I often find Florence a sleepy city, and It usually isn’t on my hit list, but I’m driving from Nice to the Amalfi Coast, it makes for a nice place to stop. The Lungarno Collection, Contientele Hotel on the Pontevecchio, in Florence was a last minute booking after a poor room at Villa la Vedetta. … Read More
The Design and Furniture Show had the entire city sold out of hotel rooms and the city was decorated with streets filled with giant lampshades hanging over head. Milan has a very easy and accessable subway/metro system costing a reasonable 1 euro a ride – favorite stop Via Montenapoleone.
When going to Florence on an int Florence, I do love…but from afar. My favorite place to enjoy Florence is from the hills above. The air is fresh and there is a wonderful breeze. The first time I went to Florence (Firenze) I stayed at Villa Cora http://www.villacora.it/ a tiny hotel in the hills. My … Read More
Every time I go to Rome I stay at the same hotel near the fashion & shopping area Via Condotti, but this time a friend suggested Lungarno Hotels, Portrait Suites (Via Bocca di Leone, 23) – also located in the fashion area. Its theme is Ferragamo Shoes…how is woman to resist?
The drive from Florence to Rome is so beautiful. This trip I stopped twice: at a wine and olive oil farm, and as always the hilltop town of Orvieto, Umbria – kind of the halfway point to Rome. are from the web.
The drive to the Amalfi Coast from Rome takes 3 hours and 20 minutes. It’s not quite the same as driving thru Tuscany: less cypress trees, more urban apartment buildings with laundry hanging off balconies, but in a different way – it is interesting. After struggling with on and of traffic, the reward is the coastline … Read More
With limited time in Amalfi, I wanted to find an ideal spot for lunch somewhere outside, on a cliff and enjoy the view. Happiness is at Terrazza Belvedere in Palazzo Sasso, a 12 century Italian Villa in the hilltop Villiage of Ravello, 1000 ft above the Mediterrainean. The view is spectacular and the meal. The … Read More
The first thing I learn is that locals pronounce Capri like this – long on the CAP, short on the PRI – Caap -ri. Ferries leave for the Isle of Capri from Napoli, Positano, Sorrento…I took the ferry from Sorrento, a cute seaside town. It costs around 14.50 Euros and is beautiful. I stayed overnight, but I am not … Read More
The Dolomites mountains are a section of the Alps in Northern Italy. When I first saw a picture of them and knew I had to see them. So, in Venice I rented a car and drove North. I drove and drove, past Trento, and finally I saw the spikey, spindles of the mountains. However, it did … Read More
Sorry for the poor quality pictures of Venice, but I wanted to show the Hotel Cipriani – an ideal place to stay in Venice. I had always heard mixed reviews of Venice, some say it’s dirty and the canals are smelling water etc etc…I thought it was storybook-like, a charming place to stay for a day … Read More
Emilia-Romagna is the known to be the food region of Italy. Since I have a great love of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese it is only fitting that I must go to straight to the source – the city of Parma. I know a frightening amount about Parmigiano cheese (and buffalo mozerella for that matter). PARMIGIANO 101: if the block … Read More