In 2012, we visited Rome in Italy in the mid August high season for Paul’s 30th birthday. We love the Italian way of life, from chic fashion to informal dining and good coffee.
Visiting in the hottest point of the year made sightseeing hard work. Dusty streets and the sheer volume of people had us hunting out quiet bars and piazzas to rest in the shade.
We are early risers so we had all of our main trips and tickets booked for opening time which helped us avoid the crowds and the heat. It also gave us a better chance to view the stunning surroundings. By doing all our important things early in the day, we were very lucky to then have the afternoon to relax and soak up the ambience and atmosphere that Rome is so famed for. We ambled in residential areas and parks, away from the crowds.
Because we got off the tourist track and spent time visiting local bars, shops and cafes we will always remember the trip for those hot summer days of getting a feel of the ‘real’ Rome.
This Valentine’s Day, we are going to try and recreate some of that chilled relaxed vibe with antipasto at a fabulous local Italian restaurant followed by a walk along the coast to blow away those winter cobwebs. We will be heading home and enjoying a movie with some candles lit, Prosecco on ice and some delicious Italian Bacio chocolates which each contain a cute romantic quote.
No work, no phone calls, no emails. Just a day of good company with my lovely husband. Modern life and insane working hours seems to get in the way of quality time so this is will be a much needed change.
Inntravel, a specialist in walking holidays that take you off the beaten track at a more slower pace, have very kindly not only provided me with a gorgeous Italian hamper as part of their #LoveFromItaly campaign, they have also been very kind to give one of my wonderful readers a £50 Carluccio’s voucher so that you too can enjoy a relaxed taste of Italy.
All you need to do to enter is tell me what has been your favourite holiday you’ve ever been on and why.
Competition has now ended.
How lovely 🙂 I went to Rome a few years ago and loved it, it’s not my favourite holiday though, that would have to be a trip to Rhodes a couple of years ago, it was my first ever holiday with Simon and we had the best time, he’s the perfect holiday buddy!
Chloe x
newgirlintoon.co.uk
I loved going to California and vegas. California is so laid back it was amazing and Vegas is great!
My best holiday ever was my first trip to beautiful Sorrento. This was our first trip to Italy & they had freak weather which they hadn’t experienced in over 40yrs. We witnessed the most exciting electrical storms and because we couldn’t sunbathe we went exploring and I had one of those moments when everything in life seems perfect. High up in Ravello we found a perfect hilltop restaurant with views out over the Turquoise sea, perfect husband, pasta, wine and the Sun even made an appearance. Something i will never forget x
marrakesh because the culture was v interesting
To Portugal the people and place are lovely
Japan, to visit my friend. I fell in love with the country, such amazing food, interesting history and culture, and everyone I met was so kind and lovely. I really hope to go back one day.
I loved going to majorca as it was a beautiful place but also the last holiday I had with someone very close to me before they passed away
My best holidays ever was in Bolivia. It is such an amazing country and when I went still pretty tourists free compared to Peru and Brazil or Argentina. The food was amazing and the country itself simply gorgeous. But what really made it for me, is the Bolivian, so nice and completely genuine. We may not have spoken the same language but their willingness to help or get to know you did not faulter. I will definitely go back just for that. I’ll advice everyone to travel by buses. The best way to meet the people and the culture.
My best hols was my honeymoon in the Dominican Republic. I had never flown long haul before, and loved the Caribbean.
New Zealand was the best holiday ever. The people were lovely, everybody made us feel welcome, they would walk past you in the street and smile at you and pass the time of day with you!!!!! The pace of life was as it was here in the UK 30-40 years ago – laid back. The scenery was incredibly beautiful, and you could drive miles without seeing many cars. Loved it, loved it, loved it!
To Bournemouth – our 1st holiday as a family with our little son! 🙂
When we went to Canada it was our first holiday together and we hired a car and done a self drive tour it was amazing and it was also a place I have wanted to since I was child.
Disneyland Florida – seeing the kids faces light up was amazing!
I loved our holiday in Hammamet, Tunisia. The people were so friendly, and the staff at our hotel were so welcoming. We even ended up being roped into providing several nights of ‘entertainment’ as the hotel guests weren’t too keen on volunteering to help out the Entertainment Team. I’ll never forget having to run across a wet stage in heels and having to try and land on a balloon on my boyfriend’s lap without a) falling off the stage or b) breaking his legs. Oh – and I had a phobia of popping balloons at the time :-p
The Maldives, Swam with sharks, turtles and manta rays would highly recommend paradise!
Rome as the history and food were amazing
My best holiday was a break to Barcelona as it was my first trip abroad at the ripe old age of 35. I love the food, the culture, the people, the shopping and the beauty of the place.
Las vegas – becuase it was so much fun – an adults playground!
On our 40th wedding anniversary we went to the Galapagos islands – simply breath taking and unique.
I went to Kos in Greece 6 years ago and it was amazing simply because it was the first holiday I ever had with my partner and it showed us we were ready to live together.
Visiting family in Australia for 2 weeks went swimming with Dolphins and the weather and whole experience was amazing x
i went to majorca when the kids awere little and we had such a great family time, it was our only time abroad
Absolutely love Italy always wanted to visit Rome but still have not managed to yet. My favourite Holiday would have to be three weeks in America when i was a kid such a big place was amazing great views.
Florida because its the best place on earth !
Would have to be Mauritius as we got married there. Hoping to go back later this year for our silver wedding anniversary. 🙂
Oh how I would love to visit Italy! <3 My favourite holiday has to be Costa Brava in Spain a few years ago. We stayed at an all inclusive hotel that was just a short journey to Barcelona, so it was really the best of both worlds! xx
a couple of weeks in Lanzarote a few years back. Loads of activities for the children, loads of sleeping for me.
Hawaii because it was our honeymoon and it was wonderful
New Zealand- it’s such a beautiful country
My favourite holiday was to central america. I married my husband in Belize, where we were able to explore the beautiful coast and jungle. Then we went to Guatemala where we explored the ancient ruins at Tikal. Just breathtaking!
We bought an old scruffy boat and planned a fortnight on theRiver Cam system, starting only 20 miles from home. The whole holiday was blessed with scorching weather – we spent as much time as we could in the river not on it. As we were so close to home, our teenagers friends could join us in rotation for a couple of days each.
To cap it all, one night in the second week, we sat out n the cockpit with a bottle of wine, and a firework display started up nearby.
A trip to Paris with friends just after we finished our A-levels – a real treat and brilliant memories of getting lost on the metro!
sri lanka so much to do and people are lovely
My favourite holiday was last year when we toured Europe on our motorbike. We passed through Italy and visited Verona to see the opera Aida and we went to Venice which was sensational. I have so many memories.
My favorite holiday is when me and my husband with our friends went on a road trip from new york to Miami via Washington. It was so much fun..each and every minute of that holiday is unforgettable!!
I went to Valencia back in 2012 with family for a 60th birthday and stayed in a villa 2 minutes from the beach. It was the scenery and the general friendliness of the people that made the holiday, we found it to be a very relaxing area with plenty of amenities within walking distance.
The highlight of the holiday was a mixture of climbing a mountain to visit a remote village and hiring bikes to ride the coastal paths to find small restaurants where locally sourced ingredients were used to make some of the best food I’ve had on holiday.
Defiantly a place I’d revisit 🙂