

First things first: cappuccino and a pastry.
Also, a quick reality check, if you’re looking for a venti, you’re in the wrong country. These cups are adorable and gone in three sips… but honestly, some of the best coffee you’ll ever have (sorry, Starbucks).

But Parma… Parma is sneaky charming.

It’s smaller than you expect, in the best way. Walkable, calm, not trying to impress you, which somehow makes it more impressive. You’re not battling crowds. You’re just… in it.

What stood out most was how the city blends old and new without making a big deal about it. You’ll pass a sleek, modern storefront with designer displays, then look up and realize the building it’s in is older than your entire country.

It’s not curated. It’s just lived in.

We wandered into the Santa Maria Assunta Cathedral, which is pushing 1,000 years old, and had one of those quiet moments where you realize how small you are in the timeline of everything. Very humbling. Slightly existential. Then… back to walking.

The whole city feels like that, piazzas, side streets, locals just living their lives. Nothing overrun or overdone. Just steady, beautiful, and easy to be in.

Then back on the train.

And yes… when we got back to Reggio, we went straight to Pizzikotto for lunch. Still amazing.

Quick break. Showers. Regroup.

And then… back again for dinner.

Listen. When you find a place that good, you stop pretending you’re adventurous.

13,808 steps and three visits to the same restaurant, which feels like a personal record.

Day 13 – Tuscany, We’re Ready for You (Travel Day)

Quick breakfast, then a cab to the train (I know… very uncharacteristic for us).

Two more trains (of course), and we arrived in Rignano sull'Arno.

Friends met us, quick stop at the supermarket, and then… a villa.

With friends.

Just let that sink in.

We unpacked, took a breath, and headed down to the pool, views, dinner, and actual relaxation for the first time in what feels like forever.

7,000 steps.

And for the first time in a while… it feels like we might slow down.

Which, honestly, we’ve earned.

Things Italy Has Taught Us (Whether We Were Ready or Not)

  • Hot food at buffets? Not really a thing. Adjust expectations.

  • Coffee is small. Emotionally prepare.

  • When paying with a credit card, never choose USD. Let your bank handle it or you’re just donating money.

  • Microwaves do not exist. Some hotels don’t even have fridges. Survival of the fittest.

  • Stop packing snacks. They will get crushed, and there is food everywhere.

  • Mornings are quiet. Before 9:30–10:00, it’s basically you and a few coffee shops.

  • Restaurants close after lunch and don’t reopen until around 7:00. Plan ahead or prepare for a personality shift (hangry is real).

  • Bring more underwear than you think you need. Then add more. Summer in Italy is… sweaty.

  • Antibacterial wipes are not optional. Train rails are a shared experience. (We used about four a day per person.)

  • Pack light. No, lighter than that. Because every train transfer is:

    • Down stairs

    • Up stairs

    • Occasionally running

    • Always questioning your packing choices

We’ve taken 84 trains and walked over 183,000 steps this trip so far, which feels both impressive and slightly unbelievable.

At this point, we are basically luggage athletes.