About this time of year, when the shadows are deep, the cicadas are in full concert and the sun is so golden, I start to long for Italy.
I never really care where I go in Italy, or when…it’s a country where the food, people, language and architecture always feed my soul. And I’m sure there are millions of people who would agree with me.
My husband and I realized early in planning our travels that your choice of hotels can make or break your trip. We don’t necessarily go for the five star ones or big names. Instead, we search for the local ones, full of ambiance and quirks. A little bit of research will tell you a lot about the hotel, and so do the reviews.
Last September, when we landed in Catania, we decided to rest for a few days in an unusual little hotel called the Romano Palace, that was spread out on the beach.
It had a Moroccan vibe that I loved, and many landscaped acres. So it was very easy to lounge until dinner, and drive a short way into the heart of Catania.
Here, the main attractions were the opera house and the cathedral, so our agenda wasn’t demanding.
But I enjoyed seeing a small bustling Sicilian city before heading to Siracusa.
Jutting off Siracusa is a small island called Ortygia. This is where we chose to book our hotel. They’re connected by a short bridge.
( The minute we crossed that bridge, we landed in a most spectacular fish market filled with hungry locals. )
The Grand Hotel des Etrangers faced the bay of Siracusa, and offered some spectacular sunset views.
Uniquely fashioned in very detailed Viennese seccessionist style, the hotel was a curious choice on our part.
But I did enjoy the clean lines, and actually began to see the virtue of pure white walls, which have always been difficult for me.
We were a little sad to tear ourselves away from this heavenly spot for our next stop, Taormina, nestled on the side of Mt. Etna. After a long, beautiful drive and some exploring at the volcanic research center, we pulled up to the Hotel Villa Carlotta.
Small, boutiquey and cozy, our room was an out-take right out of La Dolce Vita! Accents of aqua and ivory, striped banquettes and marble tables…I relished the details. 
Our balcony opened to a view of the valley below past the rooftops.
The streets of Taormina were packed with tourists. Apparently September has replaced August as the top vacation month! So our little hotel was a welcome respite from the madding crowd. The roof deck had a spectacular view of the Strait of Messina, which we enjoyed both morning and afternoon.
OK, so we did splurge on our room at the Piccolo Sant’Andrea Luxury Suite Hotel & Spa in Praiano, a stone’s throw away from Positano.
Again, we encountered bumper to bumper traffic – this time on the Amalfi coast road.
So once we pulled into the hotel and saw the view, we weren’t sure we would ever leave.
This hotel is literally hanging on the side of a cliff, and the elevator appears to be carved into the rock.
The bed was my favorite piece of furniture. Do I dare try to do something similar in a client’s bedroom? (Probably wouldn’t translate well.)
The foliage, the weather, the quality of the air – perfection. And yet, this hotel was one week away from closing for the season. Crazy!
So we said goodbye to the southern coast and made our way to Naples, where we would depart for home.Our biggest surprise of the trip yet — the Hotel San Francesco al Monte ex convento.
We had an overnight here for a pre-dawn trip to the airport. But before we retired, we started exploring…Turns out this hotel, a former convent, was carved into the side of a mountain, and had most of its sacred rooms and relics still intact!
By the time we made it to the roof, we found ourselves in the meadow of an ancient farm at the top of the mountain.
Yes, we’re going back! Over Christmas and New Years. I’m eager to research some new sites and cities. This time we’re exploring Bologna and the surrounding area. Parma cheeses, balsamic vinaigrettes, they’re from around there. And maybe a quick tour of the auto museums – Ferrari, Lamborghini, Ducati…
Italy never disappoints.
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