Do you read to take yourself to another place, another time? Every now and again I come across a novel so powerful that I feel drawn to the people and places it describes. This book, My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante, took me straight to Naples, the island of Ischia and Florence. It is the story […]
Does your dream vacation in Italy include a leisurely day exploring the Tuscan hills? I am sure you want to see all the sights of the big cities in Italy – Rome, Venice and Florence. And most people cannot resist the call of Sicily, the Amalfi Coast or the Italian Riviera. But I also recommend taking […]
Italy is such a wonderful family holiday destination it is sometimes difficult to choose where to visit. The Italian Riveria near Genoa was high on my must do list but I did have concerns about the terrain and glamour factor. It’s no holiday when your kids are running amok.. being kids… if you are surrounded […]
I tasted my first proper gelato on the banks of Lake Garda, Italy, in the pretty town of Sirmione. It was a far cry from the whipped up sugary technicolour mess that passed for gelato in my childhood. This version was creamy and full of flavour. I wanted to savour every mouthful. These days gelato […]
Have you ever seen fireflies? They are the prettiest things! When we were in Italy recently we went for a stroll at dusk. As we walked up the path towards our villa we spotted hundreds of tiny yellow lights flickering along the ground and in the trees. I have to confess that initially I thought […]