Archive for the 'Italy' Category

The final day of our extraordinary European trip with Trafalgar Tours had unfortunately arrived.  Thankfully, the day was packed full of more unforgettable experiences in three magnificent parts of Italy: Tuscany, Florence, and Rome.  Before our last Be My Guest experience, we made a quick stop at Piazzale Michelangelo — arguably the best place for a panoramic view of Florence that promises to take your breath away.

If you are not fortunate enough to visit The Academy to see David, do not worry because the famous square, which is dedicated to the prolific Renaissance sculptor Michelangelo himself, has an impressive replica of him.

As well as a replica of the four allegories found in the Medici Chapel of San Lorenzo.  While the originals are made of white marble, the copies are made of bronze.

In front of me was one of the best view’s the world has to offer, however my eyes were drawn to something else.  Since it was 11/11/11, seven couples from China had decided to celebrate the auspicious day by getting married in Piazzale Michelangelo.  Our timing was perfect, as we arrived just as two weddings were taking place.

Having been recently married myself, I could not help but get emotional watching these young couples in love commit the rest of their lives together with such a romantic backdrop.

As we were leaving the square I happened to spot one of the wedding present’s.

My Italian Travel Director Marco whispered in my ear, “In Italy, the couple that drives a Lamborghini together, stays together.”  Maybe I should have had my wedding in Italy and not Argentina?

Florence, the second time around, did not cease to amaze me.  It had been a decade since I had visited the city, yet as soon as I began wandering around, it felt like it had only been days since everything seemed surprisingly familiar.  Trafalgar Tours presented our group with two choices: a tour of The Academy or shopping time.  I chose to do the former, even though I had previously been there.  I would never turn down the opportunity to get up close and personal with the “world’s most handsome man.”

Cameras are strictly prohibited within the museum.  If our guide had not started off the tour by informing us that the reason why cameras are not allowed is because the gift shop wants our money, then I would have followed the rule.  However, I believe that some rules are made to be broken and since the statues would not be harmed by me taking some pictures without a flash, I decided to sneak a couple with both my iPhone and DSLR.

Michelangelo is one of the most talented and prolific artists to ever grace this planet and his genius is evident inside The Academy.  The statue of David does not disappoint and the history behind it is fascinating.  I highly recommend paying extra for a tour if you should find yourself there.

As karma would have it, both of my cameras began to die and while I would have loved more pictures, I decided to save my remaining battery lives for downtown Florence.  Less than a five minute walk away from the museum is another artistic wonder — the Duomo.  I attended a traditional Latin mass there during my first trip to Florence and it is something that I will never forget, as I have never felt so authentically transported to another era before.

One of the fellow journalist’s on the trip and I decided to go off on our own for the rest of the evening.  She was very familiar with the city and also spoke Italian, thus she played guide.  Before we set off on our adventure though, we decided that a trip to Florence was incomplete without some gelato.

Florence continues to become more multicultural and cosmopolitan than its reputation for style, delicious food and wine, and passion for art.  It is truly one of the greatest cities in the world to photograph, especially at night when it shimmers and the cars dance through the neighborhoods with people out having fun.  Fair warning: the Florentine lifestyle is addictive and many tourists fall in love with the city and adopt is as their second home.

To end the day on the perfect note, my companion and I looked for the pizzeria with the most locals inside.  Once we found it, we shared a large margarita pizza and bottle of wine.  We toasted to our last night in Tuscany — tomorrow we would journey to Rome!

No matter if you enjoy being on a guided vacation or not, there is no question that most local guides are going to know about certain spots in the city that you are currently visiting that you would have never discovered on your own.  Trafalgar Tours has a reputation for having the best Travel Directors in the world, because each of them have thoughtfully selected the most extraordinary “Hidden Treasures” to share with their group of travelers.  One of the best examples of this is San Miniato al Monte.  Before going into downtown Florence, Marco our Italian Travel Director, took us to this basilica.  It is one of his favorite places, since it attracts very few tourists, yet it deserves to be a major tourist attraction.

It was built in 1013 atop one of the highest points in the city, thus it is impossible to find better unobstructed views of Florence anywhere else.

As with all churches in Italy, the interior was as equally impressive as the exterior.  The way the light streamed in from the windows illuminating the colorfully painted marble was marvelous.

We did not have time to linger, as we had a special date with a famous Italian named David, but we left at the ideal time, as day was beginning to turn into night and the lighting was perfect for some final photos.

Adjoining San Miniato al Monte is both a monastery and a graveyard, both of which I would have further liked to explore.  As the rest of my group headed to the coach, I could not ignore a feeling in my stomach that told me to make a quick visit to the graveyard.  I had only but a minute, however I immediately saw why I felt the urge that I did: there was a stunning statue with a view of Florence in the background that begged to be captured on camera.

I only took one photo and it is now amongst my most favorite photos that I have ever taken in all of my adventures around the globe. . .

Leaving Florence was difficult, because every ounce of my being wanted to stay and explore the magnificent city further, however I was excited to participate in our next Trafalagar Tour’s Be My Guest dining experience and we would be returning later in the evening.  Within minutes the cobblestone streets and ancient cathedrals gave way to sprawling villas surrounded by olive groves — we were back in the heart of Tuscany again.

I Tre Pini, the restaurant where we would be both cooking and dining, is located in the Chianti region.  It is the creation of Chef Libero, our guide through the food market in Florence.

The elegant restaurant is housed in a 500-year old restored farmhouse with manicured gardens and an adjacent vineyard.  If you are looking for the best in Tuscan cuisine, look no further than this establishment.  Each traditional dish has been passed from generation to generation and I am confident that they have been even further perfected by Chef Libero.

If you have been following my blog, you would know that champagne is one of the loves of my life.  Thus, imagine my delight when I was introduced to a new hybrid of champagne called Fragolino.  It is a sparkling wine infused with strawberries and quite possibly one of the best things I have ever tasted.

Chef Libero has worked tirelessly to create other award winning wines from his vineyard, and while they really were sensational, I kept asking for refills of the Fragolino.

After our introduction to the restaurant and its wines, we donned aprons and hairnets and were each instructed to complete different tasks in the kitchen.  Thankfully, all I had to do was add some bread crumbs to the stew, as I am not gifted when it comes to cooking.  Being a part of the entire process was a special experience for me though and it definitely made me appreciate each bite of food that I put into my mouth more.

Around the 5th course, an incredibly charming gentleman surprised us by performing some classic Italian songs for us.  During his rendition of “That’s Amore” he asked me to dance with him.  How could I say no to that face?

Before we departed, I, of course, had to buy a bottle of Fragolino to gift my family.  I wish that I could have bought more, however my luggage (and honestly myself after all of the food I had just consumed) was already over the required weight limit. . .

For some reason, most people when traveling to Italy cannot miss the experience of having an aperitivo in one of the trendiest bars in the city.  Really it is nothing than some after-work cocktail with food included, similar to Spanish style tapas, which in some places like Andalusia or Galicia can be even more generous than the aperitivo’s snacks.

Is it all about the name then?  Is it simply the fact that aperitivo sounds cool and in brings to mind Italian design, fashion, cuisine, and way of life that makes it so different and inviting?

For those who never heard of it, let me briefly explain what it is all about: You go to a bar where when ordering a drink (usually more expensive than during the day) you have the  right to dig into a buffet with different type of snacks like pizza, focaccia, canapés, or in some cases almost a complete meal with salads, pasta, rice, and vegetables.  It is supposed to be a pre-dinner cocktail where people go to spend some time and chat with colleagues and friends and it usually takes place between 7-9PM.  To experience the true aperitivo ambiance do not go too early when the bars are half empty, nor too late as you risk missing the best snacks.  As it is a relaxed and informal occasion there is obviously no dress code, but do not forget that you are in Italy, where fashion is an important issue.   Just try your best to not stand out for your lack of elegance and style.

Traditionally Milan is the queen of the aperitivo, but during the last couple of years many other cities have gained ground to the capital of Italian fashion.  Such is the case while staying at apartments in Florence, where you will have plenty of choices.

My recommendations are as follows.  Close to Piazza Santa Croce on Via Greci 1 there is the modern Oibò.  For a more traditional aperitivo, far from the touristy areas, try Pigmento Cafè on Via Erbosa 12 or Rosso Rubino on Viale Europa 96/98.  Younger people and students meet at Kitch on Via Gramsci.  One last suggestion before taking a rest in one of your Florence apartments: make sure to try at least one or two of the excellent Tuscan wines, a Chianti or a Brunello di Montalcino, for instance.

Maria Climent is a 26-year-old Catalan lady.  After studying translation, she decided her life was odd enough to became a humor scriptwriter and by default, a blogger.  This is how she is now a mother of no one and a better person.  She also cooks her meals.

I could have laid luxuriating in my bed at Villa Il Poggiale all day, however I had an important assignment that I needed to undertake involving me, an Italian, and food.

Trafalgar Tours had arranged another Be My Guest exclusive dining experience, but this time we would be helping to create the food that we would be consuming.  We drove into the center of Florence, where we were joined by renowned Tuscan Chef Libero.

He then broke us up into groups and each group was given a list of ingredients that needed to be found in the fruit and vegetable market of Sant’Ambrogio.  My group was intrusted to locate two special types of tomatoes for the pasta sauce.

I had an unexpected aha! moment during our market adventures.  I have always loved food (I am Italian, how could I not?), however it had never occurred to me how aesthetically beautiful food is.  The vibrant colors and interesting shapes of the produce inspired me.  I could have spent all day in the market photographing everything I encountered, however time was of the essence and I had spotted one of the tomatoes that we needed to purchase.

And just a stall down was the other tomato on our shopping list!

We had finished our task earlier than the other groups, thus I took the extra time to wander around the nearby streets and fantasize about life as a Florentine.

I did not have a map and I had no intended destination, however my intuition told me to turn down a certain street.  Imagine my surprise when I looked up to see that the street and I shared the same name!

I knew that if I could still see the familiar bright emerald green dome atop a church that I was using as a marker, than I had not strayed too far away.  Thanks to the sounds of another church’s bells, I knew it was midday, and that I must find my group once again.

I spotted them and Chef Libero waiting against a spectacular graffiti-filled wall.  As I was taking photos of it, I was told that it used to be a women’s prison.

Once the entire group had reconvened, we set off with our bags of ingredients to Chef Libero’s restaurant tucked away in the Tuscan hills. . .

Our time in France had come to an unfortunate end, however we had an excellent excuse for leaving — we were headed to Italy!  From Aix en Provence we drove several hours even further south to Nice.  I might not have had any time to explore the city, but I certainly left with an unforgettable souvenir.

From Nice we flew to Rome and were immediately greeted by our animated Italian Travel Director Marco.  We were now beginning an abbreviated version of Trafalgar Tours’ Flavor of Italy program, which for us would include time in Tuscany, Florence, and Rome.  If you are searching for the very best of what Italy has to offer, then this is the guided vacation for you.  I decided to give my arm some rest and put down my DSLR for the day, thus all of the photos in this post are from my iPhone.

Our first stop on the four hour road trip to Tuscany was at a petrol station.  Except, it was not just a regular petrol station, it was as if we had walked into heaven on earth.  Who knew that Italian “pit stops” were actually the place to be?  There was a café with the most delicious cappuccinos and espressos (remember to never drink a cappuccino after 11AM when in Italy), there was a restaurant that served authentic Italian cuisine handmade by local grandmothers, and there were chocolate bars half the size of my body for only a couple of Euros.

After an hour in the road-side Paradise, it was time for us to finish our journey for the day.  I definitely could have used an afternoon slumber, but the beauty of the Italian countryside captivated my attention and I soon found myself lost in thought.  I am not often presented with the luxury of time to simply ponder life and my surroundings, thus I cherished every sacred second.

One thought that kept crossing my mind was my connection to Italy.  I am half-Italian, hence the last name Perullo.  It is the part of my heritage that I feel the closest too, yet surprisingly know very little about.  I have only been to Italy once before this trip and my Italian grandparents passed away when I was young.  Nonetheless, despite my cultural ignorance, I feel the passionate Italian blood running deep within my veins and I desire to connect even more with my roots.

Eventually, we arrived at Villa Il Poggiale, our home for the next two days.  Because evening had befallen, it was impossible to see the true magnificence of the villa and her grounds, but there was one thing that we could definitely see and that was their illuminating chandelier, which is the first thing to welcome guests upon entering.  Oh, how wonderful it was to be back in Italy again!

Villa Il Poggiale: Tuscany, Italy

First Impression

Is there anything more luxurious than staying in a villa in Tuscany?  Despite the fact that I am half-Italian and have been to the region previously, I have never had the good fortune to actually stay in one before.  And I could not think of a better place to celebrate my first Tuscan villa experience than Villa Il Poggiale.  This historical mansion is tucked away in the countryside and is one of those places where you immediately know upon first sight that you have stumbled across a real treasure.

Location

Villa Il Poggiale is located in the Chianti region of Tuscany, less than an hour’s car drive away from Florence.  It is surrounded by verdant rolling hills and family-owned vineyards.  If you are looking to escape city life this is the place to do it, as your only concern will be when you have your first glass of wine for the day.

The Bathroom

My private en-suite bathroom was everything I could have hoped for and more.  I had a large bathtub (with a heated towel rack next to it) that was perfect for soaking in after a long day of eating, drinking, and walking Italian style.

The Extras

What sets Villa Il Poggiale apart from the rest is that not only does it offer stunning and comfortable accommodations, it also offers a world-class spa, an outdoor pool, a gourmet restaurant, and guided tours of the area and other nearby cities.  However, the amenity that is my favorite is the reception room, which has two things that will take your breath away: a grand chandelier and a fully stocked bar that is available 24/hours a day.  I will forever remember drinking champagne underneath the dazzling masterpiece.

Why It Is Andi’s Pick

The villa’s grounds are some of the most beautiful I have seen in all of my travels and being surrounded by them is la docle vita at its very best.

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A special thank you is in order to Trafalgar Tours for arranging this stay.  This is an example of why they are the current leading travel company.

They say that to be able to remember something it must be linked emotionally to something else.  For example: Have you ever listened to a song while being told something that made you sad and then years later not only do you remember what you were listening to in that moment, but you also remember the street you were driving on at the same time?  Well, Christmas time is usually filled with those types of memories for many!  I hope this post will not end up being the typical Christmas-makes-you-more-sensitive type, however the contrary.

I have not been particularly fond of this season for a while now.  And when people say, “Christmas makes you more sensitive,” I absolutely agree.  Think about it, there are people who insist on being happy all of the time, especially during the the month of December, and even worse they insist on the others being happy too.  There are the other spectrum of people who become depressed as soon as the Christmas lights are put up.  Then, there are the ones, who simply hate everything about Christmas.

Whatever your feelings may be about this holiday season, it is undeniable that Christmas does not leave anyone indifferent.  Is there really someone who does not have any kind of feeling towards Christmas?  Whatever feeling it might awaken in you — it is a feeling.  You just cannot escape it and it is, inexorably, moving you for good or for bad.

In the past, I tried to avoid Christmas time, and last year I decided to do something different: I went abroad.  I rented one of the apartments in Rome and went with my partner to spend some days away from everyone, simply wishing to have a vacation — a normal vacation far from my Christmas customs.  Guess what happened?  I was miserable!  I think we take the fact that we have a loving family for granted and I honestly felt bad being away from them in those Rome apartments, despite how luxurious they were and that Rome is an incredibly beautiful city.

Thus, I have decided that I will not leave my family again for Christmas.  However, New Year’s Eve is definitely for friends!

Maria Climent is a 26-year-old Catalan lady.  After studying translation, she decided her life was odd enough to became a humor scriptwriter and by default, a blogger.  This is how she is now a mother of no one and a better person.  She also cooks her meals.

My first thought when I was invited to travel with Trafalgar Tours throughout France and Italy for a week was: what a trip of a lifetime!  I had been to both countries before, however it had been years and I was definitely ready to return.  The customized trip that I would embark upon was designed to showcase their innovative and brand new At Leisure and First Class programs amongst the backdrop of two of the most gorgeous countries.  Along the journey, I would be sampling the authentic local cuisines and immersing myself in the rich cultures through the exclusive Be My Guest and Hidden Treasures experiences.  And if that was not extraordinary enough, I would be joined by twenty-five of the most celebrated journalists from around the world.  I told you — trip of a lifetime.

I hesitate to call the trip a tour, as Trafalgar Tours has been working tirelessly to revolutionize their company, so that guests no longer feel as though they are on a traditional tour, rather they feel like they are an “insider.”  Considering that I have an aversion for tours, they had the potential to change my view on organized travel.

My European adventure began in Paris, France.  I was not meeting the others until later in the evening, thus as soon as I arrived at my lovey hotel, the Marriott Courtyard Paris Neuilly, I dropped off my luggage and headed straight back out the door.  Not a single second was to be wasted, since I only had half a day in the beloved capitol.

My first stop was to meet a fellow blogger, Lindsey of Lost in Cheeseland, at a café.  She and I had been e-friends for what seems like years and if I only had time for one thing in Paris it was going to be meeting her.  As is the case for all enjoyable encounters, our hour together went by way too quickly and I was left wishing that I had more days in Paris to spend with her.

After we bid adieu, I decided that the best way to spend the next couple of hours was to just get lost.  I had absolutely no idea what arrondissement I was in and that is exactly how I wanted it to be.

There was only one thing that I was determined to photograph and that was a carrousel.  On my previous trip to Paris I had become enchanted with them, as they transported me back in time to an era that I would have loved to have lived in: la Belle Époque.  Of course, it was not too long before I wandered into one!

I sat and watched a myriad of joyful children ride round-and-round and after a while realized that dusk was fast approaching and I wanted to watch the sun set over the River Seine, so I sett off again to find it.

While I think Paris is undeniably romantic and indescribably beautiful, it had never captivated my heart like it had for so many others.  That is, until I watched the pink sky melt into the river and cast a dazzling glow upon the entire city.  It was a magical moment that had me contemplating never leaving the spot that I was in.

But, I did need to leave, as I had a special welcome dinner and evening tour of the city to attend. . .