There’s an ancient street in the historic centre of Naples where Christmas preparations never stop. Via San Gregorio Armeno, also known as ‘Christmas alley’, is famous for the sculpted nativity scenes (i presepi) which its artisan workshops produce and which are popular across Italy and beyond. I’m there on a sunny day one April on a […]
No worries on a Vespa tour of Naples
As I stepped out of my hotel I was feeling panicky. I was in Naples, the eldest was alone upstairs in our room, and I was setting off with an Italian man I’d never met for a tour of a city with a chaotic reputation. What’s more, the tour was by Vespa, and I still […]
Cooking with kids in Sorrento
My children have always loved those little three-wheeled Piaggio Ape trucks which you see all over Italy. Last time we went to Sicily to see the in-laws we had a lively family discussion in the back streets of Cefalù where the kids hatched a plan to import one of the mini trucks to England for […]
Capri with my teen
When I ask the eldest what was the best thing about our recent trip to Italy she replies immediately: ‘Capri’. Our trip to Capri was gorgeous in every way. According to our Adventure Company itinerary we were to travel from Sorrento to the island by ferry, walk for 2-3 hours to go in a small […]
Climbing Mount Vesuvius
‘Mount Vesuvius is a time bomb’ says our Pompeii guide, Alfredo. He explains in careful English that 700,000 people live in the shadow of the only active volcano on the European mainland. He leads us to the walls of the ancient city, devastated when Vesuvius erupted in AD 79, for a view of the volcano […]
Ten tips for family travel to Pompeii
The eldest and I were lucky enough to visit Pompeii during the Easter holidays as guests of The Adventure Travel Company on their family tour of the Bay of Naples. Here are our tips to help you make the most of your visit to the ancient ruins with kids. One To find out about Pompeii […]
Sorrento and Ravello
I’m in Italy this week on a fabulous family tour around the Bay of Naples with my teen, as guests of The Adventure Company. I’m missing my husband and the youngest, of course, but we’re having a great time. We started off in the lively city of Naples, are now in the more relaxed Sorrento […]
Easter family skiing
Our only family skiing experience was five years ago. We were staying with some Italian friends at their apartment in Limone Piemonte. Their children learnt to ski when they were small with Saturday afternoon lessons, just like ours learnt to swim. The (hopelessly naive and flawed) plan was that while our friends were zipping around the […]
Driving on ice in Madesimo, Italy
This is Omar, an amazing driver who showed me how to enjoy driving on ice. That’s quite an achievement because I’d had two car accidents on black ice in the year prior to meeting him, and so was very nervous about this experience. Ice-driving When we first arrived at the Madesimo track and saw the car speeding around, […]
How to watch football in Italy
I was lucky enough to be in Italy at the weekend, at Ospedaletti on the mediterranean coast, near the French border. I’m not a football fan, but the males in my family are, and I always get caught up in the excitement of big occasions like the European Championships. When Italy hosted the World Cup […]