We had the most unexpectedly lovely afternoon in Lucca yesterday. The town was once the hub of silk production in Italy and is filled with churches and rich merchants' towers. The merchants built the towers with single rooms on each floor: bottom commercial, second living, third bedroom, etc and kitchen at the top with a... Continue Reading →

There are waaaaaay worse places to be lost than Tuscany, so I'm not complaining (too much) about how many times we misplaced our route yesterday. But let me start at the beginning. Our gorgeous country retreat does everything so so well. Breakfast even includes a huge honeycomb dispensing the local sticky stuff. Classy! After brekkie... Continue Reading →

I only gave you half the holiday story. I've been holding out on you ... DD flew to Rome to meet me on Sunday night. Lucky me! The rain was absolutely bucketing down when he arrived, so he was drenched when he finally puddled into the hotel from the station. But we only had one... Continue Reading →

My ex was waiting for us when we pulled into Rome Termini Station yesterday morning. It was time for me to say goodbye to the kids for three weeks. We hugged and kissed and I wished them a good holiday. Then they were gone, without a backward glance. You know you've created a secure environment... Continue Reading →

Our Naples hotel, Il Convento, is in a great part of the city. It's a block into the Spanish Quarter, right near the bustling Via Toledo. Via Toledo is full of boutiques and buskers and market stalls and thousands of boisterous, strolling locals. Our backstreet is crammed with little shops selling fresh fruit, seafood, deli... Continue Reading →

Things didn't get off to the best start with our Pompeii adventure. I decided we should take the tourist bus there. But could I find the bus stop in the relentless rain - after paying 35 euros for our tickets? No, I could not. Various helpful Napolitanos pointed us in various unhelpful directions before we... Continue Reading →

I was nervous about spending three nights in Naples. One friend told me it was a horrible place, while my mum begged me not to go out after dark because she'd heard it was the Mafia capital of Italy (she's also convinced Mt Vesuvius is about to blow). But I've found myself unexpectedly charmed by... Continue Reading →

While visiting the Blue Grotto, the youngest gazed longingly at the little wooden boats anchored around the entrance with their stripey canopies and cushioned prows. She was desperate to go sailing in one. I quite fancied the idea of circumnavigating the island in one myself, so I Googled the cost - 150 euros for two... Continue Reading →

Let's walk to the Blue Grotto, I said. It'll be fun, I said ... And it was for the first 30 minutes, as we meandered down tiny lanes, peeking into gardens and plucking grapes from the vines hanging over fences. Then we hit the major roadway and things got a bit hairy because despite the... Continue Reading →

DD likes to tease me. I sent him a snap of the view from our B&B in Capri yesterday and he replied "Looks like Avalon." Cue hooded glare at mobile screen. Does a woman who has trekked 1.5km with her luggage and two kids to Rome Termini train station, negotiated the extremely vague departures board,... Continue Reading →