New Beginnings Fair – Melbourne

New Beginnings Fair

New Beginnings Fair

Small business owners, budding entrepreneurs, innovative thinkers and business leaders of tomorrow, the New Beginnings Fair is one event not to miss.

Australia’s leading small business fair is coming to Melbourne for one day only, Friday 19th August 2016 with a spectacular line-up of inspiring speakers and insightful masterclasses. Take up the opportunity to hear from an incredible selection of guest speakers including:

  • Justine Flynn, Co-Founder of social enterprise, Thankyou
  • Aaron Smith, Founder & CEO of KX Fitness Group
  • Susannah George, Founder of The Urban List
  • Michael Ellis, Head of Culture at Vinomofo

Take part in think tank sessions and interactive classes on issues from law to PR to social media and everything in between to inspire, challenge and encourage your entrepreneurial endeavors.

Check out the jam packed schedule for the day here and don’t forget to pre-book your tickets online before attending tomorrow!

Tickets available online now at:

newbeginningsfair.com.au

New Beginnings Fair, Melbourne

Friday 19th August, 2016

Venue: Lauren’s Hall

183 Laurens St,

North Melbourne

VIC 3051

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Melbourne Darling Abroad – My top picks for Positano

The Amalfi Coast was my favourite seaside area of Italy. I stayed in Sorrento but the area can be quite pricey so I was also suggested that next time, for a quieter, less touristy area that will still allow for easy transportation around the Amalfi Coast to also try looking for accommodation in Salerno. While staying in Sorrento I did day trips to Pompeii, Positano and Capri. The Amalfi Coast was my next stop after finishing travelling through the Cinque Terre, and I am glad I did it this way around as while Cinque Terre was very pretty, I thought in particular, Positano and Capri were on another level was just taken away by the astonishing beauty of the Amalfi Coast.

Terrace views of Positano

Positano

My top picks for Positano:

Positano was extremely picturesque and relaxing. The strikingly colourful and dainty bougainvillea set against the clear blue ocean and pastel coloured patchwork wall of hillside homes is a truly stunning site reminiscent of the opulence and elegance that this wealthy seaside town exudes. Positano is a perfectly pretty town to stroll through and shop for handmade sandals and stylish beachwear, dine on creatively presented food, stop for a dip in the ocean and explore the hidden pathways and trails. The roads that lead to Positano are extremely narrow and windy. Unless you are a very experienced driver in Italy with these windy roads and are accustomed to the seemingly cavalier local Italian road rules as well as willing to tackle the restricted car parking available, I suggest catching a local coach or a ferry to Positano.

Picturesque Positano

Picturesque Positano

Enjoy exploring the town but also include a stroll beyond the bustling main streets with a walk across the ‘Sentiero degli Innamorati’ or Lover’s Path that leads from Spiaggia Grande (the main beach of Postiano) to the more secluded beach of Spiaggia del Fornillo. On the other hand, if you’re up for a more active hike, try the climb up the Path of the Gods, running along the mountain side with wonderful coastal views along the way.

Sentiero degli Innamorati / Lover's Path, Positano

Sentiero degli Innamorati / Lover’s Path, Positano

Stop in to Capricci for a slice of heart shaped pizza and a glass of wine. Alternatively, for beautiful waterfront views while you dine, head to Chez Black or Le Tre Sorelle. For a vegetable loaded fresh feast, try Casa e Bottega or for a romantic dinner high on top of the mountain, head to La Tagliata.

Heart shaped pizza from Capricci, Positano

Heart shaped pizza from Capricci, Positano

For a droolworthy and delicious refreshment, head to Ristorante Covo Dei Saraceni for a frozen lemon sorbet served inside of a lemon!

Lemon Sorbet from Covo Dei Saraceni, Positano

Lemon Sorbet from Covo Dei Saraceni, Positano

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Melbourne Darling Abroad – How to see Capri in a Day

Island of Capri, Italy

Island of Capri, Italy

When planning your trip to Capri, the first thing you should consider is whether you would like to include a visit to the Blue Grotto / Grotta Azzurra. It is advisable if you want to see the Blue Grotto to book it first thing and try and do it first thing in the morning (or check in the morning for tide times and the weather as the ability to enter the Blue Grotto is extremely dependent on the tide and weather so access times will change day to day.) There are a few different boats to take to Capri, I took the public ferry from where I was staying on the Amalfi Coast – in Sorrento. First things first, when you arrive in Capri, if you want to take a trip to the Blue Grotto, dart your way to join the line in the Marina as soon as you get off the ferry. If not, then trust me when I say do not waste any time on the ground level of Capri nearby the marina. The best and most beautiful way to see Capri is by heading straight to the very top of the island first, to Mount Solaro then spending the day making your way back down again. You will find this will be the least busy and this will be the least tiring method as there is lots of walking to be done exploring the island, and it is much easier to make your way down then try and make your way up the mountain.

First thing to do is make your way right to very top, to Mount Solaro. This involves 3 stages and 3 methods of transportation that will cost you €17.20 up and back (unless you want to walk but I sincerely suggest that if you only have the one day, save your soles and follow the below steps. Hang in there, I swear it’s worth every bit!)

Arriving at Capri by ferry

Arriving at Capri by ferry

  1. Marina Grande to Capri centre - When you arrive by boat to the island of Capri, you will arrive at the Marina Grande, from here make your way to the ticket sales offices and purchase a ticket to the Funicula. At a cost of €1.80, this railway cable cart is the fastest method to get you to the main centre of Capri, arriving att the Piazzetta.

 

Entrance to the Funiculare from Marina Grande

Entrance to the Funiculare from Marina Grande

  1. Capri to Anacapri – The Piazzetta is quite busy and filled with many high fashion stores, souvenir shops and touristy restaurants and cafes. But I recommend not spending much time here at first, as there is still a much prettier pocket of Capri awaiting. Once you reach the Piazzetta, purchase a bus ticket for €1.80 at the bus terminal in Capri located in Piazza Martiri d’Ungheria (along Via Roma near the Piazzetta). Take the 15 minute bus ride bus from Capri up to Anacapri. You will notice the buses here are tiny, fitting about 10-15 people in each, but luckily they are pretty quick and run regularly. My favorite part of Capri to explore was Anacapri. Stop by for a quick bite to eat or a short break to soak in the beautiful environment and then make your way up to Mount Solaro (as there is only one café on the top of the mountain with limited refreshments and facilities on the top of the mountain).

 

Island of Capri

Island of Capri

  1. Anacapri to Mount Solaro – The final stage is a climb to the top of Mount Solaro via the chairlift. Fasten yourself in for a breathtaking 12 minute ride with your feet dangling over rooftops and vegetable gardens as you ride up to the 589m ascent above sealevel. The price of the chairlift is €10 roundtrip or €7 one way and I believe it is worth every cent.

 

Mount Solaro Chair lift

Mount Solaro Chair lift

Once at the top you can enjoy the spectacular views above the clouds along the observation decks before making your way back down the chairlift. We decided to spend the majority of our time after this in Anacapri which was filled with local boutiques and independently owned stores run by locals as well as lots of limoncello and local produce.

My must-do list for Capri / Anacapri:

-         Take a boat ride to the Blue Grotto (I was unable to during my stay which is why I suggest making sure you check before you visit on the day)

-         View the Faraglioni sea stacks from the top of Mount Solaro

View of the Faraglioni rocks from the top of Mont Solaro

View of the Faraglioni rocks from the top of Mount Solaro

-          Try a refreshing Limoncello granita as your browse the stores and laneways in Anacapri

Limoncello store, Anacapri

Limoncello store, Anacapri

-          Find the Phoenecian steps and see how far you can manage to walk down (and back up!) the incredibly steep steps but don’t forget to stop and take in the astonishingly beautiful view.

The Phoenician Steps, Island of Capri

The Phoenician Steps, Island of Capri

-          Stop by Pizzeria Aumm Aumm for a slice of their lemon pizza and their Sfogliatelle Napoletane (flaky pastry shell filled with a creamy, sweet ricotta filling)

 

Lemon Pizza from Pizzeria Aumm Aumm

Lemon Pizza from Pizzeria Aumm Aumm

-          If you have time also visit the Villa San Michele

I would absolutely love to spend more than a day in Capri, so will definitely be planning a return trip to explore even more gems in the area.

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Melbourne Darling Abroad – My Favourite Places in Venice

VENICE

Beautiful Venice

The smallest ‘island’ in Venice

La Bussola – Free walking tours of Venice

http://www.venicefreetours.com/

I cannot recommend this free walking tour company enough – La Bussola free tours of Venice were by far our favourite tours of the whole trip. They went beyond the typical sites that you can see on your own and opened up a whole new view of the beautiful city, unveiling many hidden secrets of Venice that we would otherwise have never found. The spots we were shown on this tour ended up becoming some of our most favourite locations! When we took the tours (we ended up taking both the morning and afternoon tours – you can do either or both as they take you to different parts of the city) our tourist guides were young, engaging, extremely knowledgeable and clearly very passionate about the city of Venice. As these are ‘free walking tours’ there is no pressure on how much to pay the tour guides at the end. They were honest and said they work hard because obviously this is their job and they want to impress their tour group to tip them well at the end of the tour, but we were never felt pressured into this, and ended up being very impressed by a tour that we felt the tour guides had put a lot of heart and effort into. The tour guides claimed they do not work with any partnerships with restaurants or places of interest, but instead we found they recommended their own personal favourites spots in the city and places they go to themselves and take their friends to. This was proven the next day when we just so happened to bump into one of our tour guides on his way to meet his friends for drinks at one of his own favourite bars, one he recommended to use the day before. The tours were extremely insightful but at the same time, comfortable like meeting up with a friend and having them take you around their home town.

 

Cicchetti – (Venetian style tapas – small appetizer servings of finger food like variations of bruschetta usually eaten with an Aperol spritz and potato crisps!) Trying cicchetti is a great way to tap into the Venetian lifestyle. Most Venetian bars will serve cicchetti from late morning to until well into the afternoon.

 

Cicchetti (Venetian style tapas)

Cicchetti (Venetian style tapas)

Jewish Ghetto – If you have a spare afternoon or morning this is a beautiful residential area to walk through. It is moreso a residential area but there are beautiful homes and canals to see.

 

Jewish Ghetto, Venice

Jewish Ghetto, Venice

 

Antica Adelaide

Calle Priuli Racheta, 30121 Venezia, Italy

http://www.anticaadelaide.it/

Great spot for apéritifs / drinks before dinner – Aperol spritz for €2, need I say more.

 

€2 Aperol Spritz at Antica Adelaide, Venice

€2 Aperol Spritz at Antica Adelaide, Venice

Gelateria Suso

Calle della Bissa, 5453, 30124 San Marco, Venezia VE, Italy

http://suso.gelatoteca.it/

My favourite gelateria in Venice, serving seasonal flavours. I can’t go past their specialty flavour, the ‘Manet’ Pistachio with Salted caramel and Gianduia (the Italian dessert spread made from chocolate and hazelnut).

 

Gelateria Suso

Gelateria Suso

Ristorante Al Giardinetto da Severino

Salizada Zorzi 4928, 30122 VE, Italy

http://www.algiardinetto.it/?lang=en

Stumbling upon this place on my first night in Venice was wonderful, such a beautiful setting and delicious, traditional Venetian home style cooking served in a beautiful courtyard. Reasonable pricing, good servings and excellent service.

 

Al Ponte Del Meggio

Santa Croce, 1666, 30135 Venezia, Italy

https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Restaurant_Review-g187870-d1500560-Reviews-Trattoria_Al_Ponte_del_Megio-Venice_Veneto.html

Very picturesque location perfect for a beautiful night when you can enjoy a table outside. Serving homestyle pasta and meat dishes. This is also nearby the extremely popular restaurant ‘La Zucca’ which I heard recommended multiple times but was unable to try myself as it was booked out, so do book La Zucca if you can, otherwise if you turn up and don’t get in like I did, I am sure that Al Ponte Del Meggio will not disappoint.

Al Ponte Del Meggio

Al Ponte Del Meggio

Bar la Toletta

Dorsoduro, 1191, 30123 Venezia VE, Italy

Wonderful inexpensive sandwich place – 1.60 euro for a sandwich. Just be aware they sell sandwiches containing horse meat but have these clearly identified!

Bar alla Toletta

Bar alla Toletta

Liberia Acqua Alta

Calle Lunga Santa Maria Formosa, 5176/B, 30122 Venezia, Italy

https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attraction_Review-g187870-d2208448-Reviews-Libreria_Acqua_Alta-Venice_Veneto.html

 

Libreria Acqua Alta

Libreria Acqua Alta

Probably the best example of creatively embracing the unique environment of the city of Venice.

Unmodestly dubbing itself as ‘the most beautiful bookshop in the world’ I am happy to say that so far I would not beg to differ. During Venice’s period of high tide that causes flooding throughout the city, also known as ‘acqua alta’ this charming second hand bookshop designed the bookstore in a way to embrace the high tide occurrence by cleverly shelving books higher than usual above the ground in addition to stacked in bathtubs and gondolas within the store to keep the books afloat during floods. This store is a maze of books which lead to outdoor areas featuring piled up books that had been the victim of flooding, now used as decorative walls and steps. The friendly resident cats quietly strut throughout the store and make sure you head to the back of the store to see their creative fire exit – an entire outdoor staircase made out of old books which lead to the top of the wall to overlook the back exit onto a canal. A magical and creative place to visit and get lost amongst the books (maybe even literally).

 

Libreria Acqua Alta

Libreria Acqua Alta

Enoiteca Mascareta

Calle Lunga Santa Maria Formosa, 5183, San Marco, Venezia VE, Italy

http://www.ostemaurolorenzon.com/

 

Enoiteca Mascareta

Enoiteca Mascareta

Upfront I will say that this place was my all-time favourite ‘fancy’ restaurant on my whole Italian trip. Our wonderful travel guide suggested this place to us as this was one of his all time favourite places. It did not disappoint, it was one of my most memorable meals in Italy (the others being in Sorrento and Santa Margherita as well as my relative’s home cooking of course!) Partner your meal with a gin and tonic, as not only does Enoiteca Mascerata serve up amazing meals but they also specialize in serving the best range of gin.

3 unique flavour spins on Gin and Tonic at Enoiteca Mascareta

3 unique flavour spins on Gin and Tonic at Enoiteca Mascareta

The lovely Paolo came over and asked what tastes we like to drink and magically whipped us up 3 completely different but equally extraordinary gin and tonics each featuring different flavour varieties whether it was citrus and spice, berry and floral or peppery and tart. Our main meals also featured Venetian specialties including baccala, ox cheek and polenta.

Enoiteca Mascareta

Enoiteca Mascareta

Top three viewpoints of Venice:

1. Campanile di San Marco

2. Church of San Giorgio Maggiore (told to watch the church change colour during sunset)

Church of San Giorgio Maggiore

Church of San Giorgio Maggiore

3. Scala Contarini del Bovolo (not for the faint hearted or anyone who isn’t whiling to trek it up the long spiral staircase to the top!

Scala Contarini del Bovolo

Scala Contarini del Bovolo

Where to ride a gondola in Venice

Venice now has a fixed rate of €80 for a half an hour gondola ride, but the fixed rate does not mean that all rides are equally as enjoyable. There are many overcrowded and not so friendly spots and gondeliers you may see on your walk through Venice, but from what we saw and heard, one of the best (more quieter) places to catch a gondola ride was right in front of the Querini Stampalia in the Campo Santa Maria Formosa – one of the best places to catch a gondola (a bit of a more quieter spot with less traffic, but always ensure to ‘interview’ your gondola driver before you choose them to ensure they are going to provide you with a worthwhile experience and not just ignore you and use their phones during the whole journey. As you are selecting a driver for a memorable (and expensive) experience, there is no shame in taking the time to select a gondola driver, you might want someone who will talk (or sing!) to you during the ride or may be able to provide you with some local knowledge and travel tips for the city or is at least friendly enough to make your €80 half an hour trip an enjoyable one! Alternatively, if you are not too fussed on travelling on a gondola ride for half an hour but would still like to enjoy an even more authentic water travel method in Venice, read on about taking a quick trip across the Grand Canal on the Traghetto below.

 

Campo Santa Maria Formosa

Campo Santa Maria Formosa

Travelling around Venice

I learnt the hard way and lugged my suitcase around for the half an hour walk from the train station to my hotel, across a total of 10 bridges. I would not recommend this. Of course this is dependant on whereabouts you are staying but instead of paying for a gondola I recommend looking into another two different methods of public water transportation:

1. Traghetto:

The Traghetto is a public gondola that offers short rides across the Grand Canal. There are only four stations along the Grand Canal where you can take the Traghetto which travels to and from stations across the Grand Canal continuously throughout the day for approximately €2 per single ride each way. The functioning stations and their daily times vary depending on the season so it is advisable to check which stops are in  use as well as the hours of operation during your stay in Venice.

2. Il Vaperetto:

The Vaperetto is the Venice ferry which takes the most wonderfully scenic route via the Grand Canal. I would recommend taking the Vaporetto for the entire route the whole way through from the St Marks Square through the 40 – 60 minute ride it takes via the Grand Canal to the train station at least once. It is a beautiful ride where you can enjoy the best views of the front entrances of all the places situated on the Grand Canal, what is technically the ‘main street’ of Venice. As the front entrances in Venice face the canals, this ride offers you a beautiful different point of view as opposed to walking through the laneways.

Gondolas on the Grand Canal

Gondolas on the Grand Canal

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Melbourne Darling Abroad – Italy Travel Tips and My Favourite Places in Rome

A few months ago in May 2016, I travelled to Italy for the first time. While I usually keep my out of Melbourne travels outside of my blogging for Melbourne Darling, this was a very special trip for me and I was just so overcome by the beauty of Italy I just wanted to share all of my favourite places, travel tips and local treasures for those who may also be interested in some of the same places I went to and things I did.

While I love being a tourist and seeing all the popular, iconic and unmissable sights, when I travel I also like to go beyond the typical tourist experience and really seek out the local treasures and seek out recommendations on things to do and visit from those ‘in-the-know’. I always find it extremely beneficial to speak to locals (taxi drivers, store and restaurant owners, waiters, store employees etc.) to get the best, most authentic advice as  what I’ve found is that these unexpected places found end up being the most memorable.

The series of posts on Italy I will feature are by no means a comprehensive guide and won’t cover any of the main activities or sightseeing but just a selection of some of my most handy tips and favourite places I found along my trip mostly by chance or through recommendations by locals I met along the way, places you may not necessarily find on Tripadvisor or from a hotel or travel guide. Here is my personal favourite collection of the places (mostly food related) I would recommend to my friends and family based on my experience that I’d like to pass on from one Melbourian to the next!

 

First I’d like to start off with some great general advice on being a tourist in Italy:

Rules for picking a good restaurant:

I never went to any really expensive restaurants, I always tried looking for the best value local finds serving the best quality food. One quick way to gauge the freshness and quality of ingredients of a restaurant in Italy is a quick look at their menus. Many of the local home cooking style Italian restaurants had the least well designed menus. Usually a one or two page sheet of paper, nothing fancy. This is because many of the popular restaurants that take in a high rate of customers and go through a high turnover of fresh ingredients update their menu very frequently, sometimes even on a weekly or daily basis. This is because they plan their menu around seasonal produce and the best quality seasonal produce that they selected, which may vary day to day to feature the dishes according to the best produce they have available to use. You will usually find these great restaurants off the beaten track, sometimes down side streets or closer to residential areas as opposed to near the popular tourist landmarks, so sometimes it is worth the extra walk or wandering around to find a great place (just don’t start heading down when your hangry, keep your Google maps on hand and stay safe!)

Also keep an eye out for the restaurant’s specialties as we found some restaurants which were fantastic at pizzas made very average pasta or vice versa. Likewise a little knowledge on what vegetables or seafood and types of meats are local and done well in particular areas which could save you the difference between picking a very average meal over a delicious specialty of the restaurant you are dining at.

We were also told the following 3 rules of what to avoid when choosing a restaurant in Italy from our lovely tour guide through La Bussola free tours of Venice:

  1. Johnny Gels – These are the slick haired men standing outside the restaurants calling out to passersby in an attempt to persuade them to dine at the restaurant they work for. The good restaurants are usually so busy they don’t need to employ such people to try and entice passersby to walk in.
  2. Extensive menus that come in four languages or more – Nothing yells out tourist trap more than a restaurant that chooses to translate their menu in every language to cater for all the tourists. It is rare that you will find locals and authentic Italian food at a place that caters for tourists so heavily. These places are unsurprisingly directly nearby the top tourist landmarks.
  3. Photos of food from the menu – Similar to the above point, because when things are in Italian and tourists aren’t sure how to order or what they are ordering, what better way than to just slap photos of the food everywhere so tourists can simply point to the dish they like the look of. Then don’t be surprised when you see the dish that arrives in front of you does not look as perfect as it appeared in the photo.

My recommendation for tourists who want to eat more authentic Italian and local food is to ask the waiters what the specialty of the region is or what the most popular dishes at that restaurant are. I also found that having a phone nearby to translate some of the ingredients or dishes is sometimes easier and quicker than asking a waiter to explain if your Italian is not so great.

Tips for picking tours:

Most big museums offer free admission on the last Sunday of the month which is a good option if you want to visit on the cheap however, if you are not bothered by the entry fee, avoid visiting on weekends or this day when you can expect the biggest crowds.

Many tours offer ‘skip the line’ options. This is a worthy option to consider, especially if you are travelling in peak season to not waste valuable time in your tour simply lining up most of the time.

Using public toilets:

Using the toilet facilities – some places will charge you to use the bathroom. The cheapest way to get around this and use the toilets is to go into a café and if you don’t necessarily want to purchase any other drink, order an espresso /short black to stand (not sit!) which should cost on average 1 Euro (too much higher above 1 Euro and you know you’re being ripped off). Hopefully many of the Melbournians reading this have embraced our cities coffee culture and won’t have a problem adding one or more espressos to their day, so worst case if you have a small bladder you may find yourself with a caffeine buzz. On the other hand, the extra pep in your step might just be beneficial for all the walking that’s needed in travelling around, particularly in Rome and Venice!

Here is the list of some of my favourite places I visited:

ROME

Trevi Fountain at night, Rome

Trevi Fountain at night, Rome

Franchi Gastronomia

Via Cola Di Rienzo, 200, Rome, Italy

https://www.facebook.com/Gastronomia-Franchi-305070869605810/

Stop for a glass of wine and a panino at this wonderful deli packed to the brim with breads, cured meats and antipasto treats. Via Cola Di Rienzo is also a great street to stroll down on your way to the Vatican City or Castel Sant’Angelo.

 Franchi Gastronomia


Franchi Gastronomia

 

Hedera Sweetness & Co.

Borgo Pio 179, 00193 Rome, Italy

http://www.hederaroma.it/

Very cute store interior serving up wonderful gelato and granitas using premium organic ingredients.

 

Gelati from Hedera Sweetness & Co. Rome

Gelati from Hedera Sweetness & Co. Rome

Staying near the Colosseum?

Castroni

Via Nazionale, 72, 00184 Roma, Italy

http://www.castroni.it/

An extremely handy café serving up everything from coffee to gelato to wine and sandwiches and a big collection of packaged sweets to eat now or bring back home from your travels. Good for a quick snack stop whether you need a coffee, a coffee crema (YES YOU DO) a pastry, sweets, wine, a sandwich or a gelato.

Coffee Crema at Castroni, Rome

Coffee Crema at Castroni, Rome

Alle Carrette

Vicolo delle Carrette, 14 / Via Madonna dei Monti, 95

https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Restaurant_Review-g187791-d1231075-Reviews-Alle_Carrette-Rome_Lazio.html

Good for a cheap and quick bite of woodfire pizza and wine.

Pizza from Alle Carrette, Rome

Pizza from Alle Carrette, Rome

Ristorante Al Boschetto

Via del Boschetto 30

http://www.hoteljulia.it/al_boschetto.htm

Cute, warm and cosy ambience like your stepping into an Italian family’s home. Great pasta dishes. Fresh seasonal produce, particularly mushrooms and artichokes. Generous portions, wholesome, comfort food.

This street – Ristorante Al Boschetto is filled with many good restaurants.

 

Courtyard dining at Ristorante Al Boschetto

Courtyard dining at Ristorante Al Boschetto

Il Tettarello

https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Restaurant_Review-g187791-d1727978-Reviews-Trattoria_il_Tettarello-Rome_Lazio.html

Via dei Capocci, 4, 00184 Roma, Italy

I didn’t actually get a chance to try this place as both times I went there they were full! But I heard a few locals recommending this place.

I also heard there are a number of good restaurants and bars in the area of Trastevere if you are up for the walk across the River Tiber which is a less touristy area of Rome where more locals, students and workers reside.

One of my favourite viewpoints of Rome is the Garden of Oranges / ‘giardino degli aranci’ a walk up stairs from the Forum, where you can see a breathtaking view of many major historical landmarks and a beautiful lookout that captures the heart of Rome.

 

Views of the Roman Forum and The Colosseum from the ‘giardino degli aranci’

Views of the Roman Forum and The Colosseum from the ‘giardino degli aranci’

Herzel De Bach

http://www.herzeldebach.it/it/herzel-de-bach.html

123, Babuino street

AND

2, Propaganda street
00187 Rome, Italy

Herzel I snow officially my favourite shoe designer. Shoe lovers, fashionistas and design aficionados must visit at least one, if not both stores of this amazing local shoe designer. With only 2 stores in Rome, the care, craft and thought that has gone into the design and production of these impressively flattering (and comfortable) stylishly handmade shoes that are just as exquisite and impactful as the eye-catching store display they are carefully encased in.

Inside my favourite shoe store in the world, belonging to the amazing footwear designer Herzel De Bach

Inside my favourite shoe store in the world, belonging to the amazing footwear designer Herzel De Bach

 

Herzel (6)

Please excuse the image of my butchered feet after 3 weeks of solid walking morning until night but I couldn’t resist showing off these amazing pair of shoes with elasticated wrap around ankle straps complete with a metal loop that slides under the heel to secure!

 

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