- Italy
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Portifino is much beloved of the celebrity (starting with Truman Capote and Guy de Maupassant), jet set and well preserved crowd. In summer it must be hell (50 euros just to park) and single track coast roads with very confident bus drivers. But in winter (even December) it was heaven: bright sunshine, enough warmth to fling the windows open and gaze at the bright turquoise Ligunan Mediterranean sea. We walked the ancient cliff paths (the coasts used to be cut off to cars till decades ago and the town still is car free) hardly meeting anyone gazing at the endless views. It is an almost surreal cute seaside town - and very close to the recent unesco heritage site of ' five villages/cinque terre' with its network of 15th century footpaths and grapes harvested by boats because the cliffs are so steep. But our bargain tip: We loved it all the more because we booked a luxury four-star hotel (which in high season is 500 euros) for the princely sum of 58 euros (including an extensive lazy breakfast in the sunshine and a check out at 12) , on a late booking website. Domina Home Piccola has a private beach, wonderful views, lovely staff and a footpath direct to the harbour. It is closely located next to Hotel Splendido, the hot spot of Portfino at a constant 600 plus euros. We could not believe our luck and spent the day wandering up to the old church in the national park that backs onto the village. However be warned and don't visit Restaurant Delfino, we nearly lost our savings on the hotel room by paying a not advertised cover charge plus service charge. Avoid Avoid.
www.dominahome.it
Via Duca degli Abruzzi, 31, 16034 Portofino (GE)
+39 0185 269015
Google map: bit.ly/135IF9B
Known to me, and many people as Bar Della Pace, this is a super stylish bar which manages to be incredibly trendy without even trying. It's a beautiful bar, where the service, the staff, the customers and drink selection are fantastic, and all combine to offer a welcoming and warm atmosphere.
I've only visited once, a few years ago but was blown away with how relaxing and enjoyable this bar was. Despite being so close to Piazza Navona, the prices were, in the main, reasonable and the welcome was warm. This wasn't the case in all bars we visited in the area.
The bar is enjoyable both inside and out - where you can watch cooler people than me enjoying the evening!
I've recommended Della Pace to many people and they have always been happy with the recommendation.
I remember there being an excellent wine list with a great choice by the glass. The coffee was as good as it should be.
www.caffedellapace.it
Via della Pace, 3/7, 00186 Roma, Italy
+39 06 686 1216
Google map: bit.ly/WGt4rX
mail@caffeedellapace.it
Breathtaking vistas and surprises round every corner await those who walk the Via di Roma/Via Francigena from Assisi to Rome, which passes through idyllic, hidden corners of rural and historic Umbria and Lazio. The route winds along ancient pathways and through pristine natural environments brimming with rare flora and fauna. Abundant sunshine and flame-hued woodlands make October a truly magical time to hike this trail.
Uniquely, the Saint Francis Walk in the Sacred Valley of Rieti guides hikers through a thousand years of history to six sublimely peaceful mountain sanctuaries and all the key sacred sites associated with San Francesco's own life.
Friendly and welcoming local people and delicious food make for an enchanting and unforgettable experience. A full range of services is available to facilitate the smooth running of visitors’ trips.
www.apt.rieti.it/eng/ www.laviadiromalaviafrancigenadisanfrancesco.com/
Google map: bit.ly/Pv4rQe
In the Umbrian hills, just south of the more famous and crowded Tuscany, lies the medieval town of Gubbio, rich in history and tradition. A lovely place famous for the "Corsa dei Ceri" in which are brought to race through the streets of the city traditional wooden towers. Between the nearby hills, along a pleasant scenic drive brings you to the Tenuta Biscina. A lovely place, a real farm, where I spent very pleasant days admiring the surrounding landscape, savoring dishes in the typical restaurant and walking in the hills. A place of relax where I really recharged and rediscovered a contact with my innermost emotions.
www.biscina.it
Localita' Biscina, Gubbio, Perugia, 06024
+39 (0)(759229730
This is a beautiful apartment on a farm estate in Tuscany that is ideal for families. The apartment is big enough for four and has a decent-sized shared pool with stunning views down the valley. It's about half an hour from Arezzo and there are shops at nearby Anghiari.
www.invitationtotuscany.com/properties/property-detail?property_id=205
Small charming hotel located in a magic medieval village, only 10 km from Saturnia hot springs where you can enjoy great food and wine in a relaxing atmosphere.
The owners Angela and Enrico are very hospitable and welcoming. It is located in a village that is quiet and unspoilt. You can walk up to the high point of the village for fabulous 360 degree views of the surrounding countryside. We had dinner at the hotel for both nights of our stay. The meals were among the best of our trip and were served on the terrace. The quality of the food cooked by Enrico and the setting were both excellent. I would recommend people to stay at Locanda La Pieve and also to have dinner there as well. We spent 16 nights in Italy and this was definitely a highlight of our trip.
www.locandalapieve.it
Via Società Operaia 3, 58055, Semproniano, Saturnia, Grosseto, Tuscany
+390564987252
Google map: bit.ly/SXtQhT
Great selection of food and wine at reasonable prices on the top floor of the monument. Outside and inside seating with the very best panoramic views of Rome for free. Relaxing seating and cosmopolitan atmosphere. Location is between Ancient Rome sights and Renaissance museums. There is also a new sky lift (small charge) to the very top, which is worth a look.
Piazza Venezia, 00186 Roma, Italy
+39 06 678 0664
Google map: bit.ly/PyWPaU
What a surprise. Recommended by another restaurant owner in the city we booked this wonderful inn.
Warm and very friendly welcome by the owner.
The food was great:
Appetizer and celery (good but a little corny for my taste), salt cod fritters (great), potato "gnocchi" with clams and "bottarga" (still remember them ... great), noodles with asparagus, shrimp and squid (excellent) and dessert.
I drank a good white wine of the area (telling the truth four glasses) of a winery I knew. I was pleasantly surprised by both the quality of the dishes and the competence and friendliness of the owner.
I will definitely return! Excellent value for money.
www.trattoriasancarlo.it/
Via David Chiossone, 41 16123 Genoa, Italy
+39(0)10 2534294
Google map: bit.ly/RxOjic
This is a quite bohemian street containing many good restaurants and bars that are well worth a visit, just follow the crowds for the best ones. I would especially recommend Toto located for pizza and jugs of vino frizzante and bar di Marche on via del Borghetto.
www.pizzeriadatoto.com
Via San Valentino, 2, 40122 Bologna, Italy
+39 051 523150
Google map: bit.ly/RAUpsx
A great restaurant, not (quite) in the tourist trap of the old quarter. I had been recommended to eat here by my Couch Surfer host. I lingered outside thinking that it was a little too quiet of an afternoon. I even foolishly perched myself on a chair outside, when I saw a lady enter in. I followed and found the restaurant full of chattering clientele. Having accustomed myself to always eating with friends, it was strange to be a sole diner. I got by ordering in Spanish - I opted for fregola sarda a large bowl of specks of pasta with squid, cherry tomatoes, courgette and garlic. That was just a primi plato, I really can't imagine how on earth I would manage antipasti or a segundi!! The cost for the dish, 1/4 of wine and a big bottle of water was €18.
www.pescedoroalghero.it/ita/home.php
Via Catalogna, 12
+39 079 952 602
Google map: bit.ly/O6qKMq
* BecomingSevillana is our Been there local for Seville. You can read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/seville-local-kim.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/BecomingSevillana.jsp
She also has her own blog: becomingsevillana.blogspot.com/
An ingenious name for a granita bar. I had tested the Spanish variety, granizado, and was disappointed. When invited to try it in Alghero, I was dubious at first recalling an unquenched thirst and plastic-like flavour. There are places that serve up syrup-topped ice in Alghero, but this bar in particular prides itself on using fresh ingredients, which is clear in the flavour of these frosty treats. Affordable and refreshing in the heat of the summer.
Via Kennedy, 16
+39 2415 2332
Google map: bit.ly/SddbfO
* BecomingSevillana is our Been there local for Seville. You can read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/seville-local-kim.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/BecomingSevillana.jsp
She also has her own blog: becomingsevillana.blogspot.com/
For a lighter meal (on the pocket too) this establishment serves up foccacia - large sandwiches. I think I would have been a bit daunted to enter alone, as it was packed to the rafters. You had to make your order first and then queue to collect it. For just 2.50 you can bag a large square with a variety of fillings, but the Milese house special was sliced fresh tomatoes, a layer of tuna, some hard-boiled eggs chopped into pieces, a few anchovies, a layer of rocket salad, a layer of thinly sliced onions and, last but by no means least, a layer of pancetta. All of these layers are seasoned with a special sauce created by Signora Maria, which is top secret!
www.barmilese.it/
Via Garibaldi, 11
+39(0)79952 419
Google map: bit.ly/TcFNDB
* BecomingSevillana is our Been there local for Seville. You can read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/seville-local-kim.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/BecomingSevillana.jsp
She also has her own blog: becomingsevillana.blogspot.com/
Albergo Hotel Ghala is located in Apulia, the most southern portion of the country, the heel on the "boot" of Italy called Salento peninsula. The area is simply amazing, besides being beautiful geologically, it is one of the richest archaeological regions in Italy as well. The hotel is in the Province of Lecce in the small town of Galatone, just a short trip away from the dream-like beaches. The Ghala is a modern hotel with classic features like wooden parquet floors in every room, most of them with either a balcony or a small private garden. We stayed in a double room for 59 Euro per night, which was extremely cheap for a great place like Hotel Ghala. Our room was spacious, the decoration and the furnishing truly elegant and classy, it was bright and sunny, we could see the well kept garden, the flowers and palm trees from the balcony, an unforgettable experience for sure. The receptionists and the staff were extremely friendly and kind, A/C and free wi-fi in every room. Relaxing and having a drink in the roof-top garden was heavenly.
www.hotelghala.it/
Via Giorgio Almirante, 50
Lecce - 73044 Galatone
Italy
Tel. +39 0833 / 88 08 36
For the first time in history, 100 documents have been moved from the Vatican’s Secret Archives and are on display in Rome’s Capitoline Museums until September 12, 2012. Titled “Lux in Arcana” this unprecedented display includes artifacts and manuscripts dating back to the 8th Century. Henry VIII fans will be interested in a letter with official seals dangling pleading for his divorce from Catherine of Aragon. A 197-feet-long parchment scroll is hung like a large roll of paper towels and partially unrolled to reveal about 20 feet of the trial of the Knights Templer in Paris from 1309 to 1311. One of the more surprising documents is a small birch bark letter written in 1887 by the Ojibwe tribe of Ontario, to Pope Leo XIII thanking him for sending them a bishop. The letter addresses the pope as “The Great Master of Prayer.” Contender for the scroll with the greatest affixation of seals – so many they look like a beat-up doormat – is a 1654 document from the Swedish Council approving the abdication of Queen Christina, who converted to Catholicism and moved to Rome. The papal bull excommunicating Martin Luther, the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, the institution of the Julian Calendar, the trials of Galileo and Guido Bruno, and a letter from priests imprisoned in a Nazi death camp are among the wide range of writings demonstrating the intersection of history and the church around the world for more than a millennium. The 12 euro entrance fee also allows entrance into the Capitoline Museums, Rome’s most complete collection of art and artifacts.
en.museicapitolini.org/
Piazza del Campidoglio, Roma, Italy
+39 06 8205 9127
Google map: bit.ly/Nt1fmo
Join Verona's workers for lunch in San Matteo Church. Tucked away off a side street, this self service restaurant serves a good range of salads, pasta and pizza. You can eat very well for under 10 euro with drinks and it's air conditioned too.
www.smatteo.it/
Vicolo San Matteo 1, 37121 Verona (VR)
+39 045 800 45 38
Google map: bit.ly/P6VfjI
Amid the hype about Puglia as the "new Tuscany", thanks to Ryanair flights to Bari and Brindisi, Manduria is a typical Pugliese town off the tourist trail through the likes of Alborobello and Ostuni, but within easy distance of both, and also Lecce, the "Florence of the South". A typical Pugliese town, it offers classical history in the shape of the "Fonte Plinano", a well mentioned by Pliny the Elder, archaeological sites highlighting this part of Italy's Grecian influences, a Romanesque cathedral, an old town and ancient Jewish Ghetto unpolished by tourist-traps, but welcoming to the visitor, and wonderful local cuisine in the shape of the typical dish of "Orichette Rape" (ear-shaped pasta with broccoli) and "Primitivo di Manduria", rustic red wine. Only 10km away is the Ionian coast. A worthwhile trip off Puglia's beaten track.
www.comune.manduria.ta.it/
Google map: bit.ly/Phz8Vb
You can't miss these marvellous beaches if you are touring around Puglia!
- San Pietro in Bevagna (Ionic sea, west)
- Porto Selvaggio (Ionic sea, west)
- Porto Cesario (Ionic sea, west)
- Roca Vecchia (Adriatic sea, east)
- San Foca (Adriatic sea, east)
They are all fantastic places and the best beaches in the region so bear them in mind!
- San Pietro in Bevagna (Taranto)
- Porto Selvaggio (Lecce)
- Porto Cesario (Lecce)
- Roca Vecchia (Lecce)
- San Foca (Lecce)
maps.google.it
How about this for a perfect day out with three children: we rented Assunta Maria, accommodation with a delightful mix of old meets new, with a very modern lamia and traditionally restored Trulli - which keeps cool in the sun so it is brilliant for when the children need shade from the pool.
Head early to ZooSafari in Fasano and make sure your first stop is the Monkey Train. You sit in cages(!) as passengers on a train and you head into the monkey reserve. The monkey's then crawl all over the cages, right above your head and squawk at you until you feed them monkey nuts! The kids are either roaring with laughter or stunned into silence with fear.
Chill out in the afternoon by joining the old men in Ceglie Messapica town square, walking up and down, repeatedly, until those stomach's start rumbling and Aldo's Pizza is just round the corner - the best Pizza in Italy (says my 5 year old nephew Huey - and he is always right!)
Assunta Maria is just outside of Ceglie Messapica:
www.assunta-maria.talktalk.net/
+44 (0)1386 710630
ZooSafari is in Fasano:
www.zoosafari.it
Via dello Zoosafari, 72015 Fasano Brindisi, Italy
+39(0)80 4414455
Google map: bit.ly/RGxaAu
Aldo's Pizza is just outside Ceglie Messapica's town square
An amazing little family run restaurant below ground off one of the main routes to the piazza. We found this looking for a late lunch, were warmly welcomed by the two brothers for whom English was as much of a challenge as Italian was/is to us. We were offered hot or cold lunch and opted for hot. We were treated to course after course of anti pasti including sea food, olives, breads, sausage etc. mid way through this we decided there would be no 'primi piatti" only to be surprised by a steaming bowl of simple but beautiful orecchiette. Lovely wine, and friendly patrons all keen to help out in their pidgin English. A wonderful happy accident finding this place, and two years later we still laugh thinking about it all. Should have been called "Serendipity"!
www.comune.ceglie-messapica.br.it/
Vico VI Orto Nannavecchia
+393389588252
Trulli are typical of the region, circular limestone buildings with a conical roof, each slightly different, kind of resembling a Moor's turban from an Aladdin film. They are dotted around the area, and come in different levels from basic to luxury. Rent one near Ostuni (The White City), only about 10km from the crystal Adriatic, visit different villages for dinner every night from Locorotondo (great outdoor club called Mavu) to a meat feast at Ceglie Messapica, or passegiata at Martina Franca. But maybe best of all is to go to the market in the morning to buy fresh Buratta, Altamura bread, Primitivo wine and orechiette. I'm dreaming again ...
www.vacanzeinpuglia.it
Google map: bit.ly/PQu34q
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