My first ever afternoon tea in Rome, was taken at non other than the glorious St.Regis Roma

I have a little confession to make. While planning our trip (it was actually a last minute decision) my husband gave me the choice of the St.Regis or the hotel we actually stayed at. And when we walked into the St.Regis, I instantly regretted my decision  

What a beautiful and elegant hotel! I am so glad we got to visit, even if it wasn't as residents.

Murano chandeliers and Belle Epouque details, the Caelum bar is such a glamorous backdrop for an afternoon tea

Place your order with the tea  Sommelier from a range by Dammann Frères.  
In case your not sure how long to wait for your tea is perfectly brewed, you are given a custom timer. Genius

And sit back and wait for the delicious treats to roll in 

All of the afternoon tea favourites are here, Finger sandwiches, warm scones with clotted cream and jam. And even though very they are very simple in design, they were truly delicious.

The smell of freshly baked scones really does something to an English girl 

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And how about the striking sapphire blue library? I could picture myself here for days... Those restored Venetian mirrors though!

Afternoon tea at the St.Regis Rome was a welcome reprieve from the heat and the hustle of Rome.  And I finally had an afternoon tea in Italy...

Belle
Xx

More from our Italian road trip here and here  

For the first part of our Italian Roadtrip, we made Castel Monastero home. 

Beautifully secluded, but in the perfect location for exploring Sienna, San Gimignano and Monteriggioni and the mysterious charm of  Volterra, (a stop totally inspired by the twighlight series)

Its one of those places, where you feel like your the only ones there...

Surrounded by vinyards and lavender, it smells unreal  

We started our day with coffee, before taking the day out to enjoy such a lovely hotel

There are so any places to discover and explore, everything picture perfect.

And once you've explored every inch, you can take a dip in the pool. 

Caste Montastero also has an amazing restaurant. 

And im a big advocate of not having to leave your hotel every night for Dinner. Its sometimes lovely to be able to take a leisurely walk (in your highest heels) to dinner, fresh and perfectly put together.  

To start we ordered the sharing platter, which was as amazing as it looked.

Followed by a refreshing cocktail and the risotto for the main course. 

And to cap the night off, we had petit fours and a coffee. Perfect 

The perfect end to the perfect day. Fully refreshed and ready to explore Sienna the next day. 

Seems we found another hotel to love...

Xoxo
Belle

More from our Italian road trip here 

The hubbs and I love a road trip. And we love Italy (our most visited country) so we put the two together.

We planned a route from Tuscany all the way down to the Cinque Terre, with a cheeky stop off in Rome on the way back

We had never actually been to Tuscany before, But I knew id love it. I imagined it to be a little like Provence (my actual favourite place in the world) and it really was. To be fair, im a fan of the countryside anywhere I go, so it was a sure fire hit. 

Beautiful wildflowers dotted the countryside, perfectly punctuating the views 

For the best view over the town, follow signs to the Rocca Maggiore, the large fortress towering above Assisi. As well as the town itself, there are spectacular views over the surrounding plains, hills and valleys. And these first views were everything I had hoped for. ​Just perfect!

Its a town for wandering and exploring. Its narrow and steep lanes are picturesque and conceal plenty of surprises: a hidden restaurant, a faded fresco, a stunning view.

And always keep looking up, you never know what ancient building you could be missing

We dotted around the town until we found the Temple of Minerva in the Piazza del Comune. And took in all of the beautiful detail

Dress is Topshop

And inside is no less impressive. We a walk around the beautiful friary. 

Stopping off for an Espresso or two when the mood takes us 

If the rest of Tuscany, is anything like Assisi we were in for an amazing trip!

Xx
​Belle 

If you've been studying hard with what seems like forever, and now you need a break to clear your mind before you go insane - then travelling is a brilliant idea. There's nothing wrong with taking a year out, and going on a life-changing adventure to put things into perspective and essentially see the world. Travel is an amazing gift that everyone is entitled to receive if they're brave enough. Let's face it, it's rather intimidating, and some people find it a lot more frightening than others, but if that slight fear wasn't there, it wouldn't feel as exciting. It's the adrenaline and trepidation that make the experience so much more than it already is.

So if you're ready for the journey of self discovery - here are some of the basics to think about before you set off.   

Your things
If you've been renting a small apartment while you've been studying, then you'll need to think about what you're going to do with all of your things, because remember, you can't take them all with you around the world, the idea is to pack light when travelling and only bring the bare essentials. But if you aren't fortunate to have a family willing to keep all of your things in their garage or loft, then you'll need to get a little more creative. Have a look at what student storage services are available in your area. This is a great idea because you can book a space online, and then keep everything in storage for as long as you want and need.

Your trip
While there's nothing wrong with wanting some spontaneity while travelling, it's important that you have a basic plan to follow for your trip. You'll need a starting point, a finishing point, and then all of the in-between. It's fine to make a detour or two once you're out there, but you need to at least have a little structure in terms of how long you'll be spending in a country, and when you're flights will be. Once that's done, you can go wherever you want to within reason, just as long as you make sure you're back in time to hop on the plane for your next destination.

Your safety
One of the most important things to remember when travelling, is your safety. You don't need to worry yourself and be paranoid every time you arrive somewhere new, but you do need to have some common sense and a level head so that you're not taken advantage of. A lot of local criminals will try and prey on people that look like tourists and travellers because supposedly 'you don't know any better'. So do all you can not to fall into that category. Make sure you have no valuables on show - if at all. Always have a safe place to sleep that's secure. And do your best not to be walking the streets at night time.


Xoxo
Belle 

After a lovely evening in cordoba, we woke the next day bright eyed and not quite so bushy tailed ready to explore and discover the patios.

Starting in 1918, The Patio contests is sponsored by the Córdoba City Hall. To really understand why a contest of this type was created in Córdoba, here is a little insight into the local architecture.

Black broderie anglais dress Zara, Black bag Zara 

As Córdoba is hot and dry in climate the homes here were built with a central patio even back in the days of the Romans. This tradition was continued by the Moors and persists in many homes even today.
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But, thanks to the creativity of the owners, patio decoration has now taken on a life all its own and at some point, someone realised that these hidden treasures were just too special to be kept tucked away behind heavy doors and iron grates. ​

It really is something very special to be able to get a view of these historic and private homes 

Layered with every shade of flower, some of the displays are are truly magical 

What I loved about the patios was how different they all were. But I have to admit that this one in particular was my favourite of the patios we saw that day. What a colour riot!

Even without the fabulous patio festival, Corboba is just the beautiful place 

Streets filled with style and history and gorgeous Andalusian sun. All the while the exotic scent of jasmine and orange blossom fill the air.

We found the cutest little market selling local produce and gifts just before stopping for a cafe con leche and freshly squeezed Zumo de Naranja.

Do you have a favourite Spanish town? Cordoba is firmly at the top of my list...

Xx
Belle

For more from Cordoba see here. For more adventures in Spain see here and here