FLASH BACK FRIDAY – WHAT I WORE IN ITALY

There are a few places on the planet that make my heart still. A few places where the air seems just a little sweeter, yet the vibe seems a little more electric. One of those places for me is Italy. We had the pleasure of taking a holiday to Rome last year, and I also went to Venice with my mom a few years back. Although both cities are strikingly different from the layout of the land to the pace of the people, they both have a certain old-world magic to them that pulls on my heart strings. A yearning for the bella figura or la dolce vita or whatever keeps me wanting to go back for more.

First lets talk Rome. Be prepared for everything to move super-fast and for the city to be bustling. There isn’t much room for lost tourists so be sure to know where you want to go before you leave your hotel. As for dress, Romans have simple impeccable style. So dress neatly and wear all natural fabrics like cotton or silk in the summer in light or neutral colors. Leave your bright prints for your tropical holidays. Women dress pretty modestly, with knee-length dresses and skirts and elegant flats paired with gorgeous hair, skin and handbags. Men are equally coiffed in made to measure suits, freshly starched and tailored business shirts or white skinny jeans and polo shirts.

We stayed at the Hotel Raphael in Piazza Novona and were delighted with our room and our close proximity to attractions like the The Trevi Fountain and Colesseum which were are all short distances away.

The food is on a whole other level. We dined at local eateries with our favorite spots being in the Trastevere district on the West bank of the Tiber River. The simplest meal was a culinary creation, each mouth watering morsel better than the last. I personally found it hard to find a bad restaurant in Rome, and I really could eat my way through the entire city with delight.

For even more history take a short flight up north to Venice where you can get transported to a mythical time where gondoliers and ships are your primary modes of transport. Take a photo from the Rialto Bridge where you can have centuries of culture as your backdrop while you immerse yourself in the beauty on land with the innumerable churches and cathedrals.

Food in Venice is very seafood rich, especially since the city is on the water. I really enjoyed having venetian fish soup, zuppa di pesce. The markets are bustling and filled with beautiful Murano glass and venetian leather goods. A gondola ride on the canals complete the fairytale.