Sorrento

When you arrive at a hostel you've booked online, you are never really expect it to be anything like the place I stayed in here. It was just so sweet. Mami Camilla! I arrived and was immediatley excited about it. Lemon trees in the garden, great outdoor seating to relax in. This hostel actually hosts a cooking school as well. The students live in the rooms and attend cooking school for 3 months and cook all day for the guests in the evening! Learning about traditional Italian cooking and gaining qualifications at the same time. They offer a placement in restaurants in Sorrento after the course is complete. Breakfast was to die for! 5euros for an array of food to choose, straight from a dedicated Italian kitchen. I really struck gold booking into this place.

When I checked in at reception, they informed me that my shared dormitary was actually full so they were going to have to book me into the private room for the weekend. At no extra charge. I mean, come on! This room had a balcony! Big huge outdoor chairs with cushions to relax in the shade during a European summer dream!

Sorrento itself was just as impressive, I was about a 10 minute walk from the centre square that was filled with cafe's, nightclubs, restaurants and those cute little shopping streets that I love to wander through. I ate here everyday and watched the wonderful human salad that passed me by. Beautiful people, gorgeous weather, delicious coffee, great atmosphere. I am so lucky to be here.

I spent a whole day on the beach again, which is a lot of stairs down to a winding road that leads to the water and 20euro beach chairs. This my friends, is where I tried the best Gnocchi ever to pass anyones lips before. Melted in my mouth!

My last few days I finally got sick. I'm surprised it took this long, after a month of travelling and staying in hostels breathing shared air and pushing yourself to fit as much into your day as you can, I was bound to catch a cold at some point. I was grateful to have my own space to get better and make sure I was well enough for my flight to Spain next! So I sacrificed my visit to Pompeii, which obviously I did not want to do and have since decided that I loved Sorrento so much that I will just have to come back and do the Pompeii trip next time. Perhaps, I need to do a cooking class as well?

Capri

Capri is like an escape. A little island of the coast of Napoli that you can reach by ferry all day long. I went in search of sun, food and relaxation. The further I go south the more I feel like I am on holiday instead of that I am travelling. Because I assure you they are two very different feelings.

I took time here to slow down, and to stop. I took in every smell and taste and really let myself relax. It is a beautiful little island. I took the cable car accross to the centre of the island and then walked all the way down to the beaches on the other side. Such a different sight again, to see pebbles on the beach! No sand. Blows the mind. All through Italy you pay to use the beaches. You can pay 20Euros or more just to get on to a beach, and then to find pebbles! However the view and the water and the sun are worth every last cent and more. I endured a whole day of such fabulous relaxation and had a traditional pizza for lunch. Napoli is where pizza was first made and there for I am on a strict pizza diet whilst I am here especially.

I leave for Sorrento next and I know it can only get better!

Roma

La Dolce Vita!

What an amazing city! Rome has everything all right there waiting for you to experience it. So much history and culture in an incredible city. I loved every moment here. I stayed for 3 days and I had the greatest pleasure of seeing the Pope on my first day there! How surreal! What a wonderful moment. Just sitting there with hundreds maybe thousands of priests at a blessing held at St Peters Basilica. Puts my entire life in perspective. I visited Fontana di Trevi which I must say was my favourite. It's a beautiful spot in the middle of some wonderful streets to sit and ponder where you are and how you got there. I hope to be back here one day and sit in the same spot to ponder all over again. I've added a few photos for you this time because it was such a visual experience for me I wanted to share that with you.

Firenze

I think that so far Florence is my favourite. It's the place in Italy I stayed still for the longest and allowed myself to really relax. I have soaked up the people, the food and the lifestyle here and I could really see myself living here. As long as we can get rid of all the tourists. But honestly, when in my wildest dreams could I imagine standing in front of Michelangelo's most famous works and be surrounded by beautiful art and culture at every turn. I love it here. I have found a place where I stop every morning for my breakfast cappuccino and it is a delicious as it could be. I am knocked out by the evening buffets that the cool bars provide free as long as you buy a drink. Endless supply of italian creations to fill my tummy while I sip on my coffee martini! Firenze, you have my heart forever.

Venezia

Aha!!! A city like no other you will ever see in your life. A place that exists only in the corners of your imagination! And coffee.... I found it! Nirvana! Cafe Vergnano 1882. 1 euro espresso's that I would have sold my soul for. Well ok, slight exaggeration but seriously good espresso. Don't ask me how to get back to this cafe because in Venice you are supposed to be lost! But it is somewhere near the Rialto Bridge and it's a must find! It's the same cafe that I reviewed in London, but the real deal. Digtal Faema machine that does everything except tell you the weather outside. I am starting to learn to just drink espresso alllll day. It's wonderful here. Next stop is Firenze and I have a feeling it's only going to get better.

Milano

Ahhhh, my first stop in Italy. Finally I am here to experience where it all began and to see if everything they tell me about Italian coffee is true. I assure you, it is. I've tried not to go too crazy 'cause I still have weeks left to try it everywhere in Italy. However, my first espresso, sitting right in front of the Duomo, the most massive and intricately designed cathedral I've ever seen, was incredible. I was nervous the people around me may have been watching as I almost swallowed the cup once I was finished. Bellisimo!

On me second day, pretending that I was Italian, I decided that my breakfast would be a cappuccino, as real Italians do. "Buongiorno! Come Stai? Molto Bene, Grazie. Uno cappuccino, Grazie Mille" Ummmm HEAVEN. Didn't take a photo of this one ('cause then they would have known I wasn't Italian) but it was pretty, and smooth and perfect temperature and I suspect not even the best of the best in this country. I paid and left with a big grin on my face... "Ciao Ciao, Grazie"

After a stroll in the park and an hour or two long snooze in the sun. I decided it was time to test the Italians on their cold cofffe.... yeesh how stupid was I! This was by far the most delicious iced coffee I've ever had (shh don't tell the Greeks, I still love their cappuccino freddo). Sweet and strong and shaken on ice, served in a champagne glass while I sit in the sun. Honestly, I'm happy in la dolce vita!