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Italy 2022

August - September 2022
A trip to Southern Italy (2 years in the making). Read more
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  • TravelerItaly 2022
    Day 1

    New York, NY - Rome, Italy

    August 28, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    We had a big day at the farm getting ready to leave for our trip (a two year delay!!). We cleaned all the stalls, organized the barns, made tomato sauce - busy day! After doing all the chores we packed up the car, dropped the dogs off at the dogsitter's and drove the loooong and traffic filled drive to JFK. It was easier to park than we anticipated, so we had loads of time to kill before our flight. Luckily we had access to the Air France lounge so we could get some food and drinks and then, finally, we boarded the plane! We had one glass of champagne and everyone pretty much passed out before the plane had even taken off. When we wake up - Rome!Read more

  • TravelerItaly 2022
    Day 2

    Rome, Italy

    August 29, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    We landed in Rome, very uneventfully, at 10:30am and went to meet our car. We had a bit of trouble finding it, but once we did it was a quick drive to our hotel - Hotel Locarno - in the Piazza del Popolo district of Rome. The hotel was lovely and we had two interconnecting rooms which ended up working out really well. Once we checked in, we went to the garden and had a quick lunch and glass of wine before heading out to explore. We walked over to the Spanish Steps and then to the Trevi Fountain before heading in search of our first gelato! The concierge at our hotel had recommended a place across the river called Gelataria Romana and we were NOT disappointed. There was fresh cream on top of the cone, chocolate in the cone and only some mild stress trying to figure out how to order as it was strictly locals only. We headed back to the hotel for a little rest and quick nap (for the grownups) before heading up to the roof deck of the hotel for a drink. We had one of the best negroni I have ever had with the most beautiful views of Rome. Wow. We picked up the kids (we had left them watching Italian cartoons in the room) and headed to Osteria il Marche for dinner. This was by far our least favorite meal of the trip, but we were all starving and tired so didn't much mind. Then, a lovely walk back to the hotel for sleep!Read more

  • TravelerItaly 2022
    Day 3

    Rome, Italy

    August 30, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    Everyone slept well thankfully, and we set our alarms early so that we could eat breakfast on the patio before meeting our guide - Paolo - for a morning of walking through Rome. Paolo was amazing - he took us all over the old city centre, taking all the lovely back streets and teaching the girls how to drink from all the fountains like a local (this was, by far, their favorite thing to do in Rome). Hannah says Roman water is preferable to all others! Paolo shared so many interesting details about Rome, the history, art and culture and we all very much enjoyed it! He took us for a granita (crushed ice coffee with cream on the top/bottom) and to an art supply store for pencils and crayons before stopping in the big square for a tartufo for the girls. After, we went back to the hotel for a rest and then took the girls to the roof top bar for an early dinner (and drinks for us) before heading out to a fancy, solo, dinner for our anniversary (a day early because I am bad at anniversaries). The girls settled in with some Italian tv, and we went around the corner to Dal Bolognese which was fabulous. Definitely more fancy, but everyone was very kind and we had the biggest and most delicious t-bone steak (and SUCH good people watching). We went for a quick walk after dinner and back to the hotel where the girls were (miraculously) asleep. A lovely (faux) anniverary indeed!Read more

  • TravelerItaly 2022
    Day 4

    Rome, Italy

    August 31, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    Another good night sleep and (relatively) early rise before heaing out to meet Paolo at the Colosseum! One crazy taxi ride and some insane ticket issues later, we were in and although the kids didn't care much about the history, the grownups loved it! We walked around, and then headed to the Forum where we found some merciful shade and Paolo shared the history of Rome and the tale of Romulus and Remus. We really loved him, but at this point the kids were DONE, so Paolo took us to a nearby pizza place where we sat outside and ate lunch and then got some gelati (of course). Everyone was feeling revived after lunch, so we decided to walk back to the hotel. On the way, we did a little shopping and I got a gorgeous mug from the sweetest Roman woman in this teeny shop and the girls got some H&M and Zara clothes ;) We finally made it back to the hotel and snuggled in bed to watch Gladiator on Matt's computer - a totally inappropriate kids movie, but they were super into the gladiator part of the day so we went for it. We headed back to the rooftop for a drink/snack before walking over to Babette for dinner - a restaurant recommendation from Paolo! We absolutely loved it and it was our favorite meal in Rome by far - even the kids ate! We let the kids run through Piazza del Popolo on the way home, and then fell into bed after an exhausting but wonderful day.Read more

  • TravelerItaly 2022
    Day 5

    Matera, Italy

    September 1, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Up early again for another travel day. We all felt that we spent JUST the right amount of time in Rome and were all ready to head down South for the week. We ate breakfast in our lobby before catching a taxi to Fiumincino. I was so impressed with how nice and new the airport was - so much better than gross JFK. We hopped on a bus to get to our plane and then, 40 minutes later, Bari! Luckily we had no trouble with our rental car (Matt got to relearn how to drive a manual transmission) and an hour later we pulled into the parking lot in Matera. Evie wasn't feeling well after the drive, so Matt and Hannah took a car to the hotel with the luggage while Evie and I walked in - and what a walk! Matera is literally built into the mountain and there are these caves carved all in the city, inluding our hotel - Sextantino - and it was absolutely breathtaking. Our room was in a giant cave - literally built into the cave the girls (and us) loved it so so much. We spent some time exploring our rooms and then went outside for some drinks and cards. Later in the evening we walked down the main street, twisting and turning past the big bascilicata until we reached our dinner destination at La Lopa. The restaurant was also built into a cave and at the bottom of the stairs was a cinema that played Italian movies shot in Matera (lots of bloody, naked guys). Then we walked home and went to bed (in the cave!).Read more

  • TravelerItaly 2022
    Day 6

    Matera, Italy

    September 2, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    First full day in Matera! We woke up a bit early (8:30 so not tooooo early) and the kids were unhappy. They begrudgingly got dressed and we went next door for breakfast which was (of course) in a cave. It was a gorgeous space and there was the most amazing buffet with cheeses, cakes and fruit. After, we met our guide for the morning who gave us the history of Matera and showed us all over the city. The history of Sassi is incredibly interesting and now I feel like I have to go back and re-read Christ Stopped at Eboli. The girls were tired at the end of our walk so we found a gelato place for a snack and then wandered back to our hotel for a little rest. We changed into our walking gear (I had to go all the way back to the car to get my sneakers!) and went next door for pizza which as AH-mazing. Some of the best we have ever had. We had decided earlier in the trip that we were going to hike accross the canyon to go explore the caves (built in neolithic times!), so we walked over and began the 1.6km hike. And hike it was! Straight up and straight down with a crazy bridge suspended very high up over the river. It was super hard but the kids did amazing and didn't complain at all. Once we got to the top of the far canyon there were all of these really fantastic caves to discover and explore built right into the rock. The only downside was the amount of trash all over the place and how crazy steep and dangerous (no railing at all) it was. Matt did not like being up so high, so we went back down fairly soon (the kids were bummed, they could have explored all day). Everyone was tired when we got back so we let the girls watch Star Wars on Matt's computer and we went outside for a drink which was very nice :) After, we all took a shower and played cards before walking down the street for dinner at a cute outdoor place (it was mercifully pretty chilly out!) and had pasta and the most delicous t-bone steak cooked on a hot plate. So good and the kids loved it. Then we sadly ordered the grossest dessset (some sort of weird cannoli thing) we have ever had before heading back to the cave for bed!Read more

  • TravelerItaly 2022
    Day 7

    Cisternino, Italy

    September 3, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    We slept in a bit before getting a final breakfast at our cave hotel. We decided to let the girls take us on a little walk around the town before we left and boy was it HOT already! We went back to the cool of our cave, packed up and then grabbed a car to take us back to our rental car which we had parked outside the city walls and we were off - headed towards the town of Cisternino in Puglia! We drove for about an hour and watched the countryside turn red and rocky with cacti everywhere. Welcome to Puglia! We pulled into the small town of Martina Franca - our destination for lunch - and like all Italian towns it was absoutley ugly on the outskirts - big apartment complexes -and then completley charming when you entered. It took us awhile to find the restaurant - Cocco Pazza da Stefano - but when we did we were in for a real treat and had the most decliouc food! Ravioli, meatballs, squash blossoms and some of the best wine we have had since we arrived in Italy. After eating WAY too much we walked to the town center before heading back into the car to make our way to the villa we were renting for the week which sat right outside Cisternino. Stefano (not of the restaurant - a different one) met us and showed us around the old, restored trulli. The girls, of course, went right into the pool and Matt and I relaxed on the patio with some wine. Later in the evening Maria came over to cook us some dinner. We were still a little full from lunch, so we had lots of delicous leftovers :) Finally, off to to bed (on the firmest beds imaginable!).Read more

  • TravelerItaly 2022
    Day 8

    Cisternino, Italy

    September 4, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    We woke up this morning and ate a quick breakfast at our villa before heading out to Alborobello - a UNESCO heritage town about 20 minutes away. The town is known for having trulli (the cone shaped houses) everywehre and it was so lovely to see but very, very crowded with Italian tourists everywhere. We met our guide and walked around, learning the history of the town and trullo before heading out of the town (we were not sad to leave) and into the countryside for a mozzarellla making demonstration at a local masseria or farm. It was a beautiful drive through rolling hills with dry stone walls everhere and red, red earth with SO much stone. When we got to the masseria they were super busy wiht Sunday lunch, but we watched the owner make mozaarella, straciatella and buratta and then tgot to sample everyting - so good!! The family runs the farm/restaurant and it was really interesting and inspiring to see their operation. The only bad thing was Hannah having an allergic reaction to one of their cats :( I read somehwere that there was an antiques market in Monopli, so we decided to drive over there to check it out. Of course we found no market, but we had a lovely afternoon walking around the town and getting our first glimpse of the Adriatic sea! And of course, we stopped for a gelato! We were all super full from the cheese tasting so headed back to the villa for some afternoon pool time and to wait for Auntie Rin and Damian who were driving in from Rome. Luckily we had SO many leftovers from dinner the night before so we were able to pull a meal together and spend the evening catching up when they arrived. We are SO excited to have them here this week!Read more

  • TravelerItaly 2022
    Day 9

    Cisternino, Italy

    September 5, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    We all woke up a bit late on Monday and, after a quick breakfast at the villa, headed in to explore the town of Cisternino (the power got cut all day at teh villa so we had to get out of there!). We finally managed to park and then wandered into the old town where we stopped for a gelato and coffee. Thus fortified, we spent the next hour or so wandering through the old streets. It was such a lovely town and the girls loved choosing which windy path to go down. We hopped back in the car and drove one town over - to Locortondo - for lunch where we ordered WAY too much pizza and then wandered around again (the best thing to do in these small Puglian towns!). Everyone was a bit tired, so we headed back to the villa for rest and pool time. Later that evening Anna Maria came over for our very own cooking class. We learned to make macaroni, orecchitte, beans, polpette, brushcetta and SO much more. The kids (and adults) had a blast and we ate dinner outside under the stars which was amazing. Such a wonderful experience to cook with Anna Maria!Read more

  • TravelerItaly 2022
    Day 10

    Cisternino, Italy

    September 6, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    We woke up early (for us!) and headed out in the car for our boat ride in Pogliano a Mare on the Adriatic Sea. We met our boat driver, Roberto, and spent the next hour exploring all the grotti (caves) along the coast. It was so beautiful out and the kids loved getting wet on the boat and going fast! After visiting all the caves, we stopped for the kids to take a swim in the sea which they loved even though the water was SO salty! We left the marina and drove into the town center to walk around and - wow - what a gorgeous place! It was quite touristy, but the town was super cute and the views over the sea were amazing. We really enjoyed our visit. We stopped for a very average lunch at a seafood place (followed, luckily, by a very good gelato) and then headed back to the villa for a rest and swim. We had loved our time at Coco Pazzo da Stefano earlier in the week, so we decided to take Corinne and Damien back there for dinner. So out we headed to Martina Franca where we encountered the most insane traffic ever trying to get into the town center. We eventually made it to our dinner and it was just as good as I remembered. We sat out on the piazza and even thought the kids were tired (we left at 10:15!), it was such a good meal and worth it!Read more

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