Venice by Gondola

It’s one of the many reasons people travel to Venice. But the experience comes at a pretty hefty price, all year round. So does the popular tourist attraction of riding in a gondola actually live up to the hype? In short. Yes.

Going to Venice was always high on my bucket list, and for a good reason. The food you eat, people you meet, and experiences you have in Venice are completely unique to the city and nothing comes close anywhere else in Italy, let alone the rest of the world.

So riding in a gondola was a must-do for me. I don’t think you should decide whether to ride in a gondola based on anyone else’s experience or review, but I will weight up the pro’s and con’s I experienced to give you a hand.

Pro’s:

• It’s something you must do. Riding in a gondola is a bucket-list item for many people and it’s easy to see why. Venice was built on water so the best way to get around is by boat. Why not keep the experience local and cultural and actually ride in a gondola?
• It’s fun
• It’s a great way to see a lot of the city which you can’t access by foot
• The gondolas are very pretty
• The ride provides unique photo opportunities

Con’s:

• It’s expensive, especially if you want a private gondola. The ride doesn’t come cheap. You’ll have to decide whether it’s worth the price tag for yourself. My boyfriend and I didn’t think it was worth paying extra to have our own gondola so we shared with a couple of our friends to make it much cheaper. It was still fun and a great experience, just one that was shared with a couple more people.
• Many gondoliers won’t sing. They spend all day and night steering gondolas around Venice for tourists and many won’t feel like singing. Some will but don’t pester them. They have a job to do so just sit back and enjoy the ride.
• The ride isn’t very long. You’ll see a lot but I did feel like the ride could have gone for a little longer than it did.

As you can see I very much enjoyed my gondola ride and I would recommend giving it a go.
What are your favourite things about Venice? Let me know in the comments below!

Ash
xx

Must Eats in Italy

Italy is one of my favourite countries in the entire world and I’m not just saying that because I am Italian. It really and truly is one of the best countries in the world. Not only is the food great, but there is ancient history around every corner, rolling green hills that fill the country side and crystal clear water that simply takes your breath away.

There’s one thing that is an absolute must in Italy and that’s eating of course! Italy is home to the best food in the world. So do as the Romans do and check out my list of what you must eat when you travel to Italy.

Please note carbs are your friend, not your enemy (when you’re travelling that is).

Pizza
No one goes to Italy without eating pizza! Try a traditional wood fired pizza in the heart of Rome from just 8 Euro during the winter season. Italian pizza flavours are very simple and limited at a maximum of around 3 or 4 ingredients. Why not be a little more adventurous and try the calzone? It’s like a giant pizza-pocket!

Gelato
Gelato is a must, regardless of whether you’re travelling to Italy in winter or you’re there in the summer. Traditional gelato is lemon sorbet, eaten after a meal to clean the pallet. Try some after dinner but don’t forget to dig into other flavours like Nutella. Italy did invent the delicious chocolate spread after all!

Pasta
Pasta made the way Nonna makes it is a meal that warms the heart. Dig into delicious tomato-based spaghetti and meatballs, creamy fettuccini or penne al dente. Pasta is a cheap dish that is sure to keep you full for longer. Enjoy pasta for lunch and explore Rome without having to worry about stopping for snacks – unless of course you want to stop for snacks (which you know you do).

Cannoli
My absolute favourite dessert is a must-eat when you’re in Italy! Whether you’re a traditional vanilla fan like myself or you prefer the chocolate filling, cannoli is the best custard biscuit treat ever! You’ll find these in Venice and southern parts of Italy so keep an eye out! They sell for around 4 Euro each.

Biscotti
Italy is great at making biscuits so be sure to dig into some biscotti while you’re there. The biscuit comes in a range of flavours and tastes best when dunk into coffee which brings me to my last must-eat, or drink I should say.

Coffee and hot chocolate
Italians love their coffee so drink up! Just be careful when ordering the short black because they like their coffee strong in this part of the world. If you’re not a big coffee drinker or you want to limit the amount you consume (wise choice), may I suggest the absolute best hot chocolate in the entire world! Venice simply melts chocolate down into a liquid which you can purchase in shot form for a couple of Euro. It is absolutely delicious! And best of all, if you don’t drink it fast enough the chocolate will set and form the perfect eating chocolate.

So get your appetite ready and head over to Italy! It’s a great country to explore, filled with brilliant food and even better desserts.

What’s your favourite Italian food? 

Ash
xx

Rome: Romoli Hotel Review

A little comfort close to the city

Italy is renowned for having some of the worst hotels in all of Europe. I’ve stayed in a couple of hotels in Italy and Romoli Hotel was definitely one of the better ones. The rooms here are more spacious compared to others in Italy.

Located close to public transport, you won’t be able to walk to the city centre from here but it’s really easy to hop on a train or bus.

The room features a kitchenette in the wardrobe and space for all of your bags and belongings.  There is a spacious bathroom with a shower large enough to stand in which was a nice surprise seeing as previous shower experiences in Italy haven’t always been good. There’s access to free WiFi too! We were served a buffet-style breakfast on the top floor which has some pretty beautiful views.

You might have to carry your luggage up the stairs though which can be a bit of a hassle, especially if your room is located a couple of floors up. Luckily for us we only had to deal with one set of stairs.

I think given the reputation for Italian hotels, Romoli is pretty good. However I wouldn’t go so far as to stay there again.

I give Romoli Hotel three stars.

Check out my blog on foods you must eat in Italy. Where have you stayed in Rome?

Ash
xx

 

Via della Caffarelletta, 
114, 00179 Roma, Italy

Rome City Guide

Rome is an amazing city with a unique mixture of old and new. You can literally walk through thousands of years of history. As an ancient history nerd myself, Rome was one of my favourite cities to visit. Rome wasn’t built in a day and you certainly can’t see all of it in a day, but if you plan ahead and time your visits wisely, you can see the majority of the main tourist attractions in less than 24 hours. Want to know how? Follow me through Rome…

Getting Around

The metro is really easy to use and the stations are often named after the attraction they’re closest to so it’s fine if you don’t know any Italian. Most of the attractions are located in the city centre so walking between them is even easier. Just remember to wear comfortable walking shoes and take your time. There’s a lot of history on these roads!

Vatican City

Attractions

We started our morning in Vatican City. Technically Vatican City is its own country but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t visit the Holy City while you’re in Rome. We went on a tour through the Vatican which was a really good decision. We covered a lot more ground than if we were left to wander around on our own. We were also given access to rooms that are closed off to general visitors. Unfortunately the Sistine Chapel (my favourite spot inside the Vatican) is a camera-free zone so you can’t take photos inside. But most are too buy staring in awe at all of the art for that to matter. Swiss guards are seen all over the Vatican so there’s a chance you can catch the changing of the guard too.  And don’t forget to pay a visit toSt Peter’s Basilica.

Castel Sant’Angelois one of the most famous churches in all of Rome. It’s located along the river on the way from the Vatican to central Rome so you can’t miss it.

From here we walked to thePantheon which is free to enter. Don’t miss out on seeing the inside dome the building is famous for. Outside the Pantheon (and all over Rome) there are water fountains, perfect for free refills. Take the opportunity and fill up! Seriously, the ancient Romans thought of everything.

From here we continued walking towards central Rome, passed the Spanish Steps. Then it was on to the Trevi Fountain where you absolutely must make a wish! It might take some time though, there are heaps of people trying to do the same thing.

From the fountain, we made our way to the Colosseum – one of the most famous attractions in the world. But not before making a few short pit stops along the way. We stopped to marvel at the impressive Vittorio Emanuele Monument, the Trajan’s Column and the Roman forums or Nerva’s Forum.

Finally we made our way to the Colosseum. If you can, come back at night and see the Colosseum light up – it’s beautiful. Luckily for us we travelled in winter which isn’t a peak period in Rome so there were no lines and no waiting to get in. We wandered around the structure before exiting out the other side where the Arco di Constantino stands.

Shopping

We didn’t do much shopping in Rome because it was all about the food, culture and history for us. You’ll pass plenty of cafes, restaurants and fashion stores if you take the Via del Imperiali between the Vatican and the Colosseum.

If you managed to get all of that done in a single day you’re probably going to need a pizza. Lucky for you you’re in Rome. So do as the Romans do and eat up!

Planning on spending the night in Rome? Check out my review of Romoli Hotel before you book accommodation!

Ash
xx