Alpinista
100+ Posts
One of the things I enjoy most is reading about everyone's trip plans (and gleaning ideas from you about things to do and places to go).
I'm not sure our plans carry as much fun and excitement as a lot of others (always envious of those who are sharing their trips with children), but here goes:
Two months inclusive, mid-May to mid-July.
Taking our jet lag break between Rome and Lucca at the Saturnia Spa and Golf Resort. Stopped there last year and really loved it -- huge thermal pool and a dress code that includes bathrobes for most of the day can never be bad. Found a little restuarant, Trattoria Il Nibbio, in nearby Montemerano last year and hope to go there again.
All unaccounted for days in the list below get spread between the beach at Lido di Camaiore, visits with my wife's relatives in our village (Tempagnano di Valdottavo), hanging out with a wonderful circle of friends we have made over the years, consisting of an eclectic group of Italian natives and American/Canadian/British ex-pats, or just sitting on the patio watching the wind blow in the trees.
End of May, some friends from the US will join us in Lucca for a week -- their first trip there, so we get to see Lucca, Pisa, and Florence (among other stops) through their eyes as we wander around. We then go to France with these friends for an 11 day trip on the Canal du Midi on a self-drive boat (hoping they have bumper guards set up on the boat and/or the canal). Will be taking them to Avignon and Pont du Gard on one stopover on our way to the boat with another day set aside for touring around Toulouse. Highlight of the boat trip for me will be finally getting to see Carcassonne.
After we drop them off at Marseille at the end of the trip, we get to detour to the Rothschild Gardens in Nice before treating ourselves to a stopover in Sanremo.
We start off July in Rapallo for three days to enjoy the infinity pool at a hotel there (where they gave us a nifty backpack as a 4th of July gift for American clients last year -- how could we not go back again?). The actual reason for going is to see the procession and three days of fireworks for Nostra Signora di Montallegro. The bay is set alight with thousands of votive candles; the castle is symbolically set on fire; and three entire nights of fireworks keeps us entertained.
After that, it's just back to the patio in Tempagnano and sadly going back to Rome for the flight home.
I'm not sure our plans carry as much fun and excitement as a lot of others (always envious of those who are sharing their trips with children), but here goes:
Two months inclusive, mid-May to mid-July.
Taking our jet lag break between Rome and Lucca at the Saturnia Spa and Golf Resort. Stopped there last year and really loved it -- huge thermal pool and a dress code that includes bathrobes for most of the day can never be bad. Found a little restuarant, Trattoria Il Nibbio, in nearby Montemerano last year and hope to go there again.
All unaccounted for days in the list below get spread between the beach at Lido di Camaiore, visits with my wife's relatives in our village (Tempagnano di Valdottavo), hanging out with a wonderful circle of friends we have made over the years, consisting of an eclectic group of Italian natives and American/Canadian/British ex-pats, or just sitting on the patio watching the wind blow in the trees.
End of May, some friends from the US will join us in Lucca for a week -- their first trip there, so we get to see Lucca, Pisa, and Florence (among other stops) through their eyes as we wander around. We then go to France with these friends for an 11 day trip on the Canal du Midi on a self-drive boat (hoping they have bumper guards set up on the boat and/or the canal). Will be taking them to Avignon and Pont du Gard on one stopover on our way to the boat with another day set aside for touring around Toulouse. Highlight of the boat trip for me will be finally getting to see Carcassonne.
After we drop them off at Marseille at the end of the trip, we get to detour to the Rothschild Gardens in Nice before treating ourselves to a stopover in Sanremo.
We start off July in Rapallo for three days to enjoy the infinity pool at a hotel there (where they gave us a nifty backpack as a 4th of July gift for American clients last year -- how could we not go back again?). The actual reason for going is to see the procession and three days of fireworks for Nostra Signora di Montallegro. The bay is set alight with thousands of votive candles; the castle is symbolically set on fire; and three entire nights of fireworks keeps us entertained.
After that, it's just back to the patio in Tempagnano and sadly going back to Rome for the flight home.