Retro Rimini

Rimini in Italy was very popular destination about 40 years ago, but it is still nice for a long-weekend trip. The beach is extremely long and well organized with sun beds, restaurants, kids play parks and sports.

Where to stay?

Stay at the five star Grand Hotel, four star hotel Ambasciatori (address vle Vespucci 22) or four star hotel Meridien. All nice hotels, close to the beach with good to great service. Both Grand Hotel and Ambasciatori have nice outdoor pools.

Top 7 restaurants in Rimini

1 Nettuno restaurant, it is located on the beach. It has a lovely view, fab food. Try their pasta with lobster. Excellent!

The address is Lungomare Murr 2/4

2 Da Ugo wine bar. Great food and service. Address: Via Beccadelli 7.

3 La Dolce Vita beach restaurant by Meridien hotel. For a light lunch, sallad or snack. (address Via Lungomare Murri 6)

4 Gelateria Pellicano on Lungomare Tintori 51, or Gelateria Bar for unbelievable great italian ice cream.

5 Osteria e Cucina for fresh made pasta

6 Grand hotel restaurant, very elegant surroundings, inspired by the Austrian empire?

7 FLB Fratelli La Bufala for genuine (and some very unusual) Italian pizza with great view of the sea. Ask for a table on the roof. (address Piazzale Kennedy 11)

What to do?

Well Rimini is a small town and the best thing to do is chill! Just sunbath, swim, relax and read a lot of magazines on the beach.

A visit to the old town is ok if you get bored. There are some interesting old monuments to see. But it is better to go and visit the small country San Marino 20 km from Rimini. Or to make a trip to the wine yards in the area.

A visit to the large water park between Rimini and Riccione is nice for the kids. 

Where to shop?

Well... not here I guess. But there are some nice shops in the centre like Armani, Guess etc. And for some surf beach wear like Quick Silver and Billabong visit the Beach Cultur Shop on Vle Vespucci 75.

Visit Venice

Venice has been described as "the most beautiful city built by man" and "one of Europe's most romantic cities". And I can only agree, it is one of the most beautiful places I ever visited. I just adored it! These are some of my favourites that I can recommend you to see in Venice, Italy.

Top 10 things to do in Venice

1. Visit the Piazza San Marco (San Marco square) and the Basilica San Marco (St Mark´s Bascilica)
2. Visit one of the many glass shops and buy some glass from Murano. Stunning pieces! I found a lovely necklace in glass which I just adore.
3. Have a coffe at the cafe "Caffe Florian"
4. Buy masks. I bought some beautiful masks when I visited Venice. Now I need to arrange a costume party soon!
5. The city is built on city stretches across 117 small islands. Go on a guided walking tour to get the history of the city. Go with a Gondola to explore it from sea and feel the atmosphere of being in Venice.
6. If you like are there are plenty of art galleries and museum. Why not visit the Peggy Gugenheims museum.
7. Take a nice walk over the Rialtobridge
8. Visit the opera house, go there even if you dont like opera, just to see the lovely building
9. Visit the Palazzo Ducale (the Duke of Venice palace)
10. Summarize the day in good compay with a drink at the classic Harrys bar followed by a Italian dinner in one of the many fab restaurants.
11. If you decide that you want your own Gondola after a couple of drinks in Harry´s bar. You can order your own gondola on http://www.tramontingondole.it/

Fabulous hotels in Venice

Some of the hotels in Venice are just too beautiful to be missed. Palaces, luxury and history. Do I need to say more?

• Ca' Sagredo Hotel. A renovated 15th-century palace, with pink façade, between Ca’ d’Oro and the Rialto Bridge on the spectacular Grand Canal.
• Centurion Palace.
• Overlooking St. Mark’s Basin at the mouth of the Grand Canal, Centurion Palace is in the former convent of Palazzo Genovese.
• Liassidi Palace set on the San Lorenzo Canal.
• Londra Palace Hotel is built in a neo-Gothic palace which is over 150 years old. Located close to the St Mark’s Square.
• Palazzo Sant'Angelo sul Canal Grande is a Venetian palace on the world’s most fashionable waterway, just between the Rialto and Accademia Bridges. It has its own boat dock of course...
  
  
  

Romantic Rome

10 top things to do in Rome?

I was in Rome on my birthday. It was nothing like I thought it would be. The old beautiful monuments were in the middle of the city. Wow! I like!

I thought it was going to be the shopping that was amazing. But I was astonished by the beautiful city, and I almost forgot the shops.

We walked and walked and walked. And we saw so many beautiful buildings, monuments and the most beautiful one was the fountain “Fontana de Trevi”. Don’t miss it!

We also visited the Gucci shop, expensive but a must when in Rome. Suddenly the staff in the other shops treated us differently. It is amazing (and scary) what a shopping bag from Gucci can change peoples attitude towards you. The Gucci shop is next to all the other exclusive designer shops on Via Condotti 8.

In the evening, we had an unbelievable romantic and expensive dinner with at lovely view over Rome. Suddenly the Gucci bag felt quite cheap ;-)
But the best food during the trip were at the Giggetto restaurant.

There are so many things to see in Rome, the Vatikan city, Roman Colosseum, Roman Forum, Spanish steps, piazza navona, trastevere. Check out google maps, buy a tourist book or go on a guided tour.
Or just grab a map from the hotel reception, walk alone and enjoy the magic of Rome.

If you like classical music, visit the opera house in Rome. It is one of the best in Europe. But book in advance… But don´t go to Rome during the summer, as the weather is way too hot. Go to Rome during the spring, in March-May.

Italian travel expert http://twitter.com/ItalyTravelista recommended me these luxury resturants in Rome: Hotel de Russie, Hotel Hassler, Hotel de la Minerve & St. Regis.

Fashion magazine Elle recommends these restaurants in their magazine recently:

• Salotto 42 for drinks & antipastibuffet. Address: Piazza Di Pietra 42
• Dar Poeta, restaurant in Travestera with fab pizza. Address Vicolo del Bologna 45
• Ristorante Lagana restaurant with great pasta, fish & meat dishes. Address: Via del´Orso 44.

Top 3 piazzas (squares) in Rome by Ving travelagency:

• Piazza de Popolo, from 1800 with Rome´s largest obelisk . The famous street Via del Corso starts here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piazza_del_Popolo 
• Piazza Navona, one of the most beautiful squares in Rome. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piazza_Navona
• Campo dei fiori,  A market with fruit and vegetables during the day, and a large party in the evenings. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campo_de'_Fiori