Doug Orens

Sirolo is a cute hilltop town right above a beautiful beach on the Adriatic side of Italy. It was an easy 3-hour drive from Rome airport to this village that caters to tourists in the warmer months. We hiked down a scenic, yet kind of hidden path to a wonderful seafood restaurant called Da Silvio. The quaint old town had tiny streets, plenty of outdoor cafes and picturesque charm. We were there at the end of the season which was quiet and lovely.

Back to Rome we called the Hotel Majestic home. We were a bit early and our room wasn’t ready so we sat on their beautiful roof top patio and enjoyed the free drinks they gave us to pass the time. From this lovely location we explored Rome on foot the next couple of days.

The busy Piazza Navona, with the Four Rivers Fountain designed by Bernini in 1651 at the center, is a fun place to people watch and catch a surprisingly good dinner in this touristy area. There’s always Gelato nearby and this cone is from the very popular is Giolitti.

We did a private food tour over in the Trastevere area of Rome on the other side of the Tiber River not far from the Vatican. All the food in this area was fresh, inventive and tasty including homemade cookies!

The next day we boarded the Azamara Journey for our 8-day, round trip cruise. Azamara is known for spending more time in each city they visit and on doing more overnights in the ports than other cruise lines. On every Azamara cruise they will always have an on-deck party where everyone is encouraged to wear their summer whites! Ours featured bbq, music, dancing and an Italian folk dancing show. Once per cruise there will also be an Aza-mazing evening featuring a performance or special activity for all the guests for free. We had Opera!

Our first port was lovely Sorrento and we were there from 8 am the first day to 10 pm the next. We shared a private driver, Giovanni, with our friends and had a packed day along the Amalfi coast. It’s a cliff filled drive with stunning views, small beachy towns, fresh fruit and tasty pasta. We also went to Pompeii for two hours as it is in the area. Pompeii was a large, thriving metropolis that got buried in volcanic ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D. The ash preserved the town so we could really see how the people lived two thousand years ago. I would recommend having a tour guide there who can show you the highlights and give you history and an overview of the culture. Sneakers recommended. We ended up having a very late lunch in the actual town of Amalfi and took a picture with the wonderful chef in her immaculate kitchen.

The next day was a rainy visit to a large, 600 year old Mozzerella farm. Water Buffalo are the cattle that provide this tasty treat. We met the cows, saw how the cheese is made and had a yummy lunch of mostly cheese!

Taormina is a hilltop town in Sicily where we saw a local’s wedding, bought semi-custom sandals, ate a pasta lunch overlooking the water, had even more gelato and enjoyed the narrow streets and colorful pottery.

Malta, a tiny island nation in the Mediterranean Sea halfway between Italy and Tunisia, has been occupied by so many others yet has its own interesting style. They speak both Maltese and English there. Pulling into the majestic harbor in their capital city of Valletta and seeing the creamy stone architecture is overwhelmingly gorgeous! Valletta is a Unesco World Heritage site with cathedrals, temples and gardens to explore.

QC Terreme Roma is a spa resort just 1 kilometer to Rome airport. It’s fun to “take the waters” and soak, whirlpool, heat and cool yourself in their series of pools, spas and foot soaks indoors and out. There is a nice happy hour but you are required to wear the fluffy, white robe they provide in order to attend! The breakfast buffet has many choices and the ride to the airport is just a few minutes.

Shoot an email to: doug@plazatravel.com if you have any questions or want more details about this, or any of my other trips!

Sirolo, Rome, and The Azamara Journey, October 2016