Categories
Travel

Italian Summer – A Visit to Rome, Sorrento an Maiori

I can’t believe it is September already! You know I love an Italian Summer! A few weeks ago I was in Rome, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast (Maiori to be specific) and it was an amazing trip. I love going to Italy in the summer. It is very hot and very crowded, but I love the sea, the beach and enjoying the Italian lifestyle when it is warm. Plus, it seems when September comes so does the rain.

We had a very aggressive itinerary LOL. Two nights Rome, two nights Sorrento, three nights Maiori, then a day trip to Positano, a visit to Minori and then back to Sorrento for a night and back to Rome for a night to catch the flight back. Whew! It was a lot of running around, unpacking, catching ferries and cars and trains but I loved it!

Everyone asks how I do it? I plan it all myself and I have my favorite spots in Sorrento from the beach clubs to the restaurants here are my favorites:

Spiaggia Marameo Beach – Stabilimento balneare a Sorrento – This is my favorite beach club in Sorrento Marameo! Love jumping into the sea, having a snack and just chilling on the loungers.

My favorite restaurant is La Cantinaccia Del Popolo Reviews & Menu in Sorrento – Now they are open for lunch too. If you go for dinner start to stand in line before 6 as no reservations and the line gets very long! My daughter had the best clam dish and the cheese plate was amazing.

My go to place to stay is Villa Elisa!Appartamenti Sorrento centro città – Villa Elisa Sorrento Casa vacanze  Their tag line is we are not just selling rooms but providing hospitality and they mean it – comfy, clean, neat, great location, air conditioned and filtered water. Tell Antonio I sent you!

Trevi Fountain is bellissimo!
The light at sunset at the Colosseum is amazing!
Welcome to Positano – it’s beautiful, very crowded but a must see!
My favorite view in Sorrento!

Categories
Travel

Cape Cod Fun and July 4th Celebrations! Traffic and lines no fun!

Chatham Light House
Sunset at Chatham Lighthouse

Ah the days and nights at the cape are amazing! The traffic and lines, not so much! We had an amazing July 4th weekend at the beach, bars and dinners. So much has changed at the cape since I was young including the long lines everywhere! The iced coffee phenomenon is out of control. Each breakfast place was filled with long lines but there were certainly some tasty coffee and donuts.

Some of the best donuts I’ve had at Captain Baker Donuts! 

My favorite breakfast place is Captain Baker Donut Shop in Dennis. Not only are the donuts handmade and amazing but the breakfast sandwich on the Portuguese muffin has a unique sweetness to it. I like how you can customize your own iced coffee here, plus there is an adorable gift house outside in back with fun trinkets for mom and toys for kids.

Another favorite is Harbor Fox Coffee Bar in Dennis. The split cup is genius! On one side I had a matcha and the other a marshmallow type iced coffee. Then the next day I chose an iced tea with lavender and vanilla and then had the iced matcha again with a bit of marshmallow too! Tasty for sure but arrive early as the lines are insane!

Speaking of lines…..the traffic on Sunday off the cape was one for the records! For example, it is important to either leave very early or very late if you have to leave on a Sunday. I would have loved to stay to enjoy the day but did not want to experience a four-hour drive home (which for us on a good day is 1.5 hours without any traffic whatsoever)  One family member left by 8:00 am and was home by 10:00 am. Second family member left at 8:30 and was home after 11:00 am. Third family member left after 9:15 and did not arrive home until after 1:00 pm. It does matter when you leave the cape!

Happy travels this summer!

 

Categories
Travel Winter Travel

Winter Travel – Miami versus Naples…and Naples Italy

Ah winter in Florida….I just love it. When the weather gets cold, we naturally want to head south for warmer temperatures and this winter we visited Miami and Naples, Florida. Stepping off a plane into humid air in Miami in January feels surreal after months of coldness in Boston. We love all things South Beach, the late-night rhythm, the incredible food and our favorite hotels including our stay at the Fontainebleau Resorts: Luxury Living in Miami & Las Vegas

Then I took a solo trip to visit my cousins in Naples on Florida’s Gulf Coast. It’s quieter, slower paced but still stunning. Sunsets over the Gulf at Naples Pier, the calm beaches, crystal water and the focus here is on relaxation. My favorite food place both in Miami and in Naples is Pura Vida!  LOCATIONS — PURA VIDA MIAMI

So many choices of great restaurants in both locations. Where Miami is neon and noise, Naples is soft light and stillness. Winter is the best time to head to Florida but remember to pack a few essentials such as a shawl wrap (the airplane is always cold) a mini fan (because Florida gets hot), motion sickness pills (for boat trips!)

A few more trips planned before we head to Italy! When I told friends I was heading to Naples they assumed I meant Italy! I have been to Naples but one of my favorite places in Italy is Sorrento and The Amalfi Coast. People ask me all the time about Italy and here are some of my recommendations for booking tours. I use Viator https://www.viator.com/partner-shop/amstrendytravels?pid=P00187723&mcid=42383&medium=link

Happy Travels!

* Just a heads up—this post includes affiliate links. If you decide to buy through them, I may earn a small commission.

The Sunset in Naples Florida
The Pool at the Fontainebleau Miami
Categories
Boston Events Travel

The Holiday Season! Things to do in Boston

It’s time! I love the holiday season and decorating, traveling and of course road trips! There are so many fun things to do in Boston. We have not yet visited Snowport this year. But we did venture into Boston and had tea at The Beacon Hill Books & Cafe. 

It was adorable and my first time visiting. Each floor was decorated for the holiday season, and their tea and bakery items were amazing. Next time I will splurge for the full tea! This is a must to visit during the holiday season. It’s just magical and there are so many options for gifts – not just books, but merch and a whole table of decorations!

Check it out.

During the chillier season they have heaters and blankets!
Cozy nooks everywhere!
A beautiful tablescape inside at The Beacon Hill Books & Cafe.
Holiday decor everywhere!
A tablescape of holiday ornaments for sale!
Each display is so pretty, even the merch section.
Categories
Travel

A wee bit of Scotland

If Scotland is not on your radar, it should be! Edinburgh was wonderful. I’ve been to London before and loved it there and felt Edinburgh was similar but different. When we went to Edinburgh the weather was warm and sunny which was unusual. On the agenda, which was for my husband’s work trip included spectacular dinners – at a castle, a church and dessert at The Royal Yacht Britannia. We participated in the Highland Games are a huge celebration of the country’s culture. I made my own handbag and enjoyed afternoon tea. A private tour of Edinburgh Castle is a must.  Fancy times and it is a trip I will not forget!

This castle was great and a perfect dinner celebration!
The sounds of Scotland are all around! This was a night of desserts and drinks on the Royal Yacht Britannia.
Everywhere you turned the colorful buildings greet you. 
Loved all the different areas of Scotland.
A kilt, a drink and a night of celebration!
Categories
Travel

Traveling during the holidays…….Here are some tips!

Just taking a peek at the top of the Duomo in Milan

Happy 2025! Does everyone agree that the holiday season flew by? I was lucky enough to go to Italy and Switzerland in December and it was magical. It was so nice to be in Europe during the holiday season. Lots of fun things to do, beautiful holiday markets and the shopping -oh my! Here are a few highlights in photos. If you are able to get a way in December and travel in the weeks before Christmas I highly recommend it! Just a few tips:

  • Make sure all your Christmas shopping is complete and wrapping is done before your travels – that way you are not stressing when you get home!
  • I always like to arrive home on a Thursday so you have the weekend to recover lol! That way you are not rushing back into work!
  • Travel lightly – we did have to buy a suitcase when we were there as my daughter wanted to buy all the Italian food – but we were able to fit all our clothing in our carry on bags! It is hard to pack for a winter holiday but compression bags and zip lock compression bags are great too. Here are a few links (affiliate links..I receive a small commission) on my Amazon must buy list:

https://amzn.to/3PEizt3

https://amzn.to/4gVnhhx

Top of the Duomo in Florence
The lights around Milan are so beautiful this time of year!
Walking around and enjoying the sites in Zermatt Switzerland, especially the Matterhorn!
The views skiing in Zermatt were unlike any other!
Relaxing on the deck outside our hotel in Zermatt
Categories
Travel

Our Summer Italian Adventure

Just got back from a wonderful jam-packed 7 night trip to Sorrento, Ischia and Capri! My second time to visit the area and I was lucky enough to get to all the sites I missed!

We stayed at Villa Elisa in Sorrento. This was the best location – right in the heart of Piazza Sant’ Antonino. More than just a place to stay our host Antonio was so helpful with answering all my questions, knew the best spots for dinning and was so accommodating!  Best host and best place to stay!  We loved how it was clean, neat, modern and had air conditioning (sometimes a rarity in Italy) He also provided ice cold filtered water for us daily (ice is also a rarity in Italy) He was there to greet us and offered us a shot of limoncello to welcome us to Sorrento! We will be back for sure.

There are so many spots and so many photos to choose from. We loved our Sorrento beach club  –Leonellis Beach, all the dinners and the sunsets were amazing in Sorrento.

We had a private driver to take us to Maiori, Positano and Amalfi. We loved Maiori the best as it was so much less crowded than Positano and Amalfi. A hidden gem for sure!

Our Capri adventure included a visit to the Blue Grotto, the chairlift in Anacapri and people watching in the Piazzetta.

Ischia is my favorite island. We loved staying at the Monastery at the Aragonese Castle. It was magical and the views were amazing! We took a trip to the Poseidon Thermal Park and the beach there was so incredible. Went to Sant’ Angelo for dinner – this is a fun area to explore all the cute shops. Finally, a quick trip to Procida Island, where we explored the beach and shops on this colorful island.

Back to Sorrento where we had to continue our daily gelato tastings and grab our favorite cafe crema! I am going to miss this for sure and our pistachio croissant! Here are just a few photos – too many to choose from. La Bella Italia!

The beautiful courtyard at my new favorite place to stay in Sorrento – Villa Elisa
The views from our hotel in Capri were amazing!
The Blue Grotto in Capri was on my to do list! However it was a 3.5 hour wait to get in!
Another one of our favorite stops was the town of Maiori in the Amalfi Coast. We loved the big sandy beach and the fact that it was less crowded than Positano and Amalfi!
Our view for breakfast at The Monastery at the Aragonese Castle. This spot and the views here are magical!
The views, the sunsets, the dinners – all fantastic in Sorrento!
Categories
beaches Travel Trends

Summer Travel – Cape Cod, Italy and More

Summer is the time of travel. As you all know I do take my yearly trip to Cape Cod for two weeks and that is always such a nice time. I also am heading to Italy again this summer! While it is very hot there in the summertime, I still enjoy my time on the islands! This time around it is Sorrento, Capri and Ischia. I cannot wait….ahhhh…the lemon gelato, pasta and Aperol Spritz…yum. If you do go to Italy, be sure to try the basil gelato and pistachio gelato as well.  Although I do hear that the latest trend is a Limoncello Spritz so must try when I arrive. A review of all the places we will visit is coming up, but here are a few photos from last year’s trip. Alla prossima!

Beautiful beaches in Ischia!
Ischia is known for its thermal spas and The Negombo Spa in Ischia is the best!
Capri
The island of Capri is magical. Just too many areas to explore so you will need more than one day!
Categories
beaches Travel

Summer 2024 – travel, trips and more

This summer is going by so fast! Between our Cape Cod vacation and our beach trips I cannot believe it is almost the end of July!

Sometimes you just have to sit and relax. This photo was taken at my last beach day and while the temperatures are hitting record highs it was a cooler, calmer day.  Between work and running errands with the girls I can get quite busy. Some days you just have to take a breath and relax. Isn’t that what beach days are for? What is your favorite beach?

There are so many I love in New England. There are also my favorite beaches in Italy. I will be venturing to Italy in a few weeks so cannot wait to experience the food, fun, Aperol Spritz and more!

Goditi l’estate!

Beach Days are the best days!
Categories
Products

Traveling Tips & Tricks – A beach day

Summer is here! That means lots of travelling. In the summer we head to the cape and day trips to the beach. We also head to Italy but that is another post. So of course, packing the right way is essential. I did decide to get the Yeti cooler.

It really is a must if you plan to stay at the beach the whole day. I was debating between the backpack and the full zipper one. It really does hold a lot and keeps everything very chilly. We have had many soft side coolers over the year but this one really is the best.  The one thing I have to point out is if you have greasy, white sunscreen it may come off on the fabric of the cooler – ha, ha, last trip we had handprints all over and eventually it did come off, so just be aware.  Happy beach day and happy shopping!

THE Yeti Cooler
The must have cooler for the summer season!