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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   And how about the striking sapphire blue library? I could picture myself here for days... Those restored Venetian mirrors though!  
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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.   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.  The first town on our trip was Assisi. Just 2 hours drive from Rome, and it's a great place to start a tour of Tuscany   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.  Occasional olive groves are dotted among the stairways and rooftops, where shy cats creep out of sight of passers-by 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 The Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi is not to be missed. The few views are breathtaking.   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 |
A travel, beauty and lifestyle blog with the occasional afternoon tea by Angelina BelleCategories
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