Travel is always at the heart of Tea — it’s the true inspiration behind all of our clothing collections. We believe that by introducing ourselves to new people, places, and cultures, we become better, more open individuals. To encourage our employees to truly live these values and take time off to see the world, we offer them an annual international travel stipend to help offset costs. Upon their return, our Tea travelers write a post to share their adventures with all of us, and all of you. Today, we’re highlighting a trip to Italy taken by Letty, our Quality Control & Compliance Manager. This was her second time visiting the country, and she set off to explore the smaller towns of the Amalfi Coast. Read on to learn more about her trip.
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I fell in love with Italy a couple of years ago when I visited Rome, Florence, and Sicily. Since then, I’ve been dying to revisit. Italy is so varied from region to region, so we were excited to explore some new places this time around. We first visited the Amalfi Coast, opting for the smaller towns of Praiano, Maiori, and Minori. We loved all the little coves, full of secret beaches. My favorite was Fiordo Di Furore, reminiscent of the secluded beach from the Studio Ghibli film “Porco Rosso.”
When we weren’t lounging on the sand, we took hikes between towns. Maiori and Minori were connected by a winding lemon tree hike. Along the walk, we found funny decorations, statues, and even dolls. From Amalfi, we took a very winding and dizzying bus ride to a train to take us to Naples.
I’ve always been skeptical about the hype surrounding Naples pizza. How good could it really be? Once we got off the train, we bee-lined to L’Antica Pizzeria Da Michele. I was worried when I saw a line out the door and a sidewalk littered with tourists. In the end, the pizza was well worth the wait. Once we took a bite and tasted the perfectly sweet and acidic sauce, lightly charred crust, and creamy cheese, we committed to ONLY eating pizza. The hype was real.
Naples is a lively city, having all the history of Rome without any of the pretension. It mixed high art with street and political art. Each subway station boasted its own art installation, full of colors and movement. The Museo Madre, a cool contemporary art museum, was just dizzying. Once we entered, we were engulfed by a fun house full of graphic shapes and mirrors.
Once 4pm hit, everyone was off work. The winding streets filled with conversation, laughter, and aperol spritz. I love a good commotion, and Naples immediately sang to me. Everyone was friendly and super talkative. A young shopkeeper we spoke with insisted we eat at his best friend’s restaurant, promptly making us reservations. From Naples, we travelled to Procida, a small island off the coast. There, we met with the Naples chef again, who also directed us to the best food on the island.
We ended our trip in Rome meeting up with friends. The last time we visited Rome, we diligently hit up all the historical sites. This time, we decided to take our time with leisurely strolls, picnicking in parks, and chatting for hours. I can’t wait to return and see more of Italy.
Feel inspired? Check out our limited Italy collection available at teacollection.com.
