Weddings : Amalfi, Italy

We found out at the week-end that my husband's cousin is planning his wedding for June this year in Italy...fingers crossed that we are able to travel over for the event.

I have always wanted to attend a wedding in Italy & am already imagining us walking through the streets of the tiny Italian town where they live & then wending our way through the hills in a procession of cars tooting the horn as we go, as is the tradition at European weddings!

I found this gorgeous wedding online....

John & Anna travelled from Portland, Oregon for their dream destination wedding in Ravello on the Amalfi coast, isn't it incredible? 

all images via www.jessicawatsonphotography.com

To Rome with love: Palazzo Margherita

Can I just say how much I appreciate the magical touch in Woody Allen movies.  We went to see To Rome With Love late last night and even though I enjoyed every scene and vision watching the beautiful Italian architectures and ruins, it was probably not the best of the ideas.  It just made my yearn for Italy a lot more profound.  Whenever we go I need to pay a visit to Palazzo Margherita, owned by Francis Ford Coppola, located in an unconventional town called Bernalda.  The Hotel was designed by Jacques Grange, another reason for me to visit it, and it's authentically old school Italian.  It's not in a very touristic town.  This is a place more in tune for people who want to experience the real Italian small town life, but even if there is not much to do, I would be perfectly content drinking Margarita's by the pool or simply walking around the town and enjoying the beautiful medieval hilltops. 

images from WSJ and Palazzo Margharita.

Need to get away?

I need a vacation in the worst way....unfortunately I don't see one in my immediate future. The one I'm imagining is on the beach in the Outer Banks, far from crowds, with a book and my dogs, just sitting on the sand everyday, doing.....nothing. ahhhhhhh. Okay, back to reality. Whether or not a vacation is in your immediate future - these photos are sure to give you the travel bug.

Next time you do decide to travel, maybe instead of a generic hotel, try checking out apartments for rent in the area where you're going.  When my boyfriend and I went to Paris and Switzerland we stayed in apartments instead of hotels and we really, really enjoyed it.  I get tired of eating out, and it's nice to go to local markets and bring them back to the apartment and do a little of your own cooking.

Below are some examples of what you're missing when you stay in a hotel:

How about a little time in North Italy?

Or a  Paris pied-à-terre

Or this view out of your Barbados bedroom...yes please!!!

A swanky Detroit studio

or, some authentic New Mexico digs....

What do you think?  Ready for a vacation?

Interested in renting one of these properties?  I got all of these image properties from Inhabit Vacations  - your "Travel Curators"