On the isle of Capri

Had forgotten  that the island is pronounced CAPri not CapRI.   Truly beautiful. 

Castello di Casole

Then they moved on to Castello di Casole - where luxury oozed out from every corner. But what is luxury? What defines it? Could it  be  the rarity of the item, or the cost of the item? No;  for my money luxury is fine quality with superb service.

Newly opened in July of this year  Castello di Casole  appears to have acheived  a five star standard within a few months of opening. To be fair the reservation process was painful; if I remember correctly I had to make 8 phone calls to Italy and the local reservation department before receiving a written confirmation.  ...but , I believe their teething problems are over and the process should be relatively smooth from now on.    


A beautiful room



Assisi and Andrea Bocelli

Almost every weekend someone famous is performing in Assisi  and  Andrea Bocelli  was coming to town the very next day.  

Antica Torre di Via Tornabuoni I - Florence

.......and onto Florence. I have many favourite hotels in Florence but Antica Torre Di Via Tornabuoni I with 28 rooms is one that tops my list.  The location just can't be beat, but then one can say the same for a room with a view of the Ponte Vecchio so everything is relative, but it is nice to be able to get away from the hustle and bubble of the city while still being within the center.

My dear clients sent these photos of their room, no wonder I can't wait to get back to Italy; what a view.

 

More on Tuscan Mamas!

You know that T-shirt slogan  - 'My Dad went to whereever and all I got was this T-shirt'.  When I travel vacariously through my clients eyes and experiences  I forgive myself when I feel like a child and want to say; all I got was this photo. In reality, receiving photos  from clients is a highlight of  being in the travel business and I just love to share.

Here are some of my clients photos of their  Tuscan Mama meal preparations  at Poggio Cennina.


AnnMarie





The dining room

 



Poggio Cennina wines

  

The Villa

 
 

the process




Nothing better than wine tasted in it's own vineyard



Almost done. Love the barefeet.



Olive trees from the villa



 

Gelato

To all gelato fans - As of  this week Italy has imposed fines to anyone caught eating or drinking in the streets around any of their national monuments. Fines range from E100 to E500, so no more sitting on the Spanish Steps  with your favorite ice cream while watching the world pass by.  

A Tuscan Mama

I sent dear clients to Italy and included a 'Tuscan Mama' with their villa. As you can see in the photos she even taught them to make pasta the hard way.