Do you dream of sipping chilled wine and twiddling Cacio e Pepe whilst gazing at the Ponte Vecchio, strolling along the Arno river in cool linen and comfy Birks, or meeting for a sunset Aperol Spritz high up on the rolling hills outside the city?
If you’ve always wanted to pretend you were in a Merchant Ivory movie and stay at the hotel where it was filmed, preferring chic eateries, romantic panoramic views and rooftop terraces with chilled Tuscan vibes to a hectic, touristy list-ticking schedule, then I’ve got you covered.
I finished writing this just before the England game on Saturday night (yes, I’m finally giving in and watching it, the FOMO is real), so I hope there’s some very happy Brits this morning. But, I realised it was actually a very long post as there was just so much to tell you, so I’ve split it in two, and the next part will be on Thursday 16th.
I’ve never been one for rushing about on holiday, particularly if the barometre is heading towards 100 degrees. I’m a firm believer in bucking the British trend of ignoring the dangers of extreme heat. As Noel Coward once wrote: “only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.” You’ll find me under dappled shade, the smell of Cypress trees in the air, sipping vino rosato and reading a good book.
Beach holidays are much easier to just relax and unwind without the need to see everything the place has to offer. But city breaks tend to demand jam-packed days of museums, churches, markets and galleries with chilling the heck out being very much an afterthought. I want to immerse myself in the culture and I definitely want to see some of the sights, but interspersed with people watching, having coffee in the square, or mooching for Italian clothes and fine fragrance.
I’ve just returned from one of the most relaxing, beautiful breaks I’ve ever had. Ten days in total, neither too short nor too long. We were traveling with two of our best friends, so it was important that everyone felt like they got the holiday they wanted, which always means compromise. But somehow it worked out perfectly and that was down to a little advance planning. So put on your coolest, softest linen, dig out that Fedora, kick back and relax. Let me transport you to my kind of Tuscany.
Both this post and part 2 next Thursday are for paid members. The last free post was on Thursday and you can find that here. To get all the juicy details of where we stayed, where we dined, the cool places to meet, the best views, great shopping and the must-see sights, including the exact location for that famous Room with a View, become a paid member here.
There’s a little discount at the moment too. But please click within the email or web version, not the app, otherwise you’ll pay Apple’s extortionate fees.
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