Naples, Italy

Whilst we are in the middle of a global pandemic, I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to write about the trip I took to Naples, Italy just before Covid-19 descended on the world. I hold such fond memories of this beautiful city and it was honestly like nowhere I have ever visited before! Still holding all the charm and glamour of a typical Italian city, I found it to be worlds’ apart from Rome, and in some ways, much preferred it. We travelled to Naples and stayed in a gorgeous Air BnB a stones’ throw away from the Via dei Tribunali. We had a beautiful, small balcony overlooking an Italian-style courtyard, made up of old stone floors, tiled stairways, overgrown palms and old, brightly painted front door ways. My favourite thing to do every morning was sit in the fresh air with a coffee and watch over the courtyard, as Italian grandmas left their quaint houses to collect their essentials: pastries, bread and coffee. We wandered down Tribunali, ever-busy with tourists and native Italians alike, with many relaxing outside of the pizzerias, coffee and cigarettes in hand. We wandered down to the port and took photos on the wolf statues, ate gelato next to the castle and even joined in with the Carnevale celebrations, throwing confetti in the main square surrounded by children in their favourite dress-up costumes! We had our first Neapolitan pizza at an amazing pizzeria recommended to us by our Air BnB hosts, at the top of the Tribunali, named Vesi. I couldn’t recommend it more – the pizza was incredible! We passed our nights in the Piazza Bellini, drinking Pinot Grigio and mingling with the locals. We were extremely lucky with the weather – despite being February, it stayed sunny for the majority of our trip! I honestly fell in love with Naples and cannot wait to visit again once all restrictions are lifted and we are able to travel again. If you’re looking for a city break weekend with amazing food and a relaxed atmosphere, Naples is the place for you!

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Vatican City

A holiday to Rome meant one thing: of course, we had to pay a visit to the world’s smallest sovereign state! Accessible via metro and fairly easy to navigate, we hopped on the red line at Repubblica in the direction of Battistini and exited at Ottaviano, the closest metro stop to the Vatican and the easiest way to arrive. We wandered through the streets and through the walls into the Vatican, and it is just as beautiful as I imagined it would be. We paid 17 euros for an ‘Ordinario’ ticket, giving us access to the Musei Vaticani and to most of the monuments, including the Sistine Chapel, which was extremely reasonable! One piece of advice I would give to any one who is wishing to visit the Vatican: wear comfortable shoes! There is a lot of walking, so much to see, and it takes a long time to wander through each section, so comfy shoes are an absolute essential. The museum was of course hugely interesting, with Roman sculpture and gorgeous artwork alike, but the star of the show really was the Sistine Chapel. There is a lot to see and do before you arrive at the Sistine Chapel thus anticipation takes over as you turn another corner and say ‘are we at the Chapel yet?,’ but it is safe to say that it did not disappoint. Michelangelo’s work is truly breathtaking and whilst the chapel was full with tourists, it was largely silent in awe of the intricacies of each and every painting that adorned the walls and the ceiling. I unfortunately didn’t manage to take too many photographs, as in a large portion of the Vatican, it is prohibited (to preserve artwork, presumably). We visited the Vatican City in the early afternoon, and in hindsight if I could visit again, I would arrive in the morning. There was a tonne to see and do, and so it is worth accounting for this when planning your trip. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to visit the Basilica as we left at dusk and the queues were extremely long. However, the sun setting made for some beautiful photos. After leaving the Vatican, we went in search of a delicious evening meal, and as this was one of our last days in Italy, we wanted it to be as Italian as we could find! We stumbled across Marcantonio Ristorante and Pizzeria, about two minutes walk from the Vatican, and I couldn’t recommend it enough. The pasta was incredible, and (as mentioned in my Rome travel post!) I couldn’t get enough of their Caprese salads. If you’re ever around the Vatican, make sure to pay them a visit! Ending our day with a pizza and a view of the Vatican City was a great way to round off the loveliest trip to Italy. I can’t wait to go back (…very very soon!)