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Italian cuisine: books and TV shows
As much as I love travelling to Italy, I love Italian cuisine. A tote bag that I bought in Rome says it all: ‘spritz, carbonara, tiramisu & amore’. Well… perhaps not all. There’s also pizza, gelato, panettone, pannacotta, coffee (un caffe shakerato per favore), wine, vitello tonnato (my new favourite), cacio e pepe, maritozzi, canolli… Just don’t let me get started… My love, as well as my knowledge of Italian cuisine, has grown not only through travelling and eating out, but also thanks to books and TV shows I’ve come across in the last few years. Italian cuisine: Fatto in casa da Benedetta Rossi It was when I visited Verona…
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Where to eat and drink in Rome
When I recently visited Rome, I spent most of my mornings following in Robert Langdon’s footsteps and visiting notable churches around the city. In the afternoon, I slowed down. I would first have a coffee, then a light lunch (followed by yet another coffee), whereas in the evening I had an aperitivo (a pre-meal drink) followed by dinner and gelato to end the day on a high note. Here are my recommendations about where to eat and drink in Rome: Breakfast Although I mostly had breakfast at the hotel where I stayed, I also had to try the maritozzi (cream-filled buns that Romans have for breakfast). The Pasticceria Regoli (on Via…
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Angels and Demons and Churches of Rome
I first visited Rome in 2003, a few months after the release of Madonna’s ‘American Life’. In ‘Nothing Fails’, the album’s third single, she’d sing ‘I’m not religious/But I feel so moved/Makes me wanna pray’. Back then, this lyric resonated with me, albeit only in part. Still a teenager, I wasn’t particularly interested in churches, so I headed to the Colosseum instead of the many churches of Rome I visited this year. I’m still not religious, though. In the words of Madonna, ‘I’d like to express my extreme point of view/I’m not Christian and I’m not a Jew’. During the last 19 years, however, a lot has changed. On a…
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9 Italian TV series to watch
I started watching Italian TV series last year, amidst the third (and longest) lockdown. In fact, I published the post ‘6 French and Italian crime series to watch’ in April 2021, a few days after we came out of lockdown. Since then, not only have I watched more Italian TV series, but I’ve also been fortunate to visit Italy. A few months ago, I went on a 10-day trip to Southern Italy. After landing in Bari, the capital and the largest city of Puglia, I visited the inland towns of Alberobello and Locorotondo, as well as the seaside Monopoli and Polignano a Mare. I then visited Matera, a city located…
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A 10-day trip to Puglia (Lecce, Ostuni, Brindisi)
A few months ago, I went on a 10-day trip to South Italy. After landing in Bari, the capital and the largest city of Puglia, I visited the inland towns of Alberobello and Locorotondo, as well as the seaside Monopoli and Polignano a Mare. I then visited Matera, a city located not in Puglia, but in the neighbouring region of Basilicata. After staying there for a couple of days, I took the bus to Lecce and returned to Puglia. Here’s the final part of the itinerary I would recommend, with tips (as always) for where to go, and more importantly where (and what) to eat and drink. Day 6 –…
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Following in the footsteps of James Bond in Matera
Last year, I watched ‘No Time To Die’, the 25th James Bond film. The opening scenes were filmed in Matera, a city located in the Italian region of Basilicata. A few months ago, I visited Italy for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Following in the footsteps of James Bond, I visited Matera, as well as Puglia, the region forming the heel of Italy’s ‘boot’. I stayed there for a total of 10 days, but I wished I had stayed longer to visit even more towns and villages. A few weeks ago, I published the first part of my itinerary (days 1-3). Here’s the second part…
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A 10-day trip to Puglia (part 1)
Italy is one of my favourite countries in Europe. I love the beautiful architecture, the delicious food and the mild Mediterranean climate. I recently visited Puglia, as well as Matera. The former, also known as Apulia, is the region forming the heel of Italy’s ‘boot’, whereas the latter is a city located in the neighbouring region of Basilicata. I stayed there for a total of 10 days, but I wished I had stayed longer to visit even more towns and villages. Although I was tempted to rent a car, I eventually decided not to, so I could enjoy the tasty Apulian wines. Here’s the first part of the itinerary I…
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3 days on the island of Kythnos
It’s been almost a year since I visited the Greek islands of Kea and Kythnos, together with one of my closest friends, Elsa. We first went to Kea (also called Tzia), where we stayed for 3 (and a half) days, before we continued our holidays to Kythnos, where we also stayed for 3 days. First day in Kythnos It was mid-morning when we arrived in Kythnos. As soon as we stepped foot on the island, we headed to the car rental place (a minute walk from where the ferry dropped us off) and soon afterwards were driving towards our hotel. Located in Messaria, the inland capital of the island, Chora Kythnos…
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Where to eat in Dubai (light meal or a feast)
A couple of months ago, I travelled to Dubai together with my friend Jini. We visited our friends Jigna and Ed, who moved to the UAE a couple of years ago. Although my recently published post ‘top 7 tips for a trip to Dubai’ included recommendations on where to eat in Dubai, I think that a separate post is warranted. Where to eat in Dubai (light meal) Cafe Bateel Our friends live at the Dubai Marina, a very pleasant place to walk around, full of cafes and restaurants. I was a regular at Cafe Bateel, which happened to be right next to their apartment. I would usually have a coffee and…
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Top 7 tips for a trip to Dubai
I recently travelled to Dubai together with my friend Jini. We visited our friends Jigna and Ed, who moved there a couple of years ago. This was not only my first ever trip to the UAE (a layover in Abu Dhabi airport excluded), but also my first trip abroad in nearly two years (my trips in England and Greece excluded). Since I can now work from anywhere in the world, I stayed in Dubai for a total of 3 weeks, combing 2 weeks of holidays with 1 week of work. It’s now been 3 weeks since I returned to London, and it’s about time to share my top 7 tips.…