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When my darling husband first asked me where we should spend our honeymoon, one thought immediately popped into my head… Italy!
Of course we tossed around a bunch of other ideas:
What about a hut on the water in the Maldives?
A bungalow in Tulum?
A villa on the beach in the South of France?
But nothing felt as good as that very first instinct. My heart was singing: Italy, Italy, Italy.
If you couldn’t already tell (if Ambrosini hasn’t given it away!) I am half Italian. My Dad was born in Italy and didn’t come to Australia until he was 9 years old. He couldn’t speak a word of English, and as a young chap had to find his feet as an immigrant in a foreign land.
I have always felt such a strong pull to Italy after hearing all the tales from my Dad as I was growing up. I have a deep connection and love for that place, especially after visiting for the first time back in 2008 with my family. We sailed the coast, and having Dad by my side was incredible. He knows so much about the history, culture, and architecture, and I loved hearing about all of it. Sitting listening to all his stories, I felt such a connection to the culture and the people… I was like a sponge, soaking up every word.
So within days of that first discussion about our honeymoon — and with a deep yearning inside me that I couldn’t ignore — it was decided we were going to Italy, baby!
Treviso, Venice, Ischia, Capri, Positano and Rome were our destinations. And with absolutely NO expectations in sight, every place blew my mind. I had a love affair with each and every stop. Now if I had been laden with expectations, I might have closed myself off to having a full, open and real experience, but because I had none, I was able to be present and stay open to whatever unfolded.
Travel really pushes you out of your comfort zone. No longer are you surrounded by the safety of your usual four walls, the security of your familiar foods, or the luxury of your own bed. It stretches you (in a good way) deeper than any healing session or yoga class can. Which is why I love it so much.
I never used to though. In fact, the thought of getting on a plane used to send my anxiety sky high. I would have panic attacks as soon as we took off — and then again when we were landing — out of fear of the unknown. Even a Xanax couldn’t calm my nerves. Now I bungee jump into it. (Oh how times have changed.)
There is also a degree of surrender we must cultivate when we travel. Letting go of our comforts and leaning into the experience and the adventure is a must when travelling.
In saying that, there are also some things you don’t have to compromise on, if you don’t desire to… Case in point? Eating well whilst in Italy.
There’s a common misconception that when you go to Italy, all there is to eat is pizza, pasta, and gelato. People accept that they’re gonna put on 6 kgs and feel sluggish by the end of their holiday. But you know what? That couldn’t be further from the truth.
Although I was a little worried about the whole food thing prior to take off, my husband reassured me that I would be able to get fresh seafood and veggies where ever we went. And he was absolutely right. The whole trip we ate gluten, dairy and sugar free. Everything was local, fresh and some was wild. Most places even pick the veggies straight from their organic garden — you can’t get fresher than that.
So you definitely don’t have to sacrifice the way you eat even whilst in Italy.
You also don’t have to completely kick your healthy lifestyle to the curb. We meditated twice a day every day, I did yoga every morning, I dry body brushed daily, and we walked miles and miles up stairs, through windy streets and up and down hills (sometimes carrying 15-20 kgs of luggage). I actually finished our honeymoon feeling fitter than when we departed! I also took my Tribest Personal Blender (a big thanks to one of my favourites The Raw Food Store for sending this to me for the trip!), and when we could, we went to the markets and bought some fresh produce to make green smoothies in our hotel. We also filled up our water bottles with chia seeds for an omega 3 hit, and added nourishment throughout the day whilst we were out and about.
So without further ado, today I want to share with you all my Italy highlights from the must-do’s and must-see’s (not to mention, the must-eats!) from our Italian love-fest adventure.
Let’s take it from the top…
Venice
Where We Stayed
This is a beautiful hotel, and the staff were so lovely and helpful. They even upgraded our room because we were on honeymoon. It had a gorgeous rooftop terrace where we did yoga and soaked up the afternoon sun, plus a steam room where we snuck in some extra detox sessions. On arrival, they offered us a bottle of Italy’s finest because we were on honeymoon, but we gracefully declined because we don’t drink. Instead, they brought a beautiful fruit platter to our room — so thoughtful!
Where We Ate
The food here was delicious. We got the mixed seafood platter to share, with a big plate of grilled greens, grilled local fish with mushrooms, and sea bass. Bellissimo!
This place had a very authentic Italian feel and it was off the tourist track, which is my kinda restaurant. We ate fresh seafoods, grilled veggies and green salad. The seafood I had in Venice was the freshest I have ever tasted.
Situated on the colourful island of Burano (which is a short boat ride from Venice) this restaurant was recommended by Jamie Oliver, and is famous for its risotto. Although I didn’t have the risotto, we had the most delicious fresh seafood — razor clam, scallops, grilled squid, steamed spinach, and loads of other fresh local fish — plus a gorgeous green salad.
This restaurant is part of a beautiful five star hotel right on the Grand Canal. The staff were so lovely and the food was amazing. Quite possibly one of the best meals I have ever had. The tuna steak, liver, squid and beef tartare were incredible.
Highlights
Getting lost in the streets with my husband. Everywhere you turn, there is something theatrical going on. We were there at the end of August and it was very busy. If you don’t like crowds, this is not the place for you.
Ischia
Where We Stayed
This beautiful castle was an old monastery. It had its own extensive organic garden and incredible views. It was beyond anything I have ever experienced before in my life. I felt like a real princess.
We stayed here for 8 days to really unwind and relax, and it was like staying at your Nonna’s home. There are only 7 rooms and you literally have Nonna Maria in the kitchen cooking for you all day. Her food was amazing and once we explained we don’t eat gluten, she was bringing out some of the best food I have ever had — fresh seafood caught that day, wild rabbit, eggs, grilled sardines, veal, fresh crunchy salads, organic veggies and herbs straight from the garden out back.
Where We Ate
The castle has one main restaurant and a cafe open during the day. We ate at both! All the veggies and herbs are from within the garden walls, so it was incredibly fresh and tasty. For dinner, we had wild rabbit, seafood chowder and cooked vegetable salad. Eating our evening meal in the castle with that breathtaking view was truly an experience. We also had a delicious fresh tuna salad in the cafe for lunch.
Il Mosaico (2 Michelin stars).
I had never eaten at a Michelin-starred restaurant before, let alone one with two stars. To be totally honest with you, the whole fancy-shmancy restaurant thing doesn’t really float my boat — give me sustainable, local, fresh, organic real food in a shack and I am happy! However, this was beyond anything I have ever experienced. With only 5 tables in the restaurant — and 2-3 waiters per table — you’re bound to get special attention. I had no preconceived ideas about this place, but if I had known it was going to be so fancy, I would have worn something a little more spesh!
The staff were so lovely and very accommodating, with loads of gluten free options. (And it’s worth mentioning that every single place we ate at in Italy had gluten free options and were more than happy to accommodate us.)
Each meal that came out was presented like food theatre. It was real art, and you could truly tell how much love, care and detail went into each dish. We ordered an entree and main each, but ended up having ten courses (yep — ten!) The other eight were suprise gifts from the chef. Every time they brought something else out from the kitchen, it was presented like a show. We were thoroughly entertained.
We didn’t order dessert, and as we were about to leave, we walked past a beautiful wooden antique chest of drawers that displayed handmade chocolates, cakes, lollies, tartlets and biscuits. The maitre d‘ told us to choose whatever we wanted and guided us toward the gluten free options. As she ushered us to the door, she said, thank you so much for coming, I have one more gift for you. She then handed me a cute little white gift-bag with a pink ribbon, and told us that the chef had made us a gluten free chocolate cake to take home! Ten out of ten for service, that’s for sure!
We didn’t leave this place the whole eight days we were there. We ate breakfast, lunch and dinner here every day because it was so good and fresh. They got fresh local seafood every morning from the port, and Nonna Maria picked everything from her garden. Nothing beats home cooked food sprinkled with a whole lotta love!
Highlights
Ischia has over 150 thermal springs, however a lot of them have chlorine (which I choose not to swim in). But we found a natural thermal spring which only the locals know about. It’s called Sorrento beach and was really one of the most beautiful things I have even seen. The cafe there is really delicious too, with loads of options like fresh fish, grilled squid, veggies and salads.
Re-wilding expert Daniel Vitalis says that us humans are walking aquariums. He goes on and on about the importance of the water we drink, so to find out there was a natural spring behind Oasi La Vigna was awesome. Every day we would go fill up bottles and bottles of natural spring water for the day. I also washed my face with it and my skin has never felt so soft and smooth. You could definitely taste the difference compared to the fluoride contaminated ‘water’ we have back home.
Ischia is the place where the Italians go to holiday. It’s like Capri in the 60s. It isn’t overrun with tourism, and the people were so friendly and welcoming. It was very different to some of the other more commercial places we visited.
Terme Cavascura Antiche Terme Romane was another highlight. This place was like an outdoor thermal day spa. Hidden deep in the canyon, away from the beach and foot traffic, you wouldn’t even know it existed. After the long hike through the canyon, you are rewarded with a real sauna inside the mountain — not a smelly, wooden, man-made box, but a real sauna that is heated from the volcanic rocks. There are Roman baths carved into the stone which are filled with spring water and mud body-masks to help detox your body. Definitely a must if you visit Ischia.
Ischia is known as the green island because of its beautiful lush green surroundings. It is also home to so many beautiful plants, so a visit to the Giardini La Mortella was a must. These flourishing gardens were created in 1958 by Lady Susana Walton, the wife of the English composer Sir William Walton.
And finally: I made it on the Ischia news, which was pretty funny. You can check it out here.
Capri
Where We Stayed
We actually booked a villa on the beach through Airbnb, but when we arrived, we discovered that it definitely didn’t look like its pictures. It was disgusting and dirty, so we left straight away and found this cute B&B with a beautiful garden instead. It was very clean and quiet — exactly what we wanted — and had only three rooms. It’s away from the hustle and bustle of the main town and had great service.
Where We Ate
This is a must in Capri. You want to eat and chill on the deck here all day if you can. We ate in the restaurant first, and had the most succulent, juicy scallops I have ever tasted, fresh oysters (I have never liked oysters until these), whole fresh fish and grilled veggies. After our meal, the waiter pulled out my chair and asked if I wanted to see the ‘dessert room’. I thought I had misunderstood, but she ushered me toward a room out the back. Yep, a room completely dedicated to desserts.
If the beautiful walk along the garden edge isn’t enough, you then get to sit down at your table with a view of the sun setting over the Faraglioni. Amazing service, and the food was — again — beyond delicious.
Let go of expectations and you open yourself up to a full experience.
There are two ways to get to La Grotelle. The first is a 15 minute walk from the town center, and the second is the hour-long walk along the cliff, through caves, and up and down hundreds of stairs. We took the second option, thinking it couldn’t be that bad. By the end, my legs were trembling and felt like jelly, but it was well worth it. As the sun was setting and the sky started to turn pastel pink, we puffed and panted until we reach La Grotelle, which means ‘little cave’. This place is off the tourist track in a little cave with a Nonna cooking out back. The service was … not the best … but the view and walk were well worth it.
Highlights
Walking through the town of Capri at night, with the buzzing atmosphere and people from all over the world. After having loads of down time in Ischia it was fun to be amongst all the action at night.
This was one of my favorite things from the whole trip. La Fontlina is the best beach club in Capri. It’s situated on the water in front of the Faraglioni. You can either get to it by boat, or walk down hundreds of stairs to get there. We did the stairs, of course (!). The food was incredible, and the atmosphere was awesome. You can hire a bed and umbrella and chill out all day. The water is crystal clear and you can even hire snorkelling gear if you wish. Absolutely a must do.
Chilling on the deck here after lunch was awesome, and swimming in the deep blue water was so refreshing.
Positano
Where We Stayed
This was our favourite hotel of the trip. We had breathtaking views from our massive balcony and the staff were so helpful. It’s a bit of a walk up from the port, so don’t bring many bags!
Where We Ate
This place was a short walk from our hotel and had a beautiful view. Again, it was great food — fresh, local, and super tasty. We had lamb chops, salad, and marinated anchovies.
A car will pick you up from your hotel, as it’s really high up and you can’t walk. This place was one of my favorites. It was a little slice of heaven — so cute and quaint with amazing food. We had a massive seafood chowder, meat balls in Nonna’s homemade tomato sauce, grilled veggies and fresh olives. This is must if you come to Positano.
This place was also a short walk from our hotel. We had succulent scallops, seafood platter, fresh veggies, and veal and pork rolls in Nonna’s tomato sauce. All delicious.
Again, another absolute must-do in Positano. The view is beyond stunning and very romantic. We sat on the balcony overlooking their organic garden, where they pick all the food from. Again, great fresh food. This place is also a fair way up, so a car will pick you up from your hotel.
Highlights
Da Adolfo is a restaurant and beach spot only a short boat-ride from the main port. We went here every day because the food was so good and the vibe was awesome. You have to reserve a table and chairs, as they book out very fast. Grab the free boat with the red fish from the port at around 11:30am and get the last boat back at 6pm.
Rome
Where We Ate
The slow food founder Carlo Petrini highly recommends this place, and he wasn’t wrong. It’s hidden away, so make sure you get a taxi driver who knows where he is going. It’s very authentic and traditional — no tourists go here. The menu is in Italian, and the restaurant was full of locals, not a tourist in sight. I had been eating so much fresh local seafood, veggies and salad that my body was craving meat and good quality fats. I ordered the meatballs in tomato sauce, and holy moly was it good. It definitely hit the spot!
We ate here with my beautiful friend Claudia and her partner. Again, it was a very traditional Romain experience. I ate the best veal I have ever taste plus some beautiful steamed greens.
This place is again, not where tourists go — if you want fine-dining, this is not for you! It’s very local and basic, but real Roman food. The menu is in Italian and the food is very traditional. We had oxtail and offal.
This place is a beautiful deli / restaurant. Very high quality, with the price tag to match. We stopped past here on the way to the airport to pick up some goodies for a picnic dinner on the plane. We got olives, veggies, steamed broccoli and greens, mouthwatering ham and pork.
Organic Shops
After a bit of research, we found 3 organic shops where we could stock up on coconut oil, ghee, chia seeds, coconut milk, avocados etc throughout our trip. And let it be said: scouting out good organic health food stores is one of the best ways to make sure you’re nourishing yourself while travelling! In Venice, we found the Rialto Biocenter, in Ischia, there was a pharmacy that stocked some healthy favourites on the main street of Ischia Porto, while in Rome we went back to my hubby’s favourite Biomens.
So, my darling, that was our Italian adventure! Now I’d love to hear from you — Do you have any favourite spots in Italy? And do you have any go-to travel tips for staying healthy while you’re wandering the globe?
Thank you, as always, for your heart-fueled generosity in the comments. You rock my world.
And before I go you might like to check out my Travel Like A Goddess: My Best Travel Tips EVER post and My 14 Tips For Feeling Fresh When Flying post.
Wow amazing! This was such a great read Mel. Thanks for sharing. I’ll be bookmarking this post for when I explore Italy one day. Lots of love xxx
LAKE COMO!! Favourite place in the world (so far!).
Great tips, thanks Melissa. Loved following your travels on your instagram xx
Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou … it was a wonderful read. I loved it!
SJ
<3 Love this. Love you. Love it all!
Did you get a chance to go to Cinque Terre at all? I really want to hike there one day. Ahh to have access to a spring in Italy. My heart melts…
I have been before honey so I didn’t go on this trip. It’s beautiful though you would love it.
I know the spring was awesome. The best water I have ever tasted.
xx
This is the best Mel! Next time I will be hitting up some of these beautiful places. If anyone ever goes to London they must visit Wholefoods, it is amazing!
Welcome back & Happy Honeymoon! Great writeup, I felt like I was there and I am salivating after all those delicious food descriptions! Italy is a fave. I love Cinque Terre, a short train ride from La Spezia in the north. The five villages are all gorgeous & unique and the Via Dell’Amore (Lovers Walk) is unforgettable. Nothing like getting fit while soaking up stunning views with your love (and enduring some treacherous moments on some well worn narrow paths!).
Looks like an amazing trip beautiful! I spent about 3 months in Florence and with a bit of hunting found some organic food stores there too, as well as 3 or 4 vegan restaurants (one raw!) which I have to say surprised the heck out of me! Next time I’ll have to explore further – thanks for sharing gorgeous girl. xxx
Hi Melissa,
I’d be really interested to know what you eat whilst on such a long plane trip? And also why you don’t swim in Chlorine? Absolutely loved reading all about your amazing honeymoon! x
Hi honey,
I always take my own food on the plane. I never eat plane food, you actually couldn’t pay me to eat it. For long fights I take things like macadamias, herbals teas, avo’s, green apples, coconut butter, olives, cultured veggies, boiled eggs etc and I make sure I eat a big meal before hand so I am not hungry.
Short flights I usually wont eat or take anything.
Chlorine is a toxic chemical that wipes out all your good bateria. It’s absorbed transdermally and upsets the delicate balance of your internal flora. You can read more about chlorine in pools here honey http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/12/03/avoid-swimming-pools-if-you-have-allergies-or-asthma.aspx
Did that help?
Hi Melissa,
Thanks so much for the love and effort that went into this post. Just wondering where you stayed in Rome? I’m just about to book some accomodation there myself for a trip in October and would love a recommendation 🙂
Grazie!
Melissa
Hi Melissa – awesome name 😉
The reason I didn’t put my Rome hotel on the list is because I wouldn’t recommend it. I would check out Trip Advisor honey http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/ – there are so many great hotels on here.
Enjoy Rome.
xx
Thank you so much xx
This post was incredibly helpful, my husband and I are thinking of spending our 20th Wedding Anniversary in Italy next year, However, I have a fear of flying, and dont travel very well so I am worried I wont cope with the long plane trip and then the anxiety of being in a foreign country. I hate the thought of fear preventing me from missing out on something I may love, could you offer any advice to compat this?
Hi Kat,
WOW! 20th anniversary congrats my darling.
I actually wrote a big post about this which you can check out here >>> http://melissaambrosini.bitnamiapp.com/health/feeling-fresh-when-flying
Have a read and let me know how you go, and remember don’t let fear stop you from doing anything, feel the fear and do it anyway beautiful.
xx
This sounds incredible! Thanks for sharing.
WOW! What a honeymoon. I really enjoyed reading your journey it sounded just purely amazing. I have never had a desire to travel but after reading what you wrote it made me want to go to Italy! Thank you for sharing.
Lovely to read about your travels. Italy’s an amazing and beautiful place, I’ll have to check out your suggestions next time I’m there.
I’m super impressed with you taking a blender with you (!). That’s the thing I find most challenging about being in hotels (I stay in them for work a lot), the food. being vegetarian in some countries is easy – but in others it’s bread and dairy all the way as the alternatives which don’t hugely agree with me.
How do others manage this challenge?
Ellen x
Ah, my darling- I’m so glad you had such a gorgeous time. All these photos bring me back to my travels in Italy. There’s no other country like it! xx
Thanks for this Melissa. LOVED IT! We are currently planning our wedding in Italy next year somewhere on the Amalfi coast. I lived in Italy for a year and I’m totally bewitched by it as a country. Did you prefer Ischia or Capri? I’v never been to Ischia but it looks amazing 🙂 Big love, E xo
Hey Emma,
They are both SO different. Ischia is not overrun with tourist, where as Capri is very busy and full of tourist. They are both beautiful honey so it depend what you want.
HI Melissa,
Looks like you had a wonderful honeymoon in Italy! Im so glad you enjoyed the Tribest blender, and you were able to continue with your healthy habits x Love Sarah – The Raw Food Store x
I LOVE it. Thank you so much. We still use it almost every day at home. It’s awesome!
Thank you again.
xx
My favourite country is Italy! We stayed in the township of Amalfi in a self contained apartment which was in fact a renovated paper mill. We love walking the Path of the Gods which is a 3-4 hour walk on the cliffs above the Amalfi Coast starting from Bomerano and ending in Positano – descending 1770 steps. We stop half way at Nocella for a meal – seafood and fresh salad from the chefs garden. Another highlight was our cooking course at Ravello where we picked our own food from the 4 star hotels organic vege garden. Our daughter was 11 at the time and joined in with everything. She is now 14 and loves travelling. Italy is such a special place for us – Stresa on Lake Maggorie, Venice, the Cinque Terre. I could go on and on. And yes, with all the walking, swimming and healthy eating, we came home fitter and stronger as well as richer for the experience. We have been to Italy 3 times and would not hesitate to return. Highly recommended!
Sounds amazing honey. That cooking class sounds awesome. I think I will do that next time 😉
xx
Thanks Mel. It’s so lovely to hear about your adventures.
I was in Venice just before you were, so it was great to see your instagram pictures of places I’d just seen!
It is amazing how when you let go and just go with what the universe has to offer what experiences you have. We just by chance booked onto a tour of the islands around Venice, including Burano which was my favourite. And just happened across the Rialto Biocenter when walking the maze of streets so I could pick up some coconut water and kefir.
Fermented food is what I missed most while in Italy. Did you find any?
oh me too honey I LOVE fermented veggies and no I didn’t find any but I wasn’t really looking. Let me know if you do find any?
Ah loved reading this. Italy is an amazing place, there is a beautiful place called Pisciotta about 2 hours south of Naples where we are having our wedding next year. Very excited and planning a mini moon in Italy after wards, will be keeping these recommendations in mind. x
Oh how exciting you’re getting married there. We thought about getting married there but decided to do it here. I wish you all the best honey. Send me some pic’s.
xx
Hi Mel i love keeping in touch with your blog.
Your holiday looks beautiful!
I’ve just come back from Italy
I’m from the south so i spent most of my holiday there
And enjoyed beach, fresh local food, kind people to chat to,
Music, dance just amazing. I try to go every few years, its so important to me to keep going back regularly otherwise i feel i loose touch and also become way too comfortable! Italy is a perfect place to regain reality and bring back that beautiful lifestyle of enjoying yourself! And not over working!
Love connie xxx
Melissa, darling, you are my hero. This is the best post I’ve ever read, because it tells you to be an eagle and not a chicken in your own life choices. I used to think myself that Italy=pizza+pasta ONLY, but now I know that it’s all the matter of your choice. Cheers to choosing YOU first. I will definitely share it with my tribe. This is such an awesome example of how you can actually love yourself in a very practical level. Thank you, honey! xoxo
Hello,
Thank you for such a detailed post! Hoping to visit Italy next year so will definitely bookmark this!!
I really admire how you stuck to your healthy eating. Whenever I go on holiday I think-‘it’s my holiday I will treat myself to ice cream,pizza etc’
How do you stop yourself from having that mentality?? I know what I should eat but when eating out I find it’s often too hard to resist- especially all the amazing deserts! How do you do it?!
Love your posts!
Xx
Hey Sarah,
I never stop myself from doing anything. I do however ask myself am I eating this out of love or fear? If the honest answer is love then go for it, but usually it’s fear. I love my body so much that I want to nourish it, take care of it and really look after it and I know ice cream isn’t going to do that. I did the whole trip with no sugar, gluten or dairy and I felt amazing. Just because you’re on holidays doesn’t mean you have to let yourself go. Don’t use that as an excuse my love. Choose to love yourself and nourish your body with the best you can find.
I hope that helps beautiful.
xx
One more question- really interesting article on chloride land swimming. What brand of water filter do you use for all your drinking water?
Thanks
Sarah
Hey honey,
Ultimately I would have tanks and be drinking rain water but until we build our home a water filter will have to do. I have a bench top filter similar to these http://watershop.com.au/countertop/ in my kitchen.
Grander Water Technology is awesome and something you could look into http://www.grander.com.au/
I hope this helps honey.
xx
I’m so jealous you went to Ischia Melissa!.
One of my favourite movies; ‘Avanti’ with Jack Lemmon & Juliette Mills is filmed there. If you can find it I recommend watching it. There is a beautiful line that Jack says to Juliette right at the end of the movie that is probably my favourite movie line. Add in the scenery and the music and its quite the classic. I love the escapism that comes from watching a good flick!
Thanks for the suggestion Dolly. I can’t wait to check it out.
xx
Lovely honeymoon recap, so glad the food is just like I hoped in Italy.
Thank you for all the spectacular details of your trip! My husband and I are planing on spending 2 weeks in Italy May 2015 to celebrate our 15th anniversary. We love b&b’s. such an amazing way to learn about the culture and people. I saw you mentioned one in Capri. If you have other recommendations I would love to hear.
Hi Michele,
WOW! 15 years how beautiful. I hope you guys have the best time ever.
The second place we stayed at in Ischia Oasi La Vigna http://www.oasilavigna.com/ was a B&B also. You could check that out. Other than that I don’t have any other recommendations. Every where else we stayed was a hotel.
Have an amazing time darling and make sure you check out the restaurants on this list.
xx
Hi all , Tuscany has so much to offer . For the true Italian village feel, try Siena , Lucca and San Gimignano .
Thanks for sharing all these great eating places. My hubby & I are off to Italy in 6 weeks. We are both gluten intolerant,so comforting to hear we won’t have any problems. I look forward to trying out some of these restaurants!
Hi Deborah,
I was in Italy last month, there’s a book called The Gluten Free Guide to Italy which lists all gluten-free friendly restaurants in each place. It is worth picking up a copy if you haven’t already. You can plan in advance and stay close to somewhere you can eat (and relax).
Good luck x
Hey Melissa, really enjoyed this blog post. I love that when I head to Italy one day I can refer back to this blog and the trip will be half planned! Hehe
Have you been on a holiday to NZ and written a blog about it? 🙂
I’m heading there over the chrissy break!
Hi Jodey,
Yes make sure you bookmark this post. I have been to NZ a few times but haven’t done a post on it. One day sweetie.
Enjoy your trips.
xx
Looks like an amazing trip. That photo of you is absolutely gorgeous – it captures the ‘Italian Moment’ perfectly. I still have to get to Italy – it is on my travel bucket list.
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What a great guide! : ) I know what to do the next time!
I was in Positano last summer and it was amazing!
– M
http://www.melodynguyen.dk
Hi Melissa,
love your site, and I was wondering whether i could share your Italian blog to my blog page , please have a look at what I am doing with the Italian Lifestyle, which i am passionate about. With your Italian heritage i would love to hear what you think.
My business is new, but we have been visiting at least one region of Italy every year for the past decade. We specialise in “Off the beaten track” destinations, and have some amazing product to share with our guests.
Now Im turning passion into a lifestyle business. !!
Fully understand if you are already tied in with a travel company but selfishly i need to grow a community .
I am about to run a full Google campaign which i know will work so if you would like to link please contact me to see what opportunities there might be.
I have 2 partners in Italy both members of the Slow Food Association of Italy
Hey Bruce,
I am not 100% sure what you are asking, do you want to share the link to my post on your page? Is that correct?
Wonderful article! Italy is on my list of places to go! Just wondering how you overcame your travel anxiety.
Hey Lisa, One of the best things that has helped me with anxiety is meditation. Have you tried meditating yet? Give it a ago daily and see if that helps. It’s worked wonders for me. xx
Italy certainly does have much to offer: spectacular cities, ancient ruins, wonderful museums, soaring mountains, great beaches, and beautiful natural scenery.
Morning Dune Bashing Dubai
Your Italian love affair sounds absolutely enchanting! Reading about your stay, culinary adventures, and all the juicy highlights has me daydreaming of my own Italian escapade. The picturesque landscapes, mouthwatering cuisine, and rich cultural experiences you’ve shared truly capture the essence of Italy’s charm. Grazie for whisking us away on this virtual journey filled with amore and culinary delights!
Desert Dune Buggy Dubai
You are so welcome. Now I’m daydreaming about it too. xx