Our Roman tour guide had a strong distrust of any Italians who lived south of Rome, and it is a sentiment echoed by many Italians throughout central and northern Italy. We’d heard rumours that the mafia in Napoli had the city under its thumb, taunting citizens by cutting off the garbage collection and letting putrid trash pile up in the streets if the local government … Continue reading Naples: Slow pizza & quick crooks
As regular readers of this blog will know, it’s my mission to have the most beautiful travel experiences I can afford without breaking the bank (or roughing it). Villa Clelia is the epitome of this philosophy and I wish I had stayed here longer – I will definitely be back. It really makes such a difference to your holiday when you feel welcome at your accommodation and Villa … Continue reading Stay in Levanto: Villa Clelia B&B
Planning an itinerary for two weeks in Italy is exciting and overwhelming. Where do you start? In the north, the fashion & finance powerhouse of Milan, the sinking canals of Venice and the bright villages of Cinque Terre each demand attention. The olive groves and vineyards of Tuscany, the streets of Florence oozing Renaissance splendour and the fine foods of Emilia-Romagna tempt travellers in the … Continue reading Itinerary: 2 weeks in Italy
When you’re planning a multi-country trip, the list of things to organise is long and it’s rare that all of your plans will play nice. This is the blessing and curse of travel. How you choose to take advantage of it is up to you. We were meant to travel from Riomaggiore to Florence, spend a few days there and then travel north to Verona and … Continue reading When travel gives you lemons…go to Milan
In 2013 I had an amazing five-week holiday with my best friend around France, Greece, Italy & Turkey. What a way to celebrate graduating from uni! I felt like most of 2013 was spent head down, bum up, as I finished my final semester of university, planned the trip and worked two jobs so I could afford to go. Of course, all of this added to … Continue reading Top 5 Travel Experiences 2013
It had been a deliciously lazy day in Florence but by the late afternoon we felt that we should tick something else off our list. We were feeling fairly dusty, the aftermath of the night before which ended quite tellingly, at the most unlikely of places in such a foodie city – Florence’s golden arches. It was at the request of my friend, who works … Continue reading Biting off more than we can chew in the Boboli Gardens
Dinner in Italy for the price of a prosecco. For the penny pinching traveller who has an unfortunate, somewhat expensive taste (such as yours truly) this is like winning the lottery. Aperitivo hour has got your back (and your belly). Our first encounter with this blessing was in Rome. We’d arrived that day and were exhausted. Before we could sleep however, we had to eat. … Continue reading Discovering Aperitivo in Rome
The best thing about eating pasta in Italy? It’s free from the “evil carbs” baggage that it gets burdened with back home. No, Italian pasta doesn’t make you “fat” – just look at all the Italians. As our local guide explained, Italians don’t eat pasta drenched in creamy, fatty sauces. Our idea of a spaghetti bolognaise is virtually foreign to them and a carbonara in … Continue reading That’s Amore Pasta Cooking Class, Rome
Hotel Alessandra in Florence is a fantastic deal. It sits only a street back from the Ponte Vecchio, located in a beautiful old building in a street dotted with artisan shops and small family-owned restaurants. The Room I couldn’t believe how enormous and charming our room was, with ample room for an king sized bed, armoire, a window seat, a sink and two big armchairs. … Continue reading Stay in Florence: Hotel Alessandra
The most delicious gelato in Florence is Edoardo’s, right under the Duomo. It stands out against the countless old-school gelatarias in Italy with modern decor and most importantly, gelato that is kept under wraps (or, metal lids), a sign of a true gelato mastery. Gelato is kept freshest this way and as tempting as gelato piled high in cabinet windows may look, it is the … Continue reading Organic Gelato in Florence: Edoardo Il Gelato Biologico